Rep. Chris Norby

Existing law requires the legislative body of each city and county to, by ordinance, assign the functions of a planning agency to specified entities, as provided. Existing law requires each planning agency to implement the general plan through actions including, but not limited to, the administration of specific plans and zoning and subdivision ordinances. This bill would prohibit any city, county, city and county, or other local governmental agency from, in the enactment or administration of any zoning ordinance or permitting process, discriminating against any religious corporation, as described, or any religious corporation's affiliation with a superior religious body or general church.

This measure would proclaim April 15 through April 22, 2012, as California Holocaust Memorial Week and would urge Californians to observe these days of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.

Article XVI of the California Constitution requires a general obligation bond act to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds, and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and by a majority of the voters. Article XVI authorizes the Legislature, at any time after the approval of a general obligation bond act by the voters, to reduce the amount of the indebtedness authorized by the act to an amount not less than the amount contracted at the time of the reduction or to repeal the act if no debt has been contracted. Existing law, pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, approved by the voters as Proposition 1A at the November 4, 2008, statewide general election, provides for the issuance of $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail and related rail purposes. Existing law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority with specified powers and duties related to the development and implementation of a high-speed train system. This bill would provide that no further bonds shall be sold for high-speed rail and related rail purposes pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century. The bill would amend the bond act to authorize redirection of the net proceeds received from outstanding bonds issued and sold prior to the effective date of this act, upon appropriation by the Legislature, from those high-speed rail purposes to retiring the debt incurred from the issuance and sale of those outstanding bonds. This bill would provide that, pursuant to Article XVI of the California Constitution, these provisions shall become effective only upon approval by the voters at the next statewide general election. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 imposes various limitations on contributions that may be made to, or accepted by, candidates for elective office and campaign committees that support or oppose candidates and ballot measures, including, among other things, limiting the maximum dollar amount of contributions that may be accepted by candidates for elective state office, prohibiting candidates from accepting public funds for the purpose of seeking public office, limiting contributions to an officer of an agency from a party who has a financial interest in a permit or license proceeding before that agency, and prohibiting elected state officers or candidates for elective state office from accepting contributions from lobbyists registered to lobby the governmental agency of which the elected official is a member or for which the candidate seeks election. This bill would repeal limitations on contributions that may be made to, or accepted by, candidates for elective office. The act requires candidates and committees to file specified campaign finance reports, including semiannual statements, preelection statements, supplemental preelection statements, and late contribution reports, that include prescribed campaign finance information. This bill would repeal the requirements to file these reports and would, instead, require that a candidate or committee who makes or receives a contribution of $100 or more to report that contribution to specified filing officers within 24 hours of receiving the contribution. The bill would require a candidate or committee making the contribution to report his, her, or its full name and address, the full name and address of the recipient, the office sought by the candidate or the ballot measure, as appropriate, and the date and amount of the contribution. The bill would require the recipient of the contribution to report his, her, or its full name and address, the date and amount of the contribution, whether the contribution is in the form of a loan, and the full name of the contributor, and his or her street address, occupation, and employer or the name of the business, if self-employed. The bill would require a candidate or committee that makes an expenditure of $100 or more to report the expenditure to specified filing officers within 24 hours. The bill would require the candidate or committee making the expenditure to report his, her, or its full name and street address, the amount of the expenditure, the full name and street address for the person to whom the expenditure was made, and a brief description of the consideration for which the expenditure was made. The bill would require the disclosure of additional information if the expenditure is a contribution to a candidate, elected officer, or committee or an independent expenditure to support or oppose a candidate or measure. The bill would require a candidate or committee who is required to report a contribution or expenditure to the Secretary of State to file that report online or by electronic transmission only. The bill would also make conforming changes. By increasing the duties of local government officials, 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. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the act may be amended by a statute that becomes effective upon approval of the voters. This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit the provisions of the bill that would amend the Political Reform Act of 1974 to the voters for approval at a statewide election, as specified.

Existing law authorizes a court to suspend the privilege of any person to operate a motor vehicle, or to order the Department of Motor Vehicles to revoke this privilege, upon conviction of any offense related to controlled substances when the use of a motor vehicle was involved in, or incidental to, the commission of the offense. Existing law requires a court to order the department to revoke this privilege upon conviction of a violation of specified offenses relating to controlled substances, including, but not limited to, the possession of not more than 28.5 grams of marijuana, other than concentrated cannabis, when a motor vehicle was involved in, or incidental to, the commission of the offense. This bill would prohibit a person's driving privilege from being suspended or revoked for a conviction of possession of not more than 28.5 grams of marijuana, other than concentrated cannabis, or of possessing not more than one avoirdupois ounce of marijuana, other than concentrated cannabis, while driving a motor vehicle upon a highway or on certain off-highway lands.

Existing law defines "independent contractor" for purposes of the Labor Code to mean a person who renders service for a specified recompense for a specified result under the control of his or her principal as to the result of his or her work only and not as to the means by which this result is accomplished. This bill would amend that definition to state that whether a person is an independent contractor is determined by considering various factors, as specified. The bill would amend various other statutory codes to incorporate this definition of independent contractor.

