Asm. Travis Allen

This measure would designate the month of January 2018 as Gang Awareness and Prevention Month in the State of California and would encourage cities and constituents across the state to observe the month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to prevent future gang activity and honor those who lost their lives due to gang activity.

Existing law generally protects employees who disclose illegal or improper workplace activities by prohibiting interference with, and retaliation for, making such disclosures. Existing law provides procedures for a person to file a complaint alleging violations of legislative ethics. Existing law also authorizes each house of the Legislature to adopt rules for its proceedings and to select committees necessary for the conduct of its business. This bill would impose criminal and civil liability on a Member of the Legislature or legislative employee, as defined, who interferes with, or retaliates against, a legislative employee's exercise of the right to make a protected disclosure, which is defined as a good faith allegation made by a legislative employee to specified entities that a Member of the Legislature or a legislative employee has engaged in, or will engage in, activity that may constitute a violation of law, including sexual harassment, or a violation of a legislative standard of conduct. The bill would also impose civil liability on an entity that interferes with, or retaliates against, a legislative employee's exercise of the right to make a protected disclosure, as specified. By creating new crimes, the 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of the state highway system and associated property. Existing law authorizes the department to plan, design, and construct a system of safety roadside rests along state highways. Existing law requires the department to design only those safety roadside rests that are reasonably economical and that will provide the motorist a place where he or she may stop for a short time during daytime and nighttime hours. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

The California Constitution requires each house of the Legislature to judge the qualifications of its Members, and authorizes each house to suspend or expel a member with a 23 vote. This bill would prohibit a Member of the Legislature from simultaneously serving as an officer of a labor union, and would prohibit a Member who violates this prohibition from exercising the powers of his or her office as a Member of the Legislature until he or she resigns from the union office.

Existing law, the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013, establishes various limits on retirement benefits generally applicable to a public employee retirement system, except as specified, and among other things, prescribes limits on service after retirement without reinstatement into the applicable retirement system. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to that provision.

Existing law establishes in state government the Military Department, which includes the office of the Adjutant General, the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, the California Cadet Corps, and the Naval Militia. Existing law provides various protections and benefits to veterans. This bill would require the Military Department to provide members of the state Military Reserve who honorably serve 10 years or more with a retired identification card that is suitable to assist access to state and local benefits that the retired member may be entitled to, as specified.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation and any public agency to enter into agreements for the care, maintenance, administration, and control by any party to the agreement of lands under the jurisdiction of any party to the agreement for the purposes of the state park system. Existing law prohibits an operating lease or agreement from being entered into, or amended, unless certain conditions are met. Existing law exempts this prohibition from amendments to existing leases or agreements if, among other things, the amendment's impact to the park unit will not exceed $1,000,000, as provided. This bill would instead provide the exemption if, among other things, the amendment's impact to the park unit will not exceed $2,000,000, as provided.

Existing law imposes a state sales and use tax on retailers and on the storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property in this state at the rate of 6% of the gross receipts from the retail sale of tangible personal property in this state and of the sales price of tangible personal property purchased from any retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state. The Personal Income Tax Law generally imposes taxes based upon taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, at specified rates. The Corporation Tax Law imposes taxes measured by income at a rate of 8.84%. This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to reduce tax rates in California.

The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act provides for workforce investment activities, including activities in which states may participate. Existing state law provides that the California Workforce Development Board is the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to that provision.

Existing law establishes the Military Department, which includes, among others, the California National Guard. Existing law provides certain protections for members of the California National Guard called to active duty, including eviction or distress protections and tax deferments. This bill would require the department, upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature, to assume sole financial liability for any required payment to the federal government of an enlistment bonus, student loan repayment, or any other incentive payments improperly authorized by the California National Guard between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010, including any interest charges or other associated fees. The bill would also require the department upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature, to repay to any member of the California National Guard who has repaid to the federal government any of these improperly authorized payments the amount the member has repaid, including any interest charges or other associated fees. The bill would specify that these provision become operative only if the federal government does not enact specified legislation on or before August 1, 2017, and the department posts a notice to that effect on its Internet Web site.