(1) Under existing law, when the Department of Motor Vehicles determines that an applicant is lawfully entitled to a driver's license, the department is required to issue that license to the applicant. Existing law specifies the contents of a driver's license and requires the application for a driver's license or identification card to contain a space for an applicant to indicate whether he or she has served in the Armed Forces of the United States and to give his or her consent to be contacted regarding eligibility to receive state or federal veterans' benefits. This bill would, commencing November 11, 2015, allow an in-person applicant for a driver's license or identification card to request the driver's license or identification card be printed with the word "VETERAN." The applicant would be required to present verification of veteran status to the Department of Motor Vehicles, on a form developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers and the Department of Motor Vehicles. The bill would require county veterans service offices to verify an applicant's veteran status for these purposes, as specified. The department would be required to print the word "VETERAN" on the face of a driver's license or identification card issued to a person who makes that request and presents that verification to the department. (2) Existing law establishes certain fee amounts for the applications for, and renewal of, driver's licenses and identification cards. This bill would require the department to charge an additional one-time fee of $5 to a person who requests that the person's driver's license or identification card be designated as provided above.
Sponsored bills
Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture, which is tasked with, among other things, promoting and protecting the agricultural industry of the state, and seeking to enhance, protect, and perpetuate the ability of the private sector to produce food and fiber in a way that benefits the general welfare and economy of the state. Existing law also establishes the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative for the purpose of promoting healthy food access in the state. This bill would create the Office of Farm to Fork within the department, and would require the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state. The bill would require the office to, among other things, identify urban and rural communities that lack access to healthy food, and to coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies to promote and increase awareness of programs that promote greater food access. The bill would create the Farm to Fork Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund that would consist of money made available from federal, state, industry, and other sources, and would continuously appropriate the money deposited in the account without regard to fiscal years to carry out the purposes of the Office of Farm to Fork. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill, until January 1, 2020, would also require the department, in any year in which funds are received into or expended from the Farm to Fork Account, to submit to the Legislature an overview of the account's income and expenditures.
Existing law generally regulates false advertising and specifically prohibits certain unfair acts or practices undertaken by, or omissions of, a person in the operation of a contest, including misrepresenting the odds of winning a prize or failing to award and distribute all prizes. A violation of this provision is a misdemeanor. This bill would apply the prohibition described above to unfair acts or practices undertaken by, or omissions of, a person in the operation of a sweepstakes, as defined. The bill would prohibit using or offering to use any method intended to be used by a person interacting with an electronic video monitor to simulate gambling or play gambling-themed games in a business establishment, as defined, that directly or indirectly implements the predetermination of sweepstakes cash, cash-equivalent prizes, or other prizes of value, or otherwise connects a sweepstakes player or participant with sweepstakes cash, cash-equivalent prizes, or other prizes of value. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also except from this prohibition game promotions and sweepstakes conducted on a limited basis as an advertising and marketing tool incidental to substantial bona fide sales of consumer products or services, as specified. 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, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requires each state to establish an American Health Benefits Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans by qualified individuals and small employers. PPACA prohibits an Exchange from making available any health plan other than a qualified health plan, except for certain stand-alone dental plans. Existing state law establishes the California Health Benefit Exchange within state government, specifies the powers and duties of the board governing the Exchange, and requires the board to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans through the Exchange by qualified individuals and small employers by January 1, 2014. This bill would establish the California Vision Care Access Council within state government and would require that the Council be governed by the executive board that governs the California Health Benefit Exchange. The bill would require the Council to establish an interagency agreement with the California Health Benefit Exchange allowing the Council to utilize the executive, administrative, and other related resources of the Exchange and would prohibit the use of specified Exchange funds for purposes of the Council. The bill would require the Council to construct, manage, and maintain an Internet Web site to inform consumers about individual and employer-based vision plans offered by participating carriers. The bill would require the Council to work with the Exchange to establish a direct link between that Internet Web site and the Internet Web site of the Exchange. The bill would require the Council to refer consumer questions regarding health care eligibility and enrollment options to the Exchange and to licensed insurance agents, as specified. This bill would impose specified requirements on participating carriers and would also require the Council to establish other requirements for carrier participation and the standards and criteria for participating vision plans that are in the best interests of individuals and employers eligible to purchase coverage through the Exchange. The bill would require participating vision plans to be issued on a guarantee issue basis without preexisting condition provisions and would require a participating carrier to make available to consumers an electronic directory of contracting vision care providers. The bill would also enact other related provisions. This bill would create the California Vision Care Access Trust Fund, the moneys of which would be available to the board for purposes of the bill's provisions upon appropriaton by the Legislature, would authorize the Council to assess a charge on participating vision plans that is reasonable and necessary to support the development, operations, and prudent cash management of the Council, and would make the implementation of the bill's provisions contingent on a determination by the board that sufficient moneys exist in the fund to implement the bill's provisions. The bill would prohibit General Fund moneys from being used for any of these purposes and would require that any costs associated with the implementation of these provisions be paid from the California Vision Care Access Trust Fund. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law generally authorizes a county tax collector to sell tax-defaulted property 5 years or more, or 3 years or more, as applicable, after that property has become tax defaulted. Existing law requires the proceeds from the sale of tax-defaulted property to be deposited in the delinquent tax sale trust fund, and requires the proceeds in the fund to be distributed to the state, to the county for reimbursement of specified costs relating to the sale of the tax-defaulted property, and among taxing agencies, as provided. Existing law requires any proceeds remaining in the delinquent tax sale trust fund after distribution of the proceeds to be retained in the fund subject to being claimed by parties of interest, as provided. Existing law requires, at the expiration of one year following the recordation of the tax deed to the purchaser, that any excess proceeds not claimed be distributed among taxing agencies, as provided. This bill would eliminate the requirement that any excess proceeds not claimed be distributed among taxing agencies, and would instead authorize any excess proceeds to be transferred to the county general fund at the expiration of a specified time period. Existing law authorizes any party of interest to file with the county a claim for the excess proceeds from the sale of tax-defaulted property, as specified, at any time prior to the expiration of one year following the recordation of the tax collector's deed to the purchaser. Existing law prohibits the excess proceeds from being distributed to the parties of interest, as specified, sooner than one year following the recordation of the tax collector's deed to the purchaser. This bill would prohibit the distribution of any excess proceeds to the parties of interest as described above if the board of supervisors has been petitioned to rescind the tax sale, as specified, and would instead require the excess proceeds to be distributed no sooner than one year following the date the board of supervisors determines the tax sale should not be rescinded, and only if the person who petitioned the board of supervisors has not commenced a proceeding in court, as specified. If a proceeding has been commenced in a court, this bill would prohibit any excess proceeds from being distributed until final court order has been issued. By changing the manner in which excess proceeds from the sale of tax-defaulted are distributed by local county officials to parties of interest, 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, 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.
(1) Existing law provides for the compensation of victims and derivative victims of specified types of crimes by the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board from the Restitution Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, for specified losses suffered as a result of those crimes. Existing law requires the board to be subrogated against the perpetrator of the crime to the rights of a recipient to the extent of any compensation granted. Existing law authorizes a court to allow a victim, or others related to the victim, as specified, to submit a statement to the court concerning the crime, the person responsible, and the need for restitution. This bill would allow a representative of the board to provide the probation department, district attorney, and court with information relevant to the board's losses prior to the imposition of a sentence, as provided. (2) Existing law requires that when a deceased person has an heir who is confined in a correctional facility, the estate attorney or other specified person give the director of the board notice of the decedent's death within 90 days of the death and include specified information about the incarcerated heir. Existing law requires the general personal representative or the estate attorney of a decedent's estate to provide notices of the decedent's death to the director of the board, no later than 90 days after the date letters of administration are first issued if the representative or attorney knows or has reason to believe that an heir is incarcerated in a prison, jail, or other specified state or local correctional facility. This bill would expand these provisions to apply to a beneficiary, as well as an heir, who is confined or has been confined. This bill would also require a representative or attorney to give notice only when he or she knows that an heir is incarcerated. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes.
Existing law states findings and declarations of the Legislature that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death for children under age one. Under existing law, a coroner has a duty to inquire into and determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of, among other things, deaths where the suspected cause of death is sudden infant death syndrome. The coroner is required to perform an autopsy, within 24 hours or as soon thereafter as feasible, in any case where an infant has died suddenly and unexpectedly. This bill would define "sudden unexplained death in childhood" as the sudden death of a child one year of age or older but under 18 years of age that is unexplained by the history of the child and for which a thorough postmortem examination fails to demonstrate an adequate cause of death. This bill would require the coroner to notify the parent or responsible adult of a child within that definition about the importance of taking tissue samples. This bill would also exempt the coroner from liability for damages in a civil action for any act or omission done in compliance with these provisions. By expanding the duties of a local agency, this bill would create 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.
Existing law authorizes a trial court to order a party, the party's attorney, or both to pay reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, incurred by another party as a result of bad-faith actions or tactics that are frivolous or solely intended to cause unnecessary delay, if the actions or tactics arise from a complaint filed, or a proceeding initiated, on or before December 31, 1994. In addition to the reasonable expenses award, existing law authorizes the court to assess punitive damages against the plaintiff on a determination that the plaintiff's action was maintained by a person convicted of a felony against the person's victim for injuries arising from the acts for which the person was convicted, and that the plaintiff is guilty of fraud, oppression, or malice in maintaining the action. Existing law also requires every pleading, petition, written notice of motion, or other similar paper to be signed by the attorney of record or an unrepresented party, as applicable, thereby certifying to the best of the person's knowledge, information, and belief that, among other things, the paper is not being presented primarily for an improper purpose, as specified, and that the claims, defenses, and legal and factual contentions are warranted, as specified. Existing law authorizes a trial court to impose sanctions upon an attorney, law firm, or party that violates these provisions in a complaint, petition, or other paper filed on or after January 1, 1995. This bill would delete the December 31, 1994, date limitation on a trial court's authorization to award reasonable expenses incurred as a result of bad-faith actions or tactics that are frivolous or solely intended to cause unnecessary delay, thus making both of the provisions described above applicable commencing January 1, 2015. The bill would include in the definition of "actions or tactics" the filing and serving of an answer or other responsive pleading, and would exclude from that definition disclosures and discovery requests, responses, objections, and motions. The bill would require a party filing a motion pursuant to these provisions to promptly transmit to the California Research Bureau a copy of the endorsed, filed caption page of the motion or opposition, a copy of any related notice of appeal or petition for a writ, and a conformed copy of any resulting order. The bill would also require the party to indicate whether a motion for sanctions was made for a violation of the certification provisions described above. The bill would require that the bureau maintain a public record of these documents for at least 3 years, except as specified. The bill would require certain standards, conditions, and procedures to apply to sanctions imposed pursuant to its provisions. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2018. The bill would also require the California Research Bureau, on or before January 1, 2017, to submit a report to the Legislature examining the impact and effect of the changes made by the bill.
