Existing law requires the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation of the Department of Parks and Recreation to develop and implement a grant and cooperative agreement program to support the planning, acquisition, development, maintenance, administration, operation, enforcement, restoration, and conservation of trails, trailheads, areas, and other facilities associated with the use of off-highway motor vehicles, and programs involving off-highway motor vehicle safety or education. This bill would require the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place. The bill would require the director to, among other things, give priority for funding to outdoor environmental education programs that primarily provide outreach to and serve pupils who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, foster youth, or pupils of limited English proficiency, as provided. The bill would authorize the director to accept private funds to support the grant program. The bill would establish the California Outdoor Equity Account in the State Parks and Recreation Fund and would require any private funds donated for the grant program and any funds appropriated by the Legislature for purposes of the grant program to be deposited into that account.
Sponsored bills
(1) Existing law authorizes certain counties, on or after specified dates, to conduct any election as an all-mailed ballot election if, among other conditions, the county elections official permits a voter to vote a ballot at a vote center. Existing law also requires, as another condition for conducting an all-mailed ballot election, that beginning 29 days before the day of the election, the county elections official mail to each registered voter a vote by mail ballot packet that includes a return envelope with instructions for the use and return of the vote by mail ballot. This bill, the California Voter Protection Act of 2019, would require the elections official to begin mailing vote by mail ballots no later than 29 days before an election and would require that the mailing be complete within 5 days. The bill would prohibit the county elections official from discriminating against any region or precinct in the county in choosing which ballots to mail first within the prescribed 5-day mailing period. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 4005 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 59 to be operative only if this bill and AB 59 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (2) Existing law requires that application for a vote by mail voter's ballot be made in writing to the elections official having jurisdiction over the election during a specified period prior to the election, subject to specified exceptions. This bill would impose the requirements described in (1) above to the mailing of vote by mail ballots in elections that are not all-mailed ballot elections, thereby requiring the elections official to begin mailing vote by mail ballots no later than 29 days before an election. By imposing new duties on local elections officials, the 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, 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.
Under existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, the Governor is authorized to proclaim a state of emergency, as defined, under specified circumstances. The California Emergency Services Act also authorizes the governing body of a city, county, city and county, or an official designated by ordinance adopted by that governing body, to proclaim a local emergency, as defined. Existing law provides that a person has a privilege to refuse to disclose, and prevent another from disclosing, a confidential communication with specified persons, except in specified circumstances. This bill would enact the Law Enforcement Peer Support and Crisis Referral Services Program. The bill would authorize a local or regional law enforcement agency to establish a peer support and crisis referral program to provide an agencywide network of peer representatives available to aid fellow employees on emotional or professional issues. The bill would, for purposes of the act, define a "peer support team" as a team composed of law enforcement personnel, as defined, who have completed a peer support training course, as specified. The bill would provide that a law enforcement personnel, whether or not a party to an action, has a right to refuse to disclose, and to prevent another from disclosing, a confidential communication between the emergency service personnel and a peer support team member, crisis hotline staff member, or crisis referral service, except under limited circumstances, including, among others, in a criminal proceeding, when disclosure is reasonably believed to be necessary to prevent death, substantial bodily harm, or commission of a crime, or when disclosure is consented to in writing. The bill would also provide that, except for an action for medical malpractice, a peer support team member providing peer support services as a member of a peer support team and the law enforcement agency that employs them are not liable for damages, as specified, relating to an act, error, or omission in performing peer support services, unless the act, error, or omission constitutes gross negligence or intentional misconduct. The bill would prohibit a peer support team member from providing peer support services in specified circumstances.
Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission to administer state student financial aid programs, including, among other programs, the Cal Grant Program, the Assumption Program of Loans for Education, and the Middle Class Scholarship Program. Existing law also requires that a person, other than a nonimmigrant alien, as defined, who has attended high school in California for 3 or more years, who has graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent thereof, who has registered at or attends an accredited institution of higher education in California not earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001–02 academic year, and who, if the person is an alien without lawful immigration status, has filed a prescribed affidavit, is exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University. Existing law, known as the California Dream Act of 2011, provides that a student attending the California State University, the California Community Colleges, or the University of California who is exempt from paying nonresident tuition under the provision described above is eligible to receive a scholarship derived from nonstate funds received, for the purpose of scholarships, by the public postsecondary educational segment that the student attends. Existing law establishes, commencing with the 2019–20 academic year, the Cal Grant B Service Incentive Grant Program under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. This program requires a participating student, in order to receive a grant award under the program, among other requirements, to be a recipient of a Cal Grant B award; to be enrolled as a student at a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges, or at an independent institution of higher education, as defined; and to perform at least 100 hours per quarter or 150 hours per semester of community or volunteer service, as provided. Existing law establishes the eligibility requirements for students participating in the program, including submission of a California Dream Act application to the commission and meeting all of the requirements for an exemption from paying nonresident tuition as described above. Existing law also specifies the requirements for the community or volunteer service performed by participating students to be applied toward the earning of grant awards under the program. This bill would change the name of the Cal Grant B Service Incentive Grant Program to the California Dreamer Service Incentive Grant Program. The bill would require that an organization at which the community or volunteer service is performed by a participating student under the program to have been established for a minimum of 2 years before the first date on which a participating student begins performing service hours to qualify for the program. The bill would also authorize the commission to adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of the program as emergency regulations, as specified.
