Existing law authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to promulgate, from time to time as conditions warrant, after notice and hearing, reasonable rules and regulations, and amendments and additions to those rules and regulations, as are necessary or advisable in order to establish and maintain a procedure for the filing and approval of specified documents prior to their issuance, delivery, or use in this state. This bill would authorize the commissioner to develop and publish procedural requirements, guidelines, and standard insurance contract language for the purpose of streamlining and expediting the Department of Insurance's file review process for life and disability insurance forms. The bill would require an expanded cover letter to be used to clearly document and demonstrate compliance with those published standards, as specified, in order to expedite review. The bill would require the department to make those published standards available on the department's Internet Web site, as specified. Existing law provides various protections for consumers of annuity, life, disability income, and long-term care insurance products, such as the requirement that the recommendation of an insurer or an entity marketing an annuity or long-term care insurance product regarding the purchase of those products be based on suitability standards that are designed to ensure that the individual consumer's needs are met. This bill would require the commissioner to request that a multistate regulatory support organization commission a study to examine and report on the extent to which consumer protections for annuity, life, disability income, and long-term care insurance products differ from uniform standards developed by the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission. The bill would prohibit the use of moneys from the General Fund or the Insurance Fund to carry out the study. The bill would authorize the commissioner to comment on the final study and would require the commissioner to submit the study to the Legislature, as specified, upon its completion. Existing law provides for the licensing and regulation of disability insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law prohibits a disability policy from being issued until certain requirements are met. One of these conditions is if either (1) 30 days pass without notice from the Insurance Commissioner after a copy of the policy is filed with the commissioner; or (2) the commissioner gives written approval prior to the expiration of the 30 days. This bill would increase that time period to 120 calendar days.
Sponsored bills
Existing law generally authorizes every city and county, including a charter city, in this state to make and enforce within its limits all local, police, sanitary, and other ordinances and regulations that are not in conflict with general laws. This bill would prohibit a city, including a charter city, county, and city and county, from enacting or enforcing any ordinance or regulation that prohibits the installation of drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass, or artificial turf on residential property, as specified. The bill would additionally state that this is an issue of statewide concern. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law provides for state cooperation with the federal government in the construction of specified flood control projects. Existing law adopts and authorizes federally adopted and approved projects, including a 200-year level of flood protection in the Natomas Basin, in areas within the City of Sacramento and the Counties of Sacramento and Sutter. The projects are authorized at an estimated cost to the state of the sum that may be appropriated by the Legislature for state participation upon the recommendation and advice of the Department of Water Resources or the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, formerly known as the Reclamation Board. This bill would describe the Natomas Basin flood protection project as further modified by a specified report adopted by Congress. The bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes.
Existing law gives the Department of Transportation full possession and control of all state highways. Existing law describes the authorized routes in the state highway system and establishes a process for adoption of a highway on an authorized route by the California Transportation Commission. Existing law authorizes the commission to relinquish certain state highway segments to local agencies. Existing law authorizes the commission to relinquish to the County of Sacramento the portion of State Highway Route 16 that is located within the unincorporated area of the county, east of the City of Sacramento boundary and west of Watt Avenue, under certain conditions. This bill would revise this authorization to apply to a specified portion of State Highway Route 16 that is located within the unincorporated area of the county, between the general easterly city limits of the City of Sacramento and near Grant Line Road, and would impose additional conditions on the relinquishment. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature in this regard. This bill would also authorize the commission to relinquish to the City of Rancho Cordova a specified portion of State Highway Route 16, under certain conditions.
