Asm. Phillip Chen

Existing law, the Sex Offender Registration Act (the Act) , requires a person convicted of specified crimes to register with law enforcement as a sex offender while residing in California or while attending school or working in California, as specified. Existing law establishes 3 tiers of registration based on specified criteria, for periods of at least 10 years, at least 20 years, and life, respectively, for a conviction of specified sex offenses. Existing law exempts from mandatory registration under the Act a person convicted of certain offenses involving minors if the person is not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the person to register. A willful failure to register, as required by the Act, is a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the underlying offense. This bill would require offenders guilty of engaging in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than 3 years younger than the offender, or, if the offender was 21 years of age or older, engaging in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age, to register for 10 years as a tier one offender under the Act, unless the offender was not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the offender to register. By expanding the scope of a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Under existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) , it is an unlawful employment practice for an employer, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or applicable security regulations established by the United States or the State of California, to refuse to hire or employ a person or to refuse to select a person for a training program leading to employment, or to bar or discharge a person from employment or a training program leading to employment, or to discriminate against a person in compensation or in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status of that person. FEHA provides that nothing in that act relating to discrimination on account of sex affects the right of an employer to use veteran status as a factor in employee selection or to give special consideration to Vietnam-era veterans. FEHA is enforced by the Civil Rights Department, which is in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and is under the direction of an executive officer known as the Director of Civil Rights. This bill would enact the Voluntary Veterans' Preference Employment Policy Act to authorize a private employer to establish and maintain a written veterans' preference employment policy, to be applied uniformly to hiring decisions, to give a voluntary preference for hiring a veteran over another qualified applicant. The bill would require a private employer with a veterans' preference employment policy to annually report to the Civil Rights Department the number of veterans hired under the preference policy and any demographic information about those veterans that the employer obtained in response to the department's reporting requirements. Under the bill, failure to submit that report would render any preference granted by the employer ineligible for the protections provided by this bill. The bill would require the department to report that information, in addition to the number of discrimination claims received based on an employer's veterans' preference employment policy, to specified legislative policy committees by July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2028. This bill would provide that the granting of a veterans' preference pursuant to the bill, in and of itself, shall be deemed not to violate any local or state equal employment opportunity law or regulation, including, but not limited to, the antidiscrimination provisions of FEHA. The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist any private employer in determining if an applicant is a veteran, to the extent permitted by law. The bill would prohibit a veterans' preference employment policy from being established or applied for the purpose or with the effect of unlawfully discriminating against an employment applicant on the basis of a protected classification, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029.

Existing law authorizes the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, to authorize the establishment of community college district baccalaureate degree programs, as provided. Existing law requires a community college district to continue to offer an associate degree program in the same academic subject for which a baccalaureate degree program has been approved, unless that community college district has received approval from the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to eliminate the associate degree program. When conducting a review to approve the elimination of an associate degree program, existing law requires the chancellor to evaluate changes to the labor market viability of the associate degree and changes to the minimum education required to maintain program accreditation. This bill would require the chancellor to additionally evaluate whether baccalaureate degree holders are paid more than associate degree holders in the same field when conducting a review to approve the elimination of an associate degree program.

