Asm. Lorena Gonzalez

This measure would declare the importance of the arts to the state and the essential role of the Arts Council in promoting the arts throughout the state, and urge a unified effort between the Legislature and the Governor to provide a substantial increase in the General Fund appropriation to the California Arts Council in the 2015–16 Budget Act.

This measure would designate the bicycle-pedestrian path constructed as part of the project to widen State Highway Route 101 in the County of Ventura as the Ralph Fertig Memorial Bicycle-Pedestrian Path and the pedestrian undercrossing of State Highway Route 101 in the community of La Conchita in the County of Ventura as the Peter Douglas Coastal Access Way. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing each of these special designations and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost of the signs for which the donations were made, to erect those signs.

This measure would recognize that every child who needs comprehensive health and early intervention services and supports in order to achieve his or her developmental potential should have those services easily accessible, sufficient, responsive, timely, and of high quality. The measure would further urge the Legislature to leverage existing efforts and statutes to ensure an accountable, results-oriented, and coordinated network of resources in order to provide multidisciplinary early identification and intervention services and supports to California infants and toddlers.

This measure would designate the interchange at the junction of State Routes 99 and 166 in the County of Kern as the CHP Officer Gerald E. Dormaier Memorial Interchange. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

This measure would proclaim October 17, 2015, as Firefighters Memorial Day.

This measure would designate November 2015 as a month to raise awareness about the issue of medically fragile foster care children and adoptive placement children and the actions that every Californian can take to make a positive difference in these children's lives.

 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. Federal income tax laws allow a refundable earned income tax credit for certain low-income individuals who have earned income and who meet certain other requirements. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, and before January 1, 2021, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, would provide for an earned income credit to an eligible individual that is equal to unspecified percentages of the earned income tax credit allowed by federal law that would only be allowed in those taxable years in which an appropriation is made by the Legislature. The bill and would provide that in those years in which an appropriation is made by the Legislature, the credit would be refundable, as provided. The bill would also make findings and declarations.

Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families using federal, state, and county funds. Existing law imposes limits on the amount of income and personal and real property an individual or family may possess in order to be eligible for CalWORKs aid. This bill would exempt from consideration as income or property, for purposes of determining eligibility or available income or property, education, training, vocation, or rehabilitation benefits provided through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for active duty personnel or veterans, and dependents or spouses of those who either died in the line of duty or have a service-connected disability. By expanding eligibility for CalWORKs, which is administered by counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires a recipient of CalWORKs to participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of eligibility. Under existing law, a person may meet his or her welfare-to-work requirements by taking part in a self-initiated education or training program. Under that program, if a recipient does not complete a specified number of hours of classroom, laboratory, or internship activities, the county human services agency is required to have the recipient participate in concurrent work activities, as specified. Existing law prohibits a program offered by a private postsecondary training provider from being approved for these purposes unless the program is either approved or exempted by the appropriate state regulatory agency and the program is in compliance with all other laws. This bill would authorize study time to be included in the number of hours a recipient may complete before he or she is required to participate in concurrent work activities. This bill would additionally prohibit a program offered by a private college from being approved if the program is not approved or exempted by the appropriate state regulatory agency or is not in compliance with all other laws. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill. 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 establishes the State Department of Public Health and sets forth its powers and duties pertaining to, among other things, protecting, preserving, and advancing public health, including disseminating information regarding diseases. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to update the California Wellness Plan 2014 to include specified items, including priorities and performance measures that are based upon evidence-based strategies to prevent and control diabetes, and to submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2018, that includes the progress of those specified plan items. The bill would also make related findings and declarations.