(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 approve a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020. The state board is also required to complete a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, as defined, in the state. This bill would require the state board, no later than January 1, 2018, to approve and begin implementing that comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants to achieve a reduction in methane by 40%, hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40%, and anthropogenic black carbon by 50% below 2013 levels by 2030, as specified. The bill also would establish specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills. This bill would require the state board, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, to adopt regulations to reduce methane emissions from livestock manure management operations and dairy manure management operations, as specified. The bill would require the state board to take certain actions prior to adopting those regulations. This bill would require the regulations to take effect on or after January 1, 2024, if the state board, in consultation with the department, makes certain determinations. This bill would require the state board, the Public Utilities Commission, and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to undertake various actions related to reducing short-lived climate pollutants in the state. The bill would require state agencies to consider and, as appropriate, adopt policies and incentives to significantly increase the sustainable production and use of renewable gas. (2) The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, which is administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, establishes an integrated waste management program that requires each county and city and county to prepare and submit to the department a countywide integrated waste management plan. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the state board, to adopt regulations that achieve the specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills. The bill would authorize local jurisdictions to charge and collect fees to recover the local jurisdiction's costs incurred in complying with the regulations. The bill would require, no later than July 1, 2020, the department, in consultation with the state board, to analyze the progress that the waste sector, state government, and local governments have made in achieving the specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills. The bill would authorize the department, depending on the outcome of that analysis, to amend the regulations to include incentives or additional requirements, as specified. By adding to the duties of local governments related to organic waste in landfills, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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.
Sponsored bills
(1) Existing law, the Contractors' State License Law, provides for the licensure, regulation, and discipline of contractors by the Contractors' State License Board. Existing law requires the board, with the approval of the Director of Consumer Affairs, to appoint a registrar of contractors to serve as the executive officer and secretary of the board. Under existing law, protection of the public is required to be the highest priority for the Contractors' State License Board in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Under existing law, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health has the power, jurisdiction, and supervision over every employment and place of employment in this state, which is necessary to adequately enforce and administer all laws and lawful standards and orders, or special orders requiring such employment and place of employment to be safe, and requiring the protection of the life, safety, and health of every employee in such employment or place of employment. Existing law requires the division to transmit to the Registrar of Contractors copies of any reports made in any investigation, as specified, and authorizes the division, upon its own motion or upon request, to transmit copies of any other reports made in any investigation conducted involving a licensed contractor. This bill would instead require the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, after consultation with the board, to transmit to the board copies of any citations or other actions taken by the division against a contractor, as defined. The bill would authorize the board to enter into an interagency agreement with any other state or local agency the board deems to be in possession of information relevant to its priority to protect the public. This bill would require a licensee to report to the registrar within 90 days of the date that the licensee has knowledge of the conviction of the licensee for any felony or any other crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a licensed contractor. This bill would require the board to consult with licensees, consumers, and other interested stakeholders in order to prepare a study of judgments, arbitration awards, and settlements that were the result of claims for construction defects for rental residential units and, by January 1, 2018, report to the Legislature the results of the study to determine if the board's ability to protect the public would be enhanced by regulations requiring licensees to report judgments, arbitration awards, or settlement payments of those claims. This bill would specify that participation in the study by licensees and consumers is voluntary. The bill would require records or documents obtained by the board during the course of implementing this study that are exempt from public disclosure to remain exempt from disclosure. (2) Under existing law, there exists the California Building Standards Commission. Existing law requires the California Building Standards Commission to, among other things, review the standards of adopting state agencies and approve, return for amendment with recommended changes, or reject building standards submitted to the commission for its approval, as provided. This bill, until January 1, 2018, would require the working group formed by the California Building Standards Commission to study recent exterior elevated element failures in the state to submit a report to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature containing any findings and possible recommendations for statutory or other changes to the California Building Standards Code and would require the working