Existing law grants a cause of action to a depicted individual, as defined, against a person who either (1) creates and intentionally discloses sexually explicit material if the person knows or reasonably should have known the depicted individual did not consent to its creation or disclosure or (2) intentionally discloses sexually explicit material that the person did not create if the person knows the depicted individual did not consent to its creation. Existing law also specifies that a victim of human trafficking may bring a civil action for actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, any combination of those, or any other appropriate relief. Existing federal law grants a cause of action to a person who, while a minor, was a victim of a violation of specified federal crimes and who suffers personal injury as a result of such violation, regardless of whether the injury occurred while such person was a minor. This bill would allow a person who is depicted in certain sexual images when the person was less than 18 years of age to bring a civil action for specified damages and relief against a person or entity that distributes that material, as specified. The bill would require, in addition to any other damages awarded to a prevailing plaintiff, statutory damages of $200,000 to be paid by the defendant for failing to cease distribution of the material within 2 business days after notice of claimed infringement of these provisions was received by the defendant. The bill would require the operator of an online service or internet website that is available in California to list an agent for notification of claimed violation of these provisions, as specified. The bill would also require the operator to create a method to contact that agent for the purpose of reporting the erroneous removal of content, as specified. The bill would further require the operator to destroy material subject to these provisions if the operator has confirmed that any investigation related to that material has been completed. The bill would state that its provisions are severable.
Sponsored bills
Existing law makes it a crime to, among other things, possess any matter, representation of information, data, or image, including, but not limited to, any film, filmstrip, photograph, negative, slide, photocopy, videotape, video laser disc, computer hardware, computer software, computer floppy disc, data storage media, CD-ROM, or computer-generated equipment or any other computer-generated image that contains or incorporates in any manner, any film or filmstrip, the production of which involves the use of a person under 18 years of age, knowing that the matter depicts a person under 18 years of age personally engaging in or simulating sexual conduct. This bill would, for the purposes of those provisions, include an image generated through the use of artificial intelligence, as defined, as a computer-generated image. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law imposes specified duties on the Department of Justice relating to the collection and analysis of criminal statistical data, including, among other things, a requirement to make information relating to criminal justice statistics available to the public through the department's OpenJustice internet portal. This bill would require the Department of Justice to include in its collection and analysis of criminal statistical data violations based on materials generated through the use of artificial intelligence. 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.
(1) Existing law establishes various programs to provide assistance to homeless youth, including, among others, homeless youth emergency service pilot projects and the Runaway Youth and Families in Crisis Project. This bill, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, would require the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Success, Opportunity, and Academic Resilience (SOAR) Guaranteed Income Program. The program would award public school pupils who are in grade 12 and are homeless children or youths, as defined, a guaranteed income of $1,000 each month for 4 months from May 1, 2025, to August 1, 2025, inclusive, as provided. The bill would establish the California SOAR Guaranteed Income Fund as the initial depository of all moneys appropriated, donated, or otherwise received for the program, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, would provide moneys in the fund to counties that opt in to the program for distribution to eligible participants. (2) Existing federal law, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, provides grants to states to carry out activities relating to the education of homeless children and youths, as defined, including, among others, providing services and activities to improve the identification of homeless children and youths and to enable them to enroll in and succeed in school. Existing law requires local educational agency liaisons, as defined, to ensure that homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities, as specified. This bill would require, in counties participating in the California SOAR Guaranteed Income Program, local educational agency liaisons to provide all known eligible participants with program information and enrollment forms, as specified. (3) Existing law, beginning on or after January 1, 2015, in modified conformity with federal income tax law, allows an earned income tax credit, the California Earned Income Tax Credit, against personal income tax. The Personal Income Tax Law also allows, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2019, a young child tax credit and, for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2022, a foster youth tax credit against the taxes imposed under that law. This bill, for the taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, would exclude from gross income, for purposes of the personal income tax, any amount received as an award pursuant to the California SOAR Guaranteed Income Program. The bill, for the taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, would additionally provide that the amount awarded is not earned income