Sen. Shannon Grove

Existing law requires the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, as provided, to be paid to all workers employed on public works projects that exceed $1,000. This bill would increase the cost threshold to $2,000 and would require that cost threshold to be adjusted annually for inflation as provided by a specified California Consumer Price Index.

This measure would honor and recognize the service and sacrifice made by members of the Armed Forces and their families on the occasion of Armed Forces Day on May 19, 2012.

This measure would recognize April 23, 2012, to April 30, 2012, inclusive, as Black April Memorial Week, and April 2012 as Vietnamese American month.

This measure would acknowledge the month of April 2012 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and encourage the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools.

This measure would recognize that the California Prayer Breakfast is commemorating and celebrating its 51st year of existence at the State Capitol in 2012 with the California Prayer Breakfast being held on May 10, 2012, at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel.

Existing law provides that any elected public officer who takes public office, or is reelected to public office, on or after January 1, 2006, who is convicted of any specified felony arising directly out of his or her official duties, forfeits all rights and benefits under, and membership in, any public retirement system in which he or she is a member, effective on the date of final conviction, as specified. This bill would require that an employee of a school district, county office of education, or charter school, who is convicted of any state or federal felony for conduct arising out of, or in the performance of, his or her official duties in pursuit of the office or appointment, or in connection with obtaining salary, disability retirement, or service retirement, or other benefits, forfeit retirement benefits earned or accrued from the earliest date of the commission of the felony to the forfeiture date, as specified. The bill would also require any contributions to the public retirement system made by the employee on or after the earliest date of commission of the felony to be returned, without interest, to the employee upon the occurrence of a distribution event, as defined, unless otherwise ordered by a court or determined by the pension administrator.

The Legislative Open Records Act (LORA) requires that a legislative record, as defined, be open to public inspection unless the record is exempt from disclosure under the act. This bill would provide that LORA shall be construed with a strong presumption in favor of public access to legislative records. The bill would state that a record that reflects the approved budget allocation for a Member of the Legislature or the Member's office is not exempt from mandatory disclosure under LORA.

Under existing law, a person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with intent to effect or maintain specified felonies, including pandering or extortion, or to obtain forced labor or services, is guilty of human trafficking. Under existing law, a person convicted of human trafficking is punished by imprisonment in a state prison for 3, 4, or 5 years, unless the victim is under 18 years of age in which case the term of imprisonment is 4, 6, or 8 years. Existing law requires a fine of $100,000 when a person is convicted of human trafficking involving a commercial sex act and the victim is under 18 years of age. This bill would make the crime of human trafficking, where the victim is an adult and the crime involves a commercial sex act, punishable by 10, 12, or 14 years in state prison and, where the victim is a minor and the crime involves a commercial sex act, punishable by 25 years to life in a state prison. By creating a new crime, 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 each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, state, and county funds. Under existing law, the county is required to annually redetermine eligibility for CalWORKs benefits. Existing law requires a county to develop a plan describing how the county intends to deliver the full range of activities and services necessary to move CalWORKs recipients from welfare to work. The county plan is required to include a plan for the provision of substance abuse treatment services. This bill would require an applicant for, or recipient of, CalWORKs cash aid to undergo drug testing on a periodic basis, as a condition of eligibility. The bill would specify the substances for which drug testing would be conducted, and would require the department to seek any federal approvals necessary for the implementation of the bill. The bill would specify the duties of the department and county welfare departments in connection with the drug testing procedures, including paying the costs of a licensed substance abuse program, as specified. This bill would provide that otherwise eligible children in the household of an applicant or recipient who is ineligible for aid because of a positive drug test shall receive CalWORKs aid, under specified conditions. This bill would authorize the department to implement the bill through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director until regulations are adopted. The bill would require counties to implement the bill's requirements within 60 days from the date of issuance of the all-county letters. Because counties administer the CalWORKs program, by increasing county duties, 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, 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.

This measure would call upon all Californians to observe César Chávez's birthday, March 31, as a day of public service, to recognize the hard work and self-sacrifice that farmworkers go through to feed all the families in our state, and to learn from César Chávez's life and his mission of nonviolence, social justice, and selfless service to others.