(1) Existing law, the Commercial and Industrial Common Interest Development Act, requires each association, to assist with the identification of commercial or industrial common interest developments, to submit to the Secretary of State specified information concerning the association and development that it manages. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to make the name, address, and either the daytime telephone number or email address of the association's onsite office or managing agent available only for governmental purposes and only to Members of the Legislature and the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, upon written request. Existing law provides that all other information submitted pursuant to this provision is subject to public inspection pursuant to the California Public Records Act and shall be made available for governmental or public inspection. This bill would delete the above provision requiring the Secretary of State to make the above-described information available only for governmental purposes and specifying other information is subject to public inspection pursuant to the California Public Records Act. (2) Existing law, the General Corporation Law, regulates the organization of specified corporations. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to cancel the filing of articles of a domestic corporation or the filing of a statement and designation by a foreign corporation if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of the filing fee or franchise tax is not paid upon presentation. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, upon receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment, to give written notice of the applicability of this provision and the cancellation date, which is prohibited from being less than 20 days from the date of mailing the written notice to the agent for service of process or to the person submitting the instrument. Existing law provides that if the amount has not been paid by cashier's check or equivalent before the date of cancellation as stated in the written notice of cancellation, the cancellation then becomes effective. Existing law also requires the written notice to be given 70 days or less after the original filing. This bill would also authorize the Secretary of State, in the above circumstances, to cancel articles effecting a conversion. The bill would require the Secretary of State, within 90 days of receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment, to give written notice of this provision and the cancellation date, as specified. The bill would also delete the above provision requiring written notice to be given 70 days or less after the original filing. Existing law permits a corporation to sell, lease, convey, exchange, transfer, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets when the principal terms are approved by the board, subject to certain exceptions. Under existing law, if the acquiring party in a transaction pursuant to this provision is in control of or under common control with the disposing corporation, the principal terms of the sale must be approved by at least 90% of the voting power of the disposing corporation unless the disposition is to a domestic or foreign corporation or other business entity in consideration of the nonredeemable common shares or nonredeemable equity securities of the acquiring party or its parent. That above-described provision regarding 90% approval does not apply to a transaction if the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, the Insurance Commissioner, or the Public Utilities Commission has approved the terms and conditions of the transaction and the fairness of those terms pursuant to certain provisions of the Financial Code, Insurance Code, or Public Utilities Code. This bill would provide that this provision also does not apply to a specified transaction in which a bank applies for a permit to issue a security or deliver other consideration in exchange for one or more bona fide outstanding securities, claims, or property interests, to a plan or agreement to reorganize, merge, consolidate, or transfer assets, or to an application to become a savings and loan holding company if the terms and conditions of the transaction and fairness thereof have been approved by the commissioner. The bill would also delete an obsolete cross-reference. Existing law authorizes a foreign corporation, other than a foreign association, not transacting intrastate business to register its corporate name with the Secretary of State, provided its corporate name would be available to a new corporation organized under the General Corporation Law at the time of that registration. Existing law requires, as part of the registration process, the filing of an application for registration signed by a corporate officer stating, among other things, the date of incorporation, and the filing of a certificate of an authorized public official of the state or place in which it is organized, stating that the corporation is in good standing under those laws. This bill would require that certificate to be issued by an authorized public official, in the above-described circumstances, within the past 6 months from the submission of the application for registration in California. The bill would delete the requirement that the application for registration include the date of incorporation. Existing law prohibits a foreign corporation from transacting intrastate business without having first obtained from the Secretary of State a certificate of qualification. Existing law requires a foreign corporation, to obtain that certificate, to file on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State a statement and designation signed by a corporation or, in the case of a foreign association that has no officers, signed by a trustee stating, among other disclosures, its name and the state or place of its incorporation or organization. This bill would instead require that the statement by a trustee in the above-described circumstances contain the name of the corporation, and, if the name does not comply with certain statutory naming requirements, an alternate name adopted, as prescribed. The bill would also require that statement to contain the state or place of the foreign corporation's incorporation or organization and a statement that the foreign corporation is authorized to exercise its powers and privileges in that state or place of its incorporation or organization. Existing law requires a foreign corporation, but not a foreign association, qualified