Rep. Jim Silva

This measure would designate May 2012 as Lupus Awareness Month.

This measure would recognize May 2012 as Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.

This measure would recognize June 27, 2012, as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day.

This measure would declare the Legislature's recognition of the importance of access to local parks, trails, open space, and facilities for the health and development of all Californians. This measure would also declare July 2012 as "Parks Make Life Better!®" Month.

This measure would designate the month of April 2012 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, would recognize April 25, 2012, as Denim Day California, and would encourage everyone to wear jeans on that day to help communicate the message that there is no excuse for, and never an invitation to commit, rape.

This measure would declare May 23, 2012, as the 24th Annual State Scientist Day, as a tribute to the dedication and professionalism of the state scientists who work on behalf of all the residents of California.

(1) Existing law authorizes a governing board of a school district to give notice to a permanent employee of its intention to dismiss or suspend him or her for specified causes at the expiration of 30 days from the date of service of the notice, unless the employee demands a hearing. Existing law prohibits that notice from being given between May 15th and September 15th in any year. This bill would remove that prohibition. (2) Existing law establishes a Commission on Professional Competence for each dismissal or suspension hearing requested by an employee, consisting of specified members. Existing Existing"?> law prohibits testimony from being given or evidence being introduced at the hearing relating to matters that occurred more than 4 years prior to the date of the filing of the notice of dismissal or suspension. This bill would remove that 4-year limitation, and would make nonsubstantive changes.

Existing law prescribes the duties of the Controller, including auditing all claims against the state and the disbursement of state money, for correctness, legality, and for sufficient provisions of law for payment. This bill would authorize the Controller to contract with consultants to provide semiannual recovery audits of state agencies with expenditures exceeding $50,000,000 in a fiscal year, unless excepted by regulation. The bill would authorize reasonable payment to the consultants, as specified. The bill would require contracts made under its provisions to apply the same confidentiality provisions to consultants as are applicable to the Controller, the state agency that is subject to the audit, or employees of the Controller or the state agency. The bill would further require the Controller to provide copies of the consultants' audit reports to the Department of Finance and the State Auditor, and would, until January 1, 2017, require annual reports by the Controller to the Legislature summarizing these audits.

Existing law requires the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, on or before September 1, 2011, to adopt emergency regulations to establish a fire prevention fee in an amount not to exceed $150 to be charged on each structure on a parcel that is within a state responsibility area, as defined, and requires that the fire prevention fee be adjusted annually using prescribed methods. Existing law requires the State Board of Equalization to collect the fire prevention fees, as prescribed, commencing with the 2011–12 fiscal year. Existing law establishes the State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and prohibits the collection of fire prevention fees if, commencing with the 2012–13 fiscal year, there are sufficient amounts of moneys in the fund to finance specified fire prevention activities for a fiscal year. Existing law requires that the fire prevention fees collected, except as provided, be deposited into the fund and be made available, to the board and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for certain specified fire protection activities that benefit the owners of structures in state responsibility areas who are required to pay the fee. Existing law further requires the board, on and after January 1, 2013, to submit an annual written report to the Legislature on specified topics. This bill would repeal the above provisions relating to the fire prevention fees.

Existing law establishes in the Department of Justice the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Existing law requires the commission to adopt, and authorizes the commission to amend, rules establishing minimum standards relating to physical, mental, and moral fitness that govern the recruitment of various peace officers, including city police officers and peace officer members of a county sheriff's office. Existing law also requires the commission to carry out various duties related to peace officer education and training, including, among other duties, establishing a certificate program for peace officers, making inquiries to ensure adherence to standards for the recruitment and training of peace officers, and implementing specified courses of instruction in procedures applicable in specific circumstances, such as domestic violence and child abuse or neglect. Existing law authorizes the commission to adopt those regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes of these provisions relating to peace officer standards and training. This bill would enact the Maritime Police Officer Standards Training Act of 2012. The bill would require, as a condition of receiving state aid related to peace officer training, every peace officer who is assigned to a jurisdiction that includes waterborne environments to complete a Peace Officer Standards and Training course in basic maritime law for law enforcement officers. The bill would require the course of instruction to include, among other things, boat handling, navigation rules, and comprehensive training regarding maritime boardings, arrest procedures, and counterterrorism practices and procedures. The bill would require that the curriculum be consistent with federal doctrine and current tactical training. The bill would require the commission to develop and implement a course or course of instruction for the training of law enforcement officers in basic maritime law for law enforcement officers consistent with these requirements, and to develop and adopt any regulations necessary to carry out these provisions. The bill would also require the commission to identify those jurisdictions in which these provisions would apply. The bill would provide that these provisions would become operative only when sufficient funding is made available, as specified.