Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. Existing law requires the department to notify the Legislature if it receives an application from a manufacturer seeking approval to operate an autonomous vehicle capable of operating without the presence of a driver inside the vehicle. Existing law prohibits such an application from becoming effective any sooner than 180 days after that application is submitted. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations no later than January 1, 2015, setting forth requirements for submitting evidence of insurance, surety bond, or self-insurance, and for submitting and approving an application to operate an autonomous vehicle. Existing law requires the department to approve an application submitted by a manufacturer if it finds, among other information, that the applicant has completing testing necessary to satisfy the department that the autonomous vehicles are safe to operate on the public roads. Existing law prohibits the limitation or expansion of existing authority to operate autonomous vehicles on public roads, until 120 days after the department adopts those regulations. This bill would repeal the requirement that the department notify the Legislature of receipt of an application seeking approval to operate an autonomous vehicle capable of operating without the presence of a driver inside the vehicle. The bill would also repeal the requirement that the approval of such an application not be effective any sooner that 180 days after the date the application is submitted. The bill would require the department to provide public notice when it adopts the autonomous vehicle regulations, would repeal the 120 day prohibition against limiting or expanding the authority to operate autonomous vehicles, and instead would prohibit the department from approving an application submitted pursuant to the regulations until 30 days after public notice of the adopted regulations is provided. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
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Existing law authorizes individuals to contribute amounts in excess of their personal income tax liability for the support of specified funds, including the Emergency Food Assistance Program Fund. Existing law also has general administrative provisions applicable to voluntary contributions. Existing law provides for any new or extended voluntary contribution fund, to include the words "voluntary tax contribution" in the name of the fund, require the administering agency to include specified information about the fund on its Internet Web site, continuously appropriate from the fund the contributions made to the administering agency, and set a minimum contribution amount for the continuation of any voluntary tax contribution on the tax return form and include a generally applicable repeal date for a voluntary tax contribution. Existing law requires that the Emergency Food Assistance Program Fund equal or exceed a minimum contribution amount, which initially was $250,000 and which was required to be and has been adjusted for inflation. This bill would change the name of the Emergency Food Assistance Program Fund to the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, would provide that the required calendar year minimum contribution amount for the fund to continue appearing on the return is an unadjusted $250,000, and would extend the provisions that apply to that voluntary contribution fund to January 1, 2026. The bill would make a continuous appropriation from the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund to the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for reimbursement of all costs incurred in the administration of these provisions and to the State Department of Social Services for allocation to the Emergency Food Assistance Program. The bill would also make additional changes to conform to the provisions described above.
Existing law, until July 1, 2018, establishes the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Pilot Program, under which the California State University is authorized to establish a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree pilot program at 3 campuses to award Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, subject to specified program and enrollment requirements. This bill would repeal those provisions and would authorize the California State University to establish Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs that offer Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, subject to specified program and enrollment requirements. The bill would require the California State University to provide initial funding from within existing budgets, as specified, and would express the Legislature's intent that the California State University seek private donations or other nonstate funds to fund startup costs for the programs.
Existing law specifies that a food facility that donates any food that is fit for human consumption at the time it was donated to a nonprofit charitable organization or a food bank is not liable for any damage or injury resulting from the consumption of the donated food, unless the injury resulted from negligence or a willful act in the preparation or handling of the donated food. This bill, the California Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, would expand these provisions to persons and gleaners who donate food, as defined. The bill would narrow the exception to protection from liability to injury resulting from gross negligence or intentional misconduct. The bill would specify that the immunity from civil liability provided by these provisions applies to the donation of food that is fit for human consumption and that has exceeded the labeled shelf life date recommended by the manufacturer, provided, in instances of perishable food, the person that distributes the food to the end recipient makes a good faith evaluation that the food is wholesome. The bill would authorize food facilities to donate food directly to end recipients for consumption. Existing law specifies that a nonprofit charitable organization or food bank is not liable for an injury or death from distributing food without charge that is fit for human consumption unless the injury or death is a direct result of negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. This bill would narrow the exception to protection from liability to injury or death as a direct result of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. Existing law authorizes a person engaged in the business of processing, distributing, or selling an agricultural product to donate, free of charge, a product that is in a condition that it may be used as food for human beings, to a nonprofit charitable organization. Existing law limits the liability of a county, its agencies, and persons who donate agricultural products. Existing law provides that these provisions do not relieve any nonprofit charitable organization from any liability for any injury, including, but not limited to, injury resulting from the ingesting of an agricultural product, as a result of receiving, accepting, gathering, or removing any donated agricultural product. This bill would expand this provision to include a gleaner and also authorize food facilities to donate food directly to end recipients for consumption. The bill would specify that these donations are protected under this act if the donated food has exceeded the labeled shelf life date recommended by the manufacturer, provided, in instances of perishable food, the person that distributes the food to the end recipient makes a good faith evaluation that the food is wholesome. The bill would repeal these provisions relating to not relieving nonprofit charitable organizations from liability for injuries. Existing law authorizes a food facility to donate food to a food bank or to any other nonprofit charitable organization for distribution to persons free of charge. Existing law exempts a food facility that donates food from civil or criminal liability or penalty for violation of any laws, regulations, or ordinances regulating the labeling or packaging of the donated product or, with respect to any other laws, regulations, or ordinances, for a violation occurring after the time of the donation. This bill would also authorize a person or gleaner to donate food to a food bank or to a nonprofit charitable organization and exempt the person or gleaner from civil or criminal liability relating to the donated food. The bill would also expand these provisions to include the donation of food by food facilities directly to end recipients. The bill would specify that the immunity from civil or criminal liability or penalty applies to the donation of food that has exceeded the labeled shelf life date recommended by the manufacturer, provided, in instances of perishable food, the person that distributes the food to the end recipient makes a good faith evaluation that the food is wholesome. The bill would require enforcement officers to promote the recovery of food fit for human consumption, as specified. Because the bill would require local officials to perform additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make other conforming and nonsubstantive changes. 