The California Oil Refinery Cost Disclosure Act requires operators of refineries in the state that produce gasoline meeting California specifications, within 30 days of the end of each calendar month, to submit a report to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission containing certain information regarding its refining activities related to the production of gasoline that month. Existing law requires the commission to post the reported data, in aggregate, on its internet website within 45 calendar days of the end of each calendar month. This bill would require the commission to post and regularly update a dashboard on its internet website that includes the difference in average gasoline prices in California compared to national average gasoline prices, the identification of California-specific taxes, fees, regulations, and policies and their individual contribution to gasoline prices in the state, and any substantiated evidence of price gouging or other anticompetitive behavior within the petroleum industry and its contribution to the price differential.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, for the purposes of reducing and improving administrative regulations establishes an Office of Administrative Law to review adopted regulations. Existing law states findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to administrative regulations, noting, among other things, that the language of many regulations is frequently unclear and unnecessarily complex. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these findings and declarations.
Existing law requires that a court report of adoption be filed with the original record of birth and that these records remain a part of the records of the State Registrar. Existing law provides that vital records related to adoptions, other than a newly issued birth certificate, shall be available only upon the order of the superior court of the county of residence of the adopted child or of the county granting the order of adoption. Existing law prohibits the order from being granted unless a verified petition setting forth facts showing the necessity of the order has been presented to the court and good and compelling cause is shown for granting the order. This bill would, beginning January 1, 2025, require a superior court to grant a petition and require the State Registrar to provide a copy of the original unredacted birth certificate of an adopted person upon receipt of a verified petition filed by that adopted person who is 18 years of age or older and was the subject of an adoption occurring before January 1, 2025. The bill would require, for an adoption occurring before January 1, 2025, the State Registrar to provide notice to each birth parent on the original birth certificate, as specified, informing them that the original and unredacted birth certificate of the adopted child has been requested by the adopted person. The bill would require the notice to include a form on which each birth parent may indicate that they authorize a copy of the original and unredacted birth certificate to be provided to the adopted person. The bill would prohibit the State Registrar from providing the original and unredacted birth certificate if either birth parent did not receive the notice, as specified, but would permit the State Registrar to provide the birth certificate with information identifying and pertaining to the birth parent that did not receive or did not respond to the notice redacted. This bill would require the State Registrar, for adoptions occurring on or after January 1, 2025, upon receiving notice that adoption proceedings have been completed, to provide notice to each birth parent named on the original birth certificate of an adopted person who is the subject of adoption proceedings informing each birth parent that the adopted person may request a copy of the original and unredacted birth certificate. The bill would require a superior court to grant a petition and require the State Registrar to provide a copy of the original unredacted birth certificate of an adopted person upon receipt of a verified petition filed by that adopted person who is 18 years of age or older and was the subject of an adoption occurring on or after January 1, 2025. The bill would require the State Registrar to provide notice to each birth parent on the original birth certificate, as specified, informing them that the original and unredacted birth certificate will be provided to the adopted person absent the parent's refusal, as specified. The bill would prohibit the State Registrar from providing the original and unredacted birth certificate if either birth parent did not receive the notice, as specified, but would permit the State Registrar to provide the birth certificate with information identifying and pertaining to the birth parent that did not receive or did not respond to the notice redacted. This bill would also require a superior court to grant a petition and direct the State Registrar to provide a copy of the adopted person's original and unredacted birth certificate if a verified petition is filed by an adopted person who is 18 years of age or older and both parents listed on a birth certificate of the adopted person are deceased, as verified by the Office of Vital Records.
Existing law classifies controlled substances into 5 schedules and places the greatest restrictions and penalties on the use of those substances placed in Schedule I. Opiates, including fentanyl, are classified in Schedule II. Existing law prohibits a person from possessing for sale or purchasing for purposes of sale specified controlled substances, including fentanyl, and punishes a violation of that prohibition by imprisonment in a county jail for 2, 3, or 4 years. Existing law also prohibits transporting, importing into this state, selling, furnishing, administering, or giving away specified controlled substances, including fentanyl, and punishes a violation of that prohibition by imprisonment in a county jail for 3, 4, or 5 years. Existing law also prohibits the trafficking of specified controlled substances, including fentanyl, and punishes a violation of that prohibition by imprisonment in a county jail for 3, 6, or 9 years. This bill would impose an additional punishment of 3, 4, or 5 years to a person who is convicted of the crimes mentioned above involving fentanyl or a fentanyl analog that was designed, shaped, colored, advertised, or packaged in such a way as to resemble food or candy. By imposing a new enhancement to the penalty of a 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.