Existing law establishes the Office of Emergency Services within the office of the Governor and under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Services and makes the office responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or human-made disasters and emergencies. Existing law defines the terms "political subdivision" and "emergency plans" for purposes of emergency services provided by local governments. Existing law requires a county, upon the next update to its emergency plan, to integrate access and functional needs into its emergency plan, as specified. This bill would require a county to integrate cultural competence, as defined, into its emergency plan upon the next update to its emergency plan, as specified. The bill would also require a county to provide a forum for community engagement in geographically diverse locations in order to engage with culturally diverse communities, as defined, within its jurisdiction. The bill would authorize a county to establish a community advisory board for the purpose of cohosting, coordinating, and conducting outreach for the community engagement forums. By increasing the duties of local 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
Under existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, the Governor is authorized to proclaim a state of emergency, as defined, under specified circumstances. The California Emergency Services Act also authorizes the governing body of a city, county, city and county, or an official designated by ordinance adopted by that governing body, to proclaim a local emergency, as defined. Existing law provides that a person has a privilege to refuse to disclose, and prevent another from disclosing, a confidential communication with specified persons, except in specified circumstances. This bill would enact the California Firefighter Peer Support and Crisis Referral Services Act. The bill would authorize the state or a local or regional public fire agency to establish a Peer Support and Crisis Referral Program to provide an agencywide network of peer representatives available to aid fellow employees on emotional or professional issues. The bill would, for purposes of the act, define a "peer support team" as a team composed of emergency service personnel, as defined, hospital staff, clergy, and educators who have completed a peer support training course, as specified. The bill would provide that an emergency service personnel, whether or not a party to an action, has a right to refuse to disclose, and to prevent another from disclosing, a confidential communication between the emergency service personnel and a peer support team member, crisis hotline staff member, or crisis referral service, except under limited circumstances, including, among others, when disclosure is reasonably believed to be necessary to prevent death, substantial bodily harm, or commission of a crime, or when disclosure is required as part of a mandated reporter obligation. The bill would also provide that, except for an action for medical malpractice, a peer support team member providing peer support services as a member of a peer support team and the public fire agency that employs them are not liable for damages, as specified, relating to an act, error, or omission in performing peer support services, unless the act, error, or omission constitutes gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
The Political Reform Act of 1974 provides for the comprehensive regulation of campaign financing, including the use of campaign funds for specific expenditures. The act prohibits the use of campaign funds to pay for professional services not directly related to a political, legislative, or governmental purpose. This bill would authorize the use of campaign funds to pay for childcare expenses resulting from a candidate engaging in campaign activities, as specified. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 89513 of the Government Code proposed by SB 71 to be operative only if this bill and SB 71 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.
The Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act requires a state agency that finds specific factors to exist to distribute certain written materials in the appropriate non-English language through its statewide and local offices or facilities to non-English-speaking persons, or, as an alternative, to furnish translation aids, translation guides, or provide assistance, through use of a qualified bilingual person, at its statewide and local offices or facilities in completing English forms or questionnaires and in understanding English forms, letters, or notices. Existing law establishes, within the state disability insurance program administered by the Employment Development Department, a family temporary disability insurance program, also known as the paid family leave program, for the provision of wage replacement benefits to workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a minor child within one year of birth or placement, as specified. This bill, beginning January 1, 2025, would require the department to distribute the application for family temporary disability insurance benefits, in addition to the application in English, in all non-English languages spoken by a substantial number of non-English-speaking applicants, as defined.
