(1) The federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 states that it is the policy of the United States to maintain a reliable and secure electricity structure that achieves certain objectives that characterize a smart grid. Existing federal law requires each state regulatory authority, with respect to each electric utility for which it has ratemaking authority, and each nonregulated electric utility, to consider certain standards and to determine whether or not it is appropriate to implement those standards to carry out the purposes of the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. The existing standards include time-based metering and communications, consideration of smart grid investments, and providing purchases with smart grid information, as specified. Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law requires the CPUC, by July 1, 2010, and in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the Independent System Operator, and other key stakeholders, to determine the requirements for a smart grid deployment plan consistent with certain policies set forth in state and federal law. Existing law requires that the smart grid improve overall efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of electrical system operations, planning, and maintenance. Existing law requires each electrical corporation, by July 1, 2011, to develop and submit a smart grid deployment plan to the commission for approval. This bill would require the CPUC, by January 1, 2012, to identify alternative options for customers of electrical corporations that decline the installation of wireless advanced metering infrastructure devices, commonly referred to as smart meters, as part of an approved smart grid deployment plan. The bill would also require the CPUC, when it has identified those alternative options, to require each electrical corporation to permit a customer to decline the installation of an advanced metering infrastructure device and make the alternative options available to that customer. The bill would also require the CPUC to disclose certain information to customers about the technology of smart meters. The bill would require the CPUC to direct each electrical corporation to suspend the deployment of advanced metering infrastructure until the CPUC has complied with the above requirements. (2) Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the CPUC is a crime. Because the bill would require action by the CPUC to implement certain of its requirements, a violation of which would be a crime, these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. (3) 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. (4) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
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(1) Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. This bill would establish the California Higher Education Endowment Corporation (CHEEC) in state government. The bill would establish an oversight board to govern the CHEEC and would require that board to appoint the chief executive officer of the CHEEC. The bill would require the CHEEC to annually allocate the moneys in the continuously appropriated California Higher Education Fund, which would be created by the bill, to the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California, as specified. (2) Existing law imposes various taxes, including taxes on the privilege of engaging in certain activities. The Fee Collection Procedures Law, the violation of which is a crime, provides procedures for the collection of certain fees and surcharges. This bill would impose an oil and gas severance tax upon any producer, except as provided, for the privilege of severing oil or gas from the earth or water in this state for sale, transport, consumption, storage, profit, or use, as provided, at a rate of 12.5% of the gross value of the product. The tax would be administered by the State Board of Equalization and would be collected pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Fee Collection Procedures Law. The bill would require the board to deposit all taxes, penalties, and interest collected pursuant to these provisions in the California Higher Education Fund, as provided. Because this bill would expand application of the Fee Collection Procedures Law, the violation of which is a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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 declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale, any food that is misbranded. Food is misbranded if its labeling does not conform to specified federal labeling requirements regarding nutrition, nutrient content or health claims, and food allergens. Violation of this law is a misdemeanor. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to require the labeling of all genetically engineered salmon entering and sold within the state. This bill would provide that food is misbranded if the food is a genetically engineered fish or fish product, as defined, and its labeling does not conspicuously identify the fish or fish product as genetically engineered. This bill would make related findings. By changing the definition 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.
Existing law provides that, when a child is removed from his or her family by the juvenile court, placement of the child in foster care should secure, as nearly as possible, the custody, care, and discipline equivalent to that which should have been given the child by his or her parents. Existing law provides enumerated rights for children who are placed in foster care. Existing law establishes the Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson to disseminate specified information, including the stated rights of foster youth, and to investigate and attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of children placed in foster care, related to their care, placement, or services. This bill would enumerate rights for foster youth relating to mental health services. The bill would require the office, in consultation with various entities, to develop, no later than July 1, 2012, standardized information explaining the rights specified and to distribute this information to foster youth.
