This measure would proclaim the week of March 7 to March 14 of each year as California Arbor Week, and would urge California residents to observe the week with appropriate tree planting activities and programs.
This resolution would recognize the month of January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and it would recognize February 1, 2011, as California's Free From Slavery Day.
This measure would declare March 11, 2011, as Fresno Food Expo Day, and honor the Central San Joaquin Valley for its contribution to California, the nation, and globally for its abundant production of agricultural goods and food production.
This measure would recognize the Lunar New Year 4709 Celebration.
This measure would recognize the month of February 2011 as American Heart Month in California, would recognize February 4, 2011, as Wear Red Day in California, and would urge public support for Go Red for Women events.
(1) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA requires that all public agencies adopt by ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation, objectives, criteria, and procedures for the evaluation of projects and the preparation of environmental impact reports and negative declarations pursuant to the act. This bill would require a lead agency, if a proposed residential, retail, or commercial development project would preclude or substantially and directly impede the present or potential future use of lands for mineral extraction in an area that has received a specified classification by the State Geologist as containing mineral deposits of statewide or regional significance, to determine whether those impacts may have a significant effect on the environment, including, but not limited to, any significant effect on air quality. By imposing new duties on a lead agency with respect to determining whether certain development projects may have a significant effect on the environment, the 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, 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.
(1) Existing law allows a school district that maintains kindergarten or grades 1 to 3, inclusive, to apply to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for an apportionment to implement a K–3 Class Size Reduction Program. The purpose of the program is to ensure that instruction is received in classrooms where there are not more than 20 pupils. The Controller is required to deduct an amount equal to the amount received by the school district for class size reduction from the district's next principal apportionment or apportionments of state funds if the district does not implement its class size reduction program for all grades and classes for which it received funding. This bill would authorize the Superintendent to approve funding for the Long Beach Unified School District for the 2009–10, 2010–11, and 2011–12 school years for a class size reduction program if the class size exceeds 20 pupils, or the class is housed with another class, and specified criteria are met, including criteria relating to closures on Catalina Island resulting from the May 2007 fire and resultant debris flow hazard due to weather-related conditions. These provisions would become inoperative on July 1, 2012, and would be repealed on January 1, 2013. (2) This bill would state the findings and declarations of the Legislature concerning the need for special legislation. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This measure would designate the week of May 2 to May 8, 2010, as Public Service Recognition Week, and encourage all Californians to recognize the crucial role of public employees in this state.
Existing law provides that every voter, including a special absentee voter who is temporarily living outside of the United States or is called for military service within the United States, must return his or her ballot to the appropriate elections official by the close of the polls on election day to have that ballot counted. This bill would give a special absentee voter who is temporarily living outside of the territorial limits of the United States or the District of Columbia, or who is called for military service within the United States on or after the final date to apply for a vote by mail ballot, 6 days after the election to return his or her ballot by mail to the appropriate elections official and have it counted. This bill would require an elections official, not later than 30 days following the certification of each election, to report to the Secretary of State information regarding the number of applications for absentee ballots, the number of absentee ballots delivered, and the number of absentee ballots received before and after election day. The Secretary of State would then have 45 days following the certification of the election to compile the information received and report to the appropriate policy committees of each house of the Legislature. Because this bill would change the duties of elections officials, 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.
