Asm. Al Muratsuchi

This measure would recognize the month of September 2013, and each September thereafter, as Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month in California, and would urge the Congress of the United States to support the President's continuation of funding for sickle cell anemia centers and research and to make sickle cell anemia and other genetic hemoglobin disorders a public health priority.

This measure would designate November 2013 as California Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month. It would recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage to the state and afford all Californians the opportunity to understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans.

This measure would declare August 2013 as Valley Fever Awareness Month.

Existing law establishes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other things, issue teaching and services credentials. Existing law requires the commission to appoint a Committee of Credentials and requires allegations of acts or omissions for which adverse action may be taken against applicants or holders of teaching or services credentials to be reported to the committee. Under existing law, the committee is authorized to commence an initial or formal review upon receipt of, among other things, a statement from an employer notifying the commission that an employee's employment status has changed in one of specified ways as a result of, or during the pendency of, an allegation of misconduct. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $100, for a principal, teacher, employee, or school officer of an elementary or secondary school to refuse or willfully neglect to make a report required by law. This bill would specify that a change in employment status due solely to unsatisfactory performance or a reduction in force is not a result of an allegation of misconduct for purposes of those provisions. The bill would require the superintendent of a school district or county office of education, or the administrator of a charter school, to report to the commission any change in the employment status of a credentialholder working in a position requiring a credential not later than 30 days after the credentialholder's employment status changes in one of specified ways as a result of an allegation of misconduct or while an allegation of misconduct is pending. The bill would make the failure to make the report unprofessional conduct, would subject the superintendent of the school district or county office of education, or the administrator of a charter school, to adverse action by the commission for failure to make the report, and would make the refusal or willful neglect to make the report a misdemeanor. By imposing additional duties on local agencies and by creating a new 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

This measure would urge the Congress to enact and the President to sign the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013.

Existing law authorized the construction of a memorial to California's Vietnam veterans on the grounds of the State Capitol, as specified, and provided that funds for the construction of the memorial would be provided through private contributions. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a statewide Veterans Memorial Registry, and to make it available on that department's Internet Web site. This bill, until January 1, 2020, would require the department to annually compile a list of names of Vietnam veterans to be added to the memorial, as specified. The bill would require the department to form a specified committee to review and consider requests from the public to include names on the memorial, as specified. The bill would authorize the names on the list to be added to the memorial if specified requirements are met, including that adequate private funding is available.

This measure would proclaim September 23, 2013, as Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease Awareness Day in California.

This measure would designate October 20, 2013, and each 20th day of October thereafter, as Leyte Landing Commemoration Day in recognition of the significance of the Leyte landing in liberating the Philippines from Japanese occupation, helping to establish the independence of the Philippines, and fostering closer ties between the Philippines and the United States.

This measure would designate the portion of Interstate 80 between Midway Road and the State Route 12 East interchange in the County of Solano as the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway to honor the Tuskegee Airmen and the contributions they made during World War II. The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost for appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.