Under existing law, the State Department of Public Health licenses and regulates hospitals, as defined. Violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires hospitals, not less than annually, to conduct a security and safety assessment and, using the assessment, develop a security plan with measures to protect personnel, patients, and visitors from aggressive or violent behavior. Existing law provides that the plan may include, but is not limited to, prescribed considerations. This bill would, instead, require the plan to include these considerations, as well as other considerations prescribed by the bill. It would also require the hospital to adopt specified security policies as part of the plan. The bill would also require the hospital to evaluate and treat an employee who is involved in a violent incident and to provide specified followup care. The bill would prohibit a hospital from prohibiting an employee from, or taking punitive or retaliatory action against an employee for, seeking assistance from local emergency services or law enforcement when a violent incident occurs. Under existing law, an act of assault that results in injury or involves the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon against on-duty hospital personnel is required to be reported to law enforcement within 72 hours of the occurrence of the incident. This bill would, instead, require reporting to law enforcement within 24 hours. This bill would also require a hospital to report incidents of assault or battery to the department, as specified. This bill would allow the imposition of a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $100 per day for each day that certain incidents are not reported, as prescribed. The bill would require the department to make an onsite inspection or investigation when it receives a report from a hospital that indicates an ongoing, urgent, or emergent threat of imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm to patient, personnel, or visitors. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature, as prescribed, beginning on January 1, 2014, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2018, certain information regarding incidents of violence at hospitals. Under existing law, all hospital employees who are regularly assigned to the emergency department are required to receive, on a continuing basis as provided by the security plan, specified training. This bill would require training to be provided annually, and would include in the required training hospital employees who provide direct care to patients. Because this bill expands the definition of a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, the Corrections Standards Authority is required to establish minimum standards for state and local correctional facilities. This bill would require the standards to include a safety and security plan to protect health care personnel who provide care to persons confined in state and local correctional facilities, as specified. 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 provides for the creation of various programs to provide health care services to persons who have limited incomes and meet various eligibility requirements. These programs include the Healthy Families Program administered by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, and the Medi‑Cal program administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. Existing law provides for the regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Commencing January 1, 2014, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires every individual to be covered under minimum essential coverage, as specified, and requires every health insurance issuer issuing individual or group health insurance coverage to accept every employer and individual who applies for coverage. Existing law establishes the California Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans through the Exchange by qualified individuals and small employers by January 1, 2014. This bill would establish the California Healthcare System to be administered by the newly created California Healthcare Agency under the control of a Healthcare Commissioner appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The bill would make all California residents eligible for specified health care benefits under the California Healthcare System, which would, on a single-payer basis, negotiate for or set fees for health care services provided through the system and pay claims for those services. The bill would require the commissioner to seek all necessary waivers, exemptions, agreements, or legislation to allow various existing federal, state, and local health care payments to be paid to the California Healthcare System, which would then assume responsibility for all benefits and services previously paid for with those funds. The bill would create the Healthcare Policy Board to establish policy on medical issues and various other matters relating to the system. The bill would create the Office of Patient Advocacy within the agency to represent the interests of health care consumers relative to the system. The bill would create within the agency the Office of Health Planning to plan for the health care needs of the population, and the Office of Health Care Quality, headed by a chief medical officer, to support the delivery of high-quality care and promote provider and patient satisfaction. The bill would create the Office of Inspector General for the California Healthcare System within the Attorney General's office, which would have various oversight powers. The bill would prohibit health care service plan contracts or health insurance policies from being issued for services covered by the California Healthcare System, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, and would authorize the collection of penalty moneys for deposit into the Healthcare Fund, which the bill would create. The bill would create the Payments Board to administer the finances of the California Healthcare System. The bill would create the California Healthcare Premium Commission (Premium Commission) to determine the cost of the California Healthcare System and to develop a premium structure for the system that complies with specified standards. The bill would require the Premium Commission to recommend a premium structure to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January 1, 2014, and to make a draft recommendation to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public 90 days before submitting its final premium structure recommendation. The bill would specify that only its provisions relating to the Premium Commission would become operative on January 1, 2013, with its remaining provisions becoming operative on the earlier of the date the Secretary of California Health and Human Services notifies the Legislature, as specified, that sufficient funding exists to implement the California Healthcare System and the date the secretary receives the necessary federal waiver under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bill would extend the application of certain insurance fraud laws to providers of services and products under the system, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by revising the definition of a crime. The bill would enact other related provisions relative to budgeting, regional entities, federal preemption, subrogation, collective bargaining agreements, compensation of health care providers, conflict of interest, patient grievances, and independent medical review. 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.
