Asm. Matthew Harper

Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to promote and regulate the use of the state parks system in a manner that conserves the scenery, resources, and wildlife in the units of the park system for the enjoyment of future generations. Existing law finds and declares that the state parks and other nature, recreation, and historic areas deserve to be preserved and managed for the benefit and inspiration of all state residents and visitors to the state parks. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to this latter law.

This measure would recognize the Lunar New Year Celebration.

This measure would proclaim the month of January 2018 as National Mentoring Month.

This measure would declare the week of January 7 to January 13, 2018, as California Fitness Week and would encourage Californians to enrich their lives through proper nutrition and exercise.

This measure would proclaim January 13, 2018, as Korean American Day.

This measure would honor the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

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.

The California Constitution authorizes cities and counties to make and enforce within their limits all local, police, sanitary, and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws, and further authorizes cities organized under a charter to make and enforce all ordinances and regulations in respect to municipal affairs, which supersede inconsistent general laws. This bill would prohibit a local agency, as defined, from prohibiting the shipment or storage of any energy source material, including, but not limited to, coal, within its jurisdiction. The bill would declare that its provisions constitute a matter of statewide concern.