(1) Existing law regulates horse racing in this state and provides for the payment and distribution of license fees in connection with horse racing meetings. Existing law establishes the Fair and Exposition Fund to, among other things, allocate moneys for the support of the network of California fairs. Existing law requires certain license fees from satellite wagering to be deposited into a separate account in the Fair and Exposition Fund, and continuously appropriates those moneys for specified purposes, including, among others, the payment of expenses incurred in establishing and operating satellite wagering facilities at fairs. This bill would delete the provisions requiring satellite wagering license fees to be deposited into a separate account in the Fair and Exposition Fund and to be continuously appropriated for specified purposes. The bill would instead require certain revenues paid by racing associations and fairs generated by parimutuel wagering to be deposited into the Fair and Exposition Fund and would require those funds to be continuously appropriated for various purposes, including, among others, capital improvements at fairgrounds. The bill would revise requirements for concurrence by the Joint Committee on Fairs, Allocation, and Classification of certain allocations proposed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. The bill would also require all funds appropriated for California fairs and expositions to be deposited into the Fair and Exposition Fund and would continuously appropriate those funds for various purposes. By continuously appropriating the funds in the Fair and Exposition Fund, the bill would make an appropriation. (2) Existing law provides that the Department of Food and Agriculture is responsible for providing oversight of activities carried out by each California fair, including, but not limited to, conducting fiscal and performance audits of county fairs and citrus fruit fairs that are either requested by the fair or that the department deems necessary, and conducting, or causing to be conducted, annual fiscal audits and periodic compliance audits. This bill would delete the requirement that the department conduct the audits described above and would instead require the department to provide that the books and accounts for the prior calendar year of all fairs receiving money from the Fair and Exposition Fund be examined and reviewed annually and audited once every 3 years by an independent certified public accountant or certified public accountancy firm. The bill would require a summary of the examination to be appended to the fair's annual statement of operations, and would provide that the costs of the annual review or audit be the responsibility of each fair. (3) Existing law requires the Legislature, from the total revenue received from the Department of Food and Agriculture, to annually appropriate moneys to the department as it deems necessary for the oversight of the network of California fairs and to perform audits. Existing law continuously appropriates any of those funds that are unallocated to the Secretary of Food and Agriculture for specified purposes. This bill would delete those provisions and instead would appropriate any unallocated balance in the Fair and Exposition Fund without regard to fiscal years for allocation by the secretary for capital outlay to California fairs for specified purposes. The bill would also specify that a reasonable amount of those funds, as determined by the secretary, may be used during any year by the Division of Fairs and Expositions to provide oversight and administration of the network of fairs. (4) Existing law divides the state into agricultural districts and provides for the management of these districts by district agricultural associations. Existing law provides for a board of directors for each district agricultural association, and provides for the appointment of each director by the Governor. This bill would authorize the Governor to remove a director for cause within one year of the director's appointment. (5) Existing law specifies the duties and responsibilities of district agricultural associations, and requires a district agricultural association to obtain the approval of the Department of Food and Agriculture prior to exercising certain powers, including, among others, the power to sue. Existing law also requires a district agricultural association to obtain the approval of both the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services in order to exercise certain other powers, including the power to conduct activities upon the district agricultural association's property, contract, purchase, or convey an interest in either real or personal property, or to use or manage its real estate or personal property. This bill would revise the duties and responsibilities of the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services with respect to district agricultural associations, and, among other things, would delete the requirement that a district agricultural association obtain the Department of Food and Agriculture's approval prior to suing. The bill would also delete the requirement that a district agricultural association obtain prior approval from both the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services prior to conducting activities upon the district agricultural association's own property, or entering into a contract or exercising powers over its own real or personal property. The bill would require a district agricultural association to comply with specified contracting procedures, including, among others, soliciting bids in writing if the estimated total cost of a project exceeds $25,000. The bill would require a district agricultural association to adopt a fiscal review policy to conduct audits at regular intervals, as specified, and would authorize the Department of Food and Agriculture to require an audit to be conducted at an earlier time if the department deems it necessary to protect the interests of the district agricultural association. The bill would specify that the title, control, and possession of all personal property acquired, held, managed, or operated by a district agricultural association vests with the district agricultural association. The bill would delete a provision requiring the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to expend up to $100,000 each fiscal year for an exhibit or exhibits at a fair that demonstrates the process of production and use of food and fiber, and would also delete a requirement that the secretary provide for a conference of fair judges to aid the Department of Food and Agriculture in prescribing regulations, and to expend up to $15,000 for that purpose. The bill would make other conforming and related changes. (6) Under existing law, the Department of General Services exercises oversight of the acquisition and replacement of motor vehicles, and the acquisition of certain mobile equipment, by state agencies, and defines "state agency" for those purposes. This bill would exclude a district agricultural association from that definition. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
This measure would call on the President of the United States to use his executive authority to find innovative ways to provide more water for agriculture in California.