(1) The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing, conflicts of interests of public officials, and the lobbying industry, and further establishes the Fair Political Practices Commission to administer and enforce the provisions of the act. Among its provisions, the act requires each campaign committee to file a statement of organization upon qualifying as a committee, and further requires elected officers, candidates, and committees to file periodic campaign statements reporting contributions received and expenditures made during specified reporting periods. Specifically, the act requires each elected officer, candidate, and committee to file a semiannual statement for each 6-month period, and further requires that preelection statements be filed at various specified times depending upon the type of election and the identity of the filer. The act also requires the filing of supplemental preelection statements, independent expenditure reports, and campaign statements by committees that make contributions of $10,000 or more in odd-numbered years. Under the act, a late contribution report or a late independent expenditure report is required to be filed within 24 hours if a contribution or independent expenditure is made before an election but after the closing date of the last campaign statement, and a committee is required to file a report online or electronically within 10 business days each time it makes a contribution or expenditure of $5,000 or more to support or oppose a ballot measure. This bill would instead require each elected state officer; each candidate for elective state office; and each elected officer, candidate, or committee that receives contributions or makes expenditures totaling $50,000 or more to file a quarterly statement for each calendar quarter in each odd-numbered year and a monthly statement for each calendar month in each even-numbered year, except that a committee that has received contributions of less than $500 and made expenditures of less than $500 in a reporting period would be permitted to file instead a statement of inactivity for that reporting period. The bill would also provide that there be only one type of preelection statement, to be referred to as a 16-day report, for all elections and all filers, to be filed no later than 16 days before an election for the period ending 21 days before the election. The bill would repeal provisions requiring the filing of supplemental preelection statements, independent expenditure reports, and odd-numbered year committee statements, and the bill would require a 90-day contribution report or a 90-day independent expenditure report to be filed within 24 hours if the contribution or independent expenditure is made within 90 days before the date of an election. Under the bill, a committee would be required to file a report online or electronically within 24 hours each time it makes a contribution or expenditure of $25,000 or more to support or oppose a ballot measure. In addition, the bill would require specified elected officers, candidates, and committees to file a copy of each campaign statement with the elections official of any jurisdiction in which the filer made expenditures of $25,000 or more during the reporting period. (2) Existing law requires that each filer of a campaign statement include in the campaign statement specified information, including the amount of contributions received or expenditures made during the reporting period and specified identifying information about each person who has made contributions totaling $100 or more. This bill would also require that each filer include in the campaign statement specified information about a 3rd party if the filer knows or has reason to know that contributions from 2 or more persons have been made at the behest of that 3rd party and the cumulative amount of those contributions, plus the amounts the 3rd party has contributed to the filer directly, if any, equals or exceeds the maximum amount that the 3rd party would be permitted to contribute to the filer. (3) Existing law prohibits a local government agency from enacting an ordinance imposing filing requirements additional to or different from those imposed by the act, unless the additional or different filing requirements apply only to a candidate or ballot measure being voted upon only in that jurisdiction or to a city or county general purpose committee active only in that jurisdiction. This bill would also permit a local government agency to enact an ordinance imposing additional or different filing requirements if those requirements apply only to a general purpose committee that spends $25,000 or more in the jurisdiction of that local government agency. (4) Existing law requires that every campaign committee have a treasurer who is responsible for authorizing any expenditure made by or on behalf of the committee. The treasurer is required to be designated on the committee's statement of organization, and a committee cannot accept a contribution or make an expenditure at a time when there is a vacancy in the office of the treasurer. This bill would require each treasurer, prior to his or her designation as a treasurer or within 15 business days after that designation, to complete an online certification course that addresses the statutes and regulations governing the financing of campaigns and the duties and responsibilities of a treasurer. The bill would permit the Commission to charge each applicant for certification a fee not to exceed $50 for the costs of administering the certification program, which could be paid from campaign funds, and the bill would require each treasurer to verify under penalty of perjury that he or she has been certified under the certification program. The bill would also require a treasurer to renew his or her certification every 2 years and would further require the Secretary of State to maintain on his or her Internet Web site a list of each treasurer who is currently certified. (5) Existing law provides that regulation of the operation of automatic dialing-announcing devices, as defined, is within the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission. This bill would permit the Fair Political Practices Commission to regulate the content of a prerecorded telephonic message that is disseminated by means of an automatic dialing-announcing device and that advocates support of, or opposition to, a candidate, ballot measure, or both. (6) Existing law imposes various requirements on slate mailers, defined as mass mailings that support or oppose multiple candidates or ballot measures, and on slate mailer organizations that produce and distribute slate mailers. Specifically, existing law requires a slate mailer organization to file a semiannual campaign statement for each 6-month period. In addition, existing law requires that each slate mailer disclose specified information, in a specified manner, about the slate mailer organization and identify each candidate and ballot measure that has paid to appear in the slate mailer. This bill would instead require a slate mailer organization to file a quarterly statement for each calendar quarter in each odd-numbered year and a monthly statement for each calendar month in each even-numbered year, except that a slate mailer organization that has received payments of less than $500 and made expenditures of less than $500 in a reporting period would be permitted to file instead a statement of inactivity for that reporting period. The bill would also permit the Commission to impose, by regulation, other requirements regarding the contents