Asm. Jim Patterson

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.

Existing law requires that all vote by mail ballots cast be received by the elections official from whom they were obtained or by the precinct board no later than the close of the polls on election day or no later than 8 p.m. on election day, as specified. Notwithstanding this requirement, existing law provides that a vote by mail ballot is considered timely cast if it is received by the voter's election official via the United States Postal Service or a bona fide private mail delivery company, as defined, no later than 3 days after election day if a specified requirement is met. This bill would additionally require that a ballot delivered to the elections official by a bona fide private mail delivery company include documentation that the company received the ballot on or before election day.

Existing law governs petitions to adopt unmarried minors. Existing law requires prospective adoptive parents to pay a specified fee to the State Department of Social Services or to the delegated county adoption agency for the cost of investigating the adoption petition. Existing law requires one-half of that fee to be paid at the time the adoption petition is filed, and the remaining balance to be paid no later than the date determined by the department or the agency. Existing law authorizes the department or the agency to reduce the fee to no less than $500 under certain circumstances. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

Under existing law, the State Department of Public Health is responsible for the licensing and regulation of clinics, defined as an organized outpatient health facility that provides direct specified advice, services, or treatment to patients who remain less than 24 hours, and that may also provide diagnostic or therapeutic services to patients in the home, as specified. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

Existing law establishes procedures for providing access to health care records or summaries of those records by patients and by persons having responsibility for decisions respecting the health care of others. Existing law provides for the regulation of those patient records. Existing law specifically requires licensed clinics, health facilities, adult day health care centers, and home health agencies that utilize electronic recordkeeping systems only to comply with additional requirements relating to patient records, except as specified. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

The Field Act requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to that provision.