Existing law authorizes cities and counties, subject to certain limitations and approval requirements, to levy a transactions and use tax for general or specific purposes, in accordance with the procedures and requirements set forth in the Transactions and Use Tax Law, including a requirement that the combined rate of all taxes that may be imposed in accordance with that law in the county not exceed 2%. Existing local transactions and use tax law for the County of Los Angeles, known as Measure H, establishes a local tax at a rate of 0.25%, and the revenue from that tax is dedicated to addressing and preventing homelessness. This bill would authorize the County of Los Angeles to impose a transactions and use tax at a rate of no more than 0.50% that, in combination with other transactions and use taxes, would exceed the above-described combined rate limit of 2%, if the county adopts an ordinance proposing the tax and the ordinance proposing the tax is approved by the voters, subject to applicable voter approval requirements. The bill would also require all revenue from the tax to be dedicated to addressing and preventing homelessness, as provided, and would require the local ordinance, upon approval by the electorate, to repeal Measure H. The bill would specify that a transactions and use tax established pursuant to its provisions would not be considered for purposes of the 2% combined rate limitation. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that any transactions and use tax adopted pursuant to these provisions include robust oversight and accountability provisions. The bill would repeal this authorization on December 31, 2028, if an ordinance proposing the tax has not been approved by that date. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.
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Existing law establishes in the Department of Industrial Relations the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement under the direction of the Labor Commissioner. Existing law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate employee complaints and to provide for a hearing in any action to recover wages, penalties, and other demands for compensation. Under existing law, any individual or business entity that contracts for services in the property services or long-term care industries is jointly and severally liable for any unpaid wages, including interest, where the individual or business entity has been provided notice, by any party, of any proceeding or investigation by the Labor Commissioner in which the employer is found liable for those unpaid wages, to the extent the amounts are for services performed under that contract, as provided, and except as specified. This bill would additionally provide that any public entity, defined as a city, county, city and county, district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in the state, is jointly and severally liable for any unpaid wages, as provided in the above paragraph. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
Existing state law requires, upon request by specified persons, that a certifying official from a certifying entity, as defined, certify "victim helpfulness" or "victim cooperation" on specified federal supplemental forms relating to immigration when the person was a victim of a qualifying criminal activity or human trafficking, and has, is, or is likely to be helpful or cooperative regarding the investigation or prosecution of that qualifying criminal activity, as specified. This bill would specify that a person submitting those forms does not have to be present in the United States at the time of filing, and would require the certifying entity to forward the form to the victim or other specified individuals without requiring the victim to provide government-issued identification. The bill would require a certifying entity that does not certify the form regarding "victim helpfulness" to provide a written explanation for the denial of the certification. The bill would require a certifying entity to certify that form for direct victims, indirect victims, and bystander or witness victims, as specified. The bill would prohibit a certifying entity from refusing to complete either of those forms for specified reasons, including, among others, the informant's criminal history information or immigration history. The bill would require the certifying entities to process those forms within 7 days if the victim asserts a qualifying family member of the victim will lose eligibility for specified immigration statuses within 60 days. By imposing additional duties on local law enforcement, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing federal law provides a petition form to request temporary immigration benefits for a person who is a witness or informant, as specified. This bill would authorize a certifying official from a certifying entity, as defined, to certify that a person is a witness or informant on that federal petition form when the person is an informant with reliable information about an important aspect of a crime or pending commission of a crime, the person is willing to share that information with law enforcement officials or become a witness in court, and the person's presence in the United States is important and leads to the successful investigation or prosecution of that crime. 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.
Existing law, the Outdoor Advertising Act, provides for the regulation by the Department of Transportation of an advertising display, as defined, within view of public highways. The act regulates the placement of an off-premises advertising display along highways that generally advertises business conducted or services rendered or goods produced or sold at a location other than the property where the display is located. The act exempts from specified provisions advertising displays located in 2 geographic areas in the City of Los Angeles if those displays meet prescribed conditions and requirements, including the condition that the advertising display is authorized by, or in accordance with, an ordinance adopted by the City of Los Angeles that regulates advertising displays, as provided. Existing law makes the City of Los Angeles primarily responsible for ensuring that an authorized advertising display remains in conformance with the ordinance and the requirements described above, and requires the city to indemnify and hold the department harmless if the city fails to do so. This bill would exempt advertising displays in 3 additional geographic areas in the City of Los Angeles from the specified provisions of the act, subject to those same conditions and requirements. By expanding the responsibilities of the City of Los Angeles related to authorized advertising displays, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of Los Angeles. 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.
Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to provide a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the school district. Existing law provides that educational counseling may include counseling in developing pupil knowledge of financial aid planning for postsecondary education, including, among others, financial aid programs and resources for foster and homeless youth. This bill would establish the Dream Resource Center Grant Program for the purpose of providing pupils, including undocumented pupils, in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, with specified resources. The bill would require the State Department of Education, in administering the program, to review applications and award grants based off of a tiered point system that prioritizes applications for funding, as provided. The bill would authorize a school district, county office of education, or charter school, including those that have already established a Dream Resource Center at one or more schoolsites, to apply to the department to be eligible to receive a grant, as provided. The bill would require a local educational agency that receives a grant under the program to use it for creating a Dream Resource Center or for supplementing, but not supplanting, an existing Dream Resource Center, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before June 1, 2026, to submit a report to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature detailing the successes, best practices, barriers or constraints, and outcomes of Dream Resource Centers funded with these grants. The bill would condition the implementation of these provisions on an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes in the annual Budget Act or other statute.
The Outdoor Advertising Act regulates the placement of advertising displays adjacent to and within specified distances of highways that are part of the national system of interstate and defense highways and federal-aid highways. The act prohibits a governmental entity from compelling the removal of a lawfully erected advertising display within the state, or limiting its customary maintenance or use, without payment of compensation, as defined in the Eminent Domain Law, to the owner or owners of the display and the land upon which the display is located. This prohibition does not apply to an advertising display relocated by mutual agreement between the display owner and a local entity. The act generally prohibits placing or maintaining advertising displays on Department of Transportation-owned property adjacent to landscaped freeways if the advertising display is designed to be viewed primarily by persons traveling on the landscaped freeway, but exempts (1) a county that designates where advertising displays may be placed or prohibited as part of a county land use or zoning ordinance and (2) the relocation or height increase for lawfully erected advertising displays pursuant to a relocation agreement, including the conversion of an advertising display to a message center as part of a relocation agreement. This bill would expand the exemption described in (1) above to also include a city or city and county that designates where advertising displays may be placed or prohibited as part of the city's or city and county's land use or zoning ordinance. The bill would expand the exemption described in (2) above to include agreements, entered into for any purpose, to relocate an advertising display or to convert or replace a relocated advertising display with a message center, as specified. The bill would authorize a relocated advertising display to be placed in the same or a different city, county, or city and county, as specified. This bill would require the department to allow any lawfully erected advertising display to be converted or replaced with a message center at its permitted location, as specified.
Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, provides for the regulation of health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law, with specified exceptions, requires a food handler to obtain a food handler card within 30 days of their date of hire and to maintain a valid food handler card for the duration of their employment as a food handler. Under existing law, a food handler card is issued only upon successful completion of a food handler training course and examination that meets certain requirements. Existing law requires that at least one food handler training course and examination cost no more than $15, including a food handler card. A violation of the California Retail Food Code is generally a misdemeanor. This bill would require an employer to consider the time that it takes for the employee to complete the training and the examination as compensable "hours worked," for which the employer would pay, and to pay the employee for any necessary expenditures or losses associated with the employee obtaining a food handler card. The bill would require the employer to relieve an employee of all other work duties while the employee is taking the training course and examination. The bill would prohibit an employer from conditioning employment on the applicant or employee having an existing food handler card. Under existing law, the provisions relating to a food handler card do not apply to a food handler subject to an existing local food handler program that took effect before January 1, 2009. This bill would make the new provisions described above also applicable to a food handler who is subject to one of those existing programs. The bill would require the department, by January 1, 2025, to post on its internet website a link to the internet website of certain accredited food handler training programs. The bill would require a local public health department to provide a link to that web page on its own internet website. By increasing the scope of a crime and creating new duties for local public health departments, the 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Prior state law established the Healthy California for All Commission for the purpose of developing a plan towards the goal of achieving a health care delivery system in California that provides coverage and access through a unified health care financing system for all Californians, including, among other options, a single-payer financing system. This bill would direct the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency to research, develop, and pursue discussions of a waiver framework in consultation with the federal government with the objective of a health care system that incorporates specified features and objectives, including, among others, a comprehensive package of medical, behavioral health, pharmaceutical, dental, and vision benefits, and the absence of cost sharing for essential services and treatments. The bill would further require the secretary to engage specified stakeholders to provide input on topics related to discussions with the federal government and key design issues, as specified. The bill would require the secretary, no later than January 1, 2025, to provide an interim report to specified committees of the Legislature and propose statutory language to the chairs of those committees authorizing the development and submission of applications to the federal government for waivers necessary to implement a unified health care financing system. The bill would require the secretary, no later than June 1, 2025, to complete drafting the waiver framework, make the draft available to the public on the agency's internet website, and hold a 45-day public comment period thereafter. The bill would require the secretary, no later than November 1, 2025, to provide the Legislature and the Governor with a report that communicates the finalized waiver framework, as specified, and sets forth the specific elements to be included in a formal waiver application to establish a unified health care financing system, as specified. The bill would also include findings and declarations of the Legislature related to the implementation of a unified health care financing system.
Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which is administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the application, issuance, and suspension of alcoholic beverage licenses. Existing law authorizes a licensed winegrower to conduct specified activities, including the production of spirits of wine, provided those spirits of wine are blended into wine produced by the winegrower, sold to an industrial alcohol dealer, or destroyed by the winegrower. This bill would expand the authorization of a licensed winegrower to include selling spirits of wine it produces to a distilled spirits manufacturer. Existing law limits the amount of on- and off-sale general licenses that may be issued per county and establishes procedural requirements concerning the issuance and transfer of those licenses, including a requirement that the department hold a drawing to determine the priority for consideration when there are more applicants for licensure than available licenses, as provided. This bill would require the department to make the drawing available for viewing via a live video feed. Existing law authorizes a person that has a brewpub-restaurant license to exchange that license for a bona fide public eating place license subject to the approval of the department, the payment of specified fees, and compliance with other relevant provisions of the act relating to the issuance of an original license. Existing law specifies that this provision applies only to a person that has held a brewpub-restaurant license since on or before December 31, 2019. This bill instead would apply that provision to a brewpub-restaurant license that was first issued on or before December 31, 2019, regardless of transfers subsequent to the original issuance of the license. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 23358 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 76 to be operative only if this bill and SB 76 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the Ralph C. Dills Act (Dills Act) , governs collective bargaining between the state and recognized state public employee organizations. Existing law excludes certain employees from coverage under the Dills Act, including, among others, managerial employees, supervisory employees, and confidential employees, as defined. Existing law creates the Public Employment Relations Board and authorizes it, among other things, to determine appropriate state employee bargaining units, as specified. This bill would enact the Legislature Employer-Employee Relations Act, to provide employees of the Legislature, except certain specified categories of excluded employees, the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on all matters of employer-employee relations. The bill would prescribe rights, duties, and prohibitions in this context that parallel those in the Dills Act. For the purposes of bargaining or meeting and conferring in good faith, the bill would define "employer" to mean the Assembly Committee on Rules or the Senate Committee on Rules. The bill would require the employer to meet and confer with representatives of recognized employee organizations regarding matters within the scope of representation. The bill would exclude certain matters from the scope of representation, as specified. The bill would grant exclusive jurisdiction to the Public Employment Relations Board to make an initial determination as to whether charges of unfair practices are justified, and, if so, the necessary remedy, as specified. However, the bill would prohibit the board from issuing a decision or order that intrudes upon or interferes with the Legislature's core function of efficient and effective lawmaking or the essential operation of the Legislature. The bill would require the board to determine appropriate bargaining units, and would prohibit the board from including employees in a bargaining unit that includes employees other than those of the employer. The bill would prohibit the board from including within a bargaining unit employees from both the Assembly and Senate. This bill would make it a misdemeanor for any person to willfully resist, prevent, impede, or interfere with any member of the board, or any of its agents, in the performance of duties pursuant to its provisions. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide that the provisions of the Legislature Employer-Employee Relations Act are severable. The bill would become operative on July 1, 2026. 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 bill would additionally exempt from public inspection records related to activities governed by the Legislature Employer-Employee Relations Act that reveal the employer's deliberative processes, impressions, evaluations, opinions, recommendations, meeting minutes, research, work product, theories, or strategy, or that provide instruction, advice, or training to employees who do not have full collective bargaining and representation rights under the Legislature Employer-Employee Relations Act. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.