group to review related documents and reports, as specified. However, if, at any time, it is determined by the working group that one or more changes to the California Building Standards Code are needed as soon as possible in order to protect the public, the bill would, until January 1, 2018, require the working group to submit the recommended changes to the California Building Standards Commission for consideration as soon as possible, as specified. (3) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts professions and vocations by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Under existing law, it is unlawful for licensed healing arts practitioners, except as specified, to offer, deliver, receive, or accept any rebate, refund, commission, preference, patronage dividend, discount, or other consideration, in the form of money or otherwise, as compensation or inducement for referring patients, clients, or customers to any person. Existing law makes a violation of this provision a public offense punishable upon a first conviction by imprisonment, as specified, or a fine not exceeding $50,000, or by imprisonment and that fine. This bill would provide that the payment or receipt of consideration for advertising, wherein a licensed healing arts practitioner offers or sells services through a third-party advertiser, does not constitute a referral of patients when the third-party advertiser does not itself recommend, endorse, or otherwise select a licensee. The bill would require that the fee paid to the third-party advertiser be commensurate with the service provided by the third-party advertiser. The bill would require the purchaser of the service to receive a refund of the full purchase price if the licensee determines, after consultation with the purchaser, that the service provided by the licensee is not appropriate for the purchaser, or if the purchaser elects not to receive the service for any reason and requests a refund, as specified. The bill would require that a licensee disclose in the advertisement that a consultation is required and that the purchaser will receive a refund if not eligible to receive the service. The bill would specify that these provisions do not apply to basic health care services or essential health benefits, as defined. The bill would also provide that the entity that provides advertising is required to be able to demonstrate that the licensee consented in writing to these provisions. The bill would require a third-party advertiser to make available to prospective purchasers advertisements for services of all licensees then advertising through the third-party advertiser in the applicable geographic region and to disclose, in any advertisement offering a discount price for a service, the regular, nondiscounted price for that service.
(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 approve 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. This bill would require the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. (2) This bill would become operative only if AB 197 of the 2015–16 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on or before January 1, 2017.
This measure would proclaim the month of September 2016 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and state the commitment of the Legislature to support efforts to find cures for, and achieve prevention of, childhood cancer.
This measure would congratulate the United States Women's National Soccer Team on its impressive and historic World Cup victory on July 5, 2015.
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district, on or before July 1 of each year, to hold a hearing on, and adopt a budget for, the subsequent fiscal year. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district that proposes to adopt a budget that includes a combined assigned and unassigned ending fund balance in excess of the minimum recommended reserve for economic uncertainties adopted by the State Board of Education to provide specified information for public review and discussion. This bill would instead require the governing board of a school district that proposes to adopt a budget that includes unassigned ending balances in the school district's general fund and special reserve fund for other than capital outlay projects in excess of the minimum recommended reserve for economic uncertainties to provide specified information for public review and discussion. The bill would also require the governing board of a school district to adopt a policy establishing procedures for reporting the fund balances as reflected in the school district's governmental fund financial statements, as specified. By imposing additional duties on school districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law limits the amount of the combined assigned or unassigned ending fund balance contained in a school district's annual budget in any fiscal year immediately after a fiscal year in which a transfer is made into the Public School System Stabilization Account. Existing law establishes formulas for calculating the maximum amount allowable for school districts with less than 400,000 units of average daily attendance and for school districts with more than 400,000 units of average daily attendance, as specified. Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools to grant an exemption from those requirements if the school district provides documentation indicating extraordinary fiscal circumstances substantiate the need for a combined assigned or unassigned ending fund balance that is in excess of the minimum recommended reserve for economic uncertainties, as specified. This bill would instead provide that the school district's budget shall not contain unassigned ending balances in the school district's general fund and special reserve fund for other than capital outlay projects in excess of 15% of those funds, and would require a county superintendent of schools to grant a school district an exemption if the school district provides documentation indicating extraordinary fiscal circumstances substantiate the need for those fund balances, as specified. The bill would require the governing board of a school district to report in a public meeting its assigned and unassigned fund balances in the school district's general fund and special reserve fund for other than capital outlay projects, as specified. Because the bill would impose additional duties on school districts and county superintendents of schools, the 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.
