Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and vests the agency with authority over various environmental matters. Existing law requires the agency to address heat and heat reduction by, among other things, identifying the extent and severity of the urban heat island effect for cities to set quantifiable goals for heat reduction. Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governor's office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed. Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioner's powers and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to convene a working group to identify, assess, and recommend risk transfer market mechanisms that, among other things, promote investment in natural infrastructure to reduce the risks of climate change related to catastrophic events. This bill would require the agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Insurance, by July 1, 2024, to transmit a study of, among other things, past extreme heat events and the effectiveness of insurance coverages, as specified, to prevent losses or help communities plan public health initiatives related to combating the effects of extreme heat, insurance options that will support specified adaptation, preparedness, and resilience measures, and recommendations for overcoming barriers encountered by local governments that are trying to use insurance or other financing tools to fund or support heat risk mitigation or adaptation strategies to the agency, the ICARP, and certain legislative policy committees, and to post the study on its internet website. The bill would require the agency, in coordination with the ICARP, the State Department of Public Health, and the Department of Insurance, to periodically review and update the extreme heat ranking system, as appropriate. The bill would require the ICARP to develop a public communication plan for the statewide extreme heat ranking system, recommend partnerships with local health departments and local and tribal governments, and develop statewide guidance for local and tribal governments in the preparation and planning for extreme heat events, and review the heat ranking system, as specified. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to extreme heat.
Sponsored bills
This measure would, among other things, on the first anniversary of the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, urge the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol to uncover the facts, circumstances, and causes relating to the attack, and honor the individuals who died or were injured as a result of the attack.
Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, among other things, creates the Office of Emergency Services, which is responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services, as specified. Existing law requires the Governor to coordinate the State Emergency Plan and those programs necessary for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency. Existing law requires the governing body of each political subdivision of the state to carry out the provisions of the State Emergency Plan. Existing law grants the Governor certain powers to be exercised in accordance with the State Emergency Plan and programs for the mitigation of the effects of an emergency, including providing for approval of local emergency plans. Existing law requires a county, upon the next update to its emergency plan, to integrate access and functional needs into its emergency plan by addressing, at a minimum, how the access and functional needs population is served by emergency communications, emergency evacuation for individuals who are dependent on public transportation, and accessible emergency sheltering. Existing law, upon appropriation as specified, makes certain funding available in the 2022–23 and 2023–24 fiscal years to the Strategic Growth Council, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Research, for the establishment of a grant program for the construction or retrofit of facilities that will serve as community resilience centers, including prescribed types of centers and other facilities to mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change on local populations. Existing law provides that these facilities will serve as both community emergency response facilities and to build long-term resilience, preparedness, and recovery operations for local communities. This bill would require a county, pursuant to the above-described requirement to integrate access and functional needs into its emergency plan upon the plan's next update, to address specific additional plan elements. The bill would require the plan, with regard to emergency evacuation, to also integrate evacuation and transportation plans to account for local community resilience centers, to ensure that local community resilience centers, as defined, are prepared to serve as communitywide assets during extreme heat events and other disasters, to designate available locations that may be necessary to provide respite to individuals during certain environmental emergencies, and to integrate evacuation plans to account for specified state grant programs relating to community resilience. The bill would require the plan, with regard to emergency sheltering, to also integrate sheltering and transportation plans to account for transportation between community resilience centers and shelters. By increasing the duties of local officials, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
This measure would urge the United States Secretary of Education to establish and submit to the United States Congress for approval a monthly student loan payment plan for federal student loans, based on the personal savings rate as published by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.
This measure would designate the portion of State Route 5 from El Horno Street, at postmile 10.001, to Crown Valley Parkway, at postmile 13.776, in the County of Orange as the Senior Master Sergeant John James Paoletti Memorial Highway. The measure would request that the Department of Transportation determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, erect those signs.
