Existing law prohibits the suspension, or recommendation for expulsion, of a pupil from school unless the school district superintendent or the school principal determines that the pupil has committed any of various specified acts. Existing law requires the school district superintendent or the school principal to immediately suspend and recommend the expulsion of a pupil who is determined to have, at school or at a school activity off school grounds, possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished a firearm, brandished a knife at another person, unlawfully sold a controlled substance, committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault or battery, as defined, or possessed an explosive. Existing law states that a school should consider implementing a supervised suspension program or an alternative to the school's off-campus suspension program that involves a progressive discipline approach using specified activities if the number of pupils suspended from school during the prior school year exceeded 30% of the school's enrollment. This bill would instead encourage a school district, commencing with the 2014–15 school year, to implement, for a minimum of 3 years, at a school where the number of pupils receiving off-campus suspensions in the prior school year exceeded 25% of its total enrollment, or exceeded 25% of a numerically significant pupil subgroup of that enrollment, as defined, either (A) an evidence-based system of schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports that employs school-level information about the behavioral and academic history of pupils to define and implement systems of support and interventions at the school, classroom, and individual levels that is aimed at improving the social, emotional, and academic success for all pupils, or (B) other schoolwide strategies that are evidence based and designed to address school climate in order to create learning environments where teachers can teach and pupils can learn and to reduce suspensions from classrooms and the school. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to invite a school that meets or exceeds this threshold percentage of suspensions to attend a regional forum organized by the Superintendent to provide assistance and training regarding the strategies described above, among other things. Commencing with the 2015–16 school year, the bill would decrease the percentage of enrollment or numerically significant pupil subgroup of enrollment that triggers an invitation to attend a regional forum each school year until that percentage is 15% for the 2018–19 school year, in accordance with a prescribed schedule. The bill would require the Superintendent annually from the 2014–15 to the 2018–19 school year, inclusive, to notify each local educational agency that contains at least one school that exceeds the specified thresholds and provide technical assistance as requested; to invite the schools that meet or exceed the specified thresholds applicable to suspensions to send a school leadership team to a regional forum, with a goal of serving no fewer than 100 schools per school year; prioritize invitations to schools with the highest rates of off-campus suspensions; and to provide the State Board of Education with the names of the schools invited to attend a regional forum and the annual rate of reduction or increase in each school's off-campus suspensions. These requirements would be contingent upon the availability of funds, as specified. The bill would authorize the State Department of Education to provide school districts with information regarding schoolwide evidence-based strategies that could be implemented.
Sponsored bills
Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential tenancies and governs the obligations of tenants and landlords under a lease or tenancy. This bill would prohibit a landlord, that allows a tenant to have an animal on the premises, from advertising or establishing rental policies in a manner that requires a tenant or a potential tenant with an animal to have that animal declawed or devocalized as a condition of occupancy. The bill would authorize specified law enforcement prosecutorial entities to seek declaratory or injunctive relief for a violation of these prohibitions. The bill would impose a civil penalty, not to exceed $1,000, for each violation of these provisions, to be paid to the law enforcement prosecutorial entity that brings the action.
(1) Existing law provides that the Capitol Area Plan is the official state master plan for the development of the central city of the City of Sacramento, and provides that the Department of General Services is responsible for the ongoing formulation and revision of this plan. Existing law establishes the Capitol Area Committee, which consists of 9 appointed members, for the purpose of independently reviewing reports of the department to the Legislature and counsel and advising the department in carrying out its responsibilities regarding the Capitol Area Plan. Existing law requires the committee to meet at least quarterly or upon the call of the chairperson or the written request of any 3 members. Existing law provides for the repeal of the provisions that establish and govern the operation of the Capitol Area Committee on January 1, 2013. This bill instead would require the committee to meet annually and upon the call of the chairperson or the written request of any 3 members. The bill would extend the repeal date for those provisions regarding the committee to January 1, 2018, thereby extending the operation of the committee by an additional 5 years. (2) Existing law establishes the Historic State Capitol Commission for the purpose of providing advisory review of the maintenance, restoration, development, and management of the historic State Capitol. Existing law defines the term "historic State Capitol" for this purpose as the building housing the state legislative offices and chambers, situated in the area bounded by 10th, L, 15th, and N Streets in the City of Sacramento, except the east annex thereto. This bill would revise this definition by providing that the historic State Capitol also includes the portions of the State Capitol Building Annex that contain historic fabric, as defined, and Capitol Park, provided that Capitol Park will be included in the historic State Capitol only upon the adoption by the Joint Rules Committee of a master plan regarding Capitol Park.
