Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt procedures for determining the compliance of any system designed for the control of gasoline vapor emissions during gasoline marketing operations, including storage and transfer operations, and additional performance standards to ensure that systems for the control of gasoline vapors from motor vehicle fueling operations do not cause excessive spillage and emissions. Existing law prohibits the state board from requiring a gasoline dispensing facility that meets certain requirements from undergoing an Enhanced Vapor Recovery Phase II upgrade until April 1, 2011. This bill, except as specified, would limit the fines imposed on a gasoline dispensing facility that fails to meet an April 1, 2009, compliance deadline to a total of no more than $1,000 for all violations that occur between April 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, if the gasoline dispensing facility meets specified requirements. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
Existing law establishes the offense of a "hate crime" to mean a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more actual or perceived characteristics, as specified, of the victim. This bill would add to the list of actual or perceived characteristics, political affiliation. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this 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 authorizes the issuance, by the sheriff of a county, of a license to carry a concealed handgun or a loaded and exposed handgun, as specified. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.
(1) Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the Electricity Oversight Board with jurisdiction related to energy matters. Existing law provides the Public Utilities Commission with jurisdiction over the certification of natural gas and electric facilities. Existing law also provides the Office of Planning and Research, the Department of General Services, and the Office of the State Architect with jurisdiction over certain energy-related matters. Existing law provides the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with the jurisdiction over the certification of thermal powerplants. This bill would abolish the State Energy Resources and Conservation Commission and the Electricity Oversight Board. The bill would create the Department of Energy, headed by a Secretary of Energy, and would create the California Energy Board and the Office of Energy Market Oversight within the department. The bill would provide for the creation of various divisions and subdivisions as deemed necessary by the secretary. The secretary would be appointed by, and hold office at the pleasure of, the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The bill would require the Governor to appoint the initial secretary by January 31, 2011. The bill would authorize the Governor to appoint an Assistant Secretary of Energy who would serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The bill would require the department to create a legal subcommittee comprised of specified members to develop a single statewide position on litigation concerning energy matters. The bill would provide that the California Energy Board consists of the following members: the Secretary of Energy who would be the chair of the board, 4 members of the public with qualifications, as specified, appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, and the president of the California Public Utilities Commission. The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, and the president of the California Public Utilities Commission would serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the board. The bill would specify that the public members shall serve for a term of 4 years. The bill would require the board to nominate for appointment by the Governor a public adviser to the board who would serve for a 3-year term and may be removed upon the joint concurrence of 4 board members and the Governor. The bill would vest the Office of Energy Market Oversight with the powers, duties, responsibilities, obligations, liabilities, and jurisdiction of the Electricity Oversight Board and add to the functions of the office. The bill would vest the new department and the California Energy Board with the powers, duties, responsibilities, obligations, liabilities, jurisdiction, and rights and privileges of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, as specified. The bill would transfer jurisdiction over the certification of thermal powerplants and grant jurisdiction over certification of specified solar nonthermal powerplants to the California Energy Board. The bill would also transfer jurisdiction of certain energy-related matters from the Office of Planning and Research, the Department of General Services, and the Office of the State Architect to the Department of Energy or the California Energy Commission, as specified. The bill would transfer all responsibilities with respect to the certification of certain electric transmission facilities from the Public Utilities Commission to the exclusive jurisdiction of the California Energy Board. The bill would require the Department of Energy, on or before January 1, 2012, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and the Independent System Operator, to submit to the Governor and the Legislature a strategic plan identifying administrative and statutory measures that would improve the siting and licensing process for electric transmission lines. (2) Existing law requires a person proposing to construct a thermal powerplant or electric transmission line on a site to submit to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission a notice of intention to file an application for the certification of the site. This bill would repeal this requirement. (3) Existing law prohibits the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission from certifying a facility that adds generating capacity to a potential multiple facility site in excess of the maximum