Asm. Leticia Castillo

Maddy summaryACR 74 is a ceremonial resolution designating May 2025 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in California. It does not create new laws or regulations but formally recognizes this month for promoting motorcycle safety awareness. The resolution directly affects the state government and public by encouraging related educational activities during May 2025. It has no binding requirements or financial impact on individuals or organizations.

Existing law prohibits discrimination on the basis of various specified personal characteristics, including disability. Existing law imposes minimum statutory damages for construction-related accessibility claims if the violation of a construction-related accessibility standard denied the plaintiff full and equal access to the place of public accommodation on a particular occasion, as specified. Existing law imposes various limits on a defendant's liability for statutory damages under specified sets of conditions, including if the defendant, among other things, corrects the construction-related violations within a specified time. This bill would prohibit a construction-related accessibility claim for statutory damages from being initiated in a legal proceeding against a defendant who employs 50 or fewer individuals, as specified, unless the defendant has been served with a letter specifying each alleged violation, and the alleged violations have not been corrected within 120 days of service of the letter. The bill would provide that a defendant is not liable for statutory damages, plaintiff's attorney's fees, or costs for an alleged violation that is corrected within 120 days of service of a letter alleging the violation. The bill would also prohibit a plaintiff from avoiding the notice and opportunity to correct provisions and the liability limitations by claiming they are seeking general discrimination damages based on a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 if the underlying claim is based on a defendant's failure to comply with physical accessibility standards under California law.

This measure would urge the President of the United States and the Congress of the United States to immediately restore full funding for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program projects.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 45, introduced by Assembly Member Castillo, proclaims the week of June 15, 2025, as Animal Rights Awareness Week in California. The resolution encourages Californians to practice responsible pet and livestock care, support local animal welfare organizations, and advocate for policies promoting animal welfare. It does not create new laws or legal obligations but serves as a symbolic gesture to raise public awareness. The Assembly adopted this non-binding resolution on June 16, 2025.

This measure would, among other things, call for an immediate end to policies that obstruct lawful immigration enforcement and urge the Governor to take immediate action to restore law and order.

The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal law, provides various exclusions from gross income in computing tax liability. Existing law requires employers to make specified payments and withholdings from wages paid for employment to, and to file reports of wages and make contributions for unemployment insurance and the employment training tax with, the Employment Development Department. The department is charged with administering the state's payroll taxes. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2031, would exclude tips, as defined, from gross income for the purposes of the Personal Income Tax Law. The bill, on and after January 1, 2026, and until January 1, 2031, would also exclude tips from the definition of wages paid for employment for purposes of income tax withholding and for purposes of unemployment insurance and the employment training tax. This bill would also make related changes to other provisions. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to an appropriation, to provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations through contracts, in order to provide certain immigration-related legal services to persons residing in, or formerly residing in, the state. Under existing law, those grants are aimed at obtaining certain immigration remedies and benefits, assisting with the naturalization process and an appeal arising from the process, or providing legal training and technical assistance. Existing law prohibits these funds from being used to provide legal services to an individual who has been convicted of, or who is currently appealing a conviction for, a violent felony, as specified, or a serious felony, as specified. This bill would additionally prohibit these funds from being used to obstruct or interfere with federal enforcement actions or legal proceedings against individuals convicted of a felony who are present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws. The bill would specify that this restriction includes, but is not limited to, expenditures on litigation, administrative actions, or any other measures intended to shield such individuals from federal apprehension or deportation.

This measure would recognize the significance of disability-informed response programs in promoting public safety and community trust. The measure would also commend the efforts of law enforcement agencies that have implemented disability-informed response programs in consultation with disability communities.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 40) declares May 25, 2025, as "Rosenda's Day" in California. It honors Rosenda (Rose) Elizabeth Smiley, a 14-year-old who died in a drunk driving crash on Memorial Day weekend in 2024. The resolution commemorates her life and raises awareness about the preventable tragedies of drunk driving, citing state traffic statistics. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or policies. The resolution was adopted by the California Assembly on May 27, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic House Resolution (not a law), designating May as "Behavioral Health Awareness Month" in California. It does not create new programs or funding but formally recognizes the importance of behavioral health - encompassing mental illness and substance use disorders - through a series of factual statements about its prevalence and impact across different age groups and communities. The resolution cites statistics on mental health challenges affecting youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, racial minorities, and those in foster or justice systems, aiming to raise public awareness. As a non-binding resolution, it has no direct policy effect but serves to highlight these issues for public discussion.