Rep. Greg Wallis

Existing law requires a city or county to prepare and adopt a general plan for its jurisdiction that contains certain mandatory elements, including a housing element. Existing law requires the housing element to identify adequate sites for housing. Existing law requires the housing element to contain an assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to the meeting of these needs. Existing law requires rezoning, as specified, when an inventory of sites does not identify adequate sites to accommodate the need for groups of specified household income levels. If the local government fails to adopt a housing element that the Department of Housing and Community Development has found to be in substantial compliance with specified law within 120 days of the statutory deadline for adoption of the housing element, existing law requires the local government to complete this rezoning no later than one year from the statutory deadline for adoption of the housing element. This bill would extend the above-described one-year deadline to one year and 6 months.

Existing law establishes a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (smog check) program that is administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The smog check program requires inspection of motor vehicles upon initial registration, biennially upon renewal of registration, upon transfer of ownership, and in certain other circumstances. Existing law exempts specified vehicles from being inspected biennially upon renewal of registration, including, among others, all motor vehicles manufactured prior to the 1976 model year. Existing law also exempts from specified portions of the smog test a collector motor vehicle that is insured as a collector motor vehicle, is at least 35 model years old, complies with the exhaust emissions standards for that motor vehicle's class and model year as prescribed by the department, and that passes a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks. This bill would extend the above exemption from vehicles that were manufactured prior to the 1976 model year, to any motor vehicle that is 30 or more model years old.

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, subject to an appropriation, to award naloxone grant funding to local health departments, local government agencies, or others in order to reduce the rate of fatal overdose from opioids. This bill, subject to an appropriation, would require the department to establish and administer a statewide program to distribute personal opioid drug deactivation and disposal systems to individuals to encourage safe and environmentally responsible disposal practices and mitigate risks associated with unused or expired prescription and illicit opioids, as specified.

Existing law defines the crime of burglary, which consists of entering specified buildings, places, or vehicles with the intent to commit grand or petty theft or a felony. Existing law defines burglary of the first degree as any burglary of an inhabited building and makes burglary of the first degree punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. Existing law defines all other burglary as burglary of the 2nd degree and makes it punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for one year or as a felony. Existing law defines any 2nd degree burglary during and within an affected county in a state of emergency or local emergency, as specified, as looting, punishable by either imprisonment in a county jail for one year or as a felony. This bill would make that crime punishable instead as a felony. By increasing the punishment of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, authorizes the Governor to proclaim a state of emergency, as defined, under specified circumstances. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to impersonate a peace officer or an officer or member of a fire department or the Office of the State Fire Marshal. This bill would make impersonating a peace officer or an officer or member of a fire department or the Office of the State Fire Marshal during a state of emergency or local emergency punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony, as specified. By increasing the punishment of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law authorizes the State Air Resources Board to designate public fire protection agencies or other equivalent agencies to issue permits, subject to the rules and regulations of the state board, for agricultural burning, which includes wildland vegetation management burning, as specified. This bill would revise those provisions to also require the state board to designate those agencies to oversee agricultural burning activities and to adopt rules and regulations to ensure those activities are conducted safely and effectively. The bill would exempt wildland vegetation management burning from the above-described permit requirement if that activity is conducted by, or under the supervision of, the applicable agency designated by the state board. The bill would require the state board to develop guidelines and best practices for wildland vegetation management burning to ensure public safety and environmental protection. By expanding the duties of local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Existing law establishes the Department of Motor Vehicles, tasked with issuance and renewal of licenses to drivers. Existing law requires the department to prescribe and provide suitable forms of applications, certificates of ownership, registration cards, driver's licenses, and all other forms that are deemed necessary. This bill would, by January 1, 2027, require the department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to develop a Blue Envelope Program. Under the program, the bill would require the blue envelope to contain specified information for requesters with a condition or disability, as specified. The bill would also authorize others, including a parent or legal guardian of a passenger with a disability, to request a blue envelope.

