The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases, as well as implementing various regulatory and incentive programs to assist the state in reaching its greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals. Existing law, for example, establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program that is administered by the state board for purposes of funding projects related to, among other things, the reduction of criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Pursuant to its existing statutory authority, the state board has established the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, as a part of the Air Quality Improvement Program, to promote the production and use of zero-emission vehicles by providing rebates for the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles. This bill would require the state board to establish specified processes to assist the state in achieving its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, including a process to identify any overlap among its incentive programs, as defined, that share the same objectives and a process to define, collect, and evaluate data on the behavioral changes that result from each of its incentive programs. The bill would require the state board to use the information collected pursuant to these processes to refine the greenhouse gas emissions estimates for its incentive programs in its annual reports to the Legislature, its funding plans, or any long-term planning documents or reports. The bill would require the state board to develop a process to define, collect, and evaluate data that will translate to metrics demonstrating the socioeconomic benefits that result from each of its incentive programs, and to use this data to make funding and design recommendations in its annual reports to the Legislature or funding plans, as provided. The bill would require the state board to contract with the University of California or the California State University to collect the information necessary to better isolate greenhouse gas emission reductions and socioeconomic benefits ascribed to its incentive programs. The bill would make the requirement for the state board to perform these duties contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature and would require the state board to complete certain of these duties within 3 years of receiving an appropriation from the Legislature for these purposes.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, requires the Medical Board of California to issue a physician's and surgeon's certificate to a qualified applicant. Under the act, an applicant for a physician's and surgeon's certificate is required to include specified information in the application and to obtain a passing score on an entire examination or on each part of an examination. Existing law requires an applicant to obtain a passing score on all parts of Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination within not more than 4 attempts in order to be eligible for a certificate. Existing law provides an exception to the 4-attempt requirement for an applicant who holds an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state, and has held that license continuously for a minimum of 4 years prior to the date of application, meets certain postgraduate training requirements and is certified by a specialty board, and is not subject to specified licensure denials or disciplinary action. This bill would expand the exception described above to include an applicant who meets certain requirements, including holding an unlimited license as a physician and surgeon in another state, or in a Canadian province, issued as provided, holding an unrestricted license to practice medicine in a state, in a Canadian province, or as a member of the active military, United States Public Health Services, or other federal program for a period of at least 4 years, having satisfactorily completed specified postgraduate training, certification, and examination requirements, and not having been subject to specified licensure denials or disciplinary action. Existing law requires a physician and surgeon to demonstrate satisfaction of continuing education requirements and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for continuing education for licensees. Under existing law, these continuing medical education (CME) standards may be met by educational activities that meet the standards of the board and that serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance that a physician and surgeon uses to provide care, or to improve the quality of care provided to patients. Existing law specifically authorizes educational activities with specified content or curriculum. Existing law prohibits educational activities that are not directed toward the practice of medicine, or are directed primarily toward the business aspects of medical practice, from being deemed to meet the standards. This bill, notwithstanding those provisions, would authorize a physician and surgeon to meet the CME standards through courses that satisfy specified criteria, including supporting educational methodology for physicians and surgeons teaching in a medical school, if these courses do not together comprise more than 30% of the total hours of continuing medical education completed by a licensee to satisfy the continuing educational requirement established by the board. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the End of Life Option Act, until January 1, 2026, authorizes an adult who meets certain qualifications, and who has been determined by their attending physician to be suffering from a terminal disease, as defined, to make a request for an aid-in-dying drug for the purpose of ending their life. Existing law establishes the procedures for making these requests, including that 2 oral requests be made a minimum of 15 days apart, specified forms to request an aid-in-dying drug be submitted, under specified circumstances, and a final attestation be completed. Existing law requires specified information to be documented in the individual's medical record, including, among other things, all oral and written requests for an aid-in-dying drug. This bill would allow for an individual to qualify for aid-in-dying medication by making 2 oral requests a minimum of 48 hours apart. The bill would eliminate the requirement that an individual who is prescribed and ingests aid-in-dying medication make a final attestation. The bill would require that the date of all oral and written requests be documented in an individual's medical record and would require that upon a transfer of care, that record be provided to the qualified individual. The bill would extend the operation of the act until January 1, 2031, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by extending the operation of crimes for specified violations of the act. Existing law makes participation in activities authorized pursuant to the act voluntary, and makes individual health care providers immune from liability for refusing to engage in activities authorized pursuant to its provisions, including providing information about the act or referring an individual to a provider who prescribes aid-in-dying medication. This bill would require a health care provider who is unable or unwilling to participate under the act to inform the individual seeking an aid-in-dying medication that they do not participate, document the date of the individual's