to transact intrastate business, if it changes its name or makes a change affecting an assumed name, to file an amended statement signed by a corporate officer setting forth the change made, in accordance with certain procedures. Existing law requires the amended statement to include a certificate of an authorized public official of its state or place of incorporation that the change of name was made in accordance with the laws of that state or place. This bill would require the amended statement to contain a certificate of an authorized public official of its state or place of incorporation issued within the past 6 months from the submission of the amended statement for filing in California, as prescribed. The bill would make related, conforming changes to these provisions. (3) Existing law, the Nonprofit Corporation Law, regulates the organization and operation of nonprofit public benefit corporations, nonprofit mutual benefit corporations, and nonprofit religious corporations. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to cancel the filing of articles if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of the filing fee or franchise tax is not paid upon presentation. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to give written notice of the applicability of this provision and the cancellation date, which is prohibited from being less than 20 days from the date of mailing the written notice to the agent for service of process or to the person submitting the instrument. Existing law provides that if the amount has not been paid by cashier's check or equivalent before the date of cancellation, the cancellation then becomes effective. Existing law also requires the written notice to be given 70 days or less after the original filing. The bill would require the Secretary of State, in the above circumstances, to give written notice of the applicability of this provision and the cancellation date within 90 days of receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment. The bill would also delete the above provision requiring written notice to be given 70 days or less after the original filing. (4) Existing law governing cooperative corporations authorizes the Secretary of State to cancel the filing of articles if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of the filing fee or franchise tax is not paid upon presentation. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, upon receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment, to give written notice of the applicability of this provision and the cancellation date, which is prohibited from being less than 20 days from the date of mailing the written notice to the agent for service or to the person submitting the instrument. Existing law provides that if the amount has not been paid thereafter, the cancellation shall become effective. Existing law requires the written notice to be given 70 days or less after the original filing. This bill would require the Secretary of State, in the above circumstances, to give written notice of the applicability of this provision and the cancellation date within 90 days of receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment. The bill would delete the above provision requiring written notice to be given 70 days or less after the original filing. (5) Existing law, the Uniform Limited Partnership Act of 2008, requires a certificate of limited partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State, in order for a limited partnership to be formed, as prescribed. The act prohibits the name of a limited partnership from containing the words "bank," "insurance," "trust," "trustee," "incorporated," "inc.," "corporation," or "corp." This bill would further prohibit the name of a limited partnership from including the words "insurer" or "insurance company" or any other words suggesting that it is in the business of issuing policies of insurance and assuming insurance risks. The bill would make related, conforming changes to these provisions. Existing law prohibits a foreign limited partnership whose name does not comply with certain requirements from obtaining a certificate of registration until it adopts, for purposes of transacting business in this state, an alternate name, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to cancel the application and certificate of registration of a foreign limited partnership if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of that fee is not paid upon presentation. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, upon receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored, to first give a written notice of the applicability of this provision to the agent for service of process or to the person submitting the instrument. This bill would require the Secretary of State to give that first written notice within 90 days of receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment. The bill would make related, conforming changes to this provision. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to cancel the filing of certificates of limited partnership if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of the filing fee is not paid upon presentation. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, upon receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment, to first give a written notice to the agent for service of process or to the person submitting the instrument of applicability of this provision. This bill would provide that cancellation by the Secretary of State when payment is not made, as described above, includes certificates effecting a conversion. The bill would require the Secretary of State to give a first written notice of the applicability of this provision to the agent for service of process or to the person submitting the instrument within 90 days of receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment. (6) Existing law, the Uniform Partnership Act of 1994, permits a statement to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State and also permits a certified copy of a statement that is filed in an office in another state to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. Under existing law, either filing has the effect provided in the act with respect to partnership property located in or transactions that occur in California. Existing law establishes other procedures that are required to be followed for partnerships subject to the act. