(1) The Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) creates the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) , which provides a defined benefit to its members based on age at retirement, service credit, and final compensation. PERL defines "final compensation" for purposes of calculating a member's retirement allowance. The State Teachers' Retirement Law, which applies to specified school employees, and the retirement laws for county employees and city employees also provide for a defined benefit based on age at retirement, service credit, and final compensation. This bill would generally provide, effective July 1, 2011, that any change in salary, compensation, or remuneration principally for the purpose of enhancing a member's benefits would not be included in the calculation of a member's final compensation for purposes of determining that member's defined benefit. The bill would require the board of each state and local public retirement system to establish, by regulation, accountability provisions that would include an ongoing audit process to ensure that a change in a member's salary, compensation, or remuneration is not made principally for the purpose of enhancing a member's retirement benefits. This bill would limit the calculation of a member's final compensation to an amount not to exceed the average increase in compensation received within the final compensation period and the 2 preceding years by employees in the same or a related group as that member. This bill would also provide that a person who retires on or after January 1, 2012, may not perform services for any employer covered by a state or local retirement system until that person has been separated from service for a period of at least 180 days. This bill would provide for the implementation of the changes under the applicable retirement laws that apply to counties and cities. This bill includes legislative findings expressing the public purpose that would be served by the enactment of this bill. (2) This bill would, except as otherwise specified, provide that its provisions would become operative on July 1, 2011. This bill would further provide that its provisions would not become operative unless SB 1425 of the 2009–10 Regular Session is also enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2011.
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Existing law prohibits a pupil from receiving a diploma of graduation from high school unless he or she completes specified requirements, including, but not limited to, completing one course in visual or performing arts or foreign language. This bill, commencing with the 2011–12 school year and until July 1, 2016, would add completion of a course in career technical education, as defined, as an alternative to the requirement that a pupil complete a course in visual or performing arts or foreign language. The bill would require the governing board of a school district or county office of education that elects to offer career technical education courses pursuant to these provisions to provide parents, teachers, pupils, and the public with specified information relating to the impact that offering these courses would have on graduation requirements and admission requirements to the California State University and the University of California. The bill would require the State Department of Education to report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2015, specified information relating to this alternative means of satisfying the requirement. The bill would authorize the Superintendent of Public Instruction to use existing state resources and federal funds for purposes of completing the report, and to apply for and receive grants and donations if existing resources are not available or sufficient.
(1) The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education, and their respective institutions of higher education. Provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, act to make a provision applicable. Existing law requires that a person, other than a nonimmigrant alien, as defined, who has attended high school in California for 3 or more years, who has graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent thereof, who has registered at or attends an accredited institution of higher education in California not earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001–02 academic year, and who, if he or she is an alien without lawful immigration status, has filed a prescribed affidavit, is exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University. This bill would amend the Donahoe Higher Education Act to provide that persons who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition under the above provision, or who meet equivalent requirements adopted by the regents, are eligible to apply for, and participate in, any student financial aid program administered by the State of California to the full extent permitted by federal law. This bill would require the Student Aid Commission to establish procedures and forms that enable those persons who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition under the above provision to apply for, and participate in, all student financial aid programs administered by the State of California to the full extent permitted by federal law. This bill would prohibit persons who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition under the provision described above from being eligible for Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards unless specified conditions are met. The bill would make these provisions operative as of July 1, 2011. (2) Existing federal law requires that a state may provide that an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States is eligible for any state or local public benefit for which that alien would otherwise be ineligible under a specified federal law only through enactment of a state law that affirmatively provides for that eligibility. This bill would find and declare that the amendments to the Donahoe Higher Education Act described above are state laws within the meaning of this federal provision. (3) This bill would provide that it would become operative only if SB 1460 of the 2009–10 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on or before January 1, 2011.
Existing law provides for victim restitution orders and restitution fines, as specified. Existing law authorizes procedures for the entry and application of court orders for income deduction upon entry of an order for a restitution fine or for victim restitution, and gives the agency responsible for the collection of restitution specified powers and duties in regard to these income deduction orders. The bill would provide that if there is no agency in the county responsible for the collection of restitution, the county probation office or the prosecuting attorney may carry out the functions and duties of such an agency in regard to the income deduction orders described above, as specified. This bill would further provide, if the defendant fails to meet his or her obligations under the restitution order and the defendant has not provided good cause for the failure, that a court shall be authorized, upon the request of the prosecuting attorney, to order the prosecuting attorney be given authority to use lien procedures applicable to the defendant, including, but not limited to, a writ of attachment of property, as specified. This bill would provide prosecutorial immunity from liability for these proceedings and deny reimbursement for the costs of the prosecuting attorney from the defendant's income or assets, as specified.
