Asm. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas

This measure would designate the month of May 2017 as California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month and would extend the Legislature's warmest regards and appreciation to the thousands of volunteers, fair directors, staff, business supporters, and sponsors who keep the California fairgrounds' network strong, vibrant, relevant, and successful.

This measure would recognize the month of May 2017 as Small Business Month to raise awareness of the contributions made by outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners.

This measure would proclaim the month of May 2017 as American Stroke Month in California.

Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to annually perform a systematic identification of areas of recurrent taxpayer noncompliance and to report its findings to the Legislature on December 1 of each year. This bill would instead require the Franchise Tax Board to report its findings on December 31 of each year.

Existing constitutional law provides for the establishment of the State Board of Equalization and requires the board to consist of 5 voting members: the Controller and 4 members elected for 4-year terms at gubernatorial elections. Existing constitutional law prescribes the board's duties, powers, and responsibilities, and jurisdiction over the review, equalization, or adjustment of a property tax assessment; the measurement of county assessment levels and adjustment of secured local assessment rolls; the assessment of pipelines, flumes, canals, ditches, and aqueducts lying within 2 or more counties and of property owned or used by regulated railway, telegraph, or telephone companies, car companies operating on railways in the state, and companies transmitting or selling gas or electricity; the assessment of taxes on insurers; and the assessment and collection of excise taxes on the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in this state. Existing statutory law prescribes the board's powers and duties regarding the administration of various taxes and fees and generally makes the board responsible for administrative appeals relating to those taxes and fees and for the administrative appeals of state personal income taxes and corporation franchise and income taxes, which are administered by the Franchise Tax Board. Existing statutory law authorizes the board to appoint its secretary, often referred to as the executive director, and to prescribe and enforce the secretary's duties. Under existing statutory law, the secretary holds office during the pleasure of the board and receives compensation as prescribed by the board. The board's legal department is under the direction of the chief counsel. This bill would require each member of the board who has had an ex parte communication with respect to any person who is the subject of an adjudicatory proceeding to fully disclose the communication on the record of the proceeding prior to the board decision on that matter. This bill would authorize the board to only select and terminate the secretary and the chief counsel. The bill would authorize a member of the board to only select and terminate the board member's staff who are exempt from civil service. The bill would make all personnel matters other than those described and related administrative functions the responsibility of the secretary. The bill also would clarify other duties of the secretary and the members of the board, as specified. The bill would require the board to submit quarterly reports to the Legislature summarizing the decision of each tax or fee appeal. The bill would require the secretary to submit a report to the Legislature summarizing the performance of work for or related to any member of the board by specified staff and the use of specified funding or other resources by a member of the board. This bill would require the Department of Finance to establish a separate line item in the annual Budget Act for any annual appropriations to members of the State Board of Equalization. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would create an Office of Inspector General within the State Board of Equalization.

This measure would acknowledge the month of April 2017 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and encourage the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools.

This measure would recognize the month of April 2017 as Citrus Strong Month for the purpose of celebrating California's vibrant citrus industry and the benefits it provides to the state's environment, economy, and people, and to affirm that California is citrus strong.

This measure would, among other things, designate the year of 2017 as "State of California Year of Commemoration of the Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1923," would designate April 24, 2017, as "State of California Day of Commemoration of the 102nd 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 proclaim April 24, 2017, as California Holocaust Memorial Day and would urge all Californians to observe this day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.