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State to cancel a statement, including a statement effecting a conversion, if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of the filing fee is not paid upon presentation, subject to specified notice requirements. Existing law permits the registration of a registered limited liability partnership to be amended by an amended registration executed by one or more partners authorized to execute an amended registration, subject to being filed with the Secretary of State, as specified. Existing law further specifies the filing procedures by which a registered limited liability partnership ceases to be a registered limited liability partnership, pursuant to the filing of those forms with the Secretary of State. This bill would provide that a certificate of merger or the agreement of merger has the effect of the filing of a notice of termination for each disappearing registered limited liability partnership. Existing law also permits the registration of a foreign limited liability partnership to be amended by an amended registration, similar to the above-described procedures. Existing law further sets forth the filing procedures by which a foreign limited liability partnership ceases to be a limited liability partnership. This bill would provide that a certificate of merger or the agreement of merger has the effect of the filing of a notice of termination for each disappearing foreign limited liability partnership. (7) Existing law, the California Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, provides that a limited liability company is an entity distinct from its members and authorizes a limited liability company to have any lawful purpose, except as specified. Existing law authorizes one or more persons to organize to form a limited liability company by signing and delivering to the Secretary of State for filing articles of organization on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to cancel the filing of the articles if a check or other remittance accepted in payment of the filing fee is not paid upon presentation. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, upon receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment, to give a first written notice of the applicability of these provisions to the agent for service of process or to the person submitting the instrument. Existing law also requires, if the amount has not been paid thereafter, that a 2nd notice of cancellation be given 20 days or more after the first notice, and 90 days or less after the original filing. This bill would provide that the authorization for the Secretary of State to cancel the filing of the articles of organization includes articles effecting a conversion under the above-described circumstances. The bill would require the Secretary of State to give a first written notice of the applicability of these provisions to one of the above-described persons within 90 days of receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment. The bill would also revise the above-described 2nd notice provision to require the 2nd notice to be given 20 days or more after the first notice without reference to being given 90 days or less after the original filing. (8) Existing law, the Corporation Tax Law, generally imposes a franchise tax on corporations doing business within the limits of this state, including a minimum franchise tax on specified corporations, as provided. Existing law requires a dissolving or withdrawing corporation to pay a tax for the year it ceases to do business in this state for the months of the taxable year preceding the effective date of the dissolution or withdrawal, as specified. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to provide a taxpayer with acknowledgment of the receipt of documents submitted by a taxpayer pursuant to those dissolution and withdrawal provisions on or before 21 days after receipt. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to notify taxpayers that receipt of their documents will be acknowledged within 21 days. This bill would delete the above-described requirement to notify taxpayers and would require the Secretary of State to provide the taxpayers a filing response within 21 days of receipt of documents. (9) The bill would make various other technical and conforming changes to corporate filing provisions and other provisions relating to business entities, including changing references from "principal executive office" to "principal office," updating cross references, including deleting obsolete ones, and making language gender neutral. (10) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 600 of the Corporations Code proposed by AB 1780 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1780 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Sponsored bills
Existing law establishes the Department of General Services within the Government Operations Agency under the control of an executive officer known as the Director of General Services to provide centralized services, including, but not limited to, planning, acquisition, construction, and maintenance of state buildings and property, purchasing, printing, architectural services, administrative hearings, and accounting services. Existing law requires a state agency that significantly regulates or impacts small business to designate a person to serve as a small business liaison for the state agency, and specifies the duties of a small business liaison, including receiving and responding to complaints about the agency from small businesses and providing technical advice and assisting small businesses in resolving problems and questions regarding compliance with the agency's regulations and relevant statutes. This bill would require the Department of General Services to designate a person to serve as a nonprofit liaison. The bill would require the department to advertise the existence of the nonprofit liaison on the department's internet website. The bill would establish the responsibilities of a nonprofit liaison, including responding to complaints by nonprofit corporations about the department and assisting nonprofit corporations with complying with the department's regulations and relevant statutes. The bill would prohibit the nonprofit liaison from advocating for or against the adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation, or intervening in a pending investigation or enforcement action.