Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, in part, sets forth the requirements for the adoption, publication, review, and implementation of regulations by state agencies, and for review of those regulatory actions by the Office of Administrative Law. Existing law requires a state agency, prior to submitting a proposal to adopt, amend, or repeal an administrative regulation, to determine the economic impact of the regulation by preparing an economic impact assessment. Existing law requires a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a major regulation to also prepare a standardized regulatory impact analysis, and defines a "major regulation" as a regulation that the state agency estimates will have an economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals in an amount exceeding $50,000,000. This bill would instead define "major regulation" to be a regulation that the state agency estimates will have an economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals in an amount exceeding $30,000,000.
Sponsored bills
Existing law provides that, in a civil action by a public agency to recover damages caused by a fire, pecuniary damages must be quantifiable and not unreasonable in relation to the prefire fair market value of the property, taking into consideration the ecological and environmental value of the property to the public. Existing law additionally authorizes a public agency to recover ecological and environmental damages caused by the fire, as provided. This bill would instead provide that in a civil action seeking damages caused by a fire, pecuniary damages must be quantifiable and not unreasonable in relation to the prefire fair market value of the damaged property or the prefire market value of similar property. The bill would require that recoverable pecuniary damages be calculated pursuant to specified categories that include property damages, as provided, and short-term costs, as provided, and would also authorize the award of environmental and ecological damages. The bill would provide that a plaintiff who claims environmental damages of any kind under these provisions shall not seek to enhance any pecuniary or environmental damages recovered under these provisions, except as specified. The bill would provide that its provisions are not intended to limit or change the ability of a public agency to recover costs arising from a fire as provided in other specified provisions of law. The bill would expressly provide that its provisions shall apply only to a civil action filed on or after January 1, 2020.
The Mitigation Fee Act authorizes a local agency to establish, increase, or impose various fees as a condition of approval of a development project, if specified requirements are met. The act defines a "fee" for these purposes to mean a monetary exaction other than a tax or special assessment, as specified, that is charged by a local agency to the applicant in connection with approval of a development project for the purpose of defraying all or a portion of the cost of public facilities related to the development project, and excludes from that definition certain fees, including, fees for processing applications for governmental regulatory actions or approvals, fees collected under development agreements, or fees collected pursuant to agreements with redevelopment agencies, as provided. Existing law dissolved redevelopment agencies and community development agencies as of February 1, 2012, and provides for the designation of successor agencies to wind down the affairs of the dissolved redevelopment agencies. This bill would revise the definition of a "fee" for purposes of the Mitigation Fee Act by eliminating the exclusion of fees collected pursuant to agreements with redevelopment agencies.
Existing law establishes within the Department of Housing and Community Development the California Housing Finance Agency and provides that the primary purpose of the agency is to meet the housing needs of persons and families of low or moderate income. Existing law requires the California Housing Finance Agency administer the Roberti-Greene Home Purchase Assistance Program, to provide home purchase assistance to low- and moderate-income homebuyers to qualify for the purchase of owner-occupied homes. Existing law authorizes the agency, pursuant to specified objectives, to create its own home purchase assistance programs, home purchase assistance products, or both, on terms and conditions as the agency deems prudent. Existing law requires the agency to provide to the Legislature and the Legislative Analyst an annual report containing information concerning all units produced, assisted, or insured using agency funds. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst to conduct a study, and present the findings thereof to the Legislature, to inform the creation of a low-interest loan program for first responders. The bill would require the report to be submitted on or before January 1, 2024. The bill would require the report to include a recommendation as to which state department is best suited to administer the program, an estimation of the amount of funding that would be necessary to conduct the program, and recommendations for qualifications for participation in the program.
This measure would name the public street, circle, and plaza at 914 and 915 Capitol Mall in the City of Sacramento as the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Circle and Plaza. The measure would request the Department of General Services to determine the cost of erecting the appropriate signage commemorating this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources, to cover that cost to erect that signage.
Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of the employee's employment. Existing law requires the employer to provide medical, surgical, chiropractic, acupuncture, and hospital treatment, as specified, that is reasonably required to cure or relieve the injured worker from the effects of the worker's injury. Existing law also requires the employer to reimburse the employee for the employee's medical-legal expenses, as specified. Existing law requires the administrative director to adopt and revise a fee schedule for medical-legal expenses at the same time the director adopts and revises the medical fee schedule. This bill would require the administrative director to adopt and revise the medical-legal fee schedule at least every 2 years and to do so separate and apart from adopting and revising the medical fee schedule.
Existing law, the Local Agency Public Construction Act, requires with certain exceptions that a responsible bidder who submitted the lowest bid, as determined in accordance with certain procedures, be awarded the contract. This bill would require a local agency to create and maintain a policy for notifying the apparent low bidder, and the subcontractors listed by the apparent low bidder, within a reasonable time after the bid opening, as provided. By placing new requirements on a local agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
This measure would recognize September 2020 as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month and encourage the Legislature to appropriate funds for research, treatment, and monitoring of sickle cell disease, and for related education and outreach.
This measure would urge specified state departments and the Attorney General to use their authority to ensure that health care service plans and health insurers subject to their authority comply with the federal Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.