Existing law, commonly known as the code of ethics, prohibits a Member of the Legislature or an employee of either house of the Legislature from receiving or agreeing to receive, directly or indirectly, any compensation, reward, or gift from any source except the State of California for any service, advice, assistance, or other matter related to the legislative process, except for specified circumstances. Under existing law, the services of a California Science and Technology Policy Fellow provided by the California Council on Science and Technology and duly authorized by the Senate Committee on Rules, the Assembly Committee on Rules, or the Joint Committee on Rules are not compensation, a reward, or a gift to a Member of the Legislature for purposes of the code of ethics, and the fellow is not an employee of either house of the Legislature for these purposes, provided that certain requirements are met. This bill would similarly clarify that the services of a California Science and Technology Policy Fellow duly authorized by an executed memorandum of understanding between the California Council on Science and Technology and an executive branch agency or department, as specified, are not a gift for purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 and not compensation of a state elective or appointive officer. The bill would also similarly clarify that the fellow is not included in "state civil service" for the purposes of the State Civil Service Act. The bill would state that these provisions are declaratory of existing law. Existing law prohibits a Member of the Legislature, state elective or appointive officer, or judge or justice from having any interest, engaging in any business, transaction, or professional activity, or incurring any obligation that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of their duties in the public interest and of their responsibilities, as specified. Under this bill, the services of a California Science and Technology Policy Fellow, as specified, would not be an interest, business, transaction, professional activity, or obligation of a Member of the Legislature, state elective or appointive officer, judge, or justice that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of their duties in the public interest or of their responsibilities.
Sponsored bills
This measure would condemn Azerbaijan's blockade of the Republic of Artsakh and urge the United States government to take immediate action to assist the Armenians of Artsakh.
Existing law makes it a crime to possess for sale or purchase for purpose of sale, transport, import, sell, furnish, administer, give away, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, derive, process, or prepare various controlled substances, including, among others, fentanyl, peyote, and various other opiates and narcotics. This measure would require a criminal court to advise a person who is convicted of, or who pleads guilty or no contest to, the above-described crimes, as specified, of the danger of selling or administering illicit drugs and counterfeit pills and that, if a person dies as a result of that action, the defendant can be charged with homicide. The measure would require the court to read the advisory statement in a case in which the defendant exchanged a controlled substance containing fentanyl or its analogs for anything else of value, as specified. The measure would require the advisory statement to be included in a plea form, if used, and specified on the record. The measure would require that the fact the advisory was given be recorded in the abstract of conviction and would prohibit the advisement from being used as evidence in the prosecution of a minor in juvenile court.
Existing law requires the canvass of an election to commence no later than the Thursday following the election and shall be continued daily, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted, for not less than 6 hours each day until completed. Existing law requires the elections official to prepare a certified statement of the results of the election and submit that certified statement to the governing body within 30 days of the election, except as specified. This bill would instead require the elections official to submit the certified statement of the results of the election on the 30th calendar day following the election. By increasing the duties of local elections officials relative to the days on which they would be required to certify election results, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law requires a county elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with the voter's signature appearing on specified voter registration records. If the elections official determines that the signatures do not match, or if the identification envelope does not contain a signature, existing law requires the elections official to notify the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter's signature or provide a signature, as applicable. Existing law requires the elections official to accept the voter's ballot if the voter verifies the signature or provides a signature by no later than 2 days before the certification of the election. Existing law requires county elections officials during the official canvass period following an election to send reports to the Secretary of State regarding the number of unprocessed ballots. This bill would require county elections officials to include in those reports the number of vote by mail ballots that have been processed but not counted because the identification envelope is missing the voter's signature or has a signature that does not compare to the signature on file. This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to make public the information contained in those reports. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes the Prison Industry Authority within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and authorizes it to operate industrial, agricultural, and service enterprises that provide products and services needed by the state, or any political subdivision of the state, or by the federal government, or any department, agency, or corporation of the federal government, or for any other public use. Existing law requires state agencies to purchase these products and services at the prices fixed by the authority. Existing law also requires state agencies to make maximum utilization of these products and consult with the staff of the authority to develop new products and adapt existing products to meet their needs. 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 certain optometric services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. This bill, for purposes of Medi-Cal reimbursement for covered optometric services, would authorize a provider to obtain eyeglasses from a private entity, as an alternative to a purchase of eyeglasses from the Prison Industry Authority. The bill would condition implementation of this provision on the availability of federal financial participation. The bill, notwithstanding the above-described requirements, would authorize a provider participating in the Medi-Cal program to obtain eyeglasses from the authority or private entities, based on the optometrist's needs and assessment of quality and value.