Existing law, the Physical Therapy Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physical therapists by the Physical Therapy Board of California (Physical Therapy Board) , which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law defines physical therapy as the art and science of physical or corrective rehabilitation or of physical or corrective treatment of any bodily or mental condition of any person by the use of the physical, chemical, and other properties of heat, light, water, electricity, sound, massage, and active, passive, and resistive exercise. Existing law makes a violation of the Physical Therapy Practice Act a misdemeanor. Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of veterinarians and the practice of veterinary medicine by the California Veterinary Medical Board, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. That act makes it unlawful for any person to practice veterinary medicine in this state without a license and provides that the practice of veterinary medicine includes, among other things, the treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of an animal. Existing law makes a violation of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act a misdemeanor. This bill would authorize a licensed physical therapist who meets specified education, training, and experience requirements to provide animal physical therapy, as specified. The bill would require the physical therapist to notify the Physical Therapy Board of their practice of animal physical therapy, as prescribed. The bill would require the animal physical therapy to be provided under either of 2 sets of circumstances involving a licensed veterinarian who has established a veterinary-patient-client relationship with the animal. The first set of circumstances would be under the direct supervision of the veterinarian at a premises registered with the California Veterinary Medical Board. The second set of circumstances would be pursuant to a referral from the veterinarian, would require the physical therapist to provide a specified written notification to the owner of the animal patient, and would require the physical therapist to hold an active practice agreement with the licensed veterinarian. The bill would require the physical therapist to provide a written copy of that active practice agreement to the California Veterinary Medical Board or Physical Therapy Board upon request. The bill would authorize physical therapy aides to aid the physical therapist in performing animal physical therapy, as specified. The bill would make any physical therapist providing animal physical therapy solely liable for delegated animal physical therapy tasks performed pursuant to a referral from a licensed veterinarian or by a person under the direct supervision of the physical therapist. The bill would specify that a veterinarian who issues an order for treatment for animal physical therapy is not liable for the animal physical therapy provided pursuant to that order by the physical therapist or by an aide or other assistant supervised by the physical therapist. The bill would make certain disciplinary actions against a Physical Therapy Practice Act licensee by the California Veterinary Medical Board conclusive evidence of unprofessional conduct by the licensee under the Physical Therapy Practice Act. The bill would require the Physical Therapy Board to immediately notify the California Veterinary Medical Board of any disciplinary actions or practice restrictions placed on the license of a physical therapist who has notified the Physical Therapy Board of their practice of animal physical therapy. The bill would prohibit a physical therapist whose license is suspended, revoked, or otherwise disciplined by the Physical Therapy Board from providing animal physical therapy. The bill would specify that these provisions, among other things, do not authorize an unlicensed person to practice animal physical therapy, except for physical therapy aides as described above. The bill would make a failure to comply with specified supervision requirements imposed by the bill or any regulation adopted pursuant to these provisions unprofessional conduct and grounds for disciplinary action, as prescribed. The bill would prohibit a physical therapist providing animal physical therapy from supervising or delegating any animal physical therapy, except as specified. The bill would specify that these provisions, among other things, do not authorize a physical therapist to provide any other services or perform any acts which constitute veterinary medicine. The bill would define various terms for the purposes of the above-described provisions. By imposing additional requirements and prohibitions under the Physical Therapy Practice Act and the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, a violation of either of which is a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law, as established in the case of Dynamex Operations W. v. Superior Court (2018) 4 Cal.5th 903 (Dynamex) , creates a presumption that a worker who performs services for a hirer is an employee for purposes of claims for wages and benefits arising under wage orders issued by the Industrial Welfare Commission. Existing law requires a 3-part test, commonly known as the "ABC" test, to determine if workers are employees or independent contractors for those purposes. Existing law establishes that, for purposes of the Labor Code, the Unemployment Insurance Code, and the wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission, a person providing labor or services for remuneration is considered an employee rather than an independent contractor unless the hiring entity demonstrates that the person is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity in connection with the performance of the work, the person performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business, and the person is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business. This test is known as the "ABC" test, as described above. Existing law charges the Labor Commissioner with the enforcement of labor laws, including worker classification. Existing law exempts specified occupations and business relationships from the application of the ABC test described above. Existing law, instead, provides that these exempt relationships are governed by the multifactor test previously adopted in the case of S. G. Borello & Sons, Inc. v. Department of Industrial Relations (1989) 48 Cal.3d. This bill would extend the above-specified exemption to a sports coach for an elementary or secondary private school or local educational agency, as prescribed, and would define terms, including "sports coach," for these purposes.

The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law. This bill would allow a credit against those taxes for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, to a qualified taxpayer, as defined, in an amount equal to 40% of the taxpayer's qualified expenses, as defined, not to exceed $400 per taxable year, or $2,000 cumulatively. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax credit to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax credit will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. The bill would also include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.