Asm. Laurie Davies

The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of that county or city, and specified land outside its boundaries, that includes, among other specified mandatory elements, a housing element. For the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to determine the existing and projected regional housing need, as provided, and requires the appropriate council of governments, or for cities and counties without a council of governments, the department, to adopt a final regional housing need plan allocating a share of the regional housing need to each Existing"?> city or county, as provided. Existing law requires the housing element to include an analysis of any special housing needs, including, among others, families and persons in need of emergency shelter. Existing law requires a city or county to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to, among other entities, the department that includes, among other things, the city's or county's progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs, as specified, and number of units approved and disapproved in the prior year. The bill would authorize a city or county that met or exceeded its need for emergency shelter capacity and that provides committed support for interim housing, as defined, to report the number of interim housing units receiving that support that are approved, as specified, as units approved or disapproved for acutely low income households, for purposes of the annual progress report. The bill would require the department to allow approved interim housing units to account for up to 50% of the city's or county's share of the regional need for housing for acutely low income households, as specified. Existing law requires the department to publish, by December 31, 2026, advisory guidance, including, but not limited to, sample analyses and programs, pertaining to special housing needs for acutely low and extremely low income households and programs to assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of acutely low income households, as specified. This bill would require the guidance to include advice regarding the impact of the above-described requirements regarding interim housing and pertaining to acutely low and extremely low income households, specifically how interim housing, as defined, that does not meet the United States Census Bureau guidelines definition of a "housing unit" may be reported in the annual progress report.

Existing law provides funding for career technical education (CTE) programs, including through, among others, the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, the Strong Workforce Program, and a K–12 component of the Strong Workforce Program, with the purpose of creating, maintaining, supporting, encouraging, strengthening, and expanding the delivery of CTE programs in the state, as provided. This bill would establish the Career Technical Education Technical Assistance and Equity Pilot Program, a 3-year pilot program related to technical assistance in CTE, with a focus on equity and inclusion. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to designate, based on specified criteria, a county office of education to serve as the lead agency for administering the program. The bill would also require the Superintendent to designate 2 pilot regions to receive intensive technical assistance services, as provided. The bill would appropriate $4,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation to the lead agency for purposes of implementing the pilot program for the 2026–27 fiscal year. The bill would require the lead agency to, among other things, (1) further develop and disseminate exemplary models for inclusive CTE pathways that effectively serve pupils with disabilities, English learners, and other historically underserved populations, (2) create scalable frameworks and toolkits for industry-education partnerships, (3) provide technical assistance, capacity building, and coordination support to participating county offices of education within the designated pilot regions, (4) develop and maintain a public-facing internet website, and (5) submit annual reports to the Superintendent, the Governor, and the Legislature, as provided. The bill would encourage county offices of education within designated pilot regions to participate in the technical assistance services provided by the lead agency, and would require participating county offices of education to, among other things, designate staff to coordinate CTE technical assistance within their jurisdiction. The bill would require the lead agency to prioritize support to county offices of education serving high proportions of historically underserved populations or demonstrating significant equity gaps in CTE access and outcomes. The bill would require school districts and charter schools that choose to receive direct technical assistance from their county office of education to participate in specified data collection and reporting processes, share promising practices and lessons learned, and commit to implementing recommendations and improvement strategies developed through the technical assistance process. The bill would require the pilot program to be funded through an annual appropriation in the Budget Act for the duration of the 3-year pilot program, require the appropriated funds to be allocated to the lead agency, authorize the lead agency to expend the allocated funds for specified purposes, and establish that the lead agency is subject to audit by the California State Auditor. The bill would require the Superintendent to designate the lead agency and pilot regions no later than 6 months following the effective date of the bill and the lead agency to commence providing services no later than the beginning of the fiscal year following designation. The bill would require the lead agency, no later than 6 months before the conclusion of the 3-year pilot period, to submit a comprehensive evaluation report to the Superintendent, the Governor, and the Legislature, as provided, and to post the report on the lead agency's public-facing internet website. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032. This bill would state that its provisions are severable.

Existing law provides that any person who lives, works, owns property, or attends school in the jurisdiction of a local agency, as defined, who is assessed for and is liable to pay, or within one year before the commencement of the action, has paid, a tax in the local agency, may maintain an action to obtain a judgment restraining and preventing an illegal expenditure of, waste of, or injury to the estate, funds, or other property of the local agency, as specified. Under existing law, a tax that funds the defendant local agency is sufficient to confer standing as a taxpayer, including, but not limited to, an income tax, a sales and use tax or transaction and use tax initially paid by a consumer to a retailer, a property tax, or a business license tax. This bill would expand the scope of this cause of action and standing to permit a person to maintain an action against the state or a state entity.

Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs, in voluntary cooperation with specified local entities, to design, develop, and construct a state-owned and state-operated Northern and Southern California Veterans Cemetery and California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery. Existing law requires the department to oversee and coordinate the design, development, and construction of these cemeteries. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations to specify the eligibility requirements for interment in one of these cemeteries. This bill would require the department to establish and administer a state and local matching funds program for veterans cemetery maintenance funds by requiring that for $1 contributed locally by individuals, veterans' service organizations, local governments, or private donors, the state would contribute $1 in matching funds, up to $250,000 per veterans cemetery per fiscal year. The bill would require a veterans cemetery to apply to the department to be part of the program, and would require the department to, among other things, review the applications annually. The bill would establish the Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Account in the General Fund that would be administered by the department. The bill would require moneys in the account to be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the department for distribution to a veterans cemetery. The bill would require the department to provide to the Legislature a report summarizing all participating veterans cemeteries, total state matches, and fund performance.

