Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue, upon the payment of an initial fee of $35 and a $20 fee for each renewal of registration, special interest license plates to firefighters who meet prescribed requirements. The revenue derived from the payment of these special fees for firefighter license plates, less the department's costs, are required to be deposited in the California Firefighters' Memorial Fund. This bill would increase those fees to $50 for the initial issuance of the special license plates and $35 for each renewal of registration of the vehicle. Existing law requires, upon the death of the person to whom the special firefighter license plates were issued, that the plates be transferred to the surviving spouse, if he or she requests it, or returned to the department within 60 days after the death of the plateholder or upon the expiration of the vehicle registration, whichever occurs first. This bill would instead authorize the surviving spouse to retain the plates and would require, except as provided below, upon the death of the surviving spouse, the plates to be returned to the department or destroyed within 60 days of the death or upon the expiration of the vehicle registration, whichever occurs first. The bill, in the absence of a surviving spouse or where the surviving spouse dies while in possession of the special license plates, would authorize a member of the deceased firefighter's family, as defined, to retain one of the special license plates as a family heirloom, subject to specified conditions.
Sponsored bills
(1) Existing law requires, if a person is convicted of a specified driving-under-the-influence (DUI) offense and the offense occurred within 10 years of 2, or 3 or more, prior specified DUI offenses that resulted in a conviction, that the person be punished by enhanced penalties, and that the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle be revoked by the department for a period of 2, 3, 4, or 5 years, as applicable. Existing law authorizes the court to impose specified additional orders on a person when the person is convicted of a driving-under-the-influence (DUI) offense, depending on the circumstances. This bill would, beginning January 1, 2012, authorize the court to order a 10-year revocation of the driver's license of a person who has been convicted of 3 or more specified DUI offenses if the court considers certain factors, including, but not limited to, the period of time that has elapsed since his or her previous DUI convictions. The bill would also authorize a person who had his or her driver's license revoked for 10 years to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles, 5 years from the date of the last DUI conviction, to have his or her privilege to operate a motor vehicle reinstated subject to certain conditions, including, among other things, the condition that the person was not convicted of any other drug- or alcohol-related offenses, under state law, during the driver's license revocation period. (2) Existing law requires that a person, convicted of driving under the influence, without bodily injury to another, within 10 years of being convicted of a separate violation of one or more specified DUI offenses, be punished by his or her driving privilege being suspended or revoked for a period of 2 or more years. Existing law requires, among other things, the Department of Motor Vehicles to advise a person, who was only under the influence of an alcoholic beverage at the time of the violation, that he or she may apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 90 days, 6 months, or 12 months, of the suspension or revocation period, or if the person was under the influence of any drug or the combination of any drug and alcohol, or if the person concurrently did any act forbidden by law or neglected any duty imposed by law that proximately caused bodily injury to another person other than the driver, then after completion of 12 months of the revocation period, which may include credit for a specified concurrent suspension, subject to specified conditions. This bill would revise and recast the above provisions to make technical and nonsubstantive, as well as conforming, changes as a result of the changes made by Chapter 193 of the Statutes of 2009 (SB 598) .
The California Farmland Conservancy Program Act establishes a program for grants from the Department of Conservation for the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements or fee title. The act imposes requirements for the funding of agricultural conservation easements. The act creates the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund. The moneys in the fund, upon appropriation, are required to be used for the purposes of the program, including the purchase of agricultural conservation easements. The act requires an applicant for an agricultural conservation easement to meet specified eligibility criteria related to commercial agricultural production and agricultural land conservation, and specifies criteria the Director of Conservation is required to consider in evaluating the proposal. This bill, notwithstanding any other provision of the act, would authorize the Director of Conservation to make grants from a source other than the fund, and, upon appropriation by the Legislature from that source, disburse moneys for those grants to an applicant for the acquisition of an agricultural conservation easement, if the director determines that the grant meets the purposes of the act and additional specified requirements, including that the easement does not, and will not, substantially prevent agricultural uses on the easement property and that any restriction on the current or reasonably foreseeable agricultural use of the easement property would only be imposed to restrict those areas of the property that are not in cultivation. Existing law also establishes the Soil Conservation Fund, which provides money, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for specified land use purposes. This bill would establish the Farm, Ranch, and Watershed Account within the Soil and Conservation Fund from which money would be disbursed to provide the above grants.
