Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. The Moore Universal Telephone Service Act establishes the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service program in order to provide low-income households with access to affordable basic residential telephone service. This bill would, no later than February 1, 2024, require the commission to allow a wireline and wireless lifeline telephone service subscriber to combine California lifeline subsidies with federal low-income communications subsidies, including, but not limited to, federal lifeline and federal Affordable Connectivity Program subsidies, on the same service line to provide a more robust voice and broadband plan. The bill would prohibit the commission from disallowing payment to a telephone corporation providing lifeline telephone service based on the combination of those subsidies, except as provided.
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The California Constitution establishes the State Personnel Board (board) and requires the board to, among other things, enforce the civil service statutes, prescribe probationary periods and classifications, adopt rules authorized by statute, and review disciplinary actions. Existing law establishes the Department of Human Resources (department) and provides that, subject to the requirements of the California Constitution, it succeeds to and is vested with the duties, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction exercised by the board as its designee with respect to the board's administrative and ministerial functions. Existing law authorizes the department to declare a civil service appointment void from the beginning whenever the appointment of an employee has been made and accepted in good faith but where the appointment would not have been made but for some mistake of law or fact that if known to the parties would have rendered the appointment unlawful when made, if the action is taken within one year after the appointment. This bill would instead authorize the board, in accordance with its rules, to declare a civil service appointment void from the beginning whenever the appointment of an employee has been made and accepted in the absence of good faith.
Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency the Civil Rights Department, headed by the Director of Civil Rights, to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination or abridgment on account of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, reproductive health decisionmaking, or military and veteran status. This bill would establish within the department the Labor Trafficking Unit, which would be required to coordinate with the Labor Enforcement Task Force, the Criminal Investigation Unit, the Department of Justice, and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within the Department of Industrial Relations to combat labor trafficking. The bill would require the unit to receive and investigate complaints alleging labor trafficking and take steps to prevent labor trafficking. The bill would require the unit to coordinate with or refer cases to the Labor Enforcement Task Force or the department for potential civil actions, and to coordinate with or refer cases to the Department of Justice for potential criminal actions. The bill would require the unit to follow protocols to ensure survivors of labor trafficking are not victimized by the process of prosecuting traffickers and are informed of the services available to them. The bill would require the unit to coordinate with both state and local agencies to connect survivors with available services. The bill would require the unit to provide specified services to victims, including providing a list of pro bono victim's rights attorneys to survivors. The bill would require the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations to notify the unit when, upon investigating businesses under their purview, there is evidence of labor trafficking. The bill would require the unit, beginning January 1, 2025, until January 1, 2035, to annually submit a report to the Legislature with specified information relating to labor trafficking complaints, including the number, types, and outcomes of complaints.
Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. The California State University comprises 23 institutions of higher education located throughout the state. Existing law authorizes the trustees to require the payment of fees, rents, deposits, and charges for services, facilities, or materials provided by the trustees. Existing law establishes the California Promise, which requires at least 20 individual campuses of the California State University to establish a California Promise program through which each campus enters into a pledge with a student who satisfies specified criteria to support the student in earning a baccalaureate degree in limited time. This bill would prohibit the charging of tuition or mandatory systemwide fees for enrollment at a campus of the California State University for any academic year, for up to 2 academic years, to a California Community College resident transfer student who has completed an associate degree for transfer and demonstrates financial need, as provided. The bill would require the Chancellor of the California State University to distribute funding to each California State University campus to offset the costs of waiving tuition and mandatory systemwide fees to transfer students pursuant to the bill, as specified. The bill would be implemented only upon the appropriation of funds for its purposes.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax law, allows an earned income tax credit against the taxes imposed under that law to an eligible individual that is equal to that portion of the earned income tax credit allowed by federal law as determined by the earned income tax credit adjustment factor, as specified, and allows a payment from the Tax Relief and Refund Account for an allowable credit in excess of tax liability. The Personal Income Tax Law also allows a young child tax credit against the taxes imposed under that law to a qualified taxpayer in a specified amount multiplied by the earned income tax credit adjustment factor, and allows a payment from the Tax Relief and Refund Account for an amount in excess of tax liability. Existing law defines "qualified taxpayer" for this purpose to include an eligible individual, as defined, who has a qualifying child, defined to be a child younger than 6 years of age as of the last day of the taxable year, and who meets other specified criteria. This bill would remove the requirement that a qualifying child has to be younger than 6 years of age as of the last day of the taxable year. By increasing the payments from the Tax Relief and Refund Account, a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law authorizes the establishment of community college districts under the administration of community college governing boards, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction at community college campuses throughout the state. Existing law authorizes these districts to establish compensation levels for academic employees, as provided. Existing law requires community college districts, as a condition of receiving funding allocated for the Student Success and Support Program, to negotiate in good faith with the exclusive representatives for part-time, temporary faculty, the terms of reemployment preference for part-time, temporary faculty assignments based on minimum standards up to the range of 60% to 67% of a full-time equivalent load and a regular evaluation process for part-time, temporary faculty, as specified. Existing law establishes procedures for community college districts to demonstrate compliance with these requirements. This bill would require persons who are employed to teach adult or community college classes part time, as provided, to receive compensation in at least an amount that bears the same ratio to the amount provided to full-time employees as the time actually served by those part-time employees bears to the time actually served by full-time employees with comparable duties. The bill would impose this pay requirement upon the expiration or renewal of existing collective bargaining agreements, as provided. This bill would also require community college districts, as a condition of receiving funds allocated for the Student Success and Support Program in the annual Budget Act, to commence the negotiation of terms of compensation consistent with the proportional pay requirement for part-time employees, as well as terms governing reemployment preferences and evaluation processes, no later than the expiration of any negotiated agreement in effect on January 1, 2024, and for any community college district that does not have a collective bargaining agreement in effect as of January 1, 2024, on January 1, 2024.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax law, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, including an exclusion for the amount of student loan indebtedness repaid or canceled pursuant to a specified federal law. This bill would exclude from an individual's gross income, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2028, any amount of qualified student loan debt, as defined, that is discharged under the federal student loan debt relief plan, as specified. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. The bill would also include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law authorizes an appointing power to make limited-term appointments only to fill temporary staffing needs, not to individually or consecutively exceed one year, with certain exceptions, including that the State Personnel Board may authorize limited-term appointments of up to 2 years when a permanent appointment would be likely to cause a layoff, demotion, or mandatory transfer requiring a change of residence upon the conclusion of the temporary staffing need. Existing law permits extension of a limited-term appointment, within these time limits, without making an additional appointment. This bill would recast those provisions to instead authorize limited-term appointments to be made only for temporary staffing needs, not to individually or consecutively exceed 24 months, and would make conforming changes. The bill would delete the authority to extend limited-term appointments, without making an additional appointment.
