Existing law prohibits, subject to exceptions, specified acts of animal abuse including, among others, the malicious and intentional maiming, mutilation, torture, or wounding of a living animal. Under existing law, a violation of those provisions is punishable as a felony by imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years, or by a fine of not more than $20,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or alternatively, as a misdemeanor by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $20,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. This bill would require a person who violates the animal abuse prohibitions described above to be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000 for each violation, in addition to the fines described above. The bill would require those additional fines to be paid to the local public animal control agency that has jurisdiction over the location where the violation occurred. The bill would authorize the agency to use the moneys paid as a fine to compensate a person who incurs costs for the animal's medical care, rehabilitation, or recovery, if the owner or caretaker of the animal was the person who violated the animal abuse prohibitions described above. The bill would also require, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, a person who violates the animal abuse prohibitions described above in a rehabilitative facility for animals to pay for and successfully complete an appropriate counseling course, as determined by the court, designed to evaluate and treat behavior or conduct disorders. The bill would define "rehabilitative facility for animals" for these purposes as a facility at which medical care or rehabilitative services are provided to animals, including, but not limited to, an animal sanctuary, animal shelter, or aquarium. By increasing the penalties for existing crimes and increasing the duties of a public animal control agency relative to the use of the moneys paid as a fine, 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
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(1) Existing law states that the theft of a firearm is grand theft, punishable as a felony by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years. The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, notwithstanding these provisions, instead requires the theft of property that does not exceed $950 to be considered petty theft, and makes the crime punishable as a misdemeanor, except in cases when the defendant has previously been convicted of one or more specified serious or violent felonies or an offense requiring registration as a sex offender. This bill would make the theft of a firearm grand theft in all cases, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years. (2) Under existing law, every person who buys or receives any property that has been stolen, knowing the property to be stolen, is guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony, except that if the value of the property does not exceed $950, Proposition 47 makes the offense punishable as a misdemeanor if the defendant has not previously been convicted of one or more specified serious or violent felonies or an offense requiring registration as a sex offender. This bill would make buying or receiving a stolen firearm a misdemeanor or a felony. (3) The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors. This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters, and would provide for the submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, would allow a credit under that law in an amount equal to the qualified costs, as defined, paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer, not to exceed a specified amount, during the taxable year for fuel management activities, as defined, performed on qualified real property owned by the qualified taxpayer. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the tax imposed by that law. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, and before January 1, 2021, allow a credit against that tax for amounts paid or incurred by a qualified teacher, as defined, during the school year beginning immediately prior to the taxable year for instructional materials and classroom supplies, as defined, not to exceed $250, except as provided. The bill would make related findings and declarations. The bill would require the school in which a qualified teacher works to provide a certificate certifying the hours the qualified teacher worked in a school year and the date in which the individual became a teacher. By requiring the schools to provide this certificate, 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, 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 these statutory provisions. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law makes certain findings and declarations relating to the education of hard-of-hearing and deaf pupils. This bill would revise those findings and declarations to include nonverbal pupils.
This measure would proclaim January 26, 2016, as India Republic Day, and would urge all Californians to join in celebrating India Republic Day.
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including certain credits that are allowed in modified conformity to credits allowed by federal income tax laws. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, and before January 1, 2023, would allow a credit to a qualified taxpayer, as defined, computed by multiplying the federal earned income credit amount, as defined, by 15%. The bill would provide that the credit amount in excess of the qualified taxpayer's liability would be paid to the qualified taxpayer upon appropriation by the Legislature. This bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to submit a report to the Legislature, beginning January 1, 2017, and each January 1 thereafter, until January 1, 2023, regarding the credit, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law vests in the State Department of Developmental Services jurisdiction over state hospitals, referred to as developmental centers, for the provision of residential care to individuals with developmental disabilities. Existing law requires the State Department of Developmental Services to comply with procedural requirements when closing a developmental center, including submitting a detailed plan to the Legislature and holding at least one public hearing. Under existing law, the department allocates funds to private nonprofit entities known as regional centers, which are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities. This bill would require the department to close the Sonoma Developmental Center no later than December 31, 2018, and the Fairview Developmental Center no later than December 31, 2021. The bill would require the department to submit a plan, as specified, to the Legislature prior to the closure of the Sonoma Developmental Center or the Fairview Developmental Center. Existing law requires the Director of General Services to lease specified property located at the Sonoma Developmental Center only for an agricultural or open-space purpose consistent with specified requirements. Existing provisions of the California Constitution, approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, establish the Budget Stabilization Account in the General Fund and require the Controller, commencing with the 2015–16 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, to transfer from the General Fund to the account a specified percentage of estimated General Fund revenues. The bill would additionally require the director to lease all or part of the parcels at the Sonoma Developmental Center and the Fairview Developmental Center, as specified. The bill would require any use of these parcels to be ratified by a vote of the appropriate state and local government agencies with the authority over those local land use decisions, as specified. The bill would also require 50% of the net proceeds received by the state from the lease of these properties to go to the Budget Stabilization Account until the state's debts to which that fund is obligated are paid and, after that time, to the General Fund and the rest to be deposited in the Lanterman Act Community-Based Services Fund, which is created by the bill. The bill would require all moneys in the Lanterman Act Community-Based Services Fund to be continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years to the State Department of Developmental Services to augment existing purchase of services funds used by regional centers to purchase services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to transfer current funding for the operations of the Fairview Developmental Center and the Sonoma Developmental Center to fund purchase of services at regional centers. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife, when income is derived directly from real property acquired and operated by the state as a wildlife management area, as defined, to pay annually to the county in which the property is located an amount equal to the county taxes levied upon the property at the time title to the property was transferred to the state, and any assessments levied upon the property by any irrigation, drainage, or reclamation district. This bill would appropriate $19,000,000 from the General Fund to the department to make payments to counties for unpaid amounts under these provisions. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, allows various deductions in computing the income that is subject to the taxes imposed by that law. This bill would allow a deduction in computing adjusted gross income for those amounts contributed to a Coverdell education savings account, up to $750 per taxable year, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.