(1) Existing law, except as specified, authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles, for good cause, to issue an instruction permit to any physically and mentally qualified person who applies to the department for an instruction permit and meets any one of 5 specified requirements, including the requirement that the person be 15 years and 6 months of age or older and have successfully completed an approved course in automobile driver education and be taking driver training, as specified. Existing law also provides that a person, while having in his or her immediate possession a valid permit issued pursuant to the above provisions, may operate a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, motorized scooter, or a motorized bicycle, when accompanied by, and under the immediate supervision of, a California-licensed driver with a valid license of the appropriate class, 18 years of age or over whose driving privilege is not on probation. This bill would delete the above alternative requirement and raise the age of the California-licensed driver to 21 years of age. The bill would also make conforming changes to these provisions. (2) The Brady-Jared Teen Driver Safety Act of 1997 allows for the issuance of a driver's license to an applicant who is at least 16 years of age but under 18 years of age pursuant to the provisional licensing program. Under the act, licensees are required to meet specified requirements, driver education, and training. The act requires, among other things, that the applicant for an original license be issued an instruction permit to operate a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or motorized bicycle, only when the person is either taking specified driver training instruction or practicing that instruction, provided the person is accompanied by, and is under the immediate supervision of, a California-licensed driver 25 years of age or older whose driving privilege is not on probation. The act also requires that the applicant complete 50 hours of supervised driving practice prior to the issuance of a provisional license, which is in addition to any other driver training instruction required by law. This bill would delete the requirement that the applicant be taking or practicing specified driving instruction to be issued an instruction permit under the act and would require that a licensed driving school or independent driving instructor provide a driving log that the student may use to document the 50 hours of supervised practice. The bill would make other conforming and clarifying changes to these provisions. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12509 of the Vehicle Code proposed by AB 1952, to be operative only if AB 1952 and this bill become effective on or before January 1, 2010, and this bill is enacted last.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act provides for specified labeling requirements for containers of alcoholic beverages sold within this state. This bill would require any wine bottled on or after January 1, 2014, labeled with an American Viticultural Area established pursuant to federal law that is located entirely within a county of the 19th class, to bear the designation "Sonoma County" on the label in specified type size as determined by the size of the wine container, as prescribed. The bill would authorize the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to suspend or revoke the license of any person who violates those provisions. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act provides that a violation of its provisions is a misdemeanor, unless otherwise specified. This bill, by creating a new crime, imposes 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 for the regulation of various professions and vocations, including those of an athlete agent. This bill would make it unlawful for any person to hold himself or herself out as a certified athletic trainer unless he or she has been certified by the Board of Certification, Inc., and has either graduated from a college or university, after completing an accredited athletic training education program, as specified, or completed requirements for certification by the Board of Certification, Inc., prior to January 1, 2004. The bill would make it an unfair business practice to violate these provisions.
This measure would recognize March 31, 2010, as the anniversary of the birth of César Chávez, and would call upon all Californians to participate in appropriate observances to remember César Chávez as a symbol of hope and justice to all persons.
This measure would recognize the contributions of the automotive aftermarket to the state and consumers and its efforts to educate the motoring public about the benefits of proper vehicle maintenance. The measure also would recognize and support the designation of April as National Car Care Month and encourage all citizens to participate in activities that promote proper vehicle maintenance.
This measure would recognize May 2010 as Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
This measure would proclaim the 3rd week of April, each year, as California Native Plant Week and would encourage community groups, schools, and citizens to undertake appropriate activities to promote the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of California's native plants.