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, FQHC and RHC services are reimbursed on a per-visit basis, as specified. This bill would require the department to seek any necessary federal approvals and issue appropriate guidance to allow an FQHC or RHC to bill, under a supervising licensed behavioral health practitioner, for an encounter between an FQHC or RHC patient and an associate clinical social worker or associate marriage and family therapist when certain requirements are met, including that the visit is billed under the supervising licensed behavioral health practitioner of the FQHC or RHC. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14132.100 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 32 to be operative only if this bill and AB 32 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law, the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, establishes the California Department of Aging in the California Health and Human Services Agency, and sets forth its mission to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments. Existing law requires the department to administer and implement the Aging and Disability Resource Connection program, in collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation and the State Department of Health Care services. This bill would establish the Dementia Care Navigator Grant Pilot Program, to be administered by the California Department of Aging, in partnership with organizations with expertise using community health workers, promotores, and health navigators. The bill would provide that the purpose of the pilot program is to incentivize organizations that provide services to local communities to provide dementia care navigation training services, as defined. The bill would authorize organizations with expertise using community health workers, promotores, and health navigators to apply for a grant. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis. The bill would require an organization that receives a grant pursuant to these provisions to provide to the department an annual report on the services provided on or before December 31 of the year the grant is received, as specified. The bill would make those provisions inoperative on July 1, 2027. The bill would also require the department to provide a report to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature on or before December 1, 2027. Implementation of these provisions would be contingent upon an appropriation and the provisions would repeal on January 1, 2028. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
(1) Existing law provides that every individual possesses a fundamental right of privacy with respect to their personal reproductive decisions. Existing law prohibits the state from denying or interfering with a person's right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or when the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the person. Existing law requires a health insurer to take specified steps to protect the confidentiality of an insured's medical information, and prohibits an insurer from disclosing medical information related to sensitive health care services to the policyholder or any insureds other than the protected individual receiving care. Existing law generally prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from disclosing medical information regarding a patient, enrollee, or subscriber without first obtaining an authorization, unless a specified exception applies, including that the disclosure is in response to a subpoena. Existing law prohibits an employer from using or disclosing medical information that it possesses pertaining to its employees without the patient having first signed an authorization, unless a specified exception applies, including that the disclosure is compelled by judicial or administrative process or by any other specific provision of law. Existing law authorizes a California court or attorney to issue a subpoena if a foreign subpoena has been sought in this state. This bill would prohibit compelling a person to identify or provide information that would identify or that is related to an individual who has sought or obtained an abortion in a state, county, city, or other local criminal, administrative, legislative, or other proceeding if the information is being requested based on another state's laws that interfere with a person's right to choose or obtain an abortion or a foreign penal civil action, as defined. The bill would authorize the Insurance Commissioner to assess a civil penalty, as specified, against an insurer that has disclosed an insured's confidential medical information. The bill would prohibit a provider of health care, a health care service plan, a contractor, or an employer from releasing medical information that would identify an individual or related to an individual seeking or obtaining an abortion in response to a subpoena or a request or to law enforcement if that subpoena, request, or the purpose of law enforcement for the medical information is based on, or for the purpose of enforcement of, either another state's laws that interfere with a person's rights to choose or obtain an abortion or a foreign penal civil action. The bill would prohibit issuance of a subpoena if the submitted foreign subpoena relates to a foreign penal civil action and the submitted foreign subpoena would require disclosure of information related to sensitive services, as defined. (2) Existing law sets forth the health care access rights of an incarcerated pregnant person and an incarcerated person who is identified as possibly pregnant or capable of becoming pregnant. Existing law prohibits the imposition of conditions or restrictions on an incarcerated person's ability to obtain an abortion. This bill would prohibit prison staff from disclosing identifying medical information related to an incarcerated person's right to seek and obtain an abortion if the information is being requested based on another state's law that interferes with a person's rights to choose or obtain an abortion or a foreign penal civil action. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 2029.300 and 2029.350 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by SB 107 to be operative only if this bill and SB 107 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (4) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
