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. This bill would require a recipient of CalWORKs aid to undergo drug testing on a periodic basis, as a condition of continued eligibility. The bill would specify those substances for which drug testing would be conducted. The bill would require a recipient who fails a periodic drug test to successfully complete a one-year drug treatment program. The bill would discontinue the individual's aid under the CalWORKS program upon failure of the individual to participate in testing or to successfully complete the required drug treatment program. The bill would require the department to seek any federal approvals necessary for the implementation of the bill. 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.
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The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow a taxpayer to claim certain tax incentives for activities conducted in an enterprise zone, the Los Angeles Revitalization Zone, or in a targeted tax area, including credits for the amount of sales or use tax paid or incurred in connection with the purchase of qualified property and for certain wages paid to specified employees, treatment of the cost of certain depreciable property as an expense that is deductible, and a deduction for net operating losses. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact similar tax incentives for activities conducted in the Mojave Air and Space Port Region.
The Vehicle License Fee Law, in lieu of any ad valorem property tax upon vehicles, imposes an annual license fee for any vehicle subject to registration in this state in the amount of 1% of the market value of that vehicle, as provided, for a specified amount of time. Existing law also, until July 1, 2011, imposes an additional tax equal to 0.15% of the market value of specified vehicles, as determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles, to the vehicle license fee, to be deposited in the General Fund and transferred to the Local Safety and Protection Account, a continuously appropriated fund. Existing law provides that money in the account shall be allocated for various public safety programs, as provided. This bill would, beginning July 1, 2011, and each July 1 thereafter for a transfer $500,000,000 from the General Fund to the account total of 5 years, as provided. By transferring funds to a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law establishes various social service programs that provide cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program for the allocation of federal funds received through the federal TANF block grant program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Under the CalWORKs program, certain recipients are required to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to adopt a work-placement or internship program to receive welfare benefits from the State of California.
(1) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The state board is required to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020, and to adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions. The act authorizes the state board, in furtherance of achieving the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit by January 1, 2011, to adopt a regulation that establishes a system of market-based declining annual aggregate emission limits for sources or categories of sources that emit greenhouse gas emissions, applicable from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020, inclusive, that the state board determines will achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, in the aggregate, from those sources or categories of sources. The act also authorizes the state board to include in its regulations the use of market-based compliance mechanisms to comply with the regulations, subject to prescribed requirements. This bill would require the state board to make findings and submit a status report to the Legislature no later than July 31, 2011, on the readiness of a proposed cap-and-trade program to begin January 1, 2012. The bill would authorize the board, if it makes a specified finding in the status report, to commence the cap-and-trade program after January 1, 2012, but no later than January 1, 2013. The bill would require the board to provide an annual cap-and-trade status report to the Legislature. (2) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law regulates fireworks and pyrotechnic displays and requires that a permit be obtained from the State Fire Marshal in certain instances. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared by contract, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, 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. The California Coastal Act of 1976 provides for the planning and regulation of development, under a coastal development permit process, within the coastal zone. Existing law defines development for these purposes. This bill would exempt a municipal fireworks display, as defined, from the provisions of CEQA. Because a lead agency would have to determine the applicability of the exemption and to take certain specified action upon a determination of exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide that a coastal development permit is not required for a municipal fireworks display and would specify that "development" does not include a municipal fireworks display. 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 California Small Business Board in the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and specifies its duties, including, but not limited to, advising the Governor, the director, as specified, and the Small Business Advocate regarding issues and programs affecting California's small business community, and holding public hearings in order to carry out the objectives of the agency. This bill would require the board, until January 1, 2014, as a priority area of focus and deliberation, to review the state's licensing and permitting regulations as they impact small businesses, with special attention to the regulatory impact on small business startups, and would require each state agency to cooperate with the board in that review. The bill would require the board to report a summary of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Small Business Advocate, and the Legislature on July 1, 2012, July 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013, as specified.
Under existing law, the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources in the Department of Conservation regulates the operation of oil, gas, and geothermal wells in specified districts of the state. Existing law establishes procedures for an operator of a well or owner of a rig, derrick, or other operating structure to appeal from an order of the State Oil and Gas Supervisor or a district deputy regarding the operation of a well, or drilling or testing operations, including appeal of these orders to the Director of Conservation and judicial review of the director's decision. Existing law specifies the scope of judicial review of a decision of the director. . This bill would require the court's inquiry to extend to whether the decision of the director was unreasonable.
The California Constitution provides that a Senator is elected for a term of 4 years and may serve no more than 2 terms, and that a Member of the Assembly is elected for a term of 2 years and may serve no more than 3 terms. This bill would prohibit a Member of the Legislature, for a period of 4 years after leaving office, from serving for compensation in an appointed position on a state board, commission, or similar multimember body of the state. If a Member of the Legislature leaves office and is subsequently elected to either house of the Legislature, the bill would provide that a new 4-year period shall commence each time the Member leaves office. The bill would make these provisions inapplicable with regard to a state board, commission, or similar multimember body of the state that is established by the California Constitution or an initiative statute. The bill would make these provisions applicable only to Members of the Legislature who are elected to office on or after January 1, 2012.
Existing law creates the Public Employees' Retirement System which provides a defined benefit to its members based on age at retirement, service credit, and final compensation. This bill would require the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System to create a hybrid retirement plan for public employees who become members on or after January 1, 2012, that offers a defined contribution plan and defined benefit plan for retirement for service and a defined benefit plan for retirement for disability or for death. The bill would prohibit those plans from creating a vested property right for the member with respect to any employer contributions before retirement, as specified. The bill would prohibit those members from being eligible to enroll in the defined benefit plan for retirement for service that existed before January 1, 2012.