Asm. Jessica Caloza

Existing law declares that it is the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to access sufficient affordable and healthy food. Existing law establishes various food assistance programs, including, among others, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. This bill would establish the Office of Food Security and Affordability, an independent public entity not affiliated with another state agency or department, to be administered by a Director of Food Security and Affordability. The bill would require the director to be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The bill would require the office to collaborate with appropriate state agencies or departments to, among other things, coordinate statewide outreach for food insecurity programs and establish best practices for food banks and emergency food providers, as specified. The bill would create the Food Security and Affordability Fund for the receipt and deposit of moneys from federal, state, local, or private sources, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require the office to use those moneys to implement and administer these provisions. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2037.

Existing law provides for negotiations concerning wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment between a higher education employer and an exclusive representative of a recognized or certified employee organization, as these terms are defined. Existing law requires higher education employers, or such representatives as they may designate, to engage in meeting and conferring with the employee organization selected as exclusive representative of an appropriate unit on all matters within the scope of representation. Existing law requires a reasonable number of representatives of an exclusive representative to have the right to receive reasonable periods of released or reassigned time without loss of compensation when engaged in meeting and conferring and for the processing of grievances prior to the adoption of the initial memorandum of understanding. This bill would authorize an exclusive representative, in their discretion, to invite one or more members of a bargaining unit to remotely observe a session held for the purpose of a meet and confer on a memorandum of understanding. The bill would prohibit, absent an agreement of the parties, a member of a bargaining unit observing a session pursuant to these provisions from receiving released or reassigned time or compensation to observe a session. The bill would not prevent the parties from agreeing to allow in-person observers or greater participation by observers in a meet and confer session. The bill would also not require any change in existing practices that allow in-person observers or greater participation by observers in a meet and confer session.

By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the state's lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of California's lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of California's lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal. Existing law establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act, which sets forth the state's commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the state's rich cultural and natural resources. Existing law declares that it is state policy, among other things, to ensure that all Californians have equitable opportunities to safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature, and to prevent and minimize the intentional and unwarranted limitation of sustainable public access to public lands, where appropriate, including, but not limited to, local, regional, state, and federal parks, rivers, lakes, beaches, forests, mountain ranges, deserts, and other natural landscapes. Existing law requires specified state agencies to consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, or grant criteria, or making expenditures, as specified. Existing law requires all state agencies implementing the above-described state policy to do so in a manner consistent with the mission of their agency and that protects the health and safety of the public and conserves natural and cultural resources. This bill would provide that, to advance and promote environmental, conservation, and public access policies and budget actions, the Governor's office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, shall recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and the Outdoors for All initiative, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in historically underserved urban communities consistent with those initiatives. The bill would encourage decisionmakers, when distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and the Outdoors for All initiative, to consider factors that are unique to urban settings, including, among other things, higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, current or impending loss of parks or greenspace as a result of state or federal infrastructure projects, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site. The bill would encourage regulatory agencies, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the state's environmental, conservation, and public access goals. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, to allow, to the extent consistent with the funding source, the funding program's authorizing statutes, and the state's goals, for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

Existing law, the Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 2025, beginning July 1, 2026, eliminates the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and instead establishes the Business and Consumer Services Agency and the California Housing and Homelessness Agency (agency) . Existing law requires the agency to coordinate with the California Health and Human Services Agency and the California Consumer Protection Agency on various state policies, including housing. This bill would require the agency to create a study on issues impacting pregnant people experiencing homelessness and report the results of the study, as well as recommendations to establish a PINK Alert, to the Legislature by July 1, 2028. The bill would require the recommendations to include how the PINK Alert can meet specified conditions, including that it be a system that nonprofits can opt in to in order to get notifications if there is a pregnant person in need of emergency housing or prenatal services.

Maddy summaryThis bill serves as a commemorative resolution to mark the 50th anniversary of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975. It does not create new laws or alter existing regulations but instead formally acknowledges the milestone achievement of the original legislation. The measure is intended to honor the history of mining and land reclamation efforts established by the 1975 act.

This measure would acknowledge and celebrate 50 years of coastal protection and affirm the state's longstanding commitment to protecting its coastal waters, as specified.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 2026 as Men's Mental Health Month to raise awareness about mental health issues affecting men. The measure is a formal proclamation that does not change laws or allocate funding, but rather encourages public recognition of the topic. Once passed, it serves as an official declaration without imposing new requirements on individuals or organizations.

This measure would declare the month of June 2026 as Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Awareness Month, and would urge all Californians to commemorate the month of June 2026 as Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Awareness Month.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 23, 2026, as Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day in California. The measure requires the state to officially proclaim this date, creating a specific day for remembrance. It does not change laws or impose new requirements on individuals or organizations. The primary effect is to establish a formal date for commemoration within the state.

This measure would recognize June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth and would urge the people of California to join in celebrating Juneteenth as a day to honor and reflect on the significant role that African Americans have played in the history of the United States and how they have enriched society through their steadfast commitment to promoting unity and equality.