Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim various days as days of remembrance or recognition. This bill would require the Governor to annually proclaim September 25 as Dolly Parton Day. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of contractors by the Contractors State License Board. Existing law prohibits contractors from performing specified acts. Existing law requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery or another state agency tasked to manage contracts for wildfire debris cleanup and removal by the Office of Emergency Services to prequalify contractors to enter into contracts to perform prescribed wildfire debris cleanup and removal work in communities impacted by wildfires. Notwithstanding the prequalification requirement, this bill would prohibit a contractor from engaging in debris removal that includes hazardous materials on residential or commercial property that is damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster for which an emergency or major disaster is declared, unless the contractor has one of the specified licenses or classifications, as provided. The bill would require any licensee authorized to perform debris removal that includes hazardous materials under these provisions to have passed an approved hazardous substance certification examination and comply with hazardous waste operation and emergency response requirements, as specified.
Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Child and Family Service Review System in order to review all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Existing law requires the review system outcome indicators to be consistent with the federal child and family service review measures and standards for child and family outcomes and system factors, as specified. This bill would require the review system to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty, and would require the department to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on those measures, as specified.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project 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. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA defines various terms, including "natural and protected lands" for its purposes. This bill would revise the definition of that term to include habitats for protected species identified as candidate, sensitive, or species of special status by state or federal agencies. CEQA exempts from its requirement projects that consist exclusively of a day care center that is not located in a residential area and projects that consist exclusively of an advanced manufacturing facility located on a site zoned exclusively for industrial uses. This bill would additionally exempt projects consisting exclusively of a family day care home, as defined. The bill would, for the exemption for the day care center and family day care home, instead require the projects for those facilities not be located in an area zoned for industrial use or within 3,200 feet of a facility that actively extracts or refines oil or natural gas in order for the exemption to apply. The bill would revise the exemption for advanced manufacturing facility projects to require those projects to be used exclusively for final tier manufacturing, as defined. The bill would require an applicant of an advanced manufacturing project that is exempted from CEQA under the bill's requirement to enter into a bona fide community benefits agreement, as provided, and to comply with certain labor requirements, as provided. The bill would require the lead agency, before determining that an advanced manufacturing project is exempt from CEQA, to hold at least one public hearing on the project and to ensure that the applicant complies with the requirement to enter into a bona fide community benefits agreement and the labor requirements. CEQA exempts from its requirements a rezoning that implements the schedule of actions contained in an approved housing element. CEQA specifies that this exemption does not apply to a rezoning that would allow for the construction of certain facilities, including oil and gas infrastructure. CEQA also specifies that this exemption does not apply rezoning that would allow for construction to occur within the boundaries of any natural and protected lands, except as provided. This bill would repeal the exception from the CEQA exemption for rezoning that would allow for oil and gas infrastructure. The bill would specify that the definition of "natural and protected land" does not include habitats for protected species that would be added to that definition by this bill for purposes the exception for rezoning that would allow for construction to occur within the boundaries of any natural and protected lands to the CEQA exemption. CEQA specifies, for a proposed housing development project that would otherwise be exempt from its requirements but for a single condition required for the exemption to apply, that the application of CEQA is limited to the effects upon the environment that are caused by that single condition. CEQA provides that this limited application of CEQA does not apply if the proposed housing project is located on natural and protected land, but does not include "natural and protected land" that is a site within a very high fire hazard severity zone or within the state responsibility area, except as provided. This bill would additionally specify that "natural and protected land" does not include habitats for protected species that would be added to that definition by this bill. Because the bill would imposes additional duties on a lead agency, 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 authorizes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to engage in management of state forests and defines "management" for purposes of the state forests as a means of handling forest crop and forest soil to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as provided. This bill would redefine "management" for purposes of state forests as the handling of forest vegetation, water, and soils within the demonstration state forest system for public benefits, as described to include, among other things, watershed health and wildfire resilience. (2) Existing law declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state and their industries and other activities involving the use of wood, lumber, poles, piling, wood pulp, and other forest products that desirable cutover forest lands be made fully productive and that the holding and reforestation of such lands is a necessary measure predicated on waning supplies of original old growth timber, as provided. Existing law further declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state that the state retain the existing land base of state forests in timber production for research and demonstration. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, to, on or before January 10 of each year, submit to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee a report on the activities of all state departments, agencies, and boards relating to forest and timberland regulation. Existing law requires this report to include, among other things, the number of timber harvest plans reviewed in the most recent fiscal year, as specified, and the average time for plan review. This bill would repeal these provisions and instead declare, among other things, that the purpose of the demonstration state forest system is to acquire lands, the reforestation or restoration of which is not assured under private ownership, to achieve the public benefits as described in paragraph (1) through means that include, but are not limited to, multibenefit forest management. