Asm. Curt Hagman

This measure would designate May 2012 as Foster Care Month in California.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, as defined. The qualifications and tenure of members of the commission are set forth in the California Constitution. Existing law prohibits a commissioner from holding an official relation to or having a financial interest in a person or corporation subject to regulation by the commission and requires the commission to adopt an updated Conflict of Interest Code and State of Incompatible Activities. Existing law authorizes the commission to appoint an attorney to the commission to hold office during the pleasure of the commission. Existing law provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing, conflicts of interests of public officials, and lobbying. Existing law prohibits a designated employee of a state administrative agency, any officer, employee, or consultant of a state administrative agency holding a position that entails the making, or participation in making, of decisions that may foreseeably have a material effect on any financial interest, and a member of a state administrative agency, for a period of one year after leaving office of employment, to act as agent or attorney for, or otherwise represent, any other person, by making any formal or informal appearance, or by making any oral or written communication, before any state administrative agency, or officer or employee thereof, for which he or she worked or represented during the 12 months before leaving office of employment, if the appearance or communication is made for the purpose of influencing administrative or legislative action, or influencing any action or proceeding involving the issuance, amendment, awarding, or revocation of a permit, license, grant, or contract, or the sale or purchase of goods or property. This bill would prospectively prohibit a commissioner, executive employee of the commission, as defined, or the attorney appointed by the commission, for a period of 2 years after leaving the employment of the commission, from representing, for compensation, any public utility, affiliate of a public utility, or other entity or person regulated by the commission by making any formal or informal appearance, or by making any oral or written communication, before the commission, or officer or employee thereof, if the appearance or communication is made for the purpose of influencing commission action. The bill would prospectively prohibit the commission from hiring, as an executive employee of the commission, or appointing as the attorney for the commission, any person who, in the previous 2 years, was an executive officer, as defined, of a public utility subject to the regulatory authority of the commission pursuant to the Public Utilities Act. The bill would prospectively prohibit any person from holding the office of commissioner who, in the previous 2 years, was an executive officer of a public utility subject to the regulatory authority of the commission pursuant to the Public Utilities Act. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act, the bill's restrictions on actions that may be undertaken upon leaving the commission would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

This measure would designate the second full week in April as California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Existing law requires instruction in social sciences to include the early history of California and a study of the role and contributions of specified groups of people to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society. This bill would instead authorize instruction in social sciences to include the early history of California and a study of the role and contributions of specified groups of people to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.

This measure would proclaim May 6, 2012, to May 12, 2012, inclusive, to be California Charter Schools Week, and would state that the Legislature joins the California Charter Schools Association in congratulating charter schools for the accomplishments and contributions they have made to public education.

This measure would designate April 18, 2012, as DMV/Donate Life California Day in the State of California, and April 2012 as DMV/Donate Life California Month in the State of California, and would encourage all Californians to be organ, tissue, and blood donors.

This measure would honor and recognize the service and sacrifice made by members of the Armed Forces and their families on the occasion of Armed Forces Day on May 19, 2012.

Existing law requires the Department of General Services to maintain policies and procedures governing the acquisition and disposal of information technology goods and services. Existing law authorizes the Department of General Services to adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to govern the acquisition and disposal of information technology goods and services. This bill would require the Department of General Services to add a provision to state contracts that requires a contractor to certify that it has appropriate systems and controls in place to ensure that its use of computer software complies with applicable copyright laws. This bill would require contracts between state agencies and contractors to include a provision that requires the contractor to certify that it has appropriate systems and controls in place to ensure that state funds will not be used in the performance of the contract for the acquisition, operation, or maintenance of computer software in violation of copyright laws. This bill would require, if there is a dispute regarding the contractor's certification, the dispute provisions of the contract to apply, and would require the dispute provisions of the contract to be the sole avenue for challenging a certification.

Existing law generally imposes an annual minimum franchise tax of $800, except as provided, on every corporation incorporated in this state, qualified to transact intrastate business in this state, or doing business in this state, and on every limited partnership, limited liability partnership, and limited liability company registered, qualified to transact business, or doing business in this state, as specified. This bill would reduce that minimum tax, as provided, for a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, and limited liability company that is a small business, as defined, that first commences business operations on or after January 1, 2013. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes various deductions in computing income that is subject to tax under that law. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2013, allow a deduction in connection with health savings accounts in conformity with federal law. In general, the deduction would be an amount equal to the aggregate amount paid in cash during the taxable year by, or on behalf of, an eligible individual, as defined, to a health savings account of that individual, as provided. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2013, also provide related conformity to that federal law with respect to the allowance of rollovers from Archer Medical Savings Accounts, health flexible spending arrangements, or health reimbursement accounts to a health savings account, and penalties in connection therewith. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.