of a slate mailer. (7) Existing law imposes penalties on a person who files a campaign statement or report after the applicable deadline in the amount of $10 per day up to a maximum of $100 or the amount being reported in the statement or report, whichever is greater. This bill would increase those penalties to $25 per day up to a maximum of $750 or 150% of the amount reported in the statement or report, whichever is greater. The bill would also make those penalties applicable to a campaign statement or report submitted on behalf of a committee that does not have a currently certified treasurer. In addition, the bill would prohibit a candidate or elected officer from using campaign funds to pay a fine imposed on him or her for tardy filing of a statement of economic interests. (8) Existing law requires the Secretary of State to develop online or electronic filing processes for the filing of campaign statements and reports, and further requires that candidates, general purpose committees, and other entities file required statements and reports online or electronically if the total amount of contributions or expenditures being reported exceed a specified threshold. Existing law prohibits a fee or charge from being collected for the filing of a campaign statement or report, except as provided for under the act. This bill would require the Secretary of State and the Commission to jointly work toward the development of a single, statewide electronic filing system that consolidates the filing of all state and local campaign statements and reports into one searchable database that meets specified criteria. The bill would require the Secretary of State and the Commission to develop a feasibility study report for the electronic filing system by December 31, 2013, to develop a funding plan, to engage in fundraising, and to complete work on the electronic filing system by December 31, 2017. In addition, the bill would permit the Secretary of State to collect a fee or charge for the filing of a campaign statement or report required under the act, provided that the amounts collected are used only for, and do not exceed the costs of, development and maintenance of the electronic filing system. (9) Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating additional crimes. (10) 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. (11) The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
Existing law, the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983, establishes, under the jurisdiction of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, a program of seismic safety building standards for certain hospitals constructed on and after March 7, 1973. Existing law requires that, after January 1, 2008, any general acute care hospital building that is determined to be at potential risk of collapse or pose significant loss of life be used only for nonacute care hospital purposes, except that the office may grant a 5-year extension under prescribed circumstances. Existing law also allows the office to grant an additional extension of up to 2 years for a hospital building that, among other requirements, is owned by a health care district that has, as owner, received the extension of the January 1, 2008, deadline, but where the hospital is operated by an unaffiliated 3rd-party lessee pursuant to a facility lease that extends at least through December 31, 2009, if the health care district requests the additional extension by March 1, 2010. Existing law prohibits the office from granting the extension if an unaffiliated 3rd-party lessee will operate the hospital beyond December 31, 2010, and makes the extension applicable only while the hospital is operated by the district or an entity under the control of the district. This bill would authorize a health care district that is eligible to receive an additional extension of up to 2 years to request an additional 2-year extension if it submits a plan to submit a ballot measure to issue bonds to the voters.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 regulates mass mailings, known as slate mailers, that support or oppose multiple candidates or ballot measures for an election. The act requires that each slate mailer identify the slate mailer organization or committee primarily formed to support or oppose one or more ballot measures that is sending the slate mailer, and to contain other specified information in specified formatting. The act requires that each candidate and each ballot measure that has paid to appear in the slate mailer be designated by an asterisk. This bill would instead require that a candidate or ballot measure appearing in the slate mailer be designated by an asterisk if the slate mailer organization or committee primarily formed to support or oppose one or more ballot measures that is sending the slate mailer has received payment to include the candidate or ballot measure in the slate mailer. The bill would also recast the language of the prescribed notice to voters that must be included on a slate mailer. The act also regulates advertisements, which are defined as any general or public advertisement that is authorized and paid for by a person or committee for the purpose supporting or opposing a candidate for elective office or a ballot measure or ballot measures. The act places certain disclosure requirements on advertisements for or against any ballot measure, including that the advertisement disclose any person who has made cumulative contributions of $50,000 or more, as prescribed. The act places more specific disclosure requirements on broadcast or mass mailing advertisements that are paid for by independent expenditures that support or oppose a candidate or ballot measure. This bill would repeal provisions relating to disclosures for advertisements paid for by an independent expenditure and required disclosures of persons who have made cumulative contributions of $50,000 or more. This bill would, instead, impose specified disclosure requirements on radio, television, and video advertisements, and certain mass mailing and print advertisements that support or oppose a candidate or ballot measure or solicit contributions in support of those purposes. The bill would require advertisements that are authorized by a candidate or agent of the candidate to include a statement in which the candidate identifies himself or herself and states that he or she approves the message. The bill would require advertisements that are not authorized by a candidate or an agent of the candidate to disclose, in a prescribed format, the 3 largest identifiable contributors, as defined, of the committee that paid for the advertisement. The bill would require mass mailings or print advertisements that are paid for by certain persons who are not committees to disclose the name of that person as the funder of the mass mailing or print advertisement. The bill would also require that certain committees establish and maintain a committee disclosure Internet Web site, as defined, which discloses the top 5 identifiable contributors and provides a link to the Internet Web site maintained by the Secretary of State for campaign finance disclosures of the committee. The bill would require these advertisements to identify the address for the committee disclosure Internet Web site. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating additional crimes. 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. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
This bill would urge the United States Patent and Trademark Office to place a satellite office in California.