This measure would urge the President and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to comply with all requests related to congressional inquiries related to IRS misconduct in a full and transparent manner, and ensure that all government employees are made available for questions relating to the application of tax exempt status for religious organizations. This measure would also urge the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate the actions of the IRS.
Existing law authorizes a regional water management group to prepare and adopt an integrated regional water management plan with specified components. This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to that provision.
Under existing law, a person, firm, or corporation that interferes with the access rights of a disabled individual is liable for the actual damages of each offense and any amount determined by a judge or jury of up to 3 times the amount of the actual damages, but in no case less than $1,000. Existing law requires the State Architect to develop and submit for approval and adoption building standards for making buildings, structures, sidewalks, curbs, and related facilities accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities, as specified. This bill would establish notice requirements for an alleged aggrieved party to follow before bringing an action against a business for an alleged violation of the above-described provisions. The bill would require that party to provide specified notice to the owner of the property, agent, or other responsible party where the alleged violation occurred. The bill would require that owner, agent, or other responsible party to respond within 30 days with a description of the improvements to be made or with a rebuttal to the allegations, as specified. If that owner, agent, or other responsible party elects to fix the alleged violation, the bill would provide 90 days to do so. The bill would provide that its provisions do not apply to claims for recovery of special damages for an injury in fact, and would authorize the court to consider previous or pending actual damage awards received or prayed for by the alleged aggrieved party for the same or similar injury. The bill would further state the intent of the Legislature to institute certain educational programs related to special access laws.
Existing law, the California High-Speed Rail Act, creates the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail system in the state. Existing law, the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, approved by the voters as Proposition 1A at the November 4, 2008, general election, provides for the issuance of $9 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail purposes and $950 million for other related rail purposes. Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters. This bill would provide that no further bonds shall be sold for high-speed rail purposes pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, expect as specifically provided with respect to an existing appropriation for high-speed rail purposes for early improvement projects in the Phase I blended system. The bill, subject to the above exception, would require redirection of the unspent proceeds received from outstanding bonds issued and sold for other high-speed rail purposes prior to the effective date of these provisions, upon appropriation, for use in retiring the debt incurred from the issuance and sale of those outstanding bonds. The bill, subject to the above exception, would also require the net proceeds of other bonds subsequently issued and sold under the high-speed rail portion of the bond act to be made available, upon appropriation, to fund projects in the State Transportation Improvement Program, the State Highway Operation and Protection Program, and the state's freight plan. The bill would make no changes to the authorization under the bond act for issuance of $950 million for rail purposes other than high-speed rail. These provisions would become effective only upon approval by the voters at the next statewide general election. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations, as defined, unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The act authorizes the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to exempt from some or all of those provisions of the act a person engaging in specified forest management activities. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that exemption provision.
