Asm. Ken Cooley

Existing law provides for the out-of-home placement of children who are unable to remain in the custody and care of their parents, and provides for a range of child welfare and foster care services for which these children may be eligible. Under existing law, child welfare services are defined as the continuum of services provided on behalf of children alleged to be the victims of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation, as specified. Existing law provides that child welfare services are best provided using a team-based approach, including the utilization of child and family teams, defined as a team of individuals convened by the placing agency and who are engaged through a variety of team-based processes to identify the strengths and needs of the child or youth and his or her family, and to help achieve positive outcomes for safety, permanency, and well-being. Existing law requires the child and family team process to engage the child or youth, the child's family, and other people important to the family or to the child or youth in meeting the objectives described above. Existing law also requires the team to include representatives who provide formal supports to the child or youth and family when appropriate, including, but not limited to, the caregiver and the placing agency caseworker. This bill would also require the inclusion of the child or youth's Court-Appointed Special Advocate, if one has been appointed, to the child and family team described above, unless the child or youth objects.

Under existing law, the California Horse Racing Board is authorized to permit a harness or quarter horse association conducting a horse race to accept wagers on the results of out-of-state, out-of-country, and other designated harness or quarter horse races, if specified conditions are met, including that the association conducts at least 7 live races and imports not more than 10 races on live racing days. A violation of the Horse Racing Law is a crime. This bill would also authorize wagering on a nightly program of out-of-country harness racing from a single racetrack, regardless of the number of those races, if specified conditions are met. By imposing new requirements under the Horse Racing Law, the violation of which would be a crime, the bill would create new crimes and would thereby create a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, revenues distributed to the state from horse racing are required to be deposited in the Fair and Exposition Fund and are continuously appropriated to the Secretary of Food and Agriculture for various regulatory and general governmental purposes. By providing for wagering on a nightly program of out-of-country harness racing, as provided, this bill would authorize additional wagering, and would increase the amount of continuously appropriated license fees, thereby making an appropriation. 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.

(1) The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act of 2016 (AUMA) , an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult-use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. The Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) , among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities. MAUCRSA establishes in state government a Cannabis Control Appeals Panel to review specified decisions of licensing authorities appealed by any person aggrieved by those decisions. MAUCRSA requires that the panel consist of one member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, and 3 members appointed by the Governor, as specified. MAUCRSA authorizes the Governor to remove from office a member of the panel appointed by the Governor. MAUCRSA authorizes the Legislature to remove any member of the panel from office for certain reasons. This bill would eliminate the Legislature's power to remove a member of the panel for certain reasons and would provide that the members of the panel may be removed from office by their appointing authority. (2) AUMA authorizes legislative amendment of its provisions with a 23 vote of both houses, without submission to the voters, to further its purposes and intent. This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of AUMA. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would recognize June 8 as World Oceans Day, and would declare that the Legislature intends to act decisively in 2018 in regard to passing legislation aimed at reducing plastic pollution in California rivers, beaches, and ocean, and would further declare that the State of California is determined to seek additional ways to curb plastic pollution on those waterways and beaches, and in other natural spaces and communities.

This measure would recognize June 12, 2018, as the 120th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and would call upon the people of the state to observe the month of June with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.

This measure would commemorate Wednesday, June 6, 2018, as the 40th anniversary date of Proposition 13, in recognition of the impact Proposition 13 has had on the State of California.

This measure would condemn the decision to end the Temporary Protected Status designation for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Sudan. The measure would also urge the United States Congress to enact a bipartisan permanent solution for Salvadorans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, and Sudanese with Temporary Protected Status.

This measure would declare June 6, 2018, as Secure Your Load Day in California.

This measure would declare June 6, 2018, as California Nonprofits Day in recognition of the importance of nonprofit organizations to the economy and well-being of this state.