Rep. Jeff Gorell

This measure would designate November as California Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month. The measure would recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions Californians of Sikh heritage have made to the state. The measure would also seek to afford all Californians the opportunity to understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans.

This measure would recognize August 31, 2014, as William Saroyan Day.

This measure would recognize the outstanding performance of California Chrome during his remarkable run for thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown, and, in particular, for his tremendous victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, would recognize and congratulate the many Californians who are part of the ownership group, breeding and training cadre, and other essential elements that led to his success, and would recognize the storied history of thoroughbred horse racing in California, the Cal-bred Program, and its contributions to job creation and the state's economy.

This measure would commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

This measure would recognize July 2014 as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in California.

This measure would designate the month of September 2014 as School Attendance Awareness Month, and would encourage public officials, educators, and communities in California to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.

This measure would urge the Governor to identify evidence-based solutions to reduce children's exposure to adverse childhood experiences, address the impacts of those experiences, and invest in preventive health care and mental health and wellness interventions.

This measure would declare the 3rd week of September 2014, and the 3rd week of September in each subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.

(1) Existing law prescribes procedures for the formation of harbor districts, and sets forth the powers of a district with regard to the operation, management, and development of harbor facilities in a district. Existing law authorizes the board of a harbor district, among other things, to borrow up to $1,000,000 for the purposes of acquiring land for constructing or operating any work, project, or certain authorized facilities or for the making of improvements or the purchase of equipment for the maintenance of those facilities, as prescribed. This bill would, notwithstanding that borrowing limit, authorize the Oxnard Harbor District to borrow money by issuance of promissory notes, or execute conditional sales contracts to purchase personal property, in an amount or of a value not exceeding in the aggregate at any one time the sum of $10,000,000, for the purposes of acquiring land or constructing or operating any authorized work, project, or facility, or for the making of any improvement, or the purchase of equipment or for the maintenance of that equipment, in accordance with prescribed procedures. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Oxnard Harbor District.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to license and regulate community care facilities, including foster family homes, certified family homes of licensed foster family agencies, and group homes. Existing law requires that persons providing care or services at these homes or facilities obtain either a criminal record clearance or an exemption from disqualification from the department, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes a child welfare agency to secure from an appropriate governmental criminal justice agency the state summary criminal history information for specified purposes, including an assessment of the appropriateness of placing a child subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court with a relative or nonrelative extended family member. Existing law also requires the Department of Justice to provide information contained in the Child Abuse Central Index to the State Department of Social Services, or to any county licensing agency that has contracted with the state for the performance of licensing duties. This bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services and county child welfare agencies to share information with respect to applicants, licensees, certificates, or individuals who have been the subject of any administrative action resulting in the denial, suspension, probation, or revocation of a license, permit, or certificate, or in the exclusion of a person from a facility who is subject to a background check. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to provide, upon the request of a county child welfare agency, a list of each person who has received a criminal records exemption related to a licensed or certified foster home, so that the county may assess the appropriateness of placing a child in the foster home with which the individual is associated. The bill would also authorize the department to share with the county child welfare agency summary information, as defined, related to a criminal record clearance or exemption granted by the department, except as otherwise limited by state or federal law. The bill would prohibit the department from disclosing the names of individuals who are not the subject of the exemption request or disclosing more information than is necessary, as determined by the department and in accordance with state and federal law, to assess the appropriateness of placing a child in a licensed or certified foster home. The bill would require the department to issue an all-county letter on or before March 1, 2015, that specifies the process by which a county may request summary information, how the information will be issued by the department, and how the information may be used by a county.