Existing law establishes and requires the State Department of Social Services to administer the CalFood Program to provide food and funding to food banks whose primary function is to facilitate the distribution of food to low-income households, as specified. This bill would require the department to provide a food assistance benefit to low-income California residents, regardless of immigration status, by contracting with nonprofit entities, as defined, to issue the food assistance benefit in the form of prepaid cards. The bill would require the department to procure the prepaid cards to administer the food assistance benefit and to ensure the availability of those prepaid cards to nonprofit entities, as specified. The bill would require participating nonprofit entities to maintain specified records. The bill would require the department and nonprofit entities to distribute all of the food assistance benefits by July 1, 2023. The bill would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific these provisions without taking regulatory action. The bill would exempt contracts awarded pursuant to these provisions from personal services contracting requirements, the Public Contract Code, and the State Contracting Manual, and the contracts would not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services. The bill would make these provisions operative upon appropriation. The bill would require the department, in consultation with a workgroup, to author a report to provide recommendations and solutions for a permanent food assistance program for low-income California residents experiencing food insecurity, to complete that report by January 1, 2023, and to submit a copy of that report to the Legislature, as specified. This bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
(1) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare, or cause to be prepared by contract, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA prohibits an environmental impact report or negative declaration from being approved for any project involving the purchase of a schoolsite or the construction of a new elementary or secondary school by a school district unless specified conditions are met, relating to, among other things, whether the property is located on a current or former hazardous waste disposal site or solid waste disposal site, a hazardous substance release site, or a site that contains a pipeline that carries specified substances, and the property's proximity to facilities that might reasonably be anticipated to emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous or extremely hazardous substances or waste, as provided. This bill would prohibit a lead agency from certifying an environmental impact report or approving a negative declaration for a project involving the purchase of a schoolsite or the construction of a new elementary or secondary school by a charter school or a private school, unless those specified conditions are met. By imposing new requirements on school districts, charter schools, lead agencies, cities, and counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law prohibits the governing board of a school district from approving a project for the acquisition of a schoolsite unless specified conditions are met, including, among others, that the school district, as the lead agency, determines that the property to be purchased or built upon is not the site of a current or former hazardous waste disposal site or solid waste disposal site, a hazardous substance release site, or a site that contains a pipeline that carries specified substances, and that the school district, as the lead agency, has not identified specified facilities within 14 of one mile of the proposed schoolsite that might reasonably be anticipated to emit hazardous air emissions or handle hazardous or extremely hazardous materials, substances, or waste, as provided. This bill would impose that prohibition, and related requirements, on the governing body of a charter school and the governing board of a private school, and would require the determination and identification described above to be made by the city or county. By imposing new requirements on charter schools, cities, and counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires the State Department of Education, upon the request of the governing board of a school district, to advise the governing board on the acquisition of new schoolsites, as specified. This bill would require the department to additionally advise the governing body of a charter school, upon the request of the governing body, on the acquisition of new schoolsites, as specified. (4) 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.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The state board is required to approve a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020 and to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to update the scoping plan at least once every 5 years. This bill would require the state board to conduct a comprehensive health analysis in conjunction with the development of each update of the scoping plan that includes a framework to provide an overview of the breadth of health impacts and health benefits that may accrue from the outcomes in the scoping plan, as specified.