Existing federal law establishes the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program to provide monthly benefits to qualified retired and disabled workers and their spouses, dependents, and survivors. Existing federal law provides various benefits to veterans, their dependents, and their survivors administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) . This bill would require the Department of Child Support Services to issue guidance to local child support agencies directing them to, and would require local child support agencies to, inform a custodial parent or guardian of benefits under the federal OASDI program and benefits provided to survivors of veterans by the USDVA when the local child support agency becomes aware that a child's noncustodial parent has died and the local child support agency has information that suggests that the child may be eligible for either of those programs. The bill would similarly require the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services to jointly issue guidance to county human services agencies directing them to, and would require county human services agencies to, inform a parent or guardian of benefits under the federal OASDI program and benefits provided to survivors of veterans by the USDVA when the county becomes aware that a child's parent has died and the county has information that suggests that the child may be eligible for either of those programs. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to submit a report to the Legislature that includes information on the requirements and cost to establish a state-funded program to provide cash assistance to a child with a deceased parent who is not eligible for survivor benefits under the federal OASDI program and how many children in California would be eligible for that state-funded program. This bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature or a provision of federal or private funds for these purposes, require the State Department of Social Services to establish and oversee the California Survivor Benefit (CalSurvivor) Program, a county- or county consortia-administered program to provide cash assistance for a minor who is a California resident with a deceased parent, who was also a California resident upon their death, when the minor is not eligible for federal OASDI survivor benefits, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to authorize counties to establish an advocacy program to assist specified applicants and recipients of CalSurvivor benefits in the application process for federal OASDI survivor benefits if they do not meet certain verification requirements of the program. The bill would require participating counties, as part of the advocacy program, to inform the applicant of the potential impact of receiving benefits under the CalSurvivor Program on their eligibility for other assistance programs. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature, by July 1, 2027, on the outcomes of the CalSurvivor Program and the advocacy programs. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions though all-county letters or similar instructions or emergency regulations. By requiring counties to administer the CalSurvivor Program, 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.
(1) Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified. This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions. (2) Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention. This bill would establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program. (3) Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided. This bill would also establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, within the California Health and Human Services Agency a program to evaluate applications and award grants, in 5-year cycles, to schools to implement the Trauma Intervention Program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma. The bill would give the priority to the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as specified. The bill would require the agency to open eligibility for grants every 5 years, with priority to the top 6 counties that have the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justice's annual crime data report. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles. (4) Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified. This bill would rename the program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program and would redefine a school-based health center to mean a student-focused health center or clinic that is located at or near a school or schools, is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships, and provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals. The bill would authorize a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to contract with other entities for the purpose of providing assistance in specified areas to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys. Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. Existing law requires a health center receiving grant funds to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements relating to the provision of certain services. This bill would make changes to certain service requirements relating to, among other things, primary medical care, substance use disorder services, population health, and integrated and individualized support. Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that planning grants under the program be available in amounts between $25,000 and $50,000 for a 6- to 12-month period for specified uses. This bill would instead require that planning grants be available in amounts between $50,000 and $100,000, inclusive, for up to a 24-month period. Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $20,000 and $250,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of $100,000 in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation. This bill would instead require that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $300,000 and $850,000, inclusive, for a 3-year period. The bill would make certain changes to preference-related criteria. Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $25,000 and $125,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, and sets forth certain criteria for those grants. This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require that expansion grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, for up to a 3-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center or enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, as specified. The bill would require that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year for the purpose of operating a school health center. The bill would set forth certain eligibility-related criteria for these grants. This bill would require the department, subject to an appropriation, to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025. Existing law requires the program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to act as a liaison for school-based health centers. This bill would delete that provision. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the department, as specified. This bill would require the office to work with the State Department of Public Health in supporting the School-Based Health Center Support Program. (5) Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place. This bill would create a grant program, subject to an appropriation, under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to tribal and local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. (6) Existing law establishes the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program for the purposes of reducing gang, criminal activity, and youth violence in specified communities. Existing law requires the Department of Justice to disburse all available funds to community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies that meet specified program requirements. This bill would repeal those provisions.