Asm. Heath Flora

Existing law makes it a crime to possess a firearm in a place that the person knows, or reasonably should know, is a school zone. Existing law defines a school zone as an area in, or on the grounds of, a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, or within a distance of 1,000 feet from the grounds of the public or private school. Existing law, among other exceptions to that crime, exempts a person with a valid concealed carry license who is carrying the firearm described in the license in an area that is not in, or on the grounds of, a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, but is within a distance of 1,000 feet from the grounds of the public or private school. This bill would exempt from that crime a person who holds a valid concealed carry license who is carrying the firearm described in the license to, from, or in a church, synagogue, or building used as a place of worship on the grounds of a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, if the person has the written permission of the school authority. The bill would apply other conditions to the exemption. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

Existing law requires an employer, semimonthly or at the time of payment of wages, to furnish an employee, an accurate, itemized, written statement containing specified information regarding the amounts earned, hours worked, and the employee's identity, among other things, subject to certain variations. This bill would authorize the required written statement, as described above, to be provided monthly. Existing law requires an employer to afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment upon reasonable request to the employer, as specified. Existing law requires an employer who receives a written or oral request to inspect or copy records pursuant to these provisions to comply with the request within 21 calendar days. This bill would extend the time for the employer to respond to 28 calendar days.

This measure would proclaim the week of March 4, 2018, through March 10, 2018, inclusive, as Women in Construction Week.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA exempts certain projects, including projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a public agency to maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace properties or facilities damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster in a disaster-stricken area in which a state of emergency has been declared, as specified, and specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. This bill would expressly exempt from CEQA projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a public agency to maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace properties or facilities damaged or destroyed as a result of fire or flood in a disaster-stricken area and would eliminate the requirement that a state of emergency has been declared for that area. The bill would exempt from CEQA specific actions necessary to reduce the threat or intensity of a wildfire. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project falls within these exemptions, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to achieve the maximum degree of emission reduction possible from vehicular and other mobile sources to accomplish the attainment of the state standards at the earliest practicable date. This bill would exempt, except as specified, from any regulation requiring the installation of air pollution control technology the engines used to power a crane of any size that is used for onroad or offroad purposes.

This measure would designate March 2018 as Irish American Heritage Month in honor of the multitude of contributions that Irish Americans have made to the country and state.