(1) Existing law requires that, upon a breach of the obligation of a mortgage or transfer of an interest in property, the mortgagee, trustee, or beneficiary record a notice of default in the office of the county recorder where the mortgaged or trust property is situated and mail the notice of default to the mortgagor or trustor. Existing law specifies other requirements and procedures for completion of a foreclosure sale, including recording a notice of sale prior to exercising a power of sale. Existing law requires, under specified circumstances, that a summary of mortgage terms be provided to the borrower in one of 5 specified languages. This bill, with respect to residential real property containing no more than 4 dwelling units, would require a mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent to provide to the mortgagor or trustor attached to a copy of the recorded notice of default and a copy of the notice of sale a summary of the information required to be contained in those notices in English and 5 specified languages. The bill would also require the notice of default and notice of sale to include a statement, in English and 5 specified languages, that a summary of the key provisions of the respective notice in English and 5 specified languages is attached. The bill would provide that the attached summaries are not required to be recorded or published. Those provisions would become operative on April 1, 2013, or 90 days following the issuance of summary translations by the Department of Corporations, whichever occurs later. The bill would also require the Department of Corporations to provide a standard translation of the statement and summaries described above for a notice of default and a notice of sale, respectively, in those languages, and to make those documents available without charge on its Internet Web site. The bill would specify that any mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent who provides the department's translations, in the manner prescribed, shall be in compliance with that provision. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2924 of the Civil Code proposed by AB 278, to be operative only if AB 278 and this bill are both enacted, both bills amend Section 2924 of the Civil Code and are effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is enacted last. (3) The bill would repeal duplicate provisions of law.
Existing law establishes in the California Environmental Protection Agency the State Air Resources Board, which is responsible for control of emissions from motor vehicles and is designated the air pollution control agency for all purposes set forth in federal law. Existing law requires the state board to consist of 11 members appointed based on certain qualifications, including a requirement that one member be a board member from any district other than certain specified districts. This bill would require the state board to consist of 12 members appointed based on certain qualifications. This bill would also require that one member be from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, the Placer County Air Pollution Control District, the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, the Feather River Air Quality Management District, or the El Dorado County Air Pollution Control District.
(1) Existing law vests with the Department of Parks and Recreation control of the state park system. Existing law requires the department to achieve any required budget reductions, as defined, by closing, partially closing, and reducing services at selected units of the state park system, based on specified factors. This bill would enact the California State Park Stewardship Act of 2012, which would require the department to develop a prioritized action plan to increase revenues and the collection of user fees at state parks. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature and the Governor on the prioritized action plan by July 1, 2013. (2) Existing law authorizes the department to enter into an operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system, as identified by the Director of Parks and Recreation, as provided. Existing property tax law requires that all property subject to tax be assessed at its full value, and includes certain possessory interests among those property interests subject to tax. The California Constitution exempts certain property from property taxation, including property owned by the state. This bill would provide that a qualified nonprofit corporation that has entered into an agreement with the Department of Parks and Recreation is deemed to be an agent of the state for purposes of property taxation, and that any state-owned property, including possessory interests in that property, used or possessed by the qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system would be exempt from taxation under the exemption for property owned by the state. (3) Provisions relating to the administration of personal income taxes allow individual taxpayers to contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability for the support of specified funds to be used for specified purposes. This bill would, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2012, require the Franchise Tax Board to revise the individual taxpayer return form, as specified, to allow a taxpayer to designate an otherwise refundable amount in excess of tax liability to be deposited to the State Parks Protection Fund, which the bill would create. This bill would entitle a taxpayer making a contribution to receive a single state parks day use annual pass from the Department of Parks and Recreation if the price of the pass, as determined by the department, is less than or equal to the amount of the taxpayer's contribution. This bill would require moneys transferred to the State Parks Protection Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be allocated to the Franchise Tax Board and Controller, as provided, and to the Department of Parks and Recreation to cover the costs of the issuance of the passes to taxpayers, and for purposes related to the protection and preservation of state parks. This bill would also allow a deduction under the Personal Income Tax Law for any contribution amount in excess of the price of the pass received, if any. This bill would repeal these voluntary contribution provisions if contributions made on returns would be less than a specified amount, as provided. (4) Existing