The California Constitution, whenever the Legislature or a state agency mandates a new program or higher level of service on any local government, including school districts, requires the state to provide a subvention of funds to reimburse the local government, unless an exception applies. Statutory provisions that establish procedures for making that reimbursement include a requirement that no claim shall be made or paid unless it exceeds $1,000. This bill would change the minimum claim amount to $800.
(1) The Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law, administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, imposes a tax upon each gallon of motor vehicle fuel removed from a refinery or terminal rack in this state, entered into this state, or sold in this state, at a specified rate per gallon. Existing law requires the department to adjust the tax on July 1 each year by a percentage amount equal to the increase in the California Consumer Price Index, as calculated by the Department of Finance. Article XIX of the California Constitution restricts the expenditure of revenues from the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax, Diesel Fuel Tax Law, and other taxes imposed by the state on fuels used in motor vehicles upon public streets and highways to street and highway and certain mass transit purposes. This bill would authorize the Governor to suspend an adjustment to the motor vehicle fuel tax, as described above, scheduled on or after July 1, 2025, upon making a determination that increasing the rate would impose an undue burden on low-income and middle-class families. The bill would require the Governor to notify the Legislature of an intent to suspend the rate adjustment on or before January 10 of that year, and would require the Department of Finance to submit to the Legislature a proposal by January 10 that would maintain the same level of funding for transportation purposes as would have been generated had the scheduled adjustment not been suspended. (2) The California Constitution provides for the establishment of the State Board of Equalization, which, before July 1, 2017, had primary responsibility for most of the state's duties, powers, and responsibilities regarding the administration of taxes and fees. Existing law, on July 1, 2017, transferred to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration various duties, powers, and responsibilities of the State Board of Equalization, including administration of the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law and the Diesel Fuel Tax Law, as specified. This bill would also change references in these provisions of law from the "State Board of Equalization" to the "California Department of Tax and Fee Administration" or "department", as applicable, to reflect the transfer of the board's duties, powers, and responsibilities to the department. (3) This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law declares that the protection of the public interest in the development of the water resources of the state is of vital concern to the people of the state and that the state shall determine in what way the water of the state, both surface and underground, should be developed for the greatest public benefit. Existing law establishes within the Natural Resources Agency the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards. Existing law requires the work of the state board to be divided into at least 2 divisions, known as the Division of Water Rights and the Division of Water Quality. This bill would establish a statewide goal to increase above- and below-ground water storage capacity by a total of 3,700,000 acre-feet by the year 2030 and a total of 4,000,000 acre-feet by the year 2040. The bill would require the Department of Water Resources, in consultation with the state board, to take reasonable actions to promote or assist efforts to achieve the statewide goal, as provided. The bill would require the department, beginning July 1, 2027, and on or before July 1 every 2 years thereafter until January 1, 2043, in consultation with the state board, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the progress made to achieve the statewide goal.
Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to license and regulate facilities that provide residential nonmedical services to adults who are recovering from problems related to alcohol, drug, or alcohol and drug misuse or abuse, and who need alcohol, drug, or alcohol and drug recovery treatment or detoxification services. Existing law also requires the department to implement a voluntary certification procedure for alcohol and other drug treatment recovery services. Existing law requires a program licensed or certified by the department to disclose ownership or control of, or financial interest in, a recovery residence, which is defined for this purpose to include a residential dwelling commonly referred to as a sober living home or sober living environments. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to sober living facilities.
The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2028, allow a credit of $5,000 against the taxes imposed by those laws to a qualified taxpayer. The bill would define a qualified taxpayer for this purpose to mean a taxpayer that owns and leases qualified rental property, as defined, to a qualified nonprofit, as defined, pursuant to a qualified lease. The bill would require the qualified taxpayer to obtain certification, under penalty of perjury, from the qualified nonprofit that the qualified rental property will be used to provide housing to survivors of domestic violence, as provided. By expanding the crime of perjury, this bill would establish a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. 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 bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency, composed of departments, boards, conservancies, and commissions responsible for the restoration, protection, and management of the state's natural and cultural resources. Existing law establishes in the agency the Department of Water Resources, which manages and undertakes planning with regard to water resources in the state. This bill would require the agency, and each department, board, conservancy, and commission within the agency, to take all reasonable steps to approve the necessary permits for specified projects that meet certain employment conditions within 180 days from receiving a complete permit application. The bill would require the department, board, conservancy, or commission responsible for issuing a permit to post updates on its internet website for each permit application explaining how the permit approval process is progressing and the estimated time until the permit is approved.