Existing law  authorizes, at the discretion of the appointing power, excluded employees to transfer eligible leave credits to an excluded employee when a catastrophic illness or injury occurs. This bill would authorize a request to be made of the employer of a retired state employee, as defined, who died from a nonwork-related illness or injury within 12 months of retirement to allow employees to donate leave credits to a leave bank. The donated leave, not to exceed $50,000, would be cashed out to the person designated to receive the deceased employee's leave balance. The bill would provide that donations would be accepted for 30 days following approval of the request, except as described below. The bill would apply retroactively to any employee who retired on or after December 1, 2009. The bill would require any leave donations for a retired state employee who died on or before December 31, 2010, to be accepted until January 31, 2011. The bill's provisions would apply to any retired state employee who at the time of retirement was a member of a collective bargaining unit that had bargained for a survivor's benefit that authorizes the donation of leave credits from employees to a leave bank on behalf of an employee on pay status who dies from a nonwork-related illness or injury.
(1) Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, establishes the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. These segments include the California State University, administered by the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, administered by the Regents of the University of California, and the California Community Colleges, administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. A provision of the act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by resolution, make that provision applicable. Existing provisions of the act require the governing bodies of the 3 public postsecondary segments, with appropriate consultation with the academic senates of the respective segments, to develop, maintain, and disseminate a common core curriculum in general education courses for the purposes of transfer. This provision requires that a person who has successfully completed the transfer core curriculum is to be deemed to have completed all lower division general education requirements for the University of California and the California State University. Existing law requires the governing board of each community college district to direct the appropriate officials at their respective campuses to provide students with a copy of the current transfer core curriculum and to distribute and publish copies of the transfer core curriculum in a specified manner and in specified locations. This bill would require the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to work together to establish the most effective methods to inform students, college advisers, and the general public about specified transfer pathways. The bill would require the final methods to be completed prior to the beginning of the fall term of the 2011–12 academic year and included as part of a specified report. The bill would authorize community college districts to use the methods established by the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to inform community college students of the California State University majors that are considered to be similar to community college majors or areas of emphasis required to obtain an associate degree for transfer. (2) Existing law requests the University of California, among other things, to address deficiencies in the articulation of major preparation courses between the community colleges and University of California campuses, to identify commonalities and differences in similar majors across University of California campuses, to articulate courses and course sequences at each campus of the California Community Colleges for specified major degree programs for purposes of student transfer, and to conduct a specified review of transcripts of transfer students. This bill would request the University of California to continue those efforts with a goal of working in collaboration with the California Community Colleges to design community college transfer degrees that provide students adequate preparation for entry into a major. The bill would also request the University of California to consider and implement other specified actions to increase transfer between the university and the California Community Colleges. The bill would request the University of California to provide an interim report on the university's review, and a final report on the university's implementation, of specified transfer pathways to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by specified dates. (3) Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California State University to establish transfer student admissions requirements to give highest priority to certain transfer students, to specify lower division transfer curriculum for specified major degree programs, and to articulate courses at each campus of the California Community Colleges for specified major degree programs for purposes of student transfer. Existing law requires each campus of the California State University to identify nonelective course requirements beyond systemwide lower division transfer curriculum requirements for each major for purposes of student transfer, in accordance with prescribed requirements. This bill would require the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, in a manner that is consistent with the general common course numbering system used by community college districts, to establish a process to facilitate the identification of courses that satisfy lower division preparation requirements throughout the California Community Colleges system, which would be required to be included as part of a specified report. (4) This bill would provide that it would not become operative unless SB 1440 of the 2010–11 Regular Session is chaptered.