for purposes of eligibility for the California Earned Income Tax Credit, the young child tax credit, or the foster youth tax credit. (4) Existing law establishes various public social services programs to provide eligible recipients with certain benefits, including, but not limited to, cash assistance under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, nutrition assistance under the CalFresh program, and health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Under existing law, those programs, among others, are in part federally funded and governed by federal eligibility criteria, including specified income or resource limits. This bill would prohibit any award received by a student through the California SOAR Guaranteed Income Program from being considered income or resources for purposes of determining the student's, or any member of their household's, eligibility for benefits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance, under any state or local means-tested program, including certain public social services programs. The bill would condition implementation of this provision on not conflicting with federal law, or receipt of any necessary federal waivers or exemptions and the availability of any applicable federal financial participation, as specified. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with stakeholders and the Legislature, to identify the CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal programs and any other state program that implements a federal means-tested program and that would require an exemption or waiver. The bill would require a state department or agency that administers a program identified by the State Department of Social Services or by the department or agency itself, to approve an exemption or waiver or to seek one from the federal government. If the state fails to receive the necessary federal exemption or waiver, the bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to consider alternatives to prevent adverse consequences for California SOAR Guaranteed Income Program participants. (5) This bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028, except as provided. (6) Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include the additional information required for a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates October 2024 and every subsequent October as Italian American Heritage Month in California to honor the state's significant Italian American population and their historical contributions. The measure encourages public schools to highlight Italian American achievements in social science textbooks and ethnic studies courses, aiming to increase awareness of their roles in industries like banking, agriculture, and wine. While the resolution does not mandate specific curriculum changes, it formally recognizes the group's impact on California's culture and economy and directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the text with relevant educational boards and school districts.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution acknowledges the 40th anniversary of the sister state relationship between California and Taiwan and highlights the economic benefits of their partnership, noting that Taiwan is a major trading partner for the state. The measure recognizes the significant contributions of Taiwanese communities to California's growth and supports Taiwan's participation in international organizations through appropriate channels. It also expresses the Senate's view that Taiwan's democracy is important for regional peace and prosperity. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or change policies but serves to formally recognize these relationships and encourage future cooperation.
Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) , to provide assistance to a noncitizen of the United States if the person's immigration status meets the eligibility criteria of SNAP in effect on August 21, 1996, but the person is not eligible for SNAP benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also makes eligible for the program an applicant who is otherwise eligible for the program, but who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, if the applicant is sponsored and the applicant meets one of a list of criteria, including that the applicant, after entry into the United States, is a victim of the sponsor or the spouse of the sponsor if the spouse is living with the sponsor. Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, makes an individual 55 years of age or older eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. This bill would delete the above-described contingency and, commencing on October 1, 2027, remove that age limitation and make any individual eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. By extending eligibility for CFAP, which is administered by the counties, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) , to provide assistance to a noncitizen of the United States if the person's immigration status meets the eligibility criteria of SNAP in effect on August 21, 1996, but the person is not eligible for SNAP benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also makes eligible for the program an applicant who is otherwise eligible for the program, but who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, if the applicant is sponsored and the applicant meets one of a list of criteria, including that the applicant, after entry into the United States, is a victim of the sponsor or the spouse of the sponsor if the spouse is living with the sponsor. Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, makes an individual 55 years of age or older eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. This bill would remove that age limitation and make any individual eligible for the program if the individual's immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. By extending eligibility for CFAP, which is administered by the counties, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law, the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Housing Finance Act, establishes the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority to raise, administer, and allocate funding for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay area, as defined, and provide technical assistance at a regional level for tenant protection, affordable housing preservation, and new affordable housing production. The act vests the authority with various powers, including authorizing it to place a measure on the ballot to raise revenue and allocate funds throughout the San Francisco Bay area, apply for and receive grants or loans from public and private entities, incur and issue bonds and other indebtedness, and otherwise incur liabilities or obligations, as specified. The act authorizes the authority to allocate and deploy financing to cities, counties, other public agencies within the San Francisco Bay area, and private affordable housing developers to finance affordable housing development, as specified. The act requires revenue generated pursuant to the act be used for the construction of new affordable housing, affordable housing preservation, tenant protection programs, planning and technical assistance related to affordable housing, and for infrastructure to support housing and other purposes, as specified. Existing law defines "public works," for the purposes of regulating public works contracts, as, among other things, construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for, in whole or in part, out of public funds. Existing law further requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages be paid to workers employed on public works and imposes misdemeanor penalties for a willful violation of this requirement. Under this bill, a construction or rehabilitation project receiving funding or financing from revenue under the act, as specified, would constitute a public work for which prevailing wages are required to be paid pursuant to existing law. The bill would require that certain projects with 40 units or more be eligible to receive funding or financing from revenue generated under the act only if all construction and rehabilitation will be subject to a project labor agreement, as defined, with the same terms as the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District Major Projects Project Stabilization Agreement, as specified and defined, except that if a regional or countywide project labor agreement, as defined, that meets certain requirements is negotiated, then the bill would provide that those projects are eligible for funding or financing from the agency only if all construction and rehabilitation is subject to that project labor agreement. The bill would authorize the authority to negotiate and enter into project labor agreements for projects receiving funding or financing from revenue generated under the act. Because the willful violation of prevailing wage requirements when engaged in these public works projects would result in the imposition of misdemeanor penalties, 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.
(1) Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law generally authorizes a health care service plan or disability insurer to use utilization review, under which a licensed physician or a licensed health care professional who is competent to evaluate specific clinical issues may approve, modify, delay, or deny requests for health care services based on medical necessity. Existing law requires these decisions to be made within 30 days, or less than 72 hours when the enrollee faces an imminent and serious threat to their health. Existing law requires a health care service plan to establish a grievance system to resolve grievances within 30 days, but limits that timeframe to 3 days when the enrollee faces an imminent and serious threat to their health. Existing law requires a plan to provide a written explanation for its grievance decisions, as specified. This bill would require that utilization review decisions be made within 72 hours from the health care service plan's receipt of the clinical information reasonably necessary to make the determination when the enrollee's condition is urgent. If the plan lacks the information reasonably necessary to make a decision regarding an urgent request, the bill would require the plan to notify the enrollee and provider about the information necessary to complete the request within 24 hours of receiving the request. The bill would require the plan to notify the enrollee and the provider of the decision within a reasonable amount of time, but not later than 48 hours after specified circumstances occur. If a health care service plan fails to make a utilization review decision, or provide notice of a decision, within the specified timelines, the bill would require the health care service plan to treat the request for authorization as a grievance and provide notice with specified information to the enrollee that a grievance has commenced, if the plan has received the information necessary to make a decision. This bill would require a plan's grievance system to include expedited review of urgent grievances, as specified. The bill would require a plan to communicate its final grievance determination within 72 hours of receipt if urgent and 30 days if nonurgent, except as specified. If a plan fails to make a utilization review decision within the applicable timelines, the bill would require a grievance to be automatically resolved in favor of the enrollee, except in specified circumstances. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law establishes the Independent Medical Review System in the Department of Managed Health Care to review grievances involving a disputed health care service. Existing law authorizes an enrollee to apply to the department for an independent medical review of a decision regarding health care services based in whole or in part on a finding that the disputed services are not medically necessary within 6 months of any specified qualifying periods and authorizes the director to extend that deadline if the circumstances of a case warrant the extension. This bill would extend the above deadline to 12 months beyond the specified qualifying periods. The bill would require the plan to provide specified correspondence and documents to an enrollee and their representative, if applicable, if the enrollee has submitted a grievance for review under the Independent Medical Review System. The bill would require the department to provide an enrollee and their representative a reasonable opportunity to respond to communications between the department and the plan before the grievance is resolved. The bill would prohibit the department and its independent medical review organization from engaging in ex parte communication with a plan, enrollee, or their representatives during the grievance process, except as specified. (3) Existing law provides for the regulation of disability insurers, including health insurers, by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a disability insurer, including an insurer that delegates utilization review or utilization management functions to medical groups, independent practice associations, or other contracting providers, to comply with specified requirements and limitations on their utilization review or utilization management functions. Existing law requires a decision to approve, modify, or deny a request by a provider before, or concurrent with, the provision of health care services to insureds to be made no more than 5 business days from the insurer's receipt of information necessary to make the determination. If the insured's condition poses an imminent and serious threat to the insured's health, existing law requires the decision to be made within no more than 72 hours. Existing law requires a decision to be communicated to the requesting provider within 24 hours of the decision, but requires a decision resulting in denial, delay, or modification of all or part of the requested health care service to be communicated within 2 business days, except as specified. This bill would limit the applicability of the above-described provisions to health insurers. The bill would require a decision to approve, modify, or deny a request by a provider before the provision of health care services to be communicated no more than 5 business days from the health insurer's receipt of the request. If the insurer lacks information reasonably necessary to make the decision, the bill would require the insurer to notify the insured and provider within 5 business days from receipt of request and to afford the insured and provider at least 45 days from receipt of that notice to provide the information. If the insured's condition is urgent, as defined, the bill would require a decision to approve, modify, or deny a request by a provider before, or concurrent with, the provision of health care services to be communicated no more than 72 hours from the insurer's receipt of the request. If the insurer lacks information reasonably necessary to make the decision, the bill would require the insurer to notify the insured and provider no later than 24 hours from receipt of request and to afford the insured and provider at least 48 hours from receipt of that notice to provide the information. The bill would require an insurer to communicate a decision to modify or deny a concurrent care request, as specified, within 24 hours from the insurer's receipt of the request. If an insurer fails to provide notice of a decision, the bill would require an insurer to treat the request as a grievance and immediately notify the insured and provider that a grievance has commenced, if the insurer has received the information necessary to make a decision. (4) Existing law establishes the Independent Medical Review System in the department to review grievances involving a disputed health care service. Existing law requires a disability insurance policy issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after January 1, 2000, to provide an insured with the opportunity to seek an independent medical review when health care services have been denied, modified, or delayed if the decision was based in whole or in part on a finding that the proposed health care services are not medically necessary. Existing law authorizes an insured to apply to the department for an independent medical review when specified conditions are met. If a grievance is filed internally with an insurer, this bill would require an insurer to acknowledge receipt of the grievance within 24 hours of receipt if urgent and 5 calendar days if nonurgent, and then communicate its final grievance determination within 72 hours of receipt if urgent and 30 days if nonurgent. Upon notice from the department to a health insurer that an insured has submitted a complaint to the department, the bill would require an insurer to respond within 24 hours if a complaint is urgent, or within 5 calendar days regarding a nonurgent complaint. This bill would require the department to determine whether or not a complaint is urgent, as specified, unless the insured's provider has already designated the complaint as urgent. The bill would require the insurer to offer to provide specified correspondence and documents to an insured and their representative, if applicable, if the insured has submitted a complaint or independent medical review case to the department. The bill would require the department to provide an insured and their representative a reasonable opportunity to respond to communications between the department and the insurer before the grievance is resolved. The bill would prohibit an insurer from engaging in ex parte communication with the independent medical review organization deciding a case. (5) 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.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 114 is a non-binding tribute from the California State Senate honoring President Joseph Biden for his extensive public service career. The resolution details his background, legislative achievements, and leadership roles as a senator, vice president, and president, specifically highlighting his work on infrastructure, climate action, and pandemic response. It concludes by formally thanking the President for stepping down to allow new leaders to take office and directs the Senate Secretary to distribute copies of the resolution.