This measure would designate a portion of State Route 119, between E Kern Street, postmile 0.34, and Cedar Street, postmile 1.300, in the County of Kern as the Corporal Luis Carlos Ruan Memorial Highway. The measure would 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.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, federally qualified health center (FQHC) services are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program, to be reimbursed on a per-visit basis, as specified, to the extent that federal financial participation is obtained. Existing federal law authorizes a state plan to provide for payment in any fiscal year to an FQHC for specified services in an amount that is determined under an alternative payment methodology (APM) if it is agreed to by the state and the FQHC and results in a payment to the FQHC of an amount that is at least equal to the amount otherwise required to be paid to the FQHC. Existing state law requires the department to authorize an APM pilot project for FQHCs that agree to participate, for implementation with respect to a county for a period of up to 3 years. This bill would require the department to authorize a new supplemental payment program for FQHCs pursuant to federal law, or as specified, to be named the Enhanced Clinically Integrated Program (ECIP) . Under the bill, ECIP funding would be subject to an appropriation. The bill would require the department to request an amount, as necessary to fund, implement, and maintain ECIP at sufficient capacity, on an ongoing basis in future fiscal years. Under the bill, participation in ECIP would be optional for FQHCs, funding under ECIP would be provided in addition to all other funding received by FQHCs, as specified, and participation in ECIP would result in total payments to participating FQHCs that are greater than the prospective payment system (PPS) rate otherwise required to be paid to the FQHC. The bill would, subject to an appropriation, require the department, no later than July 1, 2023, to make funding available for the purpose of direct compensation of health center workers. The bill would require ECIP to improve quality and access to care by allocating funds, if appropriated, to FQHCs that meet certain standards relating to wage thresholds and commitment to participation in bona fide labor-management cooperation committees (LMCCs) , as specified. The bill would set forth various requirements for funding allocations to, and uses by, participating FQHCs. The bill would require the department to develop eligibility criteria, an application process, a fund distribution process, reporting requirements, and a methodology for adjusting funding allocations based on health care inflation. The bill would authorize the department to choose to implement the program as a state-only funded program, as specified. If the department seeks federal financial participation in the first year of the program, the bill would require the department to apply for federal approval no later than February 1, 2023, but would authorize seeking federal financial participation in subsequent years. If federal financial participation is sought, the department would have discretion to modify the terms of ECIP if necessary to obtain federal approval so long as the modifications further the goals of increasing FQHC workforce compensation particularly for lower-paid workers and furthering the creation of, and participation in, bona fide LMCCs for FQHC worker education and training. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions, until any necessary regulations are adopted. The bill would make these provisions severable.
Existing law, the California Disaster Assistance Act, requires the Director of Emergency Services to provide financial assistance to local agencies for their personnel costs, equipment costs, and the cost of supplies and materials used during disaster response activities, incurred as a result of a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, subject to specified criteria. The act requires the director to authorize the replacement of a damaged or destroyed facility, whenever a local agency and the director determine that the general public and state interest will be better served by replacing a damaged or destroyed facility with a facility that will more adequately serve the present and future public needs than would be accomplished merely by repairing or restoring the damaged or destroyed facility. Existing law also authorizes the director to implement mitigation measures when the director determines that the measures are cost effective and substantially reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area where a state of emergency has been proclaimed by the Governor. This bill would specify that mitigation measures for climate change and disasters related to climate, may include, but are not limited to, measures that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and investments in natural infrastructure, as defined, including, but not limited to, the preservation of natural and working lands, as described, improved forest management, and wildfire risk reduction measures. The act defines the term "disaster" to mean a fire, flood, storm, tidal wave, earthquake, terrorism, epidemic, or other similar public calamity that the Governor determines presents a threat to public safety. This bill would include climate change within the definition of disaster.
This measure would celebrate the history and culture of cruising and encourage local officials and law enforcement to work with local car clubs to conduct safe cruising events.
This measure would commend the Congress of the United States for enacting legislation that will alleviate and remedy the congestion of California's ports. The measure also would urge the Congress of the United States to enact further legislation to ensure that the state's importing and exporting capabilities are returned to prepandemic levels.