(1) Existing law defines the term "wild pig" for purposes of managing, taking, or hunting that species. The bill would also define "pigs" and prohibit the release of pigs into uncontrolled areas. The bill would provide that an area shall be deemed controlled if the pigs are regularly cared for and enclosed by a lawful fence, as defined. The bill would provide that an owner of a pig that escapes from a controlled area who has complied with this provision is not deemed to be in violation of any law that prohibits the release of any animal. (2) Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to prepare a management plan for wild pigs and provides that funds deposited in the Big Game Management Account shall be available to the department to be used for, among other things, acquiring land, completing projects, and implementing programs to benefit specified game mammals. Existing law authorizes the department to make grants to, reimburse, or enter into contracts or other agreements with nonprofit organizations for these purposes. The bill would delete the requirement that the department prepare a management plan for wild pigs. The bill would also require the department's granting criteria for Big Game Management Account programs to include consideration for projects that restore wildland habitat affected by wild pigs. The bill would also authorize the use of funds from this account for grants and reimbursement to, and contracts with, state and federal land management agencies for projects on lands that are open for hunting. (3) Existing law classifies the wild pig as a game mammal and requires a person to procure, as specified, either a hunting license and a wild pig tag or a depredation permit in order to take a wild pig. However, existing law provides that any wild pig that is encountered while in the act of inflicting injury to, or damaging or destroying, or threatening to immediately damage or destroy, land or other property may be taken immediately by the owner or the owner's employee or agent, as specified. Existing regulations prohibit a person with a hunting license and a wild pig tag from taking a wild pig between 12 hour after sunset and 12 hour before sunrise. Existing regulations authorize a person with a depredation permit to take a wild pig during the hours specified in the permit. This bill would revise and recast the provisions applicable to wild pigs by, among other things, reclassifying the wild pig as a nongame mammal for taking or possessing purposes. The bill would replace the wild pig tag requirement with a validation on the hunting license that would allow for the unlimited take and possession of wild pigs. The bill would set the price of a wild pig validation at $15 for residents and $30 for nonresidents. The bill would prohibit the taking of wild pigs at night, as specified, except by landowners or their employees or agents of depredating wild pigs if the department is notified by 3:00 p.m. prior to the planned take or, if the daylight hours before the planned take are not on a business day, by 3:00 p.m. of the last business day before the planned take and the person taking the wild pig possesses a valid hunting license. The bill would provide that the permission granted for the planned take under these provisions applies to the night designated in the notification and the six nights following. (4) Existing law establishes the base fees for wild pig tags beginning with the year 2004 and requires their adjustment annually according to the change in the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, as published by the United States Department of Commerce. Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine this change and to recalculate the current base fees charged for each license, stamp, permit, tag, or other entitlement issued by the department and requires the Fish and Game Commission to comply with these requirements. This bill would instead, beginning with the 2014 license year, authorize the commission to adjust annually the base fees for wild pig validations to an amount that raises revenues not to exceed its costs of regulation relating to wild pigs. (5) The bill would make other technical and conforming changes to these provisions. (6) Because the bill would create new crimes, it would impose a state-mandated local program. (7) 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.
(1) Existing law, the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2012, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11,140,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. Existing law provides for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. This bill would repeal these provisions. (2) Under existing law, various measures have been approved by the voters to provide funds for water supply and protection facilities and programs. Existing law, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, an initiative measure approved by the voters as Proposition 84 at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $5,388,000,000 for the purposes of financing safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, natural resource protection, and park improvements. Existing law, the Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act of 2006, approved by the voters as Proposition 1E at the November 7, 2006, general statewide election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,090,000,000 for the purposes of financing disaster preparedness and flood prevention projects. Existing law, the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002, an initiative measure approved by the voters as Proposition 50 at the November 5, 2002, statewide general election, authorizes, for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water, water quality, and water reliability program, the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,440,000,000. Existing law, the Costa-Machado Water Act of 2000, approved by the voters as Proposition 13 at the March 7, 2000, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $1,970,000,000 for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water, clean water, watershed protection, and flood protection program. Existing law, the Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act, approved by the voters as Proposition 204 at the November 5, 1996, statewide general election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $995,000,000 for the purposes of financing a safe, clean, reliable water supply program. Existing law, the Water Conservation and Water Quality Bond Law of 1986, approved by the voters as Proposition 44 at the June 3, 1986, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $150,000,000 for the purposes of financing a water conservation and water quality program. This bill would enact the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $7,120,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement program. This bill, upon voter approval, would reallocate $425,000,000 of the unissued bonds authorized for the purposes of Propositions 1E, 13, 44, 50, 84, and 204 to finance the purposes of a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement program. This bill would provide for the submission of these provisions to the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway 193 in El Dorado County as the Eugene "Gene" Chappie Memorial Highway. The 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 that cost, to erect those signs.