The Elder California Pipeline Safety Act of 1981 requires the State Fire Marshal to administer provisions regulating the inspection of intrastate pipelines that transport hazardous liquids. The act requires a pipeline operator to make available to the State Fire Marshal, or any officers or employees authorized by the State Fire Marshal, upon presentation of appropriate credentials, any records, maps, or written procedures that are required by the act to be kept by the pipeline operator and that concern accident reporting, design, construction, testing, or operation and maintenance. The act authorizes the State Fire Marshal, or any officer or employee authorized by the State Fire Marshal, to enter, inspect, and examine, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, the records and properties of any pipeline operators that are required to be inspected and examined to determine whether the pipeline operator is in compliance with the act. A person who willfully and knowingly violates the act or a regulation issued pursuant to the act is, upon conviction, subject to a fine, imprisonment, or both a fine and imprisonment, as provided. Existing law authorizes the State Fire Marshal to act as agent for the United States Secretary of Transportation to implement the federal Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 and federal pipeline safety regulations as to those portions of interstate pipelines located within the state, as necessary to obtain annual federal certification. This bill would revise and recast those state provisions relating to record maintenance and inspection and would authorize the State Fire Marshal, for purposes of carrying out the requirements of state or federal law relating to hazardous liquid pipeline safety, to require the owner or operator of a pipeline to establish and maintain records, make reports, and provide any information that the State Fire Marshal reasonably requires, as provided. The bill would authorize the State Fire Marshal to disclose records, reports, or other information required to be maintained pursuant to the act to an officer, employee, or authorized representative of the state or the United States for purposes of carrying out the requirements of the act or the federal act, or when relevant to a proceeding pursuant to the act. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would revise the act to conform references to the federal act. The bill would make other nonsubstantive changes to, and repeal an obsolete provision of, the act. The act defines "pipeline" for its purposes, and excludes from that definition a pipeline for the transportation of crude oil that operates by gravity or at a stress level of 20 percent or less of the specified minimum yield strength of the pipe. This bill would expand the definition of "pipeline" by repealing that exclusion, subjecting these additional pipelines to regulation pursuant to the act. Because the bill would expand the application of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires pressure tests on certain pipelines be conducted in accordance with certain federal pipeline safety regulations and requires results from those pressure tests not show an hourly change for each section of the pipeline under test at the time that violates specified standards. This bill would repeal those specific test result requirements. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to establish and maintain a centralized database containing information and data regarding certain intrastate pipelines. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to regularly update the database and to make the information in the database available to the public. Existing law provides that the cost of implementing this requirement is to be funded from federal block grant funds and is operative only upon receipt of the federal block grant funds as determined by the State Fire Marshal. This bill would repeal the funding and contingent operation provisions. 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, the Money Transmission Act, generally prohibits a person from engaging in the business of money transmission, as defined, without a license from the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation. This bill, the Digital Financial Assets Law, would, on and after January 1, 2025, prohibit a person from engaging in digital financial asset business activity, or holding itself out as being able to engage in digital financial asset business activity, with or on behalf of a resident unless any of certain criteria are met, including the person is licensed with the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, as prescribed. The bill would define "digital financial asset" to mean a digital representation of value that is used as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value, and that is not legal tender, whether or not denominated in legal tender, except as specified. This bill would, among other things, authorize the department to conduct examinations of a licensee, as prescribed, and would require a licensee to maintain, for all digital financial asset business activity with, or on behalf of, a resident for 5 years after the date of the activity, certain records, including a general ledger posted at least monthly that lists all assets, liabilities, capital, income, and expenses of the licensee. This bill would authorize the department to take an enforcement measure against a licensee or person that is not a licensee but is engaging in digital financial asset business activity with, or on behalf of, a resident in any of certain instances, including the licensee or person materially violates the provisions of the bill, a rule adopted or order issued under the bill, or a law of this state other than the bill that applies to digital financial asset business activity of the violator with, or on behalf of, a resident. The bill would prescribe certain civil penalties for violations of its provisions. This bill would require a licensee, before engaging in digital financial asset business activity with a resident, to make certain disclosures to the resident, including a schedule of fees and charges the licensee may assess, the manner by which fees and charges will be calculated if they are not set in advance and disclosed, and the timing of the fees and charges. This bill would require an applicant, before submitting an application, to create and, during licensure, maintain in a record policies and procedures for, among other things, an information security program and an operational security program. Existing law, the California Financial Information Privacy Act (CFIPA) , generally regulates the disclosure by a financial institution, as defined, of a consumer's nonpublic personal information. This bill would include a person licensed under its provisions in the definition of "financial institution" and would include digital financial asset business activity in the definition of "financial product or service" for the purposes of the CFIPA.
