Asm. Carl DeMaio

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 32 designates April 17-23, 2025, as "Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week" in California. It honors survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979), which caused over 1.7 million deaths and destroyed Cambodian culture, and recognizes California’s large Cambodian community, particularly in Long Beach. The resolution calls on all Californians to observe the week through appropriate activities, commemorating the genocide’s 50th anniversary and paying tribute to survivors’ resilience. As a non-binding commemorative resolution, it does not create new policies or obligations.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 8 is a symbolic resolution recognizing the Lunar New Year beginning January 29, 2025, and extending the California Legislature's best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous celebration to all Californians. It acknowledges the cultural significance of the Lunar New Year to California's Asian and Pacific Islander communities, which include nearly 6 million residents of diverse backgrounds. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally expresses the Legislature's support for this cultural observance.

(1) The California Constitution generally requires appropriations from the General Fund to be enacted in a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. Notwithstanding that requirement, the California Constitution authorizes the budget bill, other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill, and bills that make General Fund appropriations for the public schools, to be passed by a majority vote. The California Constitution also generally requires a statute enacted at a regular session to go into effect on the January 1 next following a 90-day period from the date of enactment, except that the budget bill and other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation. This measure would repeal the exceptions to the requirement that a bill making General Fund appropriations must be passed by a 23 vote, thereby requiring any bill that makes General Fund appropriations to be passed by a 23 vote. The measure would also repeal the exception authorizing the budget bill and other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill to take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor or upon a date specified in the legislation. (2) The California Constitution requires any change in state statute that results in any taxpayer paying a higher tax to be enacted in a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. This measure would also prohibit any action by a state agency that would impose a new charge, or that would increase an existing charge, on any person from taking effect unless the action is ratified by a bill passed by a 23 vote in each house of the Legislature. (3) The California Constitution includes every officer and employee of the State within the state civil service, except as provided. The state judiciary has construed this civil service mandate to prohibit the state from contracting with private entities for the performance of governmental functions, except under specified circumstances. Notwithstanding the prohibition on contracting with private entities, the California Constitution authorizes the state and local governments to contract with qualified private entities for architectural and engineering services for public works of improvement. This measure would expressly authorize the State of California and local governmental entities to contract with private entities for the performance of governmental services. The measure would require every state agency to annually subject at least 10% of its program activities, as measured by total budgetary expenditures for that state agency, to fair and open competitive bidding and would make each program activity executed by a state agency subject to competitive bidding at least once every 7 years. The measure would exclude state or local governmental services performed by sworn law enforcement personnel from these provisions. The measure, beginning in the 2028–29 fiscal year, would prohibit total state employment costs from exceeding 95% of total state employment costs in the 2024–25 fiscal year, as provided. Beginning in the 2029–30 fiscal year, the measure would prohibit total state employment costs from exceeding total state employment costs in the immediately preceding fiscal year, as adjusted by the annual percentage change nationally in average wages as determined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The measure would require the California State Auditor to certify compliance with these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution formally recognizes the Armenian Genocide as a historical event that occurred between 1915 and 1923, during which over 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey. The resolution states that this systematic persecution involved massacres, forced conversions, and ethnic cleansing that resulted in the permanent displacement of Armenians from their ancestral homeland. It also acknowledges the humanitarian assistance provided by the Near East Relief organization, which delivered millions in aid to Armenian refugees with support from California citizens. This document serves as a formal legislative record of recognition rather than imposing new legal requirements or penalties.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution designates April 9, 2025, as "Education and Sharing Day, California" to honor Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson's contributions to education, morality, and community service, aligning with the existing national observance of "Education and Sharing Day, USA" on his birthday. It is a symbolic recognition with no new requirements or funding for schools or government programs. The resolution calls on California officials, educators, and citizens to promote community engagement and kindness, reflecting the Rebbe's emphasis on education fostering global peace. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or alter existing policies.

