Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing, including requiring the reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures and imposing other reporting and recordkeeping requirements on campaign committees. The act requires that a candidate for elective state office or a committee primarily formed to support or oppose a state ballot measure, if the candidate or committee has reportable contributions or expenditures of $25,000 or more, file a report with the Secretary of State disclosing the receipt of a contribution of $1,000 or more during an election cycle, as defined, within 24 hours of receiving the contribution. At times other than during the election cycle, the act requires those candidates and committees to file a report for contributions of $5,000 or more within 10 business days of receipt of the contribution. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. This bill would modify these reporting requirements to instead require the above-described candidates and committees, and a committee that makes an expenditure in support of or opposition to candidates for elective state office or state ballot measures, to file a report with the Secretary of State disclosing the receipt of a contribution of $1,000 or more during an election cycle within 24 hours of receipt of the contribution. At times other than during an election cycle, the bill would require those candidates and committees to file a report for contributions of $1,000 or more within 5 business days of receipt of the contribution. The bill would make its provisions operative on July 1, 2015. Because this bill would expand the definition of an existing crime, it 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 Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
Sponsored bills
Existing law establishes the California State University, which is administered by the Trustees of the California State University, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law authorizes the trustees to, by rule, require all persons to pay fees, rents, deposits, and charges for services, facilities, or materials provided by the trustees to such persons, and requires the trustees to control and expend all money appropriated for the support and maintenance of the California State University. This bill would appropriate $22,000,000 to the California State University for purposes of enrolling additional students. The bill would express legislative intent that the appropriated funds be used for specified matters and would include legislative findings and declarations related to student enrollment.
Existing law, the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, provides that a change in voting procedures may not take effect in a state or political subdivision that is covered by the preclearance requirements of the federal act until the change is approved by a specified federal authority. A state or political subdivision is covered by the preclearance requirements of the federal act if it maintained a specified test or device as a prerequisite to voting, and had low voter registration or turnout, in the 1960s and early 1970s. The federal act allows a state or political subdivision covered by the act to obtain an exemption from the preclearance requirements if it satisfies specified criteria. The United States Supreme Court has held that the coverage formula of the federal act is unconstitutional and may not be used as a basis for requiring a jurisdiction to subject a proposed change in voting procedures to federal preclearance. Prior to that holding, the Counties of Kings, Monterey, and Yuba were covered jurisdictions subject to the federal preclearance requirements. This bill would establish a state preclearance system. Under this system, if a political subdivision enacts or seeks to administer a voting-related law, regulation, or policy, as specified, that is different from that in force or effect on the date this act is enacted, the governing body of the political subdivision would be required to submit the law, regulation, or policy to the Secretary of State for approval. The bill would require the Secretary of State to approve the law, regulation, or policy only if specified conditions are met. The bill would provide that the law, regulation, or policy shall not take effect or be administered in the political subdivision until the law, regulation, or policy is approved by the Secretary of State. The bill would allow the governing body of the political subdivision to seek review of the Secretary of State's decision by means of an action filed in the Superior Court of Sacramento. By requiring local governments to seek approval of the Secretary of State for changes to voting procedures, 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.
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including certain credits that are allowed in modified conformity to credits allowed by federal income tax laws. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, and before January 1, 2026, allow a credit based upon earned income that is equal to 15% of the earned income tax credit allowed by federal law. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to report to the Legislature regarding the utilization of the tax credit, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
(1) Existing federal law, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, regulates, among other things, the labeling of foods introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce and generally prohibits the misbranding of food. Existing state law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, generally regulates misbranded food, which includes food that is not properly labeled. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill, commencing July 1, 2016, would provide that it is unlawful to sell or offer for sale any fresh, frozen, or processed fish or shellfish intended for human consumption, wild caught or farm raised, without clearly identifying specified information, including the species of fish or shellfish by its common name, as specified. The bill would prohibit any person who sells or offers for sale any fish or shellfish and acts in reasonable reliance on the fish or shellfish package labeling and product invoice to satisfy the above-described requirements from being found in violation of those requirements. The bill would specify that these provisions do not apply to a restaurant. Because any violation of these provisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, provides for the regulation of health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities, as defined, by the State Department of Public Health. Under existing law, local health agencies are primarily responsible for enforcing the California Retail Food Code. A violation of any of these provisions is punishable as a crime. Existing law requires fish that are received for sale or service to be commercially and legally caught or harvested. This bill, commencing July 1, 2016, would require a retail food facility, other than a restaurant, that sells or offers for sale any fresh, frozen, or processed fish or shellfish intended for human consumption, wild caught or farm raised, to identify in writing the species of fish or shellfish by its common name, as specified, and would prohibit a retail food facility from knowingly misidentifying the species of fish or shellfish. The bill, commencing July 1, 2016, would require a restaurant that sells or offers for sale any fresh, frozen, or processed fish or shellfish intended for human consumption, wild caught or farm raised, to identify the species of fish or shellfish by its common name in writing, or orally if not identified in writing, as specified, and would prohibit a restaurant from knowingly misidentifying the species of fish or shellfish. The bill, commencing July 1, 2016, would prohibit a retail food facility from knowingly misidentifying the country of origin of the fish or shellfish or whether the fish or shellfish was farm raised or wild caught. The bill would prohibit a retail food facility or restaurant that sells or offers for sale any fish or shellfish and acts in reasonable reliance on the fish or shellfish package labeling and product invoice to satisfy the above-described requirements from being found in violation of those requirements. Because any violation of these provisions would be a crime, and by imposing additional duties on local health officers, 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools maintained and operated by local educational agencies throughout the state. Existing law establishes a system of public postsecondary education in this state, consisting of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California. The University of California administers Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships with the goal of raising student achievement levels generally and to close achievement gaps among groups of students from kindergarten to the postgraduate level. Existing programs within the Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP) include the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) , the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, and the Puente program. This bill would express legislative intent to provide increased financial support for SAPEP programs and to make it easier for SAPEP students to meet their educational goals. (2) This bill would appropriate $82,243,000 from the General Fund to the Regents of the University of California for allocation, without regard to fiscal year, to Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships. The bill would further provide that, of the amount appropriated under this provision, an unspecified amount would be allocated to the Puente program.