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 requires certain elected officers to forfeit their office upon the conviction of a crime pursuant to the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2005 that involves a false claim of receipt of any military decoration or medal, as specified, or the California Stolen Valor Act that involves a false claim, made with the intent to defraud, that the person is a veteran or a member of the Armed Forces of the United States. Existing law, the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2013, prohibits a person, with the intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible property, from fraudulently holding oneself out to be a recipient of a military decoration or medal, as specified. This bill would instead require these elected officers to forfeit their office upon the conviction of a crime pursuant to the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2013 or the California Stolen Valor Act that involves a fraudulent claim, made with the intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, as defined, that the person is a veteran or a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, as prescribed in those acts. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to falsely represent himself or herself as a veteran or member of the Armed Forces of the United States in connection with specified acts. Existing law provides that any person who, orally, in writing, or by wearing any military decoration, falsely represents himself or herself to have been awarded any military decoration, with the intent to defraud, is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would conform those provisions to the federal Stolen Valor Act of 2013, and impose a misdemeanor only if the prescribed actions described above are made fraudulently with the intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, as defined. The bill would expand the above-described crime related to misrepresentation to include a person who fraudulently represents himself or herself as a veteran or member of other specified armed forces with the intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit. The bill would additionally make it a misdemeanor for a person to misrepresent himself or herself as a member or veteran of specified armed forces in connection with certain acts, such as, among other things, the forgery or use of falsified military documentation, or for purposes of employment or promoting a business, charity, or other endeavor, as prescribed. By creating new crimes, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes a statewide system of courts with a superior court of one or more judges in each county. Existing law authorizes the Judicial Council to prescribe the methods, means, and standards for electronic collection of data related to court administration, practice, and procedure. This bill would require the Judicial Council, if certain funding is provided, to report to the Legislature, on or before June 1, 2020, on a study of veterans and veterans treatment courts that includes a statewide assessment, as specified, of veterans treatment courts currently in operation and a survey of counties that do not operate veterans treatment courts that identifies barriers to program implementation and assesses the need for veterans treatment courts in those counties. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2021.
Existing law requires specified businesses and other establishments to post a notice, as developed by the Department of Justice, that contains information relating to slavery and human trafficking, including information regarding specified nonprofit organizations that a person can call for services or support in the elimination of slavery and human trafficking. This bill would require the notice to specify that a person can also text a specified number for services and support and would revise the names of the nonprofit organizations listed in the notice. The bill, by January 1, 2019, would also require the department to revise and update the notice, as specified. The bill would provide that any business or establishment required to post the model notice would not be required to post the updated model notice until on and after January 1, 2019. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 52.6 of the Civil Code proposed by AB 260 to be operative only if this bill and AB 260 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program under which, through a combination of federal, state, and county funds, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. As part of the CalWORKs program, a homeless family that has used all available liquid resources in excess of $100 is eligible for homeless assistance benefits to pay the costs of temporary shelter if the family is eligible for aid under the CalWORKs program. This bill would also provide that homeless assistance is available to homeless families that would be eligible for aid under the CalWORKs program but for the fact that the only child or children in the family are in out-of-home placement pursuant to an order of the dependency court, if the family is receiving reunification services and the county determines that homeless assistance is necessary for reunification to occur. This bill would also require the department to work with county human services agencies, the County Welfare Directors Association, and advocates of CalWORKs recipients to gather information regarding actual costs of a nightly shelter and best practices for transitioning families from a temporary shelter to a permanent shelter and to provide that information to the Legislature on an annual basis. Under existing law, when the federal government provides funds for the care of a needy relative with whom a needy child is living, aid to the child for any month includes aid to meet the need of that relative, if CalWORKs payments are made with respect to the child for that month, except as prescribed. Existing law provides that the parent or parents shall be considered living with the needy child for a period of up to 180 consecutive days of the needy child's absence from the family assistance unit, and the parents shall be eligible for CalWORKs services, except as specified, if certain conditions are met, including that the child has been removed from the parents and placed in out-of-home care, and that the county has determined that the provision of services is necessary for family reunification. This bill would include the previously described homeless assistance benefit to pay the costs of temporary shelter as a service provided to those eligible parents. Because this bill would increase the administrative duties of counties, it would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would, instead, provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 11450 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 557 and AB 607 to be operative only if this bill and AB 557, this bill and AB 607, or all 3 bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. This bill would require the commission to grant or deny a completed application for a credential within 7 days of the date that the commission received the application if the applicant supplies the commission with evidence that the applicant is married to, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with, an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is assigned to a duty station in this state under official active duty military orders and holds a valid teaching credential in another state, district, or territory of the United States. The bill would exempt an application subject to a designated fitness review from this requirement.
Existing law, the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Law of 1997, establishes the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to provide grants or revolving fund loans for the design and construction of projects for public water systems that will enable those systems to meet safe drinking water standards. This bill would, to the extent funding is made available, authorize the State Water Resources Control Board to establish the Water and Wastewater Loan and Grant Program to provide funding to eligible applicants for specified purposes relating to drinking water and wastewater treatment. This bill would authorize a county or qualified nonprofit organization to apply to the board for a grant to award loans or grants, or both, to an eligible applicant. The bill would authorize the board to use a funding source that is authorized for and consistent with the purposes of the program.