Existing law designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for the preparation of the state implementation plan required by the federal Clean Air Act, and requires the state board to adopt standards, rules, and regulations that are consistent with the state goal of providing a decent home and suitable living environment for every Californian. Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, governs, among other things, the procedures for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations by state agencies. Existing law requires a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a regulation that is not a major regulation, as defined, to prepare an economic impact assessment, as provided. Existing law requires a state agency that is proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a major regulation to prepare a standardized regulatory impact analysis, as provided. This bill would require the State Air Resources Board proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a regulation to include in either the economic impact assessment, or the standardized regulatory impact assessment, a distributional analysis of the costs, benefits, and net impacts on personal income across income levels and an informative digest, as provided.

The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, allows various deductions in calculating taxable income. Existing federal income tax law, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2029, allows deductions in determining taxable income, as defined, for amounts equal to the qualified tips, as defined. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2029, would conform to federal income tax law with regard to qualified tips, except as provided. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Existing law defines "hate crime" as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of actual or perceived characteristics of the victim, including, among other things, race, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. Except as provided, existing law requires the fact that a person committed or attempted to commit a felony that is a hate crime to be considered a circumstance in aggravation of the crime in imposing a specified term. This bill, the Hortman-Kirk Political Violence Prevention Act, in the case of any felony conviction, would authorize the court to consider as a circumstance in aggravation in sentencing the fact that the defendant's conduct was motivated, in whole or in part, by the victim's actual or perceived political affiliation. The bill would define "political affiliation" to mean the state of belonging to a political party, the endorsement of a political party or a platform of a political party, or the endorsement of a politician or a platform of a politician. By increasing the punishment for a crime, 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.

Existing law defines an electric bicycle as a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that does not exceed 750 watts of power. Existing law classifies electric bicycles into 3 classes with different restrictions. Existing law defines a "class 1 electric bicycle" as a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, that is not capable of exclusively propelling the bicycle, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Existing defines a "class 2 electric bicycle" as a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Existing law defines a "class 3 electric bicycle" as a bicycle equipped with a speedometer and a motor that, in pertinent part, provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour. A violation of the Vehicle Code is a crime. This bill would instead define a class 1 electric bicycle as a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, that is not capable of exclusively propelling the bicycle, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 16 miles per hour. The bill would define a class 2 electric bicycle as a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 16 miles per hour. The bill would provide that, notwithstanding these definitions, an electric bicycle manufactured prior to January 1, 2027, that was equipped with a motor that is not capable of exceeding 750 watts of continuous power and otherwise met the legal requirements for the relevant class at the time of manufacture shall retain its classification. This bill would authorize a cargo electric bicycle to be equipped with an electric motor with a maximum continuously rated power of 750 watts. The bill would define a cargo electric bicycle as an electric bicycle that is built with a reinforced frame and integrated rack or platform designed to transport goods or additional persons. This bill would prohibit a manufacturer from equipping, and a retailer from offering for sale or advertising, any device labeled as an electric bicycle with a motor that is capable of exceeding 750 watts of peak power. The bill would also prohibit a manufacturer from equipping, and a retailer from offering for sale or advertising, any device labeled as a class 1 or class 2 electric bicycle with a motor that is capable of exceeding 250 watts of continuous power or that is capable of providing assistance to reach speeds greater than 16 miles per hour. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $15,000 for a first violation and not to exceed $50,000 for each subsequent violation, upon an action brought by the Attorney General, a city attorney, a county counsel, or a district attorney. The bill would specify that a violation of this provision is not a criminal offense. Existing law prohibits a person under 16 years of age from operating a class 3 electric bicycle, and authorizes a peace officer to remove the electric bicycle being operated by the person. Existing law requires an agency to release a seized electric bicycle to the owner, violator, or their agent after a minimum of 48 hours if certain conditions are met, including that the costs of removal, seizure, and storage have been paid. Existing law authorizes an agency to require, as a condition of release of an electric bicycle removed under this provision, proof that the violator has completed an electric bicycle safety and training program or a related local bicycle safety course, as described. This bill would prohibit a person under 16 years of age from operating an electric bicycle with a motor that is capable of exceeding 250 watts of continuous power, and would authorize a peace officer to remove the electric bicycle that is being operated by the person. The bill would authorize an agency to require proof that the violator has completed an electric bicycle safety and training program or a related local bicycle safety course, as described, as a condition of release of the electric bicycle. Because a violation of this prohibition would be a crime, 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.

Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2000, or an individual or group policy of disability insurance or self-insured employee welfare benefit plan to provide coverage for mammography for screening or diagnostic purposes upon referral by specified professionals. Under existing law, mammography performed pursuant to those requirements or that meets the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force is provided to an enrollee or an insured without cost sharing. This bill would require a health care service plan contract, a health insurance policy, or a self-insured employee welfare benefit plan issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028, to provide coverage without imposing cost sharing for, among other things, screening mammography and medically necessary diagnostic breast imaging, including diagnostic breast imaging following an abnormal mammography result and for an enrollee or insured indicated to have a risk factor associated with breast cancer, except 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.

Existing law imposes various reporting requirements on state agencies. This bill would require state agencies that impose monetary charges, as defined, to report the revenue generated from those charges on their internet website on or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The bill would require the reports to be made available for download in machine-readable format, as specified.