Asm. Cristina Garcia

This measure would recognize the importance of civic engagement across the State of California.

Existing law makes it unlawful for a business that makes an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer to a consumer in this state, among other things, to fail to present the automatic renewal or continuous service offer terms in a clear and conspicuous manner, to charge the consumer for an automatic renewal or continuous service without first obtaining the consumer's affirmative consent, and to fail to provide an acknowledgment that includes the automatic renewal or continuous service offer terms, cancellation policy, and information regarding how to cancel in a manner that is capable of being retained by the consumer, as specified. A violation of these provisions is subject to enforcement by any available civil remedies, except for specified activities exempt from these requirements. This bill would, commencing on July 1, 2018, require a business that makes an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer that includes a free gift or trial, to include in the offer a clear and conspicuous explanation of the price that will be charged after the trial ends or the manner in which the subscription or purchasing agreement pricing will change upon conclusion of the trial. The bill would prohibit a business from charging a consumer's credit or debit card, or the consumer's account with a 3rd party, for an automatic renewal or continuous service that is made at a promotional or discounted price for a limited period of time without first obtaining the consumer's consent to the agreement. The bill would also specify that if the automatic service offer or continuous service offer includes a free gift or trial, the business is required to disclose how to cancel, and allow the consumer to cancel, the automatic renewal or continuous service before the consumer pays for the goods or services. The bill also would require a consumer who accepts an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer online to be allowed to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service exclusively, as specified. The bill would also make other clarifying and nonsubstantive changes.

Existing law authorizes, the prosecution to apply for an order that a victim's testimony at the preliminary hearing be video recorded and the video recording preserved when the defendant has been charged with certain sex crimes, including rape and sodomy, and the victim is a person 15 years of age or less or is developmentally disabled as a result of an intellectual disability. This bill would also authorize the prosecution to apply for an order that a victim's testimony at the preliminary hearing be video recorded and preserved when the defendant has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age or charged with sexual intercourse, sodomy, sexual penetration, or oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age.

Existing law, the Barbering and Cosmetology Act, establishes the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology for the licensure and regulation of barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, electrologists, and apprentices. Existing law requires the board to carry out a list of duties, including making rules and regulations, conducting and administering license examinations, issuing licenses to qualified applicants, and disciplining persons who violate the act. Existing law requires the board to admit to a licensing examination an applicant who meets certain qualifications, including having completed one or more approved courses, as specified. Existing law requires the board to determine by regulation the required subjects of instruction to be completed in all approved courses. Existing law requires the board to develop or adopt a health and safety course on hazardous substances which is required to be taught in schools approved by the board. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2017, requires the health and safety course to additionally cover basic labor laws. This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would require the health and safety course to additionally cover physical and sexual abuse awareness. This bill would authorize the board to promote physical and sexual abuse awareness, as specified, by means of mail, television, radio, motion picture, newspaper, book, Internet, or other electronic communication. Existing law requires the board to establish a Health and Safety Advisory Committee to provide the board with advice and recommendations on health and safety issues before the board. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2017, requires the committee's advice and recommendation to be on health and safety issues before the board that impact licensees, including how to ensure licensees are aware of basic labor laws, as specified. This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would require the committee's advice and recommendation to additionally include how to ensure licensees have awareness about physical and sexual abuse, as specified, their clients may be experiencing. Existing law imposes criminal and civil liability on certain professionals, including child care providers, clergy, educators, law enforcement, and medical professionals, for the failure to report child abuse. Existing law requires any person who reasonably believes that he or she has observed the commission of specified violent crimes against a victim under 14 years of age to notify a peace officer, as defined. This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would specify that licensed barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, electrologists, and applicants for licensure who complete the physical and sexual abuse awareness training covered by the health and safety course, and their employers, are not required to act on information obtained during the course of employment concerning potential physical and sexual abuse unless otherwise required by law.

Existing law requires the Controller, on or before January 1, 2015, to develop internal control guidelines applicable to a local agency, as defined, to prevent and detect financial errors and fraud, based on specified standards and with input from any local agency and organizations representing the interests of local agencies. This bill would authorize the Controller to audit any local agency for purposes of determining whether the agency's internal controls are adequate to detect and prevent financial errors and fraud. The bill would declare that these provisions are a matter of statewide concern and not a municipal affair.

This measure would proclaim the month of September 2017 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and state the commitment of the Legislature to support efforts to find cures for, and achieve prevention of, childhood cancer.

This measure would recognize the month of September 2017 as Student Hunger Action Month.

This measure would recognize October 20, 2017, as Arirang Day and would celebrate the culture and contributions of Korean Americans to California.

This measure would proclaim October 13, 2017, as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and would request the citizens of California, on that day, to become informed and aware of metastatic breast cancer.

This measure would remember and honor the millions of victims of the man-made Ukrainian Famine of 1932–1933, known as "Holodomor," and their descendants who are living throughout California. The measure would also designate November 25, 2017, as Holodomor Remembrance Day.