Existing law creates a private cause of action against a person who intentionally distributes material that exposes an intimate body part of another person or shows that other person engaging in sexual conduct if the person knew that the other person had a reasonable expectation that the material would remain private. This bill would create a private cause of action against a person 18 years of age or older who knowingly sends an unsolicited image, as specified, by electronic means depicting obscene material, as defined. The bill would entitle the plaintiff to recover economic and noneconomic damages or statutory damages of a sum not less than $1,500 but not more than $30,000, as well as punitive damages, reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and other available relief, including injunctive relief, as specified.
Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, authorizes use of the Emergency Alert System to inform the public of local, state, and national emergencies. Existing law requires a law enforcement agency to activate the Emergency Alert System within the appropriate area if that agency determines that a child 17 years of age or younger, or an individual with a proven mental or physical disability, has been abducted and is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death, and there is information available that, if disseminated to the general public, could assist in the safe recovery of that person. Existing law also authorizes the issuance and coordination of a Blue Alert following an attack upon a law enforcement officer or a Silver Alert relating to a person who is 65 years of age or older who is reported missing. This bill would authorize a law enforcement agency to request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a "Feather Alert," as defined, if specified criteria are satisfied with respect to an endangered indigenous person who has been reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances. The bill would require the department, if it concurs that specified requirements are met, to activate a Feather Alert within the appropriate geographical area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency and to assist the agency by disseminating specified alert messages and signs. The bill would require the department to create and submit a report to the Governor's Office and the Legislature that includes an evaluation of the notification system established pursuant to these provisions no later than January 1, 2027. The bill would also make related legislative findings and declarations.
Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency, which consists of various departments and commissions, including the Department of Conservation, Department of Parks and Recreation, and State Lands Commission. Existing law vests in the agency various powers, including those related to conservation of lands. Pursuant to the agency's general authority, the agency established the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names to be a liaison to the United States Board on Geographic Names. The duties, powers, and responsibilities of the committee are established by its internal charter. Commencing on January 1, 2025, this bill would require the term "squaw" to be removed from all geographic features and place names in the state. The bill would require the Natural Resources Agency to direct the committee to revise its existing charter to perform specified responsibilities, including notifying public agencies, as defined, of each geographic feature and place name that includes the term "squaw." The bill would require the committee to choose a replacement name, under its discretion, and in consultation with advisory bodies, if the local governing body fails to recommend a replacement name within the allotted 180 days. The bill would require the committee to work in formal consultation with California Native American tribes on the list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission to establish a procedure for receiving name recommendations. This bill would require public agencies to no longer replace signs, interpretive markers, or any other marker or printed material with the discontinued name containing the word "squaw." The bill would require each agency or local governing body to ensure that map updates and sign replacements use the new name. Commencing January 1, 2025, the bill would require the committee to annually report to the Legislature regarding the implementation of these provisions, and would require that report to include specified information, including each geographic feature and place name that uses the term "squaw" in that public agency's jurisdiction and the proposed replacement name. By imposing requirements on local governments to remove the term "squaw" from geographic features and place names and to report specified information to the committee, 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.