The Cemetery and Funeral Act provides for the licensure and regulation of cemeteries, crematoria, hydrolysis facilities, cremated remains disposers, funeral establishments, and their personnel by the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law creates the Cemetery and Funeral Fund, which is continuously appropriated for the purpose of implementing the act. Under existing law, the violation of the act is a misdemeanor. Existing law provides for the disposition of human remains and makes specified acts relating to human remains, including improperly disposing of human remains, a crime. This bill, commencing July 1, 2023, would require the bureau to license and regulate reduction facilities, as defined, and would enact requirements applicable to reduction facilities substantially similar to those applicable to crematoria and hydrolysis facilities and would enact provisions relating to the disposition of reduced human remains by integration into the soil. By expanding the definition of crimes relating to the disposition of human remains and creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the application for a reduction facility license to be made in writing on the form prescribed by the bureau and accompanied by a licensing fee. The bill would also require a licensed reduction facility to pay a specified fee to the bureau for every reduction during the preceding quarter. The bill would require the bureau to set the licensing and renewal fees and the per reduction fees in amounts that cumulatively do not exceed the reasonable costs of administering the licensing program and would cap the per reduction fee at a maximum of $8.50 per reduction. By depositing moneys in a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. This bill, commencing July 1, 2023, would require the State Department of Public Health to adopt rules and regulations prescribing the standards for reduction chambers to preserve the public health and safety and to ensure the destruction of pathogenic micro-organisms. The bill would require reduction chamber manufacturers to apply to the State Department of Public Health for approval of reduction chambers for use in the state and to charge a reduction chamber manufacturer a regulatory fee for the evaluation of a reduction chamber, as specified. The bill would prohibit the use of a nonapproved reduction chamber by a reduction facility or its employees. Existing law requires a local registrar of births and deaths to issue permits for the disposition of cremated and hydrolyzed remains. This bill, commencing July 1, 2023, would require a local registrar of births or deaths to issue permits for the disposition of reduced human remains. By increasing the duties of local agencies, 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.
(1) Existing law requires each state agency that significantly regulates or impacts small business to designate at least one person to serve as a small business liaison for the agency. Existing law requires the small business liaison to be responsible for, among other things, receiving and responding to complaints received by the agency from small businesses and assisting in ensuring that the procurement and contracting processes of the entity are administered in order to meet or exceed the goal of 25% small business participation. This bill would also require the small business liaison to develop an "economic equity first" action plan and policy for the agency to provide, among other things, direction, recommendations, and strategies as to how to ensure that disadvantaged business enterprises are effectively involved and benefiting from the procurement process of the agency. The bill would require the action plan and policy to be submitted to the agency secretary, department director, or executive officer by January 1, 2023, and would require adoption of that plan by January 1, 2024. (2) Existing law establishes the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as GO-Biz, and prescribes the duties and functions of the Small Business Advocate, who is also the Director of the Office of Small Business Advocate. Existing law requires the advocate to prepare and submit a written annual report to the Governor and the Legislature that describes the activities and recommendations of the office, including an evaluation of the efforts of state agencies and, where appropriate, specific departments, that significantly regulate small businesses to assist minority and other small business enterprises, and make appropriate recommendations to assist the development of these enterprises. This bill would require the annual report to also include details regarding the office's activities to support procurement participation by small businesses, microbusinesses, disadvantaged business enterprises, and disabled veteran business enterprises, as well as compliance and implementation of specified action plans and policies by state agency liaisons and advocates. Existing law requires the advocate to post certain information on the GO-Biz or the advocate's internet website, including how to receive assistance in certifying as a small business and identifying and participating in state procurement opportunities. This bill would require the above-described information, and also information in receiving assistance in certifying as a disabled veteran business enterprise and disadvantaged business enterprise, to be easily accessible from the homepage of the Go-Biz internet website. (3) Existing law, the Small Business Procurement and Contract Act, declares that it is essential that opportunity is provided for full participation in our free enterprise system by small business enterprises. This bill would also declare that the state economy is strengthened by the diversity and resiliency of its small businesses and that it is essential to ensure all small businesses are able to fully participate in the domestic and global markets, including businesses owned by women and other specified groups. (4) The Small Business Procurement and Contract Act requires the Director of General Services and the heads of other state agencies that enter into contracts for the acquisition of goods, services, and information technology and for the construction of state facilities to establish goals for the participation of small businesses and microbusinesses in these contracts, to provide for a small business preference in the award