law provides that it is a misdemeanor for any officer or employee of the state to disclose certain tax information. This bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to provide necessary information, as provided, to the Department of Parks and Recreation so that individuals who deposited amounts equal to or in excess of the price of a state parks day use annual pass can be contacted. By changing the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) 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, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, requires a mandated reporter, as defined, to report whenever he or she, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observed a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. Failure to report an incident is a crime punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for a period of up to 6 months, a fine of up to $1,000, or by both that imprisonment and fine. This bill would add athletic coaches, athletic administrators, and athletic directors employed by any public or private school that provides any combination of instruction for kindergarten, or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to the list of individuals who are mandated reporters. By imposing the reporting requirements on a new class of persons, for whom failure to report specified conduct is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 11165.7 of the Penal Code, proposed by AB 1434, AB 1713, AB 1817, and SB 1264, to be operative only if AB 1434, AB 1713, AB 1817, or SB 1264 and this bill are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. 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 provides for the restructuring of the trial court system, including the abolition of municipal courts, the unification of those courts with superior courts, and state funding of trial courts. Under existing law, a statutory reference to a judicial district that relates to a municipal court in a county in which unification has occurred generally means the county, as specified. This bill would modify provisions of law to reflect trial court restructuring. As part of these modifications, this bill would delete obsolete references to municipal courts and would specify the jurisdiction of a writ petition relating to a small claims case in the unified state court system. Further, this bill would revise various provisions to reflect the state's responsibility for trial court funding, including provisions related to jury fees in civil cases, payment of expert witnesses, interpreters, and translators in criminal actions, juvenile proceedings, and certain civil actions. This bill would also delete obsolete references to judicial districts, counties, and county entities following trial court restructuring. Additionally, this bill would prescribe the rules applying to the acceptance of money by superior courts to reflect trial court restructuring. Existing law also provides for the forfeiture of the undertaking of bail when a defendant fails to appear in court. Under existing law, a court must enter a summary judgment against the bondsman named in the bail bond within 180 days of the date of forfeiture or within 180 days of the date of mailing of the notice, regardless of the amount of the bail. This bill would provide that an appeal from an order of the superior court on a motion to vacate a bail forfeiture shall be to the court of appeal as an unlimited civil case if the amount in controversy exceeds $25,000, and to the appellate division of the superior court as a limited civil case if the amount in controversy does not exceed $25,000, except as specified.
Existing law requires specified information to be provided to patients regarding their health care. Existing federal law requires a written report of the results of each mammography examination and requires a summary of that report to be sent to the patient within a specified time period. This bill, from April 1, 2013, until January 1, 2019, would require, under specified circumstances, a health facility at which a mammography examination is performed to include in the summary of the written report that is sent to the patient a prescribed notice on breast density.
Existing law prohibits the suspension, or recommendation for expulsion, of a pupil from school unless the superintendent of the school district or the principal of the school determines that the pupil has committed any of various specified acts. Existing law also authorizes the assignment of a pupil suspended from a school to a supervised suspension classroom under certain conditions. Under existing law, the acts for which a pupil may be suspended or recommended for expulsion include, but are not limited to, disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties. These acts also include, for a pupil enrolled in any of grades 4 to 12, inclusive, intentionally engaging in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against school district personnel or pupils, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual and reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting classwork, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of either school personnel or pupils by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment. This bill would provide that, if the superintendent of the school district or the principal of the school in which a pupil is enrolled determines that a pupil has disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties, the pupil may be subject to other means of correction, community service during nonschool hours, or in-school suspension in a supervised suspension classroom, but not to an extended suspension, recommendation for expulsion, or expulsion. The bill would move the language relating to a pupil enrolled in any of grades 4 to 12, inclusive, intentionally engaging in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against school district personnel or pupils, to another code section in place of the language relating to a pupil disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying valid authority. The bill would also make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 48900 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1729 that would become operative if this bill and AB 1729 are enacted, and this bill is enacted last. This bill would also incorporate changes to that section proposed by AB 1732, which has been chaptered.