Existing law requires school districts and county offices of education to be responsible for the overall development of comprehensive school safety plans for its schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the schoolsite council, or the school safety committee if so designated, to consult with a representative from a law enforcement agency, a fire department, and other first responder entities in the writing and development of the comprehensive school safety plan, and requires the comprehensive school safety plan and any updates to the plan to be shared with the law enforcement agency, the fire department, and the other first responder entities. Existing law requires the school safety plan to include, among other things, procedures for conducting tactical responses to criminal incidents. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to establish, on or before the 2024–25 school year, an anonymous reporting system, as defined, for any person to anonymously report any dangerous, violent, or unlawful activity that is being conducted or threatened to be conducted on the property of a local educational agency or at an activity sponsored by the local educational agency. The bill would require local educational agencies to prominently post information regarding the anonymous reporting system on each schoolsite's internet website and ensure that a person who submits a report to have the option to remain anonymous. The bill would require local educational agencies to report specified information to the State Department of Education and would require the department to make the reported data available on its internet website, as provided. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law designates certain individuals, such as teachers, peace officers, physicians, and clergy members, among others, as mandated reporters and requires them to report suspected child abuse or neglect to specified agencies whenever the mandated reporter, in their professional capacity or within the scope of their employment, knows of, or observes, a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. Existing law requires specified local agencies to forward those reports to the Department of Justice in writing of all cases the agencies investigate of known or suspected child abuse or severe neglect that are determined to be substantiated. Existing law requires the Department of Justice to be a repository of reports of suspected child abuse and severe neglect and to maintain those reports in the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) . Existing law prohibits a police or sheriff's department from forwarding to the Department of Justice a report of a case the police or sheriff's department investigates of known or suspected child abuse or neglect. This bill would authorize a police or sheriff's department to which a report of suspected child abuse or severe neglect is made on or after January 1, 2024, to forward to the Department of Justice a report in writing of its investigation of known or suspected child abuse or severe neglect that is determined to be substantiated. The bill would require a police or sheriff's department that forwards a report to comply with the same requirements placed on other reporting agencies and would require the police or sheriff's department to adopt procedures to notify persons reported to the CACI. The bill would require the Department of Justice to create a grievance procedure for reports to the CACI submitted by police or sheriff's departments, and would prescribe minimum requirements for the notification and grievance procedures, including specifying timelines and rules governing the grievance hearing. The bill would also make conforming changes.
Existing law establishes the Middle Class Scholarship Program (MCSP) under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. Existing law makes an undergraduate student eligible for a scholarship award under the MCSP if the student is enrolled at the University of California or the California State University, or enrolled in upper division coursework in a community college baccalaureate program, and meets certain eligibility requirements. This bill would extend awards under the MCSP to community college students who are current or former foster youth pursuing transfer to a 4-year postsecondary educational institution, an associate degree, an associate degree for transfer, or a community college career technical education certificate and meet other MCSP requirements, as provided. The bill would require the commission to summarize the provisions of the MCSP that apply to these current or former foster youth and title those provisions as "The Fostering Futures Program" on a page on its internet website.
This measure would recognize May 14, 2023, as the 116th annual Mother's Day and would urge all Californians to recognize, appreciate, and be grateful for the gifts and good works of mothers on that day.