Existing law defines a "committee" under the Political Reform Act of 1974 by reference to amounts of moneys received in contributions, made in independent expenditures, or made in contributions by a person or persons on an annual basis. This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this provision.
Existing law imposes an annual minimum franchise tax, except as provided, on every corporation incorporated in this state, qualified to transact intrastate business in this state, or doing business in this state. Existing law exempts a corporation that incorporates or qualifies to do business in this state from the payment of the minimum franchise tax in its first taxable year. Existing law imposes an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax on every limited liability company doing business in this state. In addition, existing law requires every limited liability company if the articles of organization have been accepted by, or a certificate of registration has been issued by, the Secretary of State to pay an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, would additionally eliminate that minimum franchise tax, in the 2nd and 3rd taxable years, for a corporation that is a new veteran-owned small business, and that annual tax, in the first 3 taxable years, for a limited liability company that is a new veteran-owned small business, as defined. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
(1) Existing law establishes the right of agricultural employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations to engage in collective bargaining activities with agricultural employers regarding wages, working conditions, or other aspects of employment. Existing law prohibits a labor organization or its agents from engaging in specified unfair labor practices. This bill would additionally prohibit a labor organization from abandoning or failing to represent a bargaining unit for 3 or more years. This bill would require the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to decertify a labor organization that violates this provision. (2) Existing law specifies the time for filing a declaration by an agricultural employer or a certified labor organization representing agricultural employees that the parties have failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement, thus triggering mandatory mediation. Once triggered, the mediation under these provisions is immediately scheduled at a time and location reasonably accessible to the parties and proceeds for 30 days, with an additional 30-day extension upon the mutual agreement of the parties. This bill would deem members of the bargaining unit to be parties for the purposes of the mediation. Existing law establishes the conditions and time periods under which an agricultural employer, as defined, or a certified labor organization representing agricultural employees may file a declaration with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board stating that the parties have failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement, thus triggering a board order for mandatory mediation. Existing law authorizes a party, within 60 days of the order by the Agricultural Labor Relations Board taking effect, to file an action to enforce the order. Existing law prohibits an order of the board from being stayed during the pendency of any appeal of the order unless the appellant demonstrates that he or she is likely to prevail on the merits and that he or she will be irreparably harmed by implementation of the board's order. This bill would condition the effect and enforcement of an order resulting from the binding mediation on the order being approved by a majority of the members of the affected bargaining unit.
In a fiscal year immediately after a fiscal year in which a transfer is made into the Public School System Stabilization Account, existing law prohibits a school district's adopted or revised budget from containing a combined assigned or unassigned ending fund balance that is in excess of either 2 or 3 times the minimum recommended reserve for economic uncertainties adopted by the State Board of Education, depending on the school district's units of average daily attendance. Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools to waive the prohibition, pursuant to specified conditions, for up to 2 consecutive fiscal years within a 3-year period if the school district provides documentation indicating that extraordinary fiscal circumstances substantiate the need for the balance. This bill would repeal those provisions. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority with specified powers and duties relating to the development and implementation of an intercity high-speed train system. Existing law authorizes the authority to acquire rights-of-way through purchase or eminent domain. Existing law sets forth the process for acquisition of property by eminent domain, including a requirement for adoption of a resolution of necessity. Existing law, pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, authorizes $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail development and other related purposes. Existing law, for purposes of the bond act, defines "usable segment" as a portion of a corridor, as defined, that includes at least 2 stations. This bill would prohibit the authority, or the State Public Works Board acting on behalf of the authority, from adopting a resolution of necessity to commence an eminent domain proceeding to acquire a parcel of real property along a corridor, or usable segment thereof, for the high-speed train system unless the resolution identifies the sources of all funds to be invested in the corridor or usable segment and the anticipated time of receipt of those funds, and certifies that the authority has completed all necessary project level environmental clearances necessary to proceed to construction. The bill, for these purposes, would instead define "usable segment" as a portion of a corridor, as defined, that includes at least 2 stations and shall be used to operate high-speed train service, as specified.
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 emissions reductions. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing state board regulations require specified entities to comply with a market-based compliance mechanism beginning January 1, 2013, and require additional specified entities to comply with that market-based compliance mechanism beginning January 1, 2015. This bill instead would exempt categories of persons or entities that did not have a compliance obligation, as defined, under a market-based compliance mechanism beginning January 1, 2013, from being subject to that market-based compliance mechanism through December 31, 2020. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law generally regulates the sale and transfer of firearms, including, among other requirements and subject to exceptions, that the transfer of a firearm be conducted through a firearms dealer. Existing law, subject to exceptions, imposes a 10-day waiting period for delivery of a firearm, during which time a background check is conducted by the Department of Justice to determine if the proposed recipient of the firearm is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. This bill would provide that if the person is determined by the department not to be prohibited from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm, and the person possesses a firearm as confirmed by the Automated Firearms System (AFS) , is authorized to carry a concealed firearm, or possesses a valid Certificate of Eligibility and a firearm as confirmed by the AFS, the department shall immediately notify the dealer who shall immediately release the firearm to the person and not wait the full 10 days to do so.
Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the State Air Resources Board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation. Existing law continuously appropriates 25% of the annual proceeds of the fund to the High-Speed Rail Authority for specified components of the initial operating segment and Phase I blended system, as described in the authority's 2012 business plan. This bill would provide that the continuous appropriations from the fund to the High-Speed Rail Authority are for specified components of the initial operating segment and Phase I blended system, as described in the authority's 2012 business plan, of the high-speed train system that shall be constructed as specified.
This measure would proclaim January 26, 2016, as India Republic Day, and would urge all Californians to join in celebrating India Republic Day.
Existing federal law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , enacts various health care coverage market reforms that took effect January 1, 2014. Among other things, PPACA requires a health insurance issuer offering coverage in the individual or small group market to ensure that the coverage includes the essential health benefits package, as defined. PPACA does not require that a qualified health plan provide coverage for abortion, as specified. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care. Under existing law, the Director of Managed Health Care may, after appropriate notice and opportunity for a hearing, by order suspend or revoke a license issued under the act, or assess administrative penalties if the director determines that the licensee has committed an act or omission constituting grounds for disciplinary action. This bill would provide that a health care service plan is not required to include abortion as a covered benefit. The bill would prohibit the director from denying a license, or disciplining a licensee, on the basis that the plan excludes coverage for abortions.