Existing law provides for the Department of Motor Vehicles to register vehicles used on the public streets and highways and to verify insurance coverage. Existing law provides for the Public Utilities Commission to regulate certain classes of passenger carriers, including charter-party carriers of passengers and passenger stage corporations, and to issue certificates or permits in that regard. Existing law requires the Department of the California Highway Patrol to regulate the safe operation of certain classes of vehicles, including buses and modified limousines. Existing law requires charter-party carriers of passengers and passenger stage corporations to report the vehicles they use in their operations to the commission. A violation of provisions governing charter-party carriers of passengers and passenger stage corporations is a crime. This bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles, in issuing or renewing a commercial vehicle registration, to require the owner of a bus, limousine, or modified limousine used by a charter-party carrier of passengers or a passenger stage corporation to disclose the name of the carrier or corporation that will be using the vehicle in its operations. The bill would require the Public Utilities Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Motor Vehicles, to annually verify that the buses, limousines, and modified limousines used by a carrier or corporation have been reported to the commission by the carrier or corporation, would require the carriers and corporations to provide the commission with vehicle registration information for each vehicle, and would prohibit the commission from issuing or renewing a noncompliant carrier's or corporation's permit, certificate, or authority. The bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to notify the Public Utilities Commission when a charter-party carrier of passengers or a passenger stage corporation first registers a bus, limousine, or modified limousine with the department, and to provide information to the commission that will allow the commission to identify the vehicle. The bill would require the commission, with respect to those newly registered buses, limousines, or modified limousines, to ensure that the vehicles meet all statutory and regulatory requirements for safe operation. The bill, upon the commission becoming aware of a bus, limousine, or modified limousine of a charter-party carrier of passengers or a passenger stage corporation that has not been reported to the commission by the carrier or corporation, would require the commission to immediately take steps to require the carrier or corporation to update its reporting of vehicles to the commission and to request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to conduct a safety inspection of the vehicle. All of these provisions of the bill would become operative on January 1, 2018. Because a violation of certain provisions of the bill would be a 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.
The California Constitution declares the policy that the water resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable, that the waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable method of use of water be prevented, and that the conservation of such waters is to be exercised with a view to the reasonable and beneficial use of the waters in the interest of the people and for the public welfare. Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board to take all appropriate proceedings or actions to prevent waste, unreasonable use, unreasonable method of use, or unreasonable method of diversion of water in this state. Existing law authorizes any public entity, as defined, that supplies water at retail or wholesale for the benefit of persons within the service area or area of jurisdiction of the public entity to, by ordinance or resolution, adopt and enforce a water conservation program to reduce the quantity of water used for the purpose of conserving the water supplies of the public entity. Existing law provides that a violation of a requirement of a water conservation program is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than 30 days, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both. This bill would declare that during prescribed periods excessive water use by a residential customer in a single-family residence or by a customer in a multiunit housing complex, as specified, is prohibited. This bill, during prescribed periods, would require each urban retail water supplier to establish a method to identify and discourage excessive water use. This bill would authorize as a method to identify and discourage excessive water use the establishment of a rate structure that includes block tiers, water budgets, or rate surcharges over and above base rates for excessive water use by residential customers. This bill would authorize as a method to identify and discourage excessive water use the establishment of an excessive water use ordinance, rule, or tariff condition that includes a definition of or procedure to identify and address excessive water use, as prescribed, and would make a violation of this excessive water use ordinance, rule, or tariff condition an infraction or administrative civil penalty and would authorize the penalty for a violation to be based on conditions identified by the urban retail water supplier. By creating a new infraction, 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 authorizes the Sonoma Valley Health Care District and, until January 1, 2025, the Marin Healthcare District, to use the design-build process when contracting for the construction of a building or improvements directly related to a hospital or health facility building at the Sonoma Valley Hospital or the Marin General Hospital. Existing law sets forth the procurement process for design-build projects, as specified, and requires specified information by submitted design-build entities to be verified under penalty of perjury. This bill would instead authorize, until January 1, 2025, any health care district to use the design-build process when contracting for the construction of a hospital or health facility building. Because the bill would expand the application of the procurement process to additional design-build entities, the bill would expand the crime of perjury, thereby imposing 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.