Asm. Tina McKinnor

Existing law establishes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the Department of Industrial Relations, and charges the division with the enforcement of various laws affecting safe working conditions, including the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973. Existing law requires the Director of Industrial Relations to prepare and submit to the Legislature an annual report on the activities of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, as specified. Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires the Department of Industrial Relations to contract with the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Center, to conduct a study evaluating opportunities to improve worker safety and safeguard employment rights, as specified, and to convene an advisory committee to make recommendations regarding the scope of the study, as described. This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to contract with the University of California, Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program and the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program to conduct a study to evaluate the understaffing and vacancies within the division and make recommendations to the department, the Department of Human Resources, and the Legislature on policies the state shall use to inform the consideration and establishment of career pathways to the Compliance Safety and Health Officer classification. The bill would authorize the University of California to subcontract the responsibility for conducting the study to other specified entities. The bill would require the University of California and its subcontractors, if any, to issue a report that includes certain information about the understaffing and vacancies of Compliance Safety and Health Officers within the division. The bill would further require the University of California to convene an advisory committee consisting of members from specified state agencies, worker advocacy organizations, other academic institutions, and other entities, as specified, to make recommendations regarding the scope of the above-described study, and provide specified findings and recommendations to the division, as prescribed. The bill would require the advisory committee, within 60 days of entering into the contract the University of California, to hold at least one meeting, and the department, 18 months after entering into the contract with the University of California, to post the completed report on the division's internet website and to forward the completed report to the members of the advisory committee, the Governor, and specified legislative committee chairs. The bill would define terms for these purposes, and include finding and declaration relating to these provisions.

Existing law, the Stormwater Resource Planning Act, authorizes one or more public agencies to develop a stormwater resource plan that meets certain standards to address the capture of stormwater, as defined, and dry weather runoff, as defined. The act requires the State Water Resources Control Board, by July 1, 2016, to establish guidance for purposes of the act. This bill would require the board, by December 1, 2026, to develop recommendations for stormwater capture and use for the irrigation of urban public lands, as defined. The bill would require the recommendations to address, but not be limited to, opportunities for the use of captured stormwater for irrigation to offset the use of potable water, as specified, and recommendations for, among other things, pathogens and pathogen indicators and total suspended solids. Prior to approving the recommendations, the bill would require the board to solicit and receive written public comment on proposed recommendations.

Under existing law, upon the proclamation of a state of emergency by the President of the United States or the Governor, or upon the declaration of a local emergency by the executive officer of any county, city, or city and county, and for 30 days or 180 days, as specified, following the proclamation or declaration of emergency, it is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of $10,000, or both that imprisonment and fine, for a person, contractor, business, or other entity to sell or offer to sell certain goods or services for a price of more than 10% greater than the price charged by that person immediately prior to the proclamation or declaration of emergency. This bill would instead make that misdemeanor applicable, for those provisions for which the misdemeanor is applicable for a period of 30 days following the proclamation or declaration of emergency, for a period of 60 days. The bill would, for an entity or person other than a natural person, make that misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $25,000. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, as described above, it is unlawful to increase the rental price for housing by more than 10%, or evict any residential tenant of residential housing, upon the proclamation or declaration of emergency. Existing law defines "housing" for purposes of these provisions as any rental housing with an initial lease term of no longer than one year. This bill would expand the definition of "housing" to include any rental housing without regard to the length of the initial lease term. The bill would make the prohibitions on increasing the rental price by more than 10% and eviction generally applicable to commercial real property. 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.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix just and reasonable rates and charges for public utilities. Existing law requires the commission, on or before February 1, 1995, to issue an order initiating an investigation and open proceeding to examine the current and future definitions of universal service in telecommunications. Pursuant to that provision, the commission issued a decision involving carriers of last resort, including the withdrawal process for carriers of last resort, defined as a carrier who provides local exchange service and stands ready to provide basic service to any customer requesting basic service within a specified area. This bill would require the commission, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, to adopt a process through which a telephone corporation acting as a carrier of last resort is authorized to seek relief from their carrier of last resort obligations in a census block where the United States Census Bureau reports no population and where the telephone corporation provides no basic exchange service to any customer address located within the area, and in a census block that is well-served, as defined. The bill would require the commission, on or before December 15, 2026, to adopt a map designating well-served areas. The bill would require that the process include specified notice and challenge requirements. The bill would require a telephone corporation to meet certain requirements during specified time periods following the date that amended status is granted by the commission, as provided. The bill would create the Public Safety Agency Technology Upgrade Grant Fund, provide that moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the commission for purposes of public safety agency technology upgrade grants, and authorize the fund to accept donations from nongovernmental entities. The bill would exempt specified services and locations from its provisions. Under existing law, a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bill's requirements would be a crime, the 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 measure would call on members of the United States Congress to oppose reductions to funding that negatively impact educational services for students with disabilities and would call on the President of the United States and Congress to ensure that services and funding for students with disabilities are uninterrupted.

This measure would recognize February 2025 as Black History Month, urge all citizens to join in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month, and encourage the people of California to recognize the many talents of African Americans and the achievements and contributions they make to their communities to create equity and equality for education, economics, and social justice. The measure would also recognize the significance in protecting citizens' right to vote and remedying racial discrimination in voting.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 61 designates September 2025 as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month in California. The resolution encourages residents to raise awareness about sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects African-Americans and other communities of color. It urges the Legislature to support funding for outreach, education, research, treatment, and monitoring of the disease, and to develop screening programs with referrals for follow-up care. This is a symbolic resolution without binding legal requirements, focusing on awareness and resource allocation.

Existing law establishes the Instructional Quality Commission and requires the commission to, among other things, recommend curriculum frameworks to the State Board of Education. Existing law requires the commission, when the history-social science curriculum framework is next revised, on or after January 1, 2025, to consider providing for inclusion, in that curriculum framework, related evaluation criteria, and accompanying instructional materials, of instruction on the treatment and perspectives of Native Americans during the Spanish colonization of California and the Gold Rush Era. This bill would require the commission, when the state board next revises the history-social science curriculum framework or adopts new instructional materials, on or after January 1, 2026, to consider including content on the historical, social, economic, and political contributions of African Americans during the Spanish colonization of California, the Gold Rush Era, and Antebellum, as provided.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution, not a bill with policy changes. It recognizes key historical milestones of transgender people in California, including Indigenous gender diversity documented in 1775, 19th-century transgender figures in San Francisco's Tenderloin, early activism like the 1959 Cooper Do-nuts Riot, and legal precedents such as Sir Lady Java's 1967 employment discrimination case. The resolution has no binding effect and does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or groups. It serves solely to honor these historical contributions.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution designates September as "Student Parent Month" in California. It recognizes the approximately 400,000 student parents across the state - over half a million children - and aims to raise awareness of their needs. The resolution does not create new policies or funding but encourages colleges, policymakers, and communities to honor student parents and support their educational success. It follows California’s prior legislative actions (like AB 2881 and AB 2458) that established concrete support mechanisms for student parents.