The California Child Day Care Facilities Act provides for the licensure and regulation of family daycare homes by the State Department of Social Services. The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Education, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer childcare and development programs that offer a full range of services for eligible children from infancy to 13 years of age, including, among others, resource and referral programs, alternative payment programs, and family childcare home education networks. The act states the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation granting family childcare providers, as defined, the right to democratically choose a representative to meet and negotiate in a formal process with the state regarding the applicable scope of bargaining. This bill would authorize family childcare providers to form, join, and participate in the activities of provider organizations, as defined, and to seek the certification of a provider organization to act as the representative for family childcare providers on matters related to childcare subsidy programs pursuant to a petition and election process overseen by the Public Employment Relations Board or a neutral 3rd party designated by the board. The bill would require a provider organization to include in its certification petition proof of a 10-percent showing of interest designating the provider organization to act as the statewide representative for the providers. The bill would require any party contending fraud or coercion in the obtaining of proof of provider support to file under penalty of perjury a declaration supporting the claim. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would establish the scope of representation of the certified provider organization, and would require the Governor, through the Department of Human Resources or the Governor's designee, to meet and confer in good faith with the certified provider organization on all matters within that scope of representation. The bill would require the parties to jointly prepare a memorandum of understanding if an agreement is reached, which would be binding on all state departments and agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors, and any political subdivision of the state, that are involved in the administration of state-funded early care and education programs. To the extent that this bill would impose a new duty on a city or a county, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the parties, if, after a reasonable period of time they fail to reach agreement, to agree upon the appointment of a mediator and would authorize either party to declare that an impasse has been reached and request the Public Employment Relations Board to appoint a mediator. The bill would require the Department of Human Resources or the Governor's designee, with the assistance of, among others, the State Department of Education and the State Department of Social Services, to ensure that requests by a certified provider organization to deduct specified costs from the subsidy payments of its provider members are honored, as provided. The bill would require, if online or group in-person preservice meetings or orientations are held for family childcare providers by the state or a department, contractor, subcontractor, agency, or political subdivision of the state, that entity to provide a certified provider organization mandatory access to the entirety of the preservice meetings or orientations and the ability to make a presentation about the organization and its activities, its negotiations and memorandum of understanding, and its membership at the preservice meetings or orientations. The bill would prohibit the disclosure of certain information relating to preservice meetings or orientations in specified situations. The bill would require, if the state, department, political subdivision of the state, contractor, or subcontractor of a state-funded early care and education program, as defined, chooses to disseminate certain mass communications, as defined, to family childcare providers or applicants of state childcare subsidy payments, the Department of Human Resources or the Governor's designee to meet and confer with the certified provider organization concerning the content of the communication. The bill would require specified public administrators of state-funded early care and education programs to distribute to family childcare providers the mass communication of a certified provider organization in certain circumstances. Existing law provides that certain public records are not required to be disclosed. This bill would specify that records of state agencies related to activities governed by the above provisions regarding family childcare providers and certified provider organizations are not required to be disclosed. 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. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities and counties, including charter cities and counties. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
(1) Existing law requires the Secretary for Environmental Protection, on or before January 1, 2002, to convene a Working Group on Environmental Justice composed of various representatives, as specified, to assist the California Environmental Protection Agency in developing by July 1, 2002, an agencywide environmental justice strategy. Existing law requires the Office of Planning and Research to be the coordinating agency in state government for environmental justice programs. Existing law requires the Director of State Planning and Research to, among other things, coordinate its efforts and share information regarding environmental justice programs with various federal agencies. Existing law defines "environmental justice" for these purposes to mean the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This bill would revise the definition of "environmental justice" to also include the meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins with respect to those same actions, and would provide that "environmental justice" includes, among other things, the availability of a healthy environment for all people. (2) The California Coastal Act of 1976 establishes the California Coastal Commission and requires the commission to implement and administer a coastal development permit process within the coastal zone. The act requires that one member of the 15-member commission reside in, and work directly with, communities in the state that are disproportionately burdened by, and vulnerable to, high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice, as provided. The act also authorizes the issuing agency, or the commission on appeal, when acting on a coastal development permit, to consider environmental justice. The act defines "environmental justice" for these purposes. This bill would revise the definition of "environmental justice" for purposes of the act to be consistent with the definition for that term described in (1) above, as the term would be revised by this bill. (3) The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 provides the authority and procedures for the initiation, conduct, and completion of changes of organization and reorganization of cities and districts. The act specifies the factors that a local agency formation commission is required to consider in the review of a proposal for a change of organization or reorganization, including, among other factors, the extent to which the proposal will promote environmental justice. Existing law defines "environmental justice" for purposes of these provisions to mean the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the location of public facilities and the provision of public services. This bill would revise the definition of "environmental justice" for purposes of these provisions to also include the meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins, with respect to those same actions, to ensure a healthy environment for all people such that the effects of pollution are not disproportionately borne by any particular populations or communities.