The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws, including a credit against those taxes for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, in an amount equal to an applicable percentage of either 20% or 25%, respectively, of the qualified expenditures, as defined, attributable to the production of a qualified motion picture in California, or, where the qualified motion picture is a television series that relocated to California or is an independent film, as provided. Existing law imposes specified duties on the California Film Commission related to the administration of the credits, including a requirement to allocate the tax credits until July 1, 2017, and limits the aggregate amount of credits that may be allocated to qualified motion pictures in any fiscal year to $100,000,000 through the 2016–17 fiscal year. Existing law, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, in lieu of the credits authorized under the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law for qualified motion pictures described above, also allows a credit against qualified state sales and use taxes, as provided. Existing law provides for a tentative minimum tax and further provides that, except for specified credits, no other credit shall reduce the tax imposed below the tentative minimum tax. This bill would establish similar credits under the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, to be allocated by the California Film Commission on or after July 1, 2015, and before July 1, 2020. This bill would, as compared to the existing tax credits, extend the scope of the credits for a qualified motion picture to the applicable percentage of qualified expenditures up to $100,000,000, would extend the credit to qualified expenditures for television pilot episodes, and would determine an applicable percentage of 25% or 20% for qualified expenditures, with an additional credit amount available, as specified. This bill would limit the aggregate amount of these new credits to be allocated in each fiscal year to up to $330 million, and would, subject to a computation and ranking of applicants based on the jobs ratio, as defined, require the California Film Commission to allocate credit amounts subject to specified categories of qualified motion pictures. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, in lieu of the credits authorized under the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law for qualified motion pictures described above, allow a credit against qualified state sales and use taxes, as provided. This bill would also require the Legislative Analyst's Office to prepare reports related to the effectiveness and administration of the qualified motion picture credit under the Sales and Use Tax Law, the Personal Income Tax Law, and the Corporation Tax Law. This bill would, for taxable years, beginning on or after January 1, 2016, additionally allow the credit under the Corporation Tax Law for qualified expenditures for the production of qualified motion pictures to reduce the tentative minimum tax. This bill would also make findings and declarations related to the entertainment industry, and would urge the United States Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission to investigate and impose sanctions on specified motion picture productions and elements of production to combat unfair and illegal competition. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The bill would state that its provisions are severable. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 23036 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, proposed by AB 2754, to be operative only if AB 2754 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2015, and this bill is chaptered last. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law prohibits a policy of residential property insurance from being issued or delivered or initially renewed in this state unless the named insured is offered coverage for loss or damage caused by an earthquake, as provided, and, if the offer of earthquake coverage is accepted, requires the insurer to provide certain disclosures based on whether the policy was issued by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) . Existing law created the CEA, to be administered under the authority of the Insurance Commissioner, and authorized it to transact insurance in this state as necessary to sell policies of basic residential earthquake insurance in the manner provided. The CEA has no authority to transact any other type of insurance business. The CEA's operating expenses are capped at 3% of its premium income. This bill would revise and recast these provisions by revising the disclosure language an insurer is required to use in offering earthquake coverage, making the contents of that disclosure language dependent upon whether the insurer is a member of the CEA or not, and by requiring insureds to be provided with specified disclosures with regard to coverage of losses, the CEA's liability limitations, and premiums concurrent with the issuance or renewal by the CEA of a residential earthquake insurance policy. The bill would require a participating insurer, at least once each year, to provide each of its residential property insureds with marketing documents produced at the CEA's expense. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2016. This bill would increase the cap on the CEA's operating expenses to not more than 6% of its premium income, and exclude certain expenses and costs from being classified as operating expenses. This bill also would incorporate additional changes in Section 10083 of the Insurance Code, as amended by Section 12 of Chapter 369 of the Statutes of 2013, proposed by AB 2735, to be operative if AB 2735 and this bill are both enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2015, and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate into Section 10083 as proposed to be added to the Insurance Code changes proposed by AB 2735, to be operative if AB 2735 and this bill are both enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2015. This bill also would incorporate additional changes in Section 10083 of the Insurance Code, as added by Section 13 of Chapter 369 of the Statutes of 2013, proposed by AB 2735, to be operative if AB 2735 and this bill are both enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2015, and this bill is enacted last.