Asm. Jim Patterson

This measure would recognize September 20, 2018, and every year on that date thereafter, as California Surfing Day to celebrate the California surfing lifestyle, would commend all those who honor the history, culture, and future of surfing, as well as the sport of surfing and the protection of our beach and ocean environments, would express support for future surfers and encourage potential surfing Olympians to work diligently, and would encourage all Californians to enjoy California Surfing Day.

Existing law establishes the right of agricultural employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations to engage in collective bargaining activities with agricultural employers regarding wages, working conditions, or other aspects of employment. Existing law prohibits a labor organization or its agents from engaging in specified unfair labor practices. Existing law establishes the conditions and time periods under which an agricultural employer, as defined, or a certified labor organization representing agricultural employees may file a declaration with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board stating that the parties have failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement, thus triggering a board order for mandatory mediation. Existing law authorizes a party, within 60 days of the order by the Agricultural Labor Relations Board taking effect, to file an action to enforce the order. Existing law prohibits an order of the board from being stayed during the pendency of any appeal of the order unless the appellant demonstrates that he or she is likely to prevail on the merits and that he or she will be irreparably harmed by implementation of the board's order. This bill would condition the effect and enforcement of an order resulting from the binding mediation on the order being approved by a majority of the members of the affected bargaining unit.

Existing law requires the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to certify the results of an election conducted by secret ballot of employees in a collective bargaining unit to designate a collective bargaining representative, unless the board determines there are sufficient grounds to refuse to do so. Existing law further provides that if the board refuses to certify an election because of employer misconduct that would render slight the chances of a new election reflecting the free and fair choice of employees, that the labor organization shall be certified as the bargaining representative for the bargaining unit. This bill would instead provide that, if the board finds that misconduct by board personnel, the employer, or the labor organization affected the result of the election, the board shall refuse to certify the election and order a new election to be conducted, unless the board finds that misconduct by the employer or labor organization is so egregious that conducting a new election would not likely reflect the free and fair choice of the employees, in which case the board would be required to certify the election against the party that engaged in the misconduct, subject to review by the appropriate appellate court.

This measure would designate the month of April 2018 as Aviation Awareness Month.

Existing law establishes the right of agricultural employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations to engage in collective bargaining activities with agricultural employers regarding wages, working conditions, or other aspects of employment. Existing law prohibits a labor organization or its agents from engaging in specified unfair labor practices. This bill would additionally prohibit a labor organization from abandoning or failing to represent a bargaining unit for 3 or more years. This bill would require the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to decertify a labor organization that violates this provision.

(1) Existing property tax law provides, pursuant to the authority of a specified provision of the California Constitution, for a homeowners' exemption in the amount of $7,000 of the full value of a "dwelling," as defined, and authorizes the Legislature to increase this exemption. This bill, beginning with the lien date for the 2019–20 fiscal year, would increase the homeowners' exemption from $7,000 to $14,000 of the full value of a dwelling. This bill, for the 2020–21 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, would also require the county assessor to adjust the amount of the homeowners' exemption by the percentage change in the House Price Index for California for the first 3 quarters of the prior calendar year, as specified. (2) The Personal Income Tax Law imposes taxes based upon taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, at specified rates. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, would revise the personal income tax rates and the amounts of income those rates are imposed upon, as provided. (3) The California Constitution requires the Legislature, whenever it increases the homeowners' property tax exemption, to provide a comparable increase in benefits to qualified renters. The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including a credit for qualified renters in the amount of $120 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross income is $50,000 or less, and in the amount of $60 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $25,000 or less. Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to annually adjust for inflation these adjusted gross income amounts. This bill, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2019, would increase this credit for a qualified renter to $240 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross income is $50,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation, and to an amount equal to $120 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $25,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation. The bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, would also require the Franchise Tax Board to annually adjust for inflation, based upon the California Consumer Price Index, the amount of these credits. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to the renters' credit. (4) The Corporation Tax Law generally imposes a franchise tax on corporations doing business within the limits of this state, including a minimum franchise tax on specified corporations, as provided. This bill would eliminate the minimum franchise tax and make related technical amendments. (5) Existing law requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. (6) This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

This measure would recognize 2018 as the milestone 50th Anniversary of the Napa County Agricultural Preserve, and further recognize the critical part the hundreds of growers, vintners, local leaders, and members of the Napa community play to preserve the beauty and splendor of the valley and its agricultural industries, for this and future generations.