Asm. Mike Gipson

This measure would urge the passage of the Interim Consolidated Storage Act of 2015 and urge the United States Department of Energy to implement the prompt and safe relocation of spent nuclear fuel from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to a licensed and regulated interim consolidated storage facility.

This measure would designate a portion of Interstate 405 in the County of Orange as the Kevin Woyjeck Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

This measure would commend Girl Scouts of America upon the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scout Gold Award, applaud the vital role the organization has played in the lives of countless girls and young women, and extend best wishes for its continued success in the future.

This measure would proclaim the month of June 2016 as PTS Awareness Month.

This measure would designate June 2016 as California Fairground Appreciation Month and commend the directors, volunteers, staff, local agencies, nonprofits, and Californians who support and attend fairground events.

This measure would declare June 27, 2016, as Robotics Technology Day.

This measure would thank the State Air Resources Board for its exemplary work and tenacity in uncovering the emissions control defeat devices on certain diesel-fueled Volkswagen motor vehicles and would express the Legislature's support for specified future emissions test-related actions by the board.

Existing law creates an enhanced fleet modernization program for the retirement of high-polluting vehicles to be administered by the Bureau of Automotive Repair pursuant to guidelines adopted by the State Air Resources Board. Existing law requires the program's guidelines to be updated no later than June 30, 2015. Existing law requires the updated guidelines to ensure that all motor vehicle owners have the option of receiving compensation for both retiring and replacing their vehicles. This bill would require the state board, by July 1, 2018, to update the guidelines, as specified, that would be operative until July 1, 2022. Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program that is administered by the State Air Resources Board for the purposes of funding projects related to, among other things, the reduction of criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Pursuant to its existing statutory authority, the state board has established the Plus-Up Pilot Project, as a part of the Air Quality Improvement Program, to provide financial assistance to low-income individuals to replace older polluting vehicles with cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles. This bill would require the state board, by July 1, 2018, to develop guidelines that would be operative until July 1, 2022, for the purposes of the pilot project.

Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states, with California's version of this program being known as the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. Under the CalWORKs program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria, including limitations on income and assets generally applicable to public assistance programs. Existing law continuously appropriates money from the General Fund to pay for a share of aid grant costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would repeal those limitations on assets with regard to eligibility for CalWORKs, thereby eliminating the consideration of an individual's or family's assets as a condition of eligibility for CalWORKs. The bill would also make conforming changes. By increasing the duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would declare that no appropriation would be made for purposes of the bill pursuant to the provision continuously appropriating funds for the CalWORKs 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, 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.