The California State Lottery Act of 1984, enacted by initiative, authorizes the California State Lottery and provides for its operation and administration by the California State Lottery Commission and the Director of the California State Lottery, with certain limitations. The act requires the director to make an ongoing study of the operation and the administration of the lotteries that may be in operation in other states or countries, of available literature on the subject, of federal laws that may affect the operation of the lottery, and of the reaction of citizens of the state to existing or proposed features in lottery games, with a view toward recommending improvements that will tend to serve the purposes of the act. The director is also authorized to make recommendations to the commission, the Governor, and the Legislature on any matters concerning the secure and efficient operation and administration of the lottery and the convenience of the purchasers of tickets and shares. This bill would require the director, on or before April 1, 2013, to issue a request for information soliciting ideas for enhancing the integration of lottery functions with the goal of increasing the efficiency of the lottery operation, revenues, and contribution to public education.

Under existing law, a person, firm, or corporation that interferes with the access rights of a disabled individual is liable for the actual damages of each offense and any amount determined by a judge or jury of up to 3 times the amount of the actual damages, but in no case less than $1,000. Existing law requires the State Architect to develop and submit for approval and adoption building standards for making buildings, structures, sidewalks, curbs, and related facilities accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities, as specified. This bill would establish notice requirements for an alleged aggrieved party to follow before bringing an action against a business for an alleged violation of the above-described provisions. The bill would require that party to provide specified notice to the owner of the property, agent, or other responsible party where the alleged violation occurred. The bill would require that owner, agent, or other responsible party to respond within 30 days with a description of the improvements to be made or with a rebuttal to the allegations, as specified. If that owner, agent, or other responsible party elects to fix the alleged violation, the bill would provide 120 days to do so. The bill would provide that its provisions do not apply to claims for recovery of special damages for an injury in fact, and would authorize the court to consider previous or pending actual damage awards received or prayed for by the alleged aggrieved party for the same or similar injury. The bill would further state the intent of the Legislature to institute certain educational programs related to special access laws. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

(1) The Community Redevelopment Law requires that each redevelopment agency submit the final report of any audit undertaken by any other local, state, or federal government entity to its legislative body and to additionally present an annual report to the legislative body containing specified information. This bill would require the agency to include additional information relating to any major audit violations, as defined, any corrections to those violations, and planning and general administrative expenses of the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund. The bill would authorize the Controller to conduct quality control reviews of independent financial audit reports and require the Controller to publish the results of his or her reviews. The Controller would be required to comply with certain notification and referral provisions in the event that the audit was conducted in a manner that may constitute unprofessional conduct. The bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct audits of redevelopment agencies to ensure compliance with the housing provisions of the Community Redevelopment Law. The bill would require each agency to annually deposit 0.05% of any tax increment deposited into the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund into the Redevelopment Agency Accountability Fund, which the bill would create, to fund the department audits. (2) Existing law requires that funds used for purposes of increasing, improving, and preserving a community's supply of low- and moderate-income housing be held in a separate Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund until used. Existing law limits the planning and general administrative costs which may be paid with moneys from the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund. The bill would revise the costs and expenses which may be considered planning and general administrative costs for the purposes of being paid from the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund. Except as provided, the bill would prohibit an agency from expending more than 15% of the tax increment deposited in the fund for planning and general administrative costs. The bill would impose other reporting and accountability measures on agencies with respect to the use of moneys in the fund for planning and administrative purposes. The bill would revise various provisions governing an action to compel agency compliance with specified provisions. (3) Existing law requires, except as specified, each agency to expend over each 10-year period of the implementation plan, the moneys in the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund to assist housing for persons of moderate, low, and very low income according to specified calculations. The bill would instead require that at least 75% of the agency's expenditures from the fund directly assist the new construction, acquisition and substantial rehabilitation, or preservation of housing for persons of extremely low, very low, low, or moderate income, with at least 25% of the expenditures required to be directed towards housing for persons of extremely low income and at least 50% of the expenditures required to be directed towards housing for persons of very low income. (4) Existing law authorizes a redevelopment agency to merge project areas under its jurisdiction, and requires that at least 20% of specified taxes allocated to the redevelopment agency be deposited into the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund to assist in the construction or rehabilitation of housing units for very low, and low- and moderate-income households, as specified. Existing law requires that if those funds have not been committed for that purpose within 6 years, the agency shall offer the funds to the housing authority that operates within the jurisdiction of the agency, as specified. This bill would delete the requirement that the funds be offered to the housing authority. (5) Existing law requires an agency that has failed to expend or encumber excess surplus in the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund within one year to disburse the surplus voluntarily to the appropriate county housing authority or another public agency or to expend or encumber the surplus within 2 additional years. The bill would delete these provisions. The bill would modify the definition of the term "excess surplus." (6) Existing law provides that whenever low- or moderate-income housing dwelling units are destroyed or removed from the low- and moderate-income housing market as part of a redevelopment that is subject to a written agreement with the agency, or where financial assistance has been provided by the agency, the agency is required to provide replacement housing within 4 years of the destruction or removal. The bill would modify the agency's obligation to provide replacement housing to low- or moderate-income persons and families and would impose new requirements on the agency with respect to the replacement housing plan and housing specifications. If a court has found that an agency has failed to comply with these provisions, the bill would require the court, at a minimum, to issue an order temporarily prohibiting the agency from issuing any debt for any project area, except as specified.

Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, prohibits a public official at any level of state or local government from making, participating in making, or in any way attempting to use his or her official position to influence a governmental decision in which he or she knows or has reason to know he or she has a financial interest. Existing law states that a public official has a financial interest in a decision if it is reasonably foreseeable that the decision will have a material financial effect on, among other things, any source of income, as defined, of the official aggregating $500 or more received by the official within 12 months prior to the time the decision is made. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.