request and the provider's notice of their objection, and transfer their relevant medical record upon request. Existing law authorizes a health care provider to prohibit its employees, independent contractors, or other persons or entities, including other health care providers, from participating under the act, including acting as a consulting physician, while on the premises owned or under the management or direct control of that prohibiting health care provider, or while acting within the course and scope of any employment by, or contract with, the prohibiting health care provider. This bill would instead authorize a health care entity to prohibit employees and contractors, as specified, from participating under the act while on the entity's premises or in the course of their employment. The bill would prohibit a health care provider or health care entity from engaging in false, misleading, or deceptive practices relating to their willingness to qualify an individual or provide a prescription for an aid-in-dying medication to a qualified individual. The bill would require a health care entity to post its current policy regarding medical aid in dying on its internet website. 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 Horse Racing Law, authorizes advance deposit wagering (ADW) to be conducted, with the approval of the California Horse Racing Board, in accordance with specified provisions of law. Existing law requires an ADW provider, as defined, as a condition of approval by the board to be an ADW provider, to include all wagers made in the appropriate parimutuel pool under a contractual agreement with the applicable host track and to deduct amounts from advance deposit wagers, as specified. Existing law authorizes the execution of hub agreements, defined as written agreements providing for contractual compensation paid with respect to advance deposit wagers placed by California residents on a particular breed of racing conducted outside of California. Existing law establishes procedures for the arbitration of disputes arising from hub agreements. Existing law sets the contractual compensation received by the ADW provider as the contractual compensation specified in the hub agreement that is the subject of the hub agreement arbitration. Existing law specifies that the arbitrator's decision is final and binding on the parties, and further provides that, if arbitration is requested, either party may bring an action in state court to compel a party to go into arbitration or to enforce the decision of the arbitrator. This bill would change the contractual compensation received by the ADW provider to the average of the contractual compensation specified in the hub agreement that is the subject of the hub agreement arbitration and the contractual compensation set forth in the hub agreement arbitration notice. The bill would require the arbitrator to select the set of terms that most accurately reflects the then-existing market rate of compensation for the services provided by the ADW provider based on all relevant facts and circumstances relating to California resident ADW wagering. The bill would also delete the requirement that the arbitrator's decision be final and binding on the parties, and instead authorize either party to bring an action in state court to review the arbitrator's decision.
Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim certain days each year for specified reasons. This bill would designate August 26 of each year as California Farmworker Day, and require the Governor to annually proclaim August 26 as California Farmworker Day. The bill would make legislative findings in this regard.
Existing law makes it unlawful to produce, process, sell, offer to sell, or possess olive oil that indicates on its label "California Olive Oil," or uses similar words to indicate that California is the source of the oil, unless 100% of that oil is derived from olives grown in California. Existing law also requires that olive oil produced, processed, sold, offered for sale, given away, or possessed in California, that indicates on its label that it is from a specific region of California, be made of oil at least 85% of which, by weight, is derived from olives grown in that region. Existing law makes a violation of the requirements relating to the manufacture and marketing of olive oil a misdemeanor. This bill would also require a container of olive oil produced, processed, sold, offered for sale, given away, or possessed in California that includes "California" in any form on its principal display panel and contains olive oil derived from olives grown outside California to disclose the minimum percentage of olive oil in the container derived from olives grown in California. The bill would prescribe specific language to make the disclosure and require that it be in a font size that is no less than the largest used in the word "California." Because a violation of this requirement would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, the California Marketing Act of 1937, authorizes the Department of Food and Agriculture to regulate the quality of commodities produced and handled in California by prohibiting the production and handling of commodities that fall below its minimum standards. Existing law makes a violation of a marketing order duly issued by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture pursuant to the act a misdemeanor. This bill would require any olive oil produced, processed, sold, offered for sale, given away, or possessed in California with a principal display panel that uses "California" to comply with the quality and purity standards published by the Department of Food and Agriculture, as specified. The bill would specify that this requirement is declaratory of existing law. 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) Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons under various health care delivery systems, including fee-for-service and managed care. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes the department to enter into various types of contracts for the provision of services to beneficiaries, including contracts with Medi-Cal managed care plans. Existing law provides that in counties selected by the Director of Health Care Services with the concurrence of the county, a special county health authority may be established, and in any county, by ordinance, a special commission may be established, in order to meet the problems of delivery of publicly assisted medical care in each county, and to demonstrate ways of promoting quality care and cost efficiency. Existing law authorizes several counties, including the County of Alameda, to establish, by ordinance, a health authority, and specified counties, such as the Counties of San Joaquin and Tulare, to establish, by ordinance, a special county health commission. This bill would authorize the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sacramento to establish a health authority to perform specified duties, including negotiating and entering into contracts with health plans, as prescribed. The bill would require the health authority to meet with any health plans intending to contract with the department, and, subsequent to meeting with all interested health plans, to designate to the department at least 2 licensed health plans for the department's approval based on specified criteria. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Sacramento.