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to enter into, and would require the secretary to make good faith efforts to collaboratively develop, comanagement agreements with California Native American tribes, as defined, to incorporate local traditional ecological knowledge and local indigenous knowledge into the management direction of a forest in the demonstration state forest system, as provided. The bill would require the annual report submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to also include the number of timber harvest plans approved in the most recent fiscal year and the median time for plan review and would make other nonsubstantive changes relating to the report. The bill would require research to be allowed on land in the demonstration state forest system that informs forest management strategies, science-based decisionmaking, biodiversity, durable onsite carbon storage or sequestration, habitat, water and soil quality, watershed health, tribal stewardship, or other goals that further healthy and resilient ecosystems. The bill would authorize timber harvesting within the demonstration state forest system if in furtherance of specified objectives. (3) Existing law requires the management of state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the regulations to conform with forest management practices designed to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as specified. Existing law authorizes state forest lands to be used for grazing and mining purposes pursuant to regulations established by the board. Under existing law, a person who violates the rules and regulations pertaining to the state forests established by the board is guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would instead require the management of demonstration state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from demonstration state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the board. The bill would repeal the authorization for state forest lands to be used for mining purposes, except as provided. The bill would require the regulations permitting prescribed herbivory, recreation concession, and surface mining for forest-related work and restoration purposes, including, but not limited to, the construction of watercourse crossings, on state forest lands to be updated to reflect the redefinition of management. Because a violation of these regulations would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the department to prepare a map and data relating to the forest conditions, as provided. Existing law requires the department, in preparing the map and data, to be guided by a specified report. This bill would require the department to be guided by consultation with the board instead of by the specified report. Existing law declares that it is the policy of the state to establish and preserve an intensively managed, multifaceted research forest, known as the Soquel Demonstration State Forest, which is representative of forest activities as a living forest in the County of Santa Cruz, as provided. Existing law establishes the Legislature's intent relating to the demonstration state forest. Existing law requires that income from the demonstration state forest property sustain all costs of operation and provide income for research and educational purposes. Existing law requires the department to adopt a general plan for the demonstration state forest, as provided. This bill would instead declare that it is the policy of the state to establish and conserve the Soquel Demonstration State Forest and would revise the Legislature's intent relating to the demonstration state forest, as provided. The bill would require that income from the demonstration state forest property to additionally provide income for recreation. The bill would require the board, instead of the department, to adopt a forest management plan for the demonstration state forest, as specified. (4) Existing law authorizes the department to collect recreational user fees for overnight camping and reserved group activities in a demonstration state forest. Existing law prohibits the department from charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the department's costs for maintenance and improvement of campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Existing law requires all user fees collected by the department to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund and requires the fees to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to reimburse the department's cost of maintaining and improving the campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Under existing law, the Forest Resources Improvement Fund is the depository for all revenue derived from the receipts from the sale of forest products, as defined, from state forests to support specified operations. Existing law authorizes money in the Forest Resource Improvement Fund to only be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the cost of operations associated with management of lands held in trust by the state and operated as demonstration state forests, as specified. This bill would repeal the prohibition on the department regarding charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the department's costs for maintenance and improvement, as provided. The bill would require any other funds generated by a demonstration state forest to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund. (5) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 4629.6 and 4629.8 of the Public Resources Code proposed by AB 706 to be operative only if this bill and AB 706 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (6) 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 requires a person taking steelhead trout in inland waters, in addition to a valid California sport fishing license and any applicable sport license stamp, to have in their possession a valid nontransferable steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law requires revenues from the card to be deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and to be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to monitor, restore, or enhance steelhead trout resources consistent with specified law, and to administer the fishing report-restoration card program. Existing law requires the department to report to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2025, regarding the steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card program's projects undertaken using these revenues derived pursuant to that program, the benefits derived, and its recommendations for revising the fishing report-restoration card requirement, if any. These provisions are repealed as of January 1, 2027. Under existing law, any violation of the Fish and Game Code, or of any rule, regulation, or order made or adopted under that code, is a misdemeanor, except as provided. This bill would require a person who does not return a steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card by the date established by the department to be assessed a late or nonreturn fee, as provided. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature regarding the fishing report-restoration card program's projects on or before July 1, 2030, and would extend the operation of the program until January 1, 2032. Because this bill would extend the operation of the fishing report-restoration card requirements, the violation of which would be a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law requires the department, in consultation with the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group and other stakeholders, to adopt regulations establishing criteria and protocols to evaluate and respond to potential risk of marine life entanglement, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes the Director of Fish and Wildlife to restrict the take of Dungeness crab pursuant to the criteria and protocols. Existing law makes it unlawful to take or possess Dungeness crab from any waters closed, or otherwise violate any restriction on take imposed, pursuant to these provisions. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2030. This bill would extend the operation of these, and related, Dungeness crab provisions until January 1, 2037. By extending the operation of existing provisions, a violation of which is a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a vessel to transit closed waters with Dungeness crab traps and Dungeness crab on board the vessel if specified conditions are met, as provided. (3) Existing law provides for the development and administration of a Dungeness crab task force. Existing law imposes various duties on the task force, including making specified recommendations to the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, the department, and the Fish and Game Commission. Existing law establishes the Dungeness Crab Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. Existing law requires, through the 2029 fiscal year, a specified sum to be allocated to the Ocean Protection Council to support the administration and facilitation of the Dungeness crab task force. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2030. This bill would extend the operation of those task force provisions until January 1, 2037. The bill would, until January 1, 2037, and upon an appropriation by the Legislature, require the department to provide funding from the Dungeness Crab Account to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, consistent with a spending plan that the bill would require the Dungeness crab task force to develop, as provided. (4) 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.