of these contracts, to give special consideration and special assistance to small businesses, and, whenever possible, to make awards to small businesses, as specified. Existing law defines a "small business" for these purposes as, among other things, an independently owned and operated business that is not dominant in its field of operation that, commencing January 1, 2019, has average annual gross receipts of $15 million, as may be adjusted to reflect changes in the California Consumer Price Index, or less over the previous 3 years. Existing law also defines a "microbusiness" as a small business which, together with affiliates, has average annual gross receipts of, commencing January 1, 2019, $5 million, as may be adjusted to reflect changes in the California Consumer Price Index, or less over the previous 3 years. Existing law requires the director to conduct a biennial review of those average annual gross receipt levels and authorizes the director to adjust the average annual gross receipts threshold to reflect changes in the California Consumer Price Index, as specified. This bill would require the director to communicate and coordinate with the Small Business Advocate to execute this biennial review. The bill would, for purposes of the act, define "disadvantaged business enterprises" to mean "socially and economically disadvantaged individuals," as described by federal law. Existing law requires the directors of the Department of General Services and other state agencies that enter into contracts concerning the provision of goods, information technology, services, and construction of state facilities, to establish goals for the extent of participation of small businesses, including microbusinesses, for those contracts. This bill would instead require those directors to establish a minimum goal of 25% procurement participation for small businesses, including microbusinesses. Existing law also requires the directors of the Department of General Services and other state agencies that enter into contracts for the provision of goods, information technology, services to the state, and construction of state facilities, to provide for a small business preference, in the award of contracts, in solicitations where an award is to be made to the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications, with the amount being 5% of the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications. This bill, with respect to public works contracts, would also require a preference for disadvantaged business enterprises, which would be a separate 5% of the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications. Existing law further requires a small business or microbusiness preference, in solicitations where an award is to be made to the highest scored bidder based on evaluation factors in addition to price, in an amount of 5% of the highest responsible bidders score. This bill, with respect to public works contracts, would also require a preference to disadvantaged business enterprises, which would be a separate 5% of the highest responsible bidder's total score. Existing law, notwithstanding specified advertising and bidding provisions, authorizes a state agency to award a contract for construction or other state improvement of any kind with an estimated value of greater than $5,000 but less than a specified cost limit, to a certified small business, including a microbusiness, or to a disabled veteran business enterprise, so long as the agency obtains written bid submittals from 2 or more certified small businesses or disabled veteran business enterprises. This bill would expand that provision to include, among those businesses to which this type of contract may be awarded, a disadvantaged business enterprise, so long as the agency obtains written bid submittals from 2 or more of the above-described businesses. (5) Existing law establishes the Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services within the Department of General Services and charges it with specified duties, including making recommendations to the department and other state agencies for simplification of specifications and terms in order to increase the opportunities for small business, microbusiness, and disabled veteran business enterprise participation. This bill would include, with those recommendations, simplification of specifications and terms in order to increase opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises. Existing law requires the department, during the process of certifying and determining the eligibility of a small business or a disabled veteran business enterprise, to require the applicant or certified firm to submit a written declaration, under penalty of perjury, that the information submitted to the department pursuant to specified law is true and correct. This bill would require the department to establish a fast track small business certification process for business enterprises that hold relevant federal certifications. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would also permit the Department of General Services to apply relevant federal certifications for the business categories and in its delineated procurement authority to other state agencies. (6) The Small Business Procurement and Contract Act requires the department to make rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying into effect the act. This bill would require the department to consider appropriate remedial actions to be taken in regards to mandatory reporting agencies that failed in 3 out of 5 years to meet their small business or disabled veteran business enterprise goals, and to include department actions in the department's consolidated annual report. (7) Existing law, the State Contract Act, requires the Department of General Services to make available a report on contracting activity containing specified information, including a list of consulting services contracts the state has entered into during the previous fiscal year and the level of participation of business enterprises, as specified. This bill would also require the report to include the level of participation, by agency, of dual certified small business and disadvantaged business enterprises in statewide contracts, including dollar values of contract awards for specified categories. The bill would include related legislative findings. 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.