Asm. Richard Bloom

This measure would recognize June 20, 2022, as World Refugee Day, and urge the President and Congress of the United States to strengthen the international leadership role of the United States to find political solutions to existing conflicts, prevent new conflicts from beginning, and aid people who have been displaced by conflict, and also urge the Congress of the United States to make a bipartisan commitment to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons.

This measure would proclaim and acknowledge the month of June 2022 as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in California and would reiterate the importance of annually recognizing Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in the state.

This measure would proclaim September 20, 2022, as Latino Veterans Day.

This measure would declare the month of April as Arab American Heritage Month.

This measure would dedicate the month of May 2022 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.

This measure would recognize and pay tribute to the dedication and professionalism of the state scientists who work on behalf of all the residents of California.

Existing law establishes the California Partnership Academies to promote state-school-private sector partnerships combining academic and vocational training to high school pupils who present a high risk of dropping out of school, and motivating them to stay in school and graduate. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue grants to school districts, as specified, to plan, establish, and maintain these academies. Existing law requires the Superintendent to establish eligibility criteria for school districts that apply for these grants. This bill would require the Superintendent to prioritize proposals for new partnership academies based upon a school district's enrollment of unduplicated pupils, pupils from groups historically underrepresented in career technical education or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs or professions, and at-promise pupils. The bill would authorize the Superintendent to also prioritize school districts located in a rural or economically disadvantaged area. The bill would, for purposes of the partnership academy requirements, expressly include STEM courses anytime career technical education courses are referenced.

Existing law, the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994, authorizes local governmental entities to levy assessments on properties and businesses within a property and business improvement district for the purpose of financing certain improvements and promoting activities that benefit property in the district. Existing law requires the management district plan for a property-based district to include, among other things, the total amount of all special benefits to be conferred upon the properties located within the property-based district and the total amount of general benefits, if any. This bill would delete those requirements. The Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994 defines "special benefit" to mean, for purposes of a property-based district, a particular and distinct benefit over and above general benefits conferred on real property located in a district or to the public at large. This bill would specify that "special benefit" includes, for purposes of a property-based district, a particular and distinct benefit provided directly to each assessed parcel within the district. The bill would authorize a city to impose assessments that are less than the proportional special benefit conferred, but would prohibit a city from imposing assessments that exceed the reasonable costs of the proportional special benefit conferred, as provided.

Existing law generally regulates the transfer and possession of firearms. Existing law also provides for various private rights of action. Existing law also provides that specified unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices are unlawful. Existing law also makes false advertising unlawful. This bill, beginning on July 1, 2023, would establish a firearm industry standard of conduct, which would require a firearm industry member, as defined, to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls, as defined, take reasonable precautions to ensure that the member does not sell, distribute, or provide a firearm-related product, as defined, to a downstream distributor or retailer of firearm-related products who fails to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls, and adhere to specified laws pertaining to unfair methods of competition, unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and false advertising. The bill would also prohibit a firearm industry member from manufacturing, marketing, importing, offering for wholesale sale, or offering for retail sale a firearm-related product that is abnormally dangerous and likely to create an unreasonable risk of harm to public health and safety in California, as specified. This bill would also authorize a person who has suffered harm in California, the Attorney General, or city or county attorneys to bring a civil action against a firearm industry member for an act or omission in violation of the firearm industry standard of conduct, as specified. The bill would authorize a court that determines that a firearm industry member has engaged in the prohibited conduct to award various relief, including injunctive relief, damages, and attorney's fees and costs.