Asm. Joe Patterson

Existing law requires that each death be registered with the local registrar of births and deaths in the district in which the death was officially pronounced or the body was found. Existing law designates persons responsible for completing a certificate of death and the required contents of the certificate. Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to implement an internet-based electronic death registration system for the creation, storage, and transfer of death registration information. Existing law authorizes the State Registrar to incorporate computer or telephone facsimile technology, or both, in the statewide program of death registration. This bill would require the State Registrar to use updated technology, including computer and mobile telephone applications, to upgrade the system. The bill would also require that specified individuals, including a physician, medical examiner, and local registrar, have the ability to access the electronic death registration system in addition to the individuals currently responsible for completing a certificate of death. The bill would also authorize specified individuals to attest to a death within the system using electronic, voice, or facsimile methods. The bill would require the department to update the system to allow this.

Existing law, the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, classifies controlled substances into 5 designated schedules, with the most restrictive limitations generally placed on controlled substances classified in Schedule I, and the least restrictive limitations generally placed on controlled substances in Schedule V. Existing law creates the Research Advisory Panel, as specified, to conduct hearings on, and in other ways study, research projects concerning controlled substances. Existing law authorizes the panel to approve research projects that have been registered with the Attorney General concerning the nature and effects of cannabis or hallucinogenic drugs and the treatment of abuse of controlled substances. Existing law authorizes a person who, under federal law, is entitled to use controlled substances for the purpose of research, instruction, or analysis to lawfully obtain and use those controlled substances upon approval by the panel, as specified. This bill, the California Veterans' Right to Try Act, would, until January 1, 2032, authorize the Research Advisory Panel to submit an investigational new drug application to the United States Food and Drug Administration requesting approval for a clinical trial of Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances to study the administration and efficacy of those compounds among a patient pool comprised exclusively of veteran subjects with comorbidities that commonly overlap with the incidence of suicidality among veterans. This bill would make technical changes and would make related findings and declarations.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health, which, among other things, administers various programs that prevent disease and promote health. This bill would create the California Investigational Peptide and Novel Compound Research and Therapeutic Access Program and would require the department to convene a working group with specified members to study and make recommendations regarding the creation of a state-authorized research and investigational therapeutic framework, as specified. The bill would require the working group to study potential uses of investigational therapeutic compounds and novel peptide compounds, among other things, and to submit a report to the Legislature detailing its findings and recommendations no later than January 1, 2029. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2030.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, beginning January 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, to submit to the Legislature and the Governor an assessment that, among other things, identifies methods to ensure a reliable supply of affordable and safe transportation fuels in California and evaluates California's future petroleum product and crude oil import needs. This bill would require that the next assessment also assess the human rights record of each country from which California imports oil, the amount of oil production in California that would enable the state to stop importing oil from countries with negative human rights records, and California laws and regulations that prevent domestic oil production, as specified.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the week of May 17 to May 24, 2026, as National Public Works Week throughout California to honor the contributions of public works professionals. It directly affects engineers, managers, and employees in government and the private sector who maintain essential infrastructure like transportation systems, water supplies, and public buildings. The resolution requests that the Governor issue a proclamation encouraging the public to observe the week with educational programs and activities that highlight the importance of these workers.

The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the tax imposed by that law. 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. This bill would allow credits against the tax imposed by the Personal Income Tax Law for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2032, to a qualified taxpayer for qualified costs relating to qualified home hardening, as defined, and for qualified costs relating to qualified vegetation management, as defined, in specified amounts, not to exceed an aggregate amount of $50,000,000 per taxable year. This bill would require a qualified taxpayer to reserve a credit for qualified costs relating to qualified home hardening or qualified vegetation management to be eligible for the above-described credits and provide all necessary information for this purpose, as specified. This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new income tax credit and would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to prepare a written report regarding the credits, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Existing law designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for the preparation of the state implementation plan required by the federal Clean Air Act, and requires the state board to adopt standards, rules, and regulations that are consistent with the state goal of providing a decent home and suitable living environment for every Californian. Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, governs, among other things, the procedures for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations by state agencies. Existing law requires a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a regulation that is not a major regulation, as defined, to prepare an economic impact assessment, as provided. Existing law requires a state agency that is proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a major regulation to prepare a standardized regulatory impact analysis, as provided. This bill would require the State Air Resources Board proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a regulation to include in either the economic impact assessment, or the standardized regulatory impact assessment, a distributional analysis of the costs, benefits, and net impacts on personal income across income levels and an informative digest, as provided.

The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, allows various deductions in calculating taxable income. Existing federal income tax law, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2029, allows deductions in determining taxable income, as defined, for amounts equal to the qualified tips, as defined. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2029, would conform to federal income tax law with regard to qualified tips, except as provided. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

This measure would proclaim March 2026 as American Red Cross Month, dedicate it to all those who continue to advance the noble legacy of the organization's founder, and encourage all Californians to reach out, support the organization's humanitarian mission, and join in their commitment to care for people in need.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates April 14 of every year as Sylvia Mendez Day to honor the civil rights activist who challenged school segregation in California. The measure is a commemorative resolution that does not change laws, allocate funding, or alter government operations. By establishing this annual observance, the state recognizes Mendez's historical contributions to education and civil rights.