Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a driver's license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a driver's license or identification card to request the word "VETERAN" be printed on the face of the driver's license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified. Commencing July 1, 2019, existing law prohibits a fee from being charged for that request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, in accordance with specified provisions. This bill would make those fee provisions inoperative on July 1, 2019, and repeal them on January 1, 2020, as specified, thereby authorizing an applicant whose veteran status has been verified, as prescribed, to make a veteran designation request, and requiring the department to make that designation on the applicant's driver's license or identification card, without additional charge. The bill also would make conforming changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12811 of the Vehicle Code proposed by SB 987 to be operative only if this bill and SB 987 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Sponsored bills
(1) Existing law provides that the application by a service member for, or receipt by a service member of, a stay, postponement, or suspension in the payment of any tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, or other civil obligation or liability of that person does not itself, without regard to other considerations, provide the basis for, among other things, a determination by any lender or other person that the service member is unable to pay any civil obligation or liability or the denial or revocation of credit by the creditor. This bill would additionally provide that an application or receipt under these provisions does not provide a basis for an annotation in a service member's record by a creditor or a person engaged in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information identifying the service member as a member of the active militia, or an active or reserve component of the Armed Forces. The bill would prohibit a person, in connection with the collection of any obligation, from falsely claiming to be a member or civilian employee of, among other things, the Armed Forces or of a component of the active militia or identifying himself or herself through the use of any military rank, rating, or title. The bill would additionally prohibit a person, in connection with the collection of any obligation from a member of the active militia or a member of the active or reserve components of the Armed Forces, from contacting the member's military unit or chain of command without the written consent of the member given after the obligation becomes due and payable. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Under existing law, in any action or proceeding commenced in any court, if there is a default of any appearance by the defendant, the plaintiff, before entering judgment, is required to file in the court a declaration under penalty of perjury setting forth facts showing that the defendant is not in the military service. Under existing law, if the defendant is in the military service, a court may not make an order until after the court appoints an attorney to represent the defendant and protect his or her interests, and the court is required to make that appointment on application. This bill, among other things, would, if an attorney appointed under this section to represent a service member cannot locate the service member, prohibit actions by the attorney in the case from waiving any defense of the service member or otherwise binding the service member. Existing law provides that, at any stage in any action or proceeding in which a service member is involved, during the period of military service or 60 days thereafter, the court may, in its discretion, and is required to, on application by the service member, stay an action or proceeding unless, in the opinion of the court, the ability of the plaintiff to prosecute the action or the defendant to conduct his defense is not materially affected by reason of his or her military service. This bill would extend these protections to 120 days after the period of military service. The bill would additionally authorize a service member who is granted a stay of a civil action or proceeding under these provisions to apply for an additional stay based on continuing material effect of military duty on the service member's ability to appear, and require the court, if it refuses to grant an additional stay of proceedings, to appoint counsel to represent the service member in the action or proceeding. (3) Existing law prohibits an obligation or liability bearing interest at a rate in excess of 6% per year incurred by a service member before that person's entry into service from bearing interest at a rate in excess of 6% per year during any part of the period of military service. Under existing law, for an obligation or liability consisting of a mortgage, trust deed, or other security in the nature of a mortgage, this prohibition extends to one year after the period of military service. This bill would extend this prohibition, for an obligation or liability consisting of a student loan, to one year after the period of military service. This bill would extend this prohibition, for an obligation that does not consist of a student loan, mortgage, trust deed, or other security in the nature of a mortgage, to 120 days after the period of military service. Existing law authorizes a member of the United States Military Reserve or the National Guard who is called to active duty, as specified, to defer payments on specified obligations, including credit cards and vehicle loans, while serving on active duty. This bill would include student loans under these provisions. (4) Existing law authorizes a person to terminate a lease covering premises occupied for dwelling, professional, business, agricultural, or similar purposes in any case in which the lease was executed by or on the behalf of the person who, after the execution of that lease, entered military service, as specified. This bill would recast those provisions, and extend them to additionally authorize a person to terminate a lease of a motor vehicle, as specified. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) This bill would additionally require any person who receives a good faith request from a service member for relief pursuant to any of the provisions described above and who believes the request is incomplete or otherwise not legally sufficient or that the service member is not entitled to the relief requested, to, within 30 days of the request, provide the service member with a written response acknowledging the request, as specified. The bill would provide that if the person fails to make such a response in the timeframe above, the person waives any objection to the request, and the service member shall be entitled to the relief requested. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 800 of the Military and Veterans Code proposed by AB 2521 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2521 are enacted and this bill is enacted 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 requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to offer courses in specified areas of study, including social sciences. This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2019, the State Department of Education to make available to school districts on its Internet Web site a list of resources and instructional materials on media literacy, as defined, including media literacy professional development programs for teachers.
This measure would urge the Congress and the President of the United States to support the retention of, and investment in, the Amtrak National Network of passenger trains, specifically the California Zephyr, the Coast Starlight, the Southwest Chief, and the Sunset Limited, as vital components of the state's rail program and would also urge Congress to reject President Trump's proposed Fiscal Year 2019 federal budget cuts to Amtrak and restore full funding for the Amtrak National Network through the appropriations process.
This measure would urge the federal government and the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission to take immediate action to adequately address cross-border pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.
This measure would express the support of the Legislature for the 23 Asilomar AI Principles as guiding values for the development of artificial intelligence and of related public policy.
This measure would proclaim the week of September 9, 2018, through September 15, 2018, as Suicide Prevention Week in California.
This measure would proclaim November 2018 as Epilepsy Awareness Month and call for a recommitment to increasing awareness and understanding of those living with epilepsy.
Existing law provides for the regulation of private swimming pools. Existing law also provides for the regulation of public swimming pools by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires the provision of lifeguard services at any public swimming pool that is of wholly artificial construction and for the use of which a direct fee, as defined, is imposed. A violation of those provisions is a crime. This bill would require those public swimming pools, as defined, that are required to provide lifeguard services and that charge a direct fee to additionally provide an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) during pool operations, as specified. Because the failure to comply with these provisions would be a crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would also require the State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, to issue best practices guidelines related to pool safety at K–12 schools, as specified. 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.
This measure would urge pet owners in the state to take specified actions to prevent harm to pets caused by fire, prepare for fire emergencies at home, and take precautions to ensure the safe location, rescue, care, and medical treatment of all pets in the event of a wildfire in or around a pet owner's home.