Existing law establishes an independent public agency to manage, administer, and control the Alameda Health System, which is known as the Alameda Health System Hospital Authority. The hospital authority is governed by a board that is appointed by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Alameda. Existing law prescribes the characteristics of employees of the hospital authority who are and are not authorized to participate in the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association at the time the provisions authorizing the creation of the hospital authority become effective. Existing law generally prohibits a person employed by the hospital authority on or before the date these provisions became effective who was not qualified for membership in the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association at that time from becoming qualified for membership as a result of subsequent employment with the hospital authority. This bill would repeal the above-described prohibition on certain employees of the Alameda Health System Hospital Authority qualifying for membership in the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association. The bill, during a specified time period, would require that a request to meet and confer by a recognized union or bargaining agent result in the reopening of an effective memorandum of understanding for the purpose of negotiating an agreement regarding the inclusion of certain people within the applicable bargaining unit in the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association. The bill would authorize a side letter or similar agreement to be negotiated in lieu of reopening the memorandum of understanding. The bill would prescribe membership tier requirements for people who are members of the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association and who transfer, reassign, or are hired, as specified, which would apply if the facility or hospital authority and a recognized union or bargaining agent agree to include people within an applicable bargaining unit participating in the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association. The bill would delete a provision relating to people who are not members of the Alameda County Employees' Retirement Association in connection with the characteristics of people who may become a member of the association, subject to a memorandum of understanding, as specified.
Existing law provides for various memorials and monuments on the grounds of the State Capitol. Existing law requires the Department of Finance, subject to the approval of the Capitol Building and Planning Commission, to acquire and do all acts necessary to erect and maintain a monument to Father Junípero Serra on the grounds of the State Capitol. Existing law requires the Department of General Services to maintain state buildings and grounds. This bill would delete the requirement relating to the monument to Father Junípero Serra. The bill would authorize tribal nations in the Sacramento, California, region, in consultation with the Department of General Services, to plan, construct, and maintain a monument to the California Native people of the Sacramento, California, region on the grounds of the State Capitol. The bill would require the tribal nations to submit the plan for the monument to the Joint Rules Committee for its review and approval. The bill would prohibit the tribal nations from beginning construction of the monument until the Joint Rules Committee approves and adopts the plan and the Joint Rules Committee and the Department of Finance determine that sufficient private funding is available to construct and maintain the monument. The bill would require the planning, construction, and maintenance of the monument to be funded exclusively through private funding from the tribal nations in the Sacramento, California, region.
Existing law establishes the Judges' Retirement System and the Judges' Retirement System II, both of which are administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System, which provide pension and other benefits to judges who are members. Existing law establishes the Legislators' Retirement System, also administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System, which provides pension and other benefits to those members of the Legislature and specified state and statutory officers who have elected to become members. Existing California constitutional provisions prohibit the provision of retirement benefits to members of the Legislature and, on and after January 1, 2013, the Legislators' Retirement System was closed generally to new members. Existing federal law limits the amount that a public employee defined benefit plan may pay a participant annually and requires that this limitation be adjusted by regulation to account for increases in the cost of living. Existing law incorporates federal limits into the law that defines and regulates the above-described retirement systems. This bill would prohibit the amount payable to a member or a judge under the Legislators' Retirement System, the Judges' Retirement System, and the Judges' Retirement System II, including specified adjustments, from exceeding the federal limits on annual defined benefit plan payments and would incorporate specified provisions of federal law by reference. The bill would also require the retirement allowance of a judge who is a member of the Judges' Retirement System or the Judges Retirement System II, or a person who is a member of the Legislators' Retirement System, to be increased to reflect adjustments to payment limits prescribed by federal law, provided that the member's allowance determined without regard to that law equals or exceeds the applicable limit as indexed. The bill, for judges in the Judges Retirement System II, would also apply this requirement to a monetary payments annuity that is payable to a judge.