Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, which are administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Community colleges are one segment of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law provides incentives to encourage community college districts to employ full-time instructors to teach at least 75% of the hours of credit instruction offered. This bill would require community college districts that have less than 75% of their hours of credit instruction taught by full-time instructors to apply a portion of their funds allocated to apportionment growth according to specified formulas. This requirement would apply only if prescribed conditions are met. Because this bill would impose a duty on community college districts by requiring programmatic changes relating to full-time faculty instructors, it 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, 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.
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The Z'Berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Forest Practice Act of 1973 provides that the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection has the final authority to determine whether a timber harvesting plan conforms with rules and regulations pertaining to timber harvesting. This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to convene a timber harvest working group to consider how to improve the health of California's forests, continuing California's commitment to the environment, and supporting the state's climate and energy goals. The working group would be composed of representatives from environmental organizations and the timber industry, and the chairperson and vice chairperson of certain legislative committees. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to designate one or more individuals representing the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Fish and Game, the California Coastal Commission, the California Geological Survey, and the State Water Resources Control Board to serve on the working group. The bill would require the working group, on or before June 1, 2013, to report its recommendations to the Legislature.
(1) The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes any one or more persons to submit a petition to the governing board of a school district to establish a charter school that operates independently from the existing school district structure as a method of accomplishing specified goals. Existing law requires the Legislative Analyst to contract for a neutral evaluator to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the charter school approach, as specified, and for this neutral evaluator, on or before July 1, 2003, to report to the Legislature and the Governor with recommendations to modify, expand, or terminate the charter school approach. This bill would require that the neutral evaluator report this evaluation on or before July 1, 2016. (2) Existing law, the Open Enrollment Act, authorizes the parent of a pupil enrolled in a low-achieving school, as defined, to submit an application for the pupil to attend a school in a school district of enrollment, as defined. The act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to annually create a list of 1,000 low-achieving schools, according to specified criteria. The act excludes charter schools from this list. This bill would eliminate the exclusion of charter schools from this list.
(1) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. This bill would require the Office of Planning and Research, in consultation with specified entities, to prepare and adopt guidelines that would, among other things, establish the percentage reduction in the projected trip generation and vehicle miles traveled for a project as compared to the average for trip generation and vehicle miles traveled for that project type that would assist a region in meeting the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board for the automobile and light truck sector for that region, and develop a list of mitigation measures that a project may incorporate to reduce the project's projected trip generation and vehicle miles traveled. The bill would provide that a project meeting or exceeding the percentage reduction in trip generation and vehicle miles traveled or a project that incorporates the listed mitigation measures sufficient to allow the project to meet the percentage reduction would not need to consider the transportation-related impact of the project in environmental documents prepared pursuant to CEQA. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project would meet the percentage reduction established by the guidelines, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 that, when a child is removed from his or her family by the juvenile court, placement of the child in foster care should secure, as nearly as possible, the custody, care, and discipline equivalent to that which should have been given the child by his or her parents. Existing law provides enumerated rights for children who are placed in foster care. Existing law establishes the Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson to disseminate specified information, including the stated rights of foster youth, and to investigate and attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of children placed in foster care, related to their care, placement, or services. This bill would enumerate rights for foster youth relating to mental health services. The bill would require the office, in consultation with various entities, to develop, no later than July 1, 2012, standardized information explaining the rights specified and to distribute this information to foster youth.
Existing law regulates contracts for particular transactions, including contracts for health studio services, the lease or rental of athletic facilities, and the sale of sport memorabilia. This bill would prohibit a professional sports team that has previously entered into a financial agreement with a public entity from entering into a relocation agreement, as defined, unless it first provides to the public entity a bond, undertaking, or deposit in an amount adequate to ensure that its obligations under the financial agreement will be satisfied. The bill also would prohibit a professional sports team from entering into a relocation agreement if that team is in breach or default of any financial agreement, or if entry into a relocation agreement would cause a breach or default of any financial agreement, unless and until the breach or default is cured. The bill would provide that any agreement entered into in violation of these prohibitions is contrary to public policy and is unenforceable. The bill would authorize the home public entity and home community, as defined, to seek, and would require the court to grant, an injunction to enjoin performance of any act under a relocation agreement that is made unenforceable by this bill. The bill would provide that performance under a relocation agreement entered into in violation of these prohibitions shall not be enjoined if all of the financial obligations the professional sports team owes to a home public entity and home community under a financial agreement are satisfied in full. The bill would require that any action or proceeding pursuant to these provisions be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the home public entity and home community are located. The bill would provide that these provisions apply to any relocation agreement entered on or after January 1, 2011. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law authorizes a court to postpone the revocation or suspension of a person's driving privilege until the term of imprisonment is served if that person was convicted of certain DUI provisions, among other things, and sentenced to serve one year in a county jail or more than one year in the state prison. This bill would instead require the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon receipt of a duly certified abstract of record of a court, to postpone the revocation or suspension of a person's driving privilege until the term of imprisonment is served if that person was convicted of certain DUI provisions and sentenced to incarceration in state prison. The bill would require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to notify the department 30 days prior to the release of an inmate whose license was suspended.