The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth the missions and functions of the segments of the higher education system in the state, including the University of California, administered by the Regents of the University of California, and the California State University, administered by the Trustees of the California State University. The provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, make them applicable. Under existing law, the regents have all the powers necessary or convenient for the administration of the university, including the power to set mandatory systemwide fees. Existing law establishes the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act, which suggests policies relating to mandatory systemwide student fees charged and student financial aid for resident students at the University of California and the California State University, including a policy urging the regents and the trustees to ensure that at least 33% of revenues from an increase in fees charged to resident students is set aside for institutional student aid to assist students and families. This bill would instead urge the regents and trustees to ensure that at least 33% of revenues from an increase in fees charged to undergraduate students is set aside for institutional student aid to assist resident undergraduate students and families, and would make the rest of these policy suggestions requirements, subject to adoption of a resolution by the regents as to the University of California. The bill would change an inaccurate cross-reference in a provision of the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act contains various provisions regulating the application for, the issuance of, the suspension of, and the conditions imposed upon, alcoholic beverage licenses by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Existing law provides for various annual fees for the issuance of alcoholic beverage licenses, depending upon the type of license issued. This bill, the Craft Distillers Act of 2015, would authorize the department to issue a craft distiller's license to manufacture distilled spirits, subject to specified conditions, including that the licensee manufacture no more than 100,000 gallons of distilled spirits per fiscal year, excluding brandy the craft distiller manufactures or has manufactured for them. The bill would allow the craft distiller's licensee to sell distilled spirits to specified consumers, to own interests in on-sale retail licenses, and to sell beer, wines, brandies, and distilled spirits to consumers for consumption on the premises of a bona fide eating place, as provided. The bill would impose an original fee and an annual renewal fee for the license, which would be deposited in the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act authorizes a licensed distilled spirits manufacturer to conduct tastings of distilled spirits produced or bottled by, or produced or bottled for, the licensee, on the licensed premises, under specified conditions, including that tasting not be given in the form of a cocktail or mixed drink. This bill would extend that authorization to a licensed craft distiller and would revise the tasting conditions by allowing a tasting to be given in the form of a cocktail or mixed drink. Existing law prohibits a distilled spirits manufacturer's or distilled spirits manufacturer's agent's license from being held by a person that holds any ownership or interest in any distilled spirits wholesaler's, rectifier's, or retailer's license, as specified. This bill would additionally prohibit a distilled spirits manufacturer's or distilled spirits manufacturer's agent's license from being held by a person that holds any ownership or interest in a craft distiller's license.
The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, which is administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, establishes an integrated waste management program. Existing law requires each city, county, and regional agency, if any, to develop a source reduction and recycling element of an integrated waste management plan. On and after January 1, 2000, the element is required to provide for the diversion of 50% of the solid waste subject to the element, except as specified, through source reduction, recycling, and composting activities. Existing law requires each city, county, and regional agency to submit an annual report to the department summarizing its progress in reducing solid waste. This bill would require, commencing August 1, 2017, a county or regional agency to include in its annual report to the department an estimate of the amount of organic waste in cubic yards that will be generated in the county or region over a 15-year period, an estimate of the additional organic waste recycling facility capacity in cubic yards that will be needed to process that amount of waste, and areas identified by the county or regional agency as locations for new or expanded organic waste recycling facilities capable of safely meeting that additional need, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would also make legislative findings and declarations. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to allow pupils whom the district has determined would benefit from advanced scholastic or vocational work to attend community college as special part-time or full-time students, subject to parental permission. Existing law requires credit to be awarded to these pupils, as specified, authorizes a school principal to recommend a pupil for community college summer session if the pupil meets specified criteria, and prohibits the principal from recommending more than 5% of the total number of pupils from any particular grade level who completed that grade immediately before the time of recommendation for summer session attendance. This bill would authorize the governing board of a community college district to enter into a College and Career Access Pathways partnership with the governing board of a school district with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness. The bill would require the partnership agreement to outline the terms of the partnership, as specified, and to establish protocols for information sharing, joint facilities use, and parental consent for high school pupils to enroll in community college courses. The bill would authorize specified high school pupils to enroll in up to 15 units per term if those units are required for these pupils' partnership programs and specified conditions are satisfied, and would authorize a community college district to exempt special part-time and full-time students taking up to a maximum of 15 units per term from specified fee requirements. The bill would prohibit a district from receiving a state allowance or apportionment for an instructional activity for which the partnering district has been, or will be, paid an allowance or apportionment under a concurrent enrollment partnership agreement. The bill would require, for each partnership agreement entered into under the bill, the affected community college district and school district to provide an annual report, containing specified data, to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. The bill would require the chancellor to prepare a summary report, no later than January 1, 2021, that includes an evaluation of the partnerships, as specified. The bill's provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2022.