(1) Under the California Constitution, a person may vote if the person is a United States citizen, at least 18 years of age, and a resident in the state. Existing law authorizes a person to prove citizenship for voting purposes by certification under penalty of perjury on the person's affidavit of voter registration. This bill would repeal the authorization for a person to prove citizenship by certification and would instead require a person to provide appropriate documentation of citizenship with the affidavit of registration. The bill would prohibit an elections official from registering to vote a person who does not provide appropriate documentation of citizenship or a person whose citizenship cannot be verified based on the documentation provided. The bill would require an elections official to verify the citizenship of voters registered to vote in the county as of January 1, 2026, and would authorize the elections official to require a person to provide documentation of citizenship for that purpose. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Auditor to periodically review a random sample of a county's roster of voters to identify persons listed on the roster who are not qualified electors in that county. (2) Existing law prohibits a local government from enacting or enforcing any charter provision, ordinance, or regulation requiring a person to present identification for the purpose of voting. This bill would repeal that prohibition. The bill would instead require a person desiring to vote at a polling place to present a valid government-issued form of identification to a precinct board member before the person may vote. The bill would require a person voting a vote by mail ballot to include on the ballot identification envelope the last 4 digits of the voter's valid government-issued form of identification. The bill would require an elections official, before processing and counting a vote by mail ballot, to confirm that the last 4 digits of the voter's form of identification listed on the identification envelope match the voter's form of identification listed on the voter's affidavit of registration. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the ballot identification envelope with the signature appearing on specified voter registration records to determine if the signatures compare, as provided. If the elections official determines that the signatures do not match, or if the envelope does not contain a signature, existing law requires the elections official, no later than 8 days before the certification of the election, to mail a notice to the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter's signature or provide a signature, as applicable. This bill would require the State Auditor to audit elections officials by reviewing random samples of signature comparisons to determine whether the signature comparisons comply with the applicable requirements. The bill would require the State Auditor to report the audit findings no later than 90 days after each election. The bill would require an elections official, if the State Auditor determines that the elections official has a signature comparison error rate of 5% or greater, to prepare a remediation plan and submit it to the Secretary of State. (4) Existing law requires the official canvass of all ballots received in an election to commence no later than the Thursday following the election and to continue daily, except on weekends and holidays, for not less than 6 hours each day until completed. Existing law requires elections officials to prepare a certified statement of the results of the election and submit that certified statement to the governing body of the jurisdiction within 30 days of the election. This bill would require an elections official to count all ballots, except provisional ballots and vote by mail ballots for which a voter has the opportunity either to verify or provide a signature, by no later than 72 hours after the election. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) Existing law requires an elections official, no later than 29 days before the day of each election, to begin mailing a vote by mail ballot to every registered voter. If the State Auditor determines that fewer than 98% of the persons listed on a county's roster of voters are qualified electors in that county or if an elections official fails to count all ballots, except provisional ballots and vote by mail ballots for which a voter has the opportunity either to verify or provide a signature, by no later than 72 hours after the election, this bill would prohibit the elections official from mailing a vote by mail ballot to every registered voter in the next statewide election. The bill would authorize a voter to apply for a vote by mail ballot in an election subject to that prohibition. (6) 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.

Maddy summaryACR 43 would proclaim March 2025 as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month in California. This resolution is a symbolic legislative action to raise public awareness about bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, without creating new laws or allocating state funds. It aims to encourage community education and recognition of these conditions during the designated month.

This measure would, among other things, designate March 2025 as Irish American Heritage Month in honor of 101 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Ireland and would commemorate the multitude of contributions that Irish Americans have made to this country and state.

Maddy summaryACR 47 designates March 16-22, 2025, as National Surveyors Week. This ceremonial resolution recognizes the work of surveyors and their contributions to land measurement and mapping. It directly affects surveyors by providing a designated week for public acknowledgment of their profession. The bill has no policy changes or funding provisions, serving solely as a symbolic recognition measure.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 23 is a ceremonial resolution commemorating César Chávez's life and legacy. It honors his work as a farmworker rights leader, including his role in founding the United Farm Workers and organizing key strikes and marches. The resolution has no binding legal effect - it simply recognizes his contributions through formal acknowledgment in the California legislature. It does not create new policies or affect any individuals or groups directly.