Existing law, the California Finance Lenders Law, provides for the licensure and regulation by the Commissioner of Corporations of those engaged in making consumer loans, as defined, and makes a willful violation of its provisions a misdemeanor. Existing law places a cap on interest rates for consumer loans of less than $2,500. With respect to loans secured by a lien on a motor vehicle, existing law requires a licensee to give at least 15 days' written notice of intent to dispose of a repossessed or surrendered motor vehicle to all persons liable on the loan, as specified. Existing law makes those persons liable for any deficiency after the vehicle is repossessed or surrendered if that notice is given within 60 days of repossession or surrender, except as specified. With respect to title loans, as defined, this bill would require a licensee to give at least 30 days' written notice of intent to dispose of a repossessed or surrendered motor vehicle to all persons liable on the loan and would eliminate the liability of those persons when the borrower defaults and the lender disposes of the surrendered or repossessed motor vehicle. The bill would prohibit a licensee from making a title loan unless the licensee provides certain disclosures to the borrower and underwrites each loan to determine the borrower's ability and willingness to repay the loan, as specified. The bill would also prohibit a licensee from structuring a title loan transaction as if it were a sale-leaseback of the vehicle. The bill would enact other provisions relative to title loans and would make a person who violates these provisions liable for a civil penalty of no more than $10,000 in addition to any other remedies prescribed by law. Because a willful violation of the bill's provisions would be a crime, the 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the public school system in this state, and, among other things, provides for the establishment of school districts throughout the state and for their provision of instruction at the public elementary and secondary schools they operate and maintain. Existing law establishes a public school funding system that includes, among other elements, the provision of funding to local educational agencies through state apportionments, the proceeds of property taxes collected at the local level, and other sources. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to education finance.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Exposition and State Fair as a separate, independent entity in state government. Existing law provides that the governing body of the California Exposition and State Fair shall be an 11-member board of directors. Existing law requires the board of directors to appoint a general manager of the California Exposition and State Fair and to submit an annual report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding the financial condition, present operations, and future planned activities of that entity. This bill would provide that the California Exposition and State Fair general manager shall be the chief executive officer of that entity. The bill would require the board to develop, maintain, and comply with written policies and procedures for contracting, and would require the board to incorporate specified policies and procedures to apply to contracts or procurement by the California Exposition and State Fair. The bill would delete the requirement that the board submit the annual report described above, and would instead require, on or before May 31 of each year, the general manager to report to the State Fair Leasing Authority on all of the events and operations of the California Exposition and State Fair during that prior year and its financial condition. The bill would require the books and accounts to be audited, as specified. (2) Existing law sets forth the duties of the Board of Directors of the California Exposition and State Fair. Among other duties, the board is authorized to appoint all necessary marshals and police to keep order and preserve peace at the California Exposition and State Fair. The board is also authorized, with the approval of the Department of General Services, to carry out certain functions, including, but not limited to, purchasing, acquiring, or holding real or personal property and beautifying or improving that property, and to make permanent improvements upon publicly owned real property near the California Exposition and State Fair when the improvements materially benefit that entity's property. This bill would require the board to delegate to the officers and employees of the California Exposition and State Fair the independent power to appoint all necessary peace officers for that entity. The bill would also revise the powers of the board, as described above, by requiring the board to obtain the approval of the State Fair Leasing Authority, rather than the Department of General Services, to exercise those powers, and would additionally authorize the board to dispose of or exchange property. (3) Existing law authorizes the authority to enter into leases or other agreements for the use of the State Fair Race Track or any other property owned or controlled by the California Exposition and State Fair, as provided. Existing law requires the board to establish and maintain a bank checking account or a savings and loan account, continuously appropriated to the board to carry out its duties, for the depositing of funds received by the California Exposition and State Fair. Existing law requires that the proceeds of the sale of any interest in real property which is owned by any association be paid into the Fair and Exposition Fund, and be available for expenditure by the association with the approval of the Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Public Works Board, as specified. The bill would require the board to establish separate accounts for the depositing of funds received by the State Fair Leasing Authority in the conduct of its business, and all funds maintained in the authority accounts would be continuously appropriated to the board or the authority to carry out their respective duties. The bill would require that the proceeds of any lease, sale, or other agreement become the property of the California Exposition and State Fair and be available to the fair in perpetuity, as provided. By increasing moneys in a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. (4) The bill would also include a statement of legislative findings and declarations.