Asm. Richard Bloom

This measure would designate October 20, 2019, and each 20th day of October thereafter, as Leyte Landing Commemoration Day in recognition of the significance of the Leyte landing in liberating the Philippines from Japanese occupation and would also honor the significant contributions to California made by generations of Filipino Americans since that time.

This measure would commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.

This measure would proclaim the month of November 2019 as California Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Month to recognize the need for individuals, schools, communities, businesses, local governments, and the state to take action on behalf of runaway and homeless youth in California.

This measure would state that the Legislature strongly and unequivocally objects to federal preemption of state authority relating to the regulation of vessel discharges in California waters, remains steadfast in its commitment to protect California's waters from aquatic invasive species introductions, and is resolved to consider any appropriate actions to overturn the federal preemption of California authority.

Existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act, prohibits the sale, distribution, or nonsale distribution of tobacco products, as defined, directly or indirectly to any person under 21 years of age through the United States Postal Service or through any other public or private postal or package delivery service. Existing law requires a person selling or distributing tobacco products directly to a consumer through the United States Postal Service or by another postal or package delivery service to comply with specified age-verification policies and deliver only to the consumer's verified mailing or billing address, as applicable. Existing law authorizes enforcing agencies to assess civil penalties for violations of the STAKE Act. This bill would additionally require sellers, distributors, and nonsale distributors to deliver tobacco products only in conspicuously marked containers, as specified, and to obtain the signature of a person 21 years of age or older before delivering a tobacco product. The bill would allow a person to designate an address for delivery that is different from the person's mailing or billing address, if the person's mailing or billing address has been verified in accordance with specified provisions.

Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies to provide coverage for specified benefits. This bill, known as the Let California Kids Hear Act, would require a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2020, to include coverage for hearing aids, as defined, for an enrollee or insured under 18 years of age. The bill would require the coverage to be performed by contracted providers, except as specified. The bill would require the contracted providers to include a pediatric audiologist for children under 5 years of age. The bill would require hearing aids covered under the bill to be subject to the cost sharing imposed by the plan contract or health insurance policy for durable medical equipment, as specified. Because a willful violation of these requirements by a health care service plan 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, among other things, designate the year 2019 as "State of California Year of Commemoration of the Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1923," would designate April 24, 2019, as "State of California Day of Commemoration of the 104th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1923," and would call upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to formally and consistently reaffirm the historical truth that the atrocities committed against the Armenian people constituted genocide.

This measure would request the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California to conduct a study on the usefulness, effectiveness, and need for the SAT and ACT to determine student admissions, and would provide that the study should include evaluation of specified admissions eligibility and qualifications measures and testing issues. The measure would also provide that the study should include recommendations and, if determined necessary, a plan for phasing out the use of the SAT and ACT as a basis for admission.

This measure would request the President and the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that would strengthen the communication between federal, state, local, and tribal officials, and that would require the United States Department of Justice, United States Department of the Interior, and United States Department of Health and Human Services to seek recommendations from tribes in enhancing the safety of Native American women and girls. The measure would also request that the Attorney General of the State of California begin the collection of data as it relates to missing and murdered Native American women and girls.