Under existing law, the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act (act) , if a person or persons, whether or not acting under color of law, interferes or attempts to interfere, by threats, intimidation, or coercion, with the exercise or enjoyment by any individual or individuals of rights secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or of the rights secured by the Constitution or laws of this state, the Attorney General, or any district attorney or city attorney, is authorized to bring a civil action for injunctive and other appropriate equitable relief in the name of the people of the State of California, in order to protect the exercise or enjoyment of the right or rights secured. Under that act, an individual may also institute and prosecute in their own name and on their own behalf a civil action for damages, as described, for any resulting interference or attempt at interference of the individual's exercise or enjoyment of rights secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States or this state. The act authorizes the court to award the petitioner or plaintiff reasonable attorney's fees in addition to any damages, injunction, or other equitable relief awarded in these civil actions (attorney's fees authorization) . Existing federal law provides that every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any state, territory, or the District of Columbia, subjects or causes to be subjected any United States citizen or other person within the jurisdiction to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, is liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress, except as provided. This bill would also provide that every natural person, as defined, who, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, as defined, subjects or causes to be subjected any citizen of this state or any person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States Constitution, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress, except as specified. The bill would apply the aforementioned attorney's fees authorization, except as specified, to any action brought under these provisions. The bill would authorize a court, in its discretion, to also award costs, except as specified, to the prevailing plaintiff in any action brought under these provisions. This bill would authorize a defendant in an action brought under these provisions to assert and receive the benefit of a defense of absolute or qualified immunity only to the same extent as a person sued under certain federal provisions under like circumstances, as specified, and would specify that nothing in these provisions is to be construed to waive or abrogate any defense of sovereign immunity otherwise available to a party, as specified. The bill would prohibit any civil action brought under these provisions from being commenced later than 2 years after the date that the cause of action accrues. The bill would make its provisions severable. The bill would specify that these provisions apply retroactively to March 1, 2025, as provided. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature in enacting these provisions. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law establishes the sovereignty of the state. This bill would require the state government to support California Native Americans to maintain cultural and linguistic traditions, practice ecosystem stewardship, and engage in good faith government-to-government consultations with all California Native American tribes regarding policies that may affect tribal communities. Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest use of water and the human right to water. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to act upon all applications for a permit to appropriate water. This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the state to recognize and address the inequities, as described, inflicted upon all California Native American tribes through financial assistance, protection of tribal beneficial uses, consultation on water projects, plans, and policies, and incorporation of indigenous knowledge to restore and protect ecosystems. The bill would require specified state agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board, regional water quality control boards, and the Natural Resources Agency, to incorporate this policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, permits, or grant criteria to address identified inequities. The bill would require those state entities to identify and offer financial assistance to the tribes consistent with existing legal and policy requirements for financial assistance programs. If there is a dispute between a California Native American tribe and one of those state agencies over the implementation of that policy, the bill would require that matter to be brought before the Governor's Office of Tribal Affairs for mediation before the state agency action is challenged in court and would specify procedures and timelines for mediation, as provided. Existing law authorizes the board to conduct investigations and to issue information orders in administering water rights, as provided. The bill would require the state board, in furtherance of an investigation and upon request, to consult with a tribe whose ancestral territory includes the water body or water bodies at issue for the claimed riparian or appropriative right.
This measure would memorialize the Legislature's strong disagreement with the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and encourage states to adopt policies to limit the powers of corporations to contribute to political campaigns, consistent with the United States Constitution.
Existing law prohibits the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District from issuing general obligation or revenue bonds, or any other form of long-term indebtedness, except to finance an interim system of buses and ferries or to finance capital improvements or modifications relating to seismic safety of the Golden Gate Bridge. This bill would authorize the district to accept contributions and loans from this state and the United States for the purpose of financing capital improvements or modifications related to seismic safety on the Golden Gate Bridge, as specified.