Existing law establishes procedures by which a voter may request a recount of the votes cast in an election following completion of the official canvass. Under existing law, the voter seeking the recount is required, before the recount is commenced and at the beginning of each subsequent day, to deposit with the elections official the amount of money required by the elections official to cover the cost of the recount for that day. This bill, until July 1, 2015, would require the Secretary of State to order an automatic manual recount of all votes cast for a statewide office or state ballot measure if the difference in the number of votes received is less than or equal to 0.1%. By imposing new duties on local elections officials, 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires an individual to file a statement of intention to be a candidate for an elective office, signed under penalty of perjury, prior to soliciting or receiving a contribution or loan. The act requires the individual to establish one campaign contribution account, as specified, upon filing the statement of intention to be a candidate. This bill would provide that, if an individual files a statement of intention to be a candidate for elective state office, the filing of a subsequent statement of intention to be a candidate for a different elective state office to be voted upon at the same election would effect a revocation of the prior statement of intention to be a candidate, and the individual would thereafter be prohibited from soliciting or receiving a contribution or loan for the elective state office for which he or she previously filed a statement of intention to be a candidate. The bill would prohibit an individual from filing, and the Secretary of State from accepting, a statement of intention to be a candidate for an Assembly, Senate, or other constitutional office at an election other than the next election or next 2 regularly scheduled elections at which that office will appear on the ballot, as specified. A violation of the act's provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of an existing 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 Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
(1) Existing law establishes and imposes on state and local agencies various requirements relating to the acquisition, construction, and renovation of public buildings. This bill would require new construction or renovation, as specified, of a public building, as specified, that is owned by a state or a local agency, or a portion of a building that is owned by a state or local agency and includes at least one restroom that is open to the public, to provide on each floor level containing one or more restrooms that are accessible to the public at least one safe, sanitary, and convenient baby diaper changing station, as specified. The bill would require each station to be maintained, repaired, and replaced as necessary to ensure safety and ease of use, and to be cleaned with the same frequency as the restroom in which it is located. By imposing a higher level of service on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities and provides for the enforcement of those standards by local health agencies and by the State Department of Public Health, as specified. Among other sanitation standards, the code requires a permanent food facility to provide clean toilet facilities in good repair for consumers, guests, or invitees if the food facility was constructed after July 1, 1984, and has more than 20,000 square feet of floor space. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would require a permanent food facility, as specified, to provide a clean baby diaper changing station in good repair for consumers, guests, or invitees. By creating a new crime and by imposing a higher level of service on local health agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law also requires publicly and privately owned facilities where the public congregates to be equipped with sufficient restrooms to meet the needs of the public at peak hours. This bill would require various facilities, including a theater, sports arena, or library, to install and maintain at least one baby diaper changing station if the facility is open to the public, as specified. (4) The bill would set forth findings and declarations stating that ensuring that safe, sanitary, and convenient baby diaper changing stations are widely available throughout the state is a matter of statewide concern. (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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined, while local publicly owned electric utilities, as defined, are under the direction of their governing board. Existing law establishes a program under which retail suppliers of electricity, including electrical corporations and local publicly owned electric utilities, disclose accurate, reliable, and simple to understand information on the sources of energy that are used to provide electric services. This bill would require that the information disclosed include the total electricity purchases derived from generation sources within the state and total electricity purchases derived from generation sources that are located outside the state as well as the percentage of annual sales of electricity that was dispatched from an energy storage system, as defined.