allowable capacity determined by the commission. This bill would repeal this prohibition. (4) Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to administer federal funds for programs to provide energy assistance to qualified low-income households and to administer the community services block grant program. This bill would transfer the above-described duties and responsibilities of the Department of Community Services and Development, on and after January 1, 2013, to the Department of Energy. (5) Existing law established the Katz Safe Schoolbus Clean Fuel Efficiency Demonstration Program to assist local educational agencies in replacing older schoolbuses with schoolbuses meeting federal safety standards that operate with greater efficiency and fewer adverse air emissions. This bill would repeal this program. (6) Existing law establishes the Small Business Energy Efficient Refrigeration Program and the State Solar Medallion Passive Design Competition. This bill would repeal the program and competition. (7) The bill would make conforming changes in existing law. (8) The bill would provide that the provisions of the bill are severable.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (the act) requires the State Air Resources Board (state board) to adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of emissions of greenhouse gases and to monitor and enforce compliance with the reporting and verification program, and requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions levels in 1990 to be achieved by 2020. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The state board is required by January 1, 2011, to adopt greenhouse gas emissions limits and emission reduction measures by regulation to achieve the prescribed emission reductions. This bill would suspend the act until the state unemployment rate is 5.5% or lower for four consecutive calendar quarters. The bill would require the resuspension of the act whenever the state unemployment rate rises above 5.5% for four consecutive calendar quarters. The bill would prohibit the state board, and specified other state agencies, from proposing, promulgating, or adopting any regulation pursuant to the act during a period of suspension and would require that any such regulation adopted prior to January 1, 2011, be inoperative until the suspension is lifted. The bill would request local agencies to refrain from adopting rules, regulations, and policies that derive authority or responsibility from the act and to revise or repeal those rules, regulations, or policies adopted prior to January 1, 2011, until the suspension is lifted.
Existing law authorizes the Riverside County Transportation Commission to impose tolls for 50 years on transportation facilities, as defined, on a portion of State Highway Route 91, subject to extension beyond that time if reauthorized by the Legislature, and authorizes toll revenues to be used for capital and operating expenses of the facilities, including debt service, and for related transportation purposes in the Route 91 corridor. Existing law authorizes the commission to issue bonds for the transportation project, as defined, within the Route 91 corridor. This bill would, until January 1, 2020, authorize the Riverside County Transportation Commission to approve and award one best-value design build contract for transportation improvements on the State Highway Route 91 corridor based on criteria established by the commission, as specified.
The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law authorize various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill would, under both laws, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, allow a credit equal to 50% of the costs incurred towards bringing a qualified home, as defined, into compliance with specified fire safety requirements. The bill would require construction, repair, rehabilitation, or improvement subject to the credit to be verified by a local building inspector to be construction, repair, rehabilitation, or improvement made toward compliance with the regulations of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. 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. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law requires a person proposing to construct a thermal powerplant to obtain a certification from the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. Existing law exempts facilities for which the Public Utilities Commission has issued a certificate of convenience and necessity or that a municipal utility has approved before January 7, 1975. This bill would additionally exempt an applicant for a nuclear fission thermal powerplant capable of producing up to 2,000 megawatts of energy that is the first California entity to obtain an early site permit from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Existing law requires a driver and a passenger to wear a safety helmet meeting certain requirements when riding on a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle. This bill would exempt from this requirement a driver who is 18 years of age or older who has either completed a motorcyclist safety training program, or has been issued a class M1 license or endorsement, or a comparable license from another jurisdiction, for 2 years or more.
The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including a credit in an amount equal to 50% of specified adoption costs, not to exceed $2,500 per minor child who is a citizen or legal resident of the United States and who is in the custody of a public agency in this state. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2010, and before January 1, 2015, increase the credit limitation to a maximum of $5,000 with respect to the adoption of a minor child, as described, who is over 12 years of age or who was living in a group home or residential treatment facility, as defined, for a period of at least 6 months within 18 months prior to the time the adoption is completed. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.