The Personal Income Tax Law imposes a tax on individual taxpayers measured by the taxpayer's taxable income for the taxable year, but excludes certain items of income from the computation of tax, including an exclusion for combat-related special compensation. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2034, would exclude from gross income retirement pay received by a taxpayer from the federal government for service performed in the uniformed services, as defined, during the taxable year. The bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2034, would also exclude from gross income annuity payments received by a qualified taxpayer, as defined, pursuant to a United States Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan during the taxable year. The bill would make related findings and declarations. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide any data requested by the Legislative Analyst to write the report, as provided, and would make taxpayer information received by the Legislative Analyst subject to limitation on the collection and use of that information. By expanding the scope of a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Existing law classifies certain substances, including cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, as controlled substances and generally prohibits the possession, sale, transportation, and use of these substances. Existing law additionally prohibits the possession of certain of these controlled substances including cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine while armed with a loaded and operable firearm. A violation of this prohibition is punishable as a felony punishable by incarceration in the state prison. This bill would additionally prohibit the possession of fentanyl, as specified, while armed with a loaded and operable firearm if the person has knowledge that the specific controlled substance is fentanyl. By expanding the application of an existing crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including certain dental services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment (EPSDT) services are covered under Medi-Cal for an individual under 21 years of age in accordance with certain federal provisions. Under existing law, for persons 21 years of age or older, laboratory-processed crowns on posterior teeth are a covered benefit when medically necessary to restore a posterior tooth back to normal function based on the criteria specified in the Medi-Cal Dental Manual of Criteria. This bill, The Smile Act, for purposes of the above-described Medi-Cal coverage for laboratory-processed crowns, would remove the condition that the tooth be posterior and would apply the coverage to persons 13 years of age or older. The bill would also add, as a covered Medi-Cal benefit for persons of any age, subject to prior authorization, a dental implant if tooth extraction or removal is medically necessary or if the corresponding tooth is missing. The bill would condition this coverage on there being no other covered functional alternatives for prosthetic replacement to correct the person's dental condition, as specified, on the person being without medical conditions for which dental implant surgery would be contraindicated, on receipt of any necessary federal approvals, and on the availability of federal financial participation. Under the bill, the above-described provisions would not be construed to exclude Medi-Cal coverage for laboratory-processed crowns on teeth or dental implants if otherwise required under EPSDT services.

The California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 provides, among other things, for student protections and regulatory oversight of private postsecondary institutions in the state. The act is enforced by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The act exempts specified private postsecondary educational institutions from all, or a portion of, its provisions, but requires those institutions that are subject to its provisions to apply for and obtain an approval to operate, including by means of accreditation, as specified. The act also requires an out-of-state private postsecondary educational institution to comply with specified requirements for registration, including providing the bureau evidence of the institution's accreditation and complying with the requirements of the Student Tuition Recovery Fund and regulations adopted by the bureau related to the fund, as provided. The act requires an independent institution of higher education that is exempt from the act to comply with all applicable state and federal laws. Existing law repeals the act on January 1, 2027. The bill would authorize a highly qualified private nonprofit institution, as defined, to register with the bureau by paying a registration fee and complying with specified requirements for registration, including providing the bureau evidence of the institution's accreditation and complying with the requirements of the Student Tuition Recovery Fund, as provided. The bill would authorize a highly qualified private nonprofit institution, as defined, that received an approval to operate by means of accreditation before July 1, 2025, to instead register with the bureau under the bill's provisions. The bill would specify that a highly qualified private nonprofit institution that registers with the bureau is required to comply with all applicable state and federal laws.

Maddy summaryThis California House Resolution condemns the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on former President Donald J. Trump and calls for an end to political violence. The measure highlights the event where Trump was wounded while speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and notes that one attendee died and others were injured while trying to protect him. It urges the state to foster a political environment based on respectful discourse and nonviolence. The resolution is a formal statement of the Assembly's stance and does not create new laws or change existing policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes Filipino American History Month to recognize the long-standing contributions of Filipinos to California and the United States. It directly affects state officials and the public by designating a specific month for commemoration and education. The resolution highlights historical milestones, including early Spanish-era interactions, the development of Filipino communities in cities like Stockton and San Francisco, and the significant roles Filipinos played in agriculture, shipbuilding, and military service during World War II. By formally acknowledging these events, the bill aims to promote awareness of Filipino American heritage within the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates November 22, 2024, as Kimchee Day in California to honor the traditional Korean dish and its cultural significance. It acknowledges the long history of kimchee, the contributions of Korean Americans, and the dish's recognized health benefits and growing popularity in the United States. The resolution directs the Assembly's Chief Clerk to send copies of the document to the author for distribution.