Asm. Mike Eng

This measure would recognize the month of November 2011 as Native American Heritage Month, would encourage Californians to participate in appropriate observances that celebrate and commemorate Native Americans, and would applaud and encourage the observance of California Indian nations for their outstanding contributions to this state.

Existing law regulates the sale and redemption of pledged property by pawnbrokers. Existing law authorizes a pawnbroker to charge or receive compensation at a rate not exceeding specified amounts based upon the unpaid principal balance of the loan, but at least $3 per month. Existing law also sets forth a schedule of charges applicable to these loans and authorizes a pawnbroker to impose a charge of $1 on any loan for not more than 30 days which does not exceed $14.99. Existing law requires loans made by pawnbrokers to be evidenced by a written contract. Existing law requires a loan to which an original loan debt is applied to be processed as a new loan. A knowing violation of the provisions regulating pawnbrokers is a crime. This bill would define the term "month" for purposes of these provisions to mean a period of time consisting of 30 consecutive calendar days and would make various conforming changes. The bill would prohibit a pawnbroker from charging or receiving compensation at a rate exceeding 2.5% per month on the unpaid principal balance of any loan and would specify that a pawnbroker may charge or receive compensation in an amount of $3 per month if those other charges or compensation based upon the unpaid principal balance of a loan would be less. The bill would authorize a pawnbroker to impose a charge of $1 on any loan for not more than 3 months which does not exceed $14.99. The bill would make other clarifying changes to these provisions. Because a knowing violation of these provisions by a pawnbroker would be 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.

This measure would designate the month of September of every year as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month throughout the State of California, and would encourage and promote efforts to educate the people and the health care practitioners of the state regarding ovarian cancer and its early detection and prevention, the risk factors involved in its development, and the early warning symptoms and signs.

This measure would proclaim May 2 through May 9, 2011, as Cinco de Mayo Week, and would urge all Californians to join in celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

This measure would designate a specified location on State Highway Route 1 in the City of Guadalupe in Santa Barbara County as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. This measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering those costs, to erect those signs.

This measure would proclaim October 22 to October 30, 2011, as including Red Ribbon Week, and would encourage all Californians to help build drug-free communities and participate in drug prevention activities.

This measure would recognize the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks as a day of solemn commemoration.

Existing law requires the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the California Highway Patrol, to establish and administer a "Safe Routes to School" program for construction of bicycle and pedestrian safety and traffic calming projects, and to award grants to local agencies in that regard from available federal and state funds, based on the results of a statewide competition. Existing law requires the department to rate proposals submitted by applicants using specified factors. One of the factors relates to consultation and support for projects by school-based organizations, local traffic engineers, local elected officials, law enforcement agencies, school officials, and other relevant community stakeholders. This bill would delete that factor and instead substitute a factor relating to use of a specified public participation process, with involvement by the public, schools, parents, teachers, local agencies, the business community, key professionals, and others, which process identifies community priorities, ensures those priorities are reflected in the proposal, and secures support for the proposal by relevant community stakeholders. The bill would add another factor relating to benefit of a proposal to a low-income school, as defined, and would make other related changes.

Existing law provides that all insurers, brokers, agents, and others engaged in the transaction of insurance owe a prospective insured who is 65 years of age or older, a duty of honesty, good faith, and fair dealing. This duty is in addition to any other duty, whether express or implied, that may exist. This bill would prohibit an insurance broker or agent from participating in, being associated with, or employing any party that participates in or is associated with, the origination of a reverse mortgage, except as provided. The bill would also prohibit, with exceptions, individuals transacting insurance from receiving compensation, commission, or direct incentive for providing reverse mortgage borrowers with a noncasualty insurance product that is connected to or a result of the reverse mortgage.

This measure would proclaim the month of March of every year as Read Across California Month and request that public and private stakeholders work together to raise awareness of the importance of reading to young children and the importance of independent reading among our pupils and citizens of California by encouraging everyone to read for 30 minutes for 30 days during the month of March of every year, in conjunction with the Read Across America campaign held annually on March 2.