Asm. Matthew Harper

Existing law, the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, provides for the involuntary commitment and treatment of a person who is a danger to himself or herself or others or who is gravely disabled. Existing law also provides for a conservator of the person or estate to be appointed for a person who is gravely disabled. Existing law, for the purposes of involuntary commitment and conservatorship, defines "gravely disabled," among other things, as a condition in which a person, as a result of a mental health disorder, is unable to provide for his or her basic personal needs for food, clothing, or shelter. This bill would change the definition of "gravely disabled" for these purposes to read, in part, a condition in which a person, as a result of a mental health disorder, is incapable of making informed decisions about, or providing for, his or her own basic personal needs for food, clothing, shelter, or medical care without significant supervision and assistance from another person and, as a result of being incapable of making these informed decisions, the person is at risk of substantial bodily harm, dangerous worsening of a concomitant serious physical illness, significant psychiatric deterioration, or mismanagement of his or her essential needs that could result in bodily harm. By increasing the level of service required of county mental health departments, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Existing law provides that a person in this state cannot be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, a state program or activity, as specified, on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, or sexual orientation. Existing law provides for officers and employees of the state, when away from their headquarters for state business, to receive travel expenses. Existing law prohibits a state agency and the Legislature from requiring any of its employees, officers, or members to travel to, or from approving a request for state-funded or state-sponsored travel to, any state that has enacted a law that voids or repeals, or that has the effect of voiding or repealing, existing state or local protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression or that has enacted a law that authorizes or requires discrimination against same-sex couples or their families or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, as specified. Existing law excepts from these provisions travel that is required for specified purposes, including, among other things, to participate in meetings or training required to maintain grant funding and to complete job-related training necessary to maintain licensure or similar standards. This bill also would exempt travel that is required to attend or to participate in a collegiate academic conference or competition, or a collegiate athletic event, and travel that is required to further recruitment of a prospective collegiate student athlete, from these provisions.

This measure would declare that President Abraham Lincoln be honored on February 12, 2018, the anniversary of his birthday.

This measure would designate February 11, 2018, as International Day of Women and Girls in Science in the State of California and would encourage all Californians to observe the day and recognize the critical role women and girls play in advancing technology and innovation.

This measure would proclaim February 28, 2018, as Rare Disease Day in California.

This bill would recognize February 16, 2018, as National Caregivers Day.

This measure would declare the month of February as Career Technical Education Month in the State of California.