(1) Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations, community choice aggregators, and electric service providers, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Existing law imposes various regulations on public utilities and local publicly owned electric utilities. Existing law establishes the California Renewables Portfolio Standards (RPS) Program, which is codified in the Public Utilities Act, with the target to increase the amount of electricity generated per year from eligible renewable energy resources to an amount that equals at least 33% of the total electricity sold to retail customers per year by December 31, 2020. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act is a crime. This bill would require that the amount of electricity generated and sold to retail customers per year from eligible renewable energy resources be increased to 50% by December 31, 2030, as provided. The bill would make other revisions to the RPS Program and to certain other requirements on public utilities and publicly owned electric utilities. Because certain of the above provisions are codified in the Public Utilities Act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of a crime or establishing a new crime. (2) Existing law requires the PUC to identify cost-effective electricity efficiency savings and establish efficiency targets for an electrical corporation to achieve, and to identify cost-effective natural gas efficiency savings and establish efficiency targets for a gas corporation to achieve. Existing law requires a local publicly owned electric utility to identify all potential achievable cost-effective electricity efficiency savings and to establish annual targets for energy efficiency savings and demand reduction for the next 10-year period. This bill would require the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to establish annual targets for statewide energy efficiency savings and demand reduction that will achieve a cumulative doubling of statewide energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas final end uses of retail customers by January 1, 2030. The bill would require the PUC to establish efficiency targets for electrical and gas corporations consistent with this goal. The bill would require local publicly owned electric utilities to establish annual targets for energy efficiency savings and demand reduction consistent with this goal. (3) The existing restructuring of the electrical industry within the Public Utilities Act provides for the establishment of the Independent System Operator (ISO) and requires the ISO to ensure efficient and reliable operation of the electrical transmission grid. Existing law prohibits the ISO from entering into a multistate entity or regional organization unless the ISO receives approval from the Electricity Oversight Board. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature to provide for the evolution of the ISO into a regional organization to promote the development of regional electricity transmission markets in the western states. This bill would provide for the transformation of the ISO into a regional organization, with the approval of the Legislature, pursuant to a specified process. (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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law authorizes an adult to give an individual health care instruction and to appoint an attorney to make health care decisions for that individual in the event of his or her incapacity pursuant to a power of attorney for health care. This bill, until January 1, 2026, would enact the End of Life Option Act authorizing an adult who meets certain qualifications, and who has been determined by his or her attending physician to be suffering from a terminal disease, as defined, to make a request for a drug prescribed pursuant to these provisions for the purpose of ending his or her life. The bill would establish the procedures for making these requests. The bill would also establish specified forms to request an aid-in-dying drug, under specified circumstances, an interpreter declaration to be signed subject to penalty of perjury, thereby creating a crime and imposing a state-mandated local program, and a final attestation for an aid-in-dying drug. This bill would require specified information to be documented in the individual's medical record, including, among other things, all oral and written requests for an aid-in-dying drug. This bill would prohibit a provision in a contract, will, or other agreement from being conditioned upon, or affected by, a person making or rescinding a request for the above-described drug. The bill would prohibit the sale, procurement, or issuance of any life, health, or annuity policy, health care service plan contract, or health benefit plan, or the rate charged for any policy or plan contract, from being conditioned upon or affected by the request. The bill would prohibit an insurance carrier from providing any information in communications made to an individual about the availability of an aid-in-dying drug absent a request by the individual or his or her attending physician at the behest of the individual. The bill would also prohibit any communication from containing both the denial of treatment and information as to the availability of aid-in-dying drug coverage. This bill would provide a person, except as provided, immunity from civil or criminal liability solely because the person was present when the qualified individual self-administered the drug, or the person assisted the qualified individual by preparing the aid-in-dying drug so long as the person did not assist with the ingestion of the drug, and would specify that the immunities and prohibitions on sanctions of a health care provider are solely reserved for conduct of a health care provider provided for by the bill. The bill would make participation in activities authorized pursuant to its provisions voluntary, and would make health care providers immune from liability for refusing to engage in activities authorized pursuant to its provisions. The bill would also authorize a health care provider to prohibit its employees, independent contractors, or other persons or entities, including other health care providers, from participating in activities under the act while on the premises owned or under the management or direct control of that prohibiting health care provider, or while acting within the course and scope of any employment by, or contract with, the prohibiting health care provider. This bill would make it a felony to knowingly alter or forge a request for drugs to end an individual's life without his or her authorization or to conceal or destroy a withdrawal or rescission of a request for a drug, if it is done with the intent or effect of causing the individual's death. The bill would make it a felony to knowingly coerce or exert undue influence on an individual to request a drug for the purpose of ending his or her life, to destroy a withdrawal or rescission of a request, or to administer an aid-in-dying drug to an individual without their knowledge or consent. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide that nothing in its provisions is to be construed to authorize ending a patient's life by lethal injection, mercy killing, or active euthanasia, and would provide that action taken in accordance with the act shall not constitute, among other things, suicide or homicide. This bill would require physicians to submit specified forms and information to the State Department of Public Health after writing a prescription for an aid-in-dying drug and after the death of an individual who requested an aid-in-dying drug. The bill would authorize the Medical Board of California to update those forms and would require the State Department of Public Health to publish the forms on its Internet Web site. The bill would require the department to annually review a sample of certain information and records, make a statistical report of the information collected, and post that report to its Internet Web site. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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.