Sen. Megan Dahle

Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to establish a protocol for the examination and treatment of victims of sexual abuse and attempted sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse, and the collection and preservation of evidence therefrom. Existing law prohibits the costs incurred by a qualified health care professional, hospital, clinic, sexual assault forensic examination team, or other emergency medical facility for the medical evidentiary examination from being charged to a victim of the assault. Under existing law, the local law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the alleged offense was committed is required to reimburse the cost of a medical evidentiary examination within 60 days. Existing law authorizes the local law enforcement agency to seek reimbursement from OES, to be funded with specified federal funds, to offset the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim who is undecided at the time of an examination whether to report to law enforcement. This bill would authorize the appropriate local law enforcement agency to seek reimbursement from OES, using the specified federal funds, for the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim who has decided not to report the assault to law enforcement at the time of the examination. The bill would also authorize local law enforcement to seek, and would require OES to pay at an established rate, reimbursement for the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim who has determined, at the time of the examination, to report the assault to law enforcement.

Existing law, the Uniform Parentage Act, governs actions to determine a parent and child relationship. These provisions authorize a local child support agency to bring an action under the act in any case in which the agency determines it to be appropriate. Existing law also provides that, notwithstanding any other law concerning public hearings and records, a hearing or trial under the act may be held in closed court, as specified, and all papers and records, other than the final judgment, pertaining to the action or proceeding are subject to inspection only in exceptional cases upon an order of the court for good cause shown. However, this provision also provides that papers and records pertaining to an action or proceeding that are part of the permanent record of the court are subject to inspection by the parties to the action and their attorneys, pursuant to written authorization, as specified. This bill would instead authorize specified hearings or trials under the act, for actions that are filed on or after January 1, 2023, to be held in closed court. The bill would require the Judicial Council, on or before January 1, 2023, to create a new form or modify an existing form, as it deems appropriate, to require a party initiating those specified hearings or trials to designate the action or proceeding filed under those provisions.

This measure would declare the week of May 10 to May 16, 2021, inclusive, as Food Allergy Awareness Week and request that the Governor issue a proclamation to observe the week with appropriate understanding and awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis.

This measure would honor the service members who have served and are serving in our nation's military, and would recognize the month of May 2021 as National Military Appreciation Month.

This measure would proclaim the month of April 2021 as Arab American Heritage Month.

This measure would proclaim June 2021 as California Grown Flower Month to recognize and honor the people who comprise the California grown flower industry for their dedication, productivity, and economic value to the state.

This measure would recognize and proclaim June 24, 2021, as Cystinuria Awareness Day to promote awareness of Cystinuria and to show support for California medical research centers that take an active role in the fight against the disease.

This measure would recognize the month of June 2021 as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month and Sunday, June 20, 2021, as The Longest Day, and would urge all Californians to commemorate the month of June 2021 as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month.

This measure would proclaim April 8, 2021, as California Holocaust Memorial Day, and would urge all Californians to observe this day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.