Existing law establishes the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. These segments include the California State University, the campuses of which are administered by the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the University of California, and the California Community Colleges, which are administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses. Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, authorizes the community colleges to grant associate in arts and associate in science degrees. The act also requires the regents, the trustees, and the board of governors to have as a fundamental policy the maintenance of a healthy and expanded program to increase the number of transfer students from community colleges. This bill would enact the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, which, commencing with the 2011–12 academic year, would require a student that receives an associate degree for transfer to be deemed eligible for transfer into a California State University baccalaureate program when the student meets prescribed requirements. The bill would condition a community college district's receipt of state apportionment funds on its development and granting of associate degrees for transfer, unless each of the state's community college districts waives reimbursement for specified state-mandated costs of implementing the bill in accordance with a prescribed procedure. This bill would prohibit a community college district from imposing any requirements, in addition to these requirements, for a student to be eligible for the associate degree for transfer, and would prohibit remedial noncollegiate level coursework from being counted towards the units required for the associate degree for transfer. This bill would require the California State University to guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets the requirements for the associate degree for transfer. This bill would not guarantee a student admission for specified majors or campuses, but would require the California State University to grant a student priority admission to his or her local California State University campus and to a program or major that is similar to his or her community college major or area of emphasis, as determined by the California State University campus to which the student is admitted. This bill would authorize the California State University to require a transferring student to take additional coursework at the California State University in specified circumstances, and would prohibit the California State University from requiring a transferring student to repeat courses that are similar to those taken at the community college that counted towards the units required for the associate degree for transfer. This bill would also require the Legislative Analyst's Office to review and report to specified legislative committees and subcommittees, within a prescribed time period, on specified outcomes and recommendations related to this act. By requiring a community college district to grant the associate degree for transfer in exchange for receipt of state apportionment funds, 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 these statutory provisions.
(1) Existing law requires the governing board of a community college district, in accordance with certain requirements, to let any contract involving an expenditure of more than $50,000 for purchases of equipment, materials, supplies, repairs, and services, other than construction services, to the lowest responsible bidder or to reject all bids. This bill would authorize the district, if the purchase of supplies and materials exceeds $50,000 and the district determines that it can expect, among other things, long-term savings through the use of a life-cycle cost methodology, to provide for the purchase of the supplies and materials by contract let in accordance with best value at the lowest cost acquisition policies adopted by the district's board. The bill would require a district that elects to purchase supplies and materials by contract let in accordance with those policies to submit specified information to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges on or before January 1, 2013, and would require the Legislative Analyst to request this information from the chancellor. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst to report to the Legislature on the use of this type of procurement by community college districts on or before January 1, 2015. This bill would require a district to ensure that all businesses have a fair and equitable opportunity to compete for, and participate in, district contracts awarded pursuant to its provisions and would prohibit discrimination in the award and performance of those contracts. These provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2016, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date. (2) Existing law requires any change or alteration in certain contracts with a community college district to be in writing, and allows the governing board of the district to authorize the contractor to proceed without securing bids if the cost does not exceed specified amounts. This bill would allow the governing board of the district to authorize a contractor to proceed with multiple changes or alterations without securing bids if the cost of all changes or alterations to the original contract does not exceed specified amounts.
Existing law requires local publicly owned electric utilities to initiate a public proceeding to adopt, implement, and finance a solar initiative program to further the state goal of installing 3,000 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy in the state. Existing law requires the program to be consistent with prescribed requirements, including  that solar energy systems receiving monetary incentives be intended primarily to offset part or all of the consumer's own electricity demand, and that the solar energy system be located on the same premises of the end-use consumer where the consumer's own electricity demand is located. This bill would authorize a local publicly owned electric utility to adopt, implement, and finance a solar initiative program exempt from those offset and same-premises program requirements, where residential and business consumers offset part or all of their electricity demand with electricity generated by a solar energy system not located on the premises of the consumer, if the program meets certain requirements.
Existing law provides for the regulation and licensure of clinical laboratories and clinical laboratory personnel by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires the department to issue a clinical chemist, clinical microbiologist, clinical toxicologist, clinical molecular biologist, or clinical cytogeneticist license to each person who has applied for the license on a specified form, who also holds a master of science or doctoral degree in the specialty for which the applicant is seeking a license, and who has met other requirements, including the payment of specified application and license fees. Existing law requires the department to determine by examination, except as specified, whether an applicant is qualified. Existing law requires the graduate education to have included 30 semester hours of coursework in the applicants's specialty. This bill would require the department to issue a clinical biochemical geneticist license to a person meeting these requirements. For the above-enumerated specialities and subspecialties, this bill would specify that a formal letter or other official written documentation issued by an accredited training program indicating that an applicant completed the program, and from a clinical laboratory confirming the applicant's employment experience, shall constitute sufficient evidence. The bill would also require an applicant to provide evidence of satisfactory performance on a written examination in the applicant's specialty or subspecialty administered by an appropriate accrediting body recognized by the department. This bill would require the department to post application forms and instructions for licensure in clinical laboratory practice on its Internet Web site, to notify an applicant whether the application is complete or requires additional documentation to become complete. The bill would also require the department to issue a temporary license to an applicant meeting specified experience and certification requirements, within 30 days of determining an application is complete. The bill would also make conforming changes. The bill would require the department to set and charge application fees sufficient to recover the costs of implementing the provisions of the bill.