Sen. Bill Emmerson

This measure would call upon the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to develop common core state standards in the core academic disciplines of English-language arts, mathematics, history-social science, and science, request that they replicate the process used to develop English-language arts and mathematics common core state standards to now develop common core state standards for social studies and science, and examine the viability of developing common standards in foreign language, visual and performing arts, physical education, career technical education, and other subject areas.

This measure would proclaim the 3rd Monday of each September as California Memorial Project Remembrance Day in California, to honor and restore dignity to individuals who lived and died in California institutions.

This measure would recognize May 10, 2010, and each May 10 thereafter, as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, and acknowledge the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community.

Existing law provides that the State Department of Mental Health shall provide mental health treatment and supervision in the community for judicially committed persons, as specified. Existing law provides that the department may provide these services directly or through contract with private providers or counties, including administrative and ancillary services related to the provision of direct services. Existing law provides that the program established and administered by the department to provide services pursuant to this authority shall be known as the Forensic Conditional Release Program. This bill would authorize programs providing services pursuant to this provision to inform local enforcement agencies of the names and addresses of program participants in the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction. The bill would specify that providing this notice does not relieve a person or entity of any statutory duty.

This measure would encourage school districts to engage in recycling programs and to promote awareness of available state resources that schools may utilize to establish and maintain recycling programs.

This measure would declare April 26 through April 30, 2010, as West Nile Virus and Mosquito and Vector Control Awareness Week.

Existing law requires the governmental agency soliciting proposals and entering into agreements with private entities for the studying, planning, design, developing, financing, construction, maintenance, rebuilding, improvement, repair, or operation, or any combination thereof, by private entities for fee-producing infrastructure projects to ensure that the contractor is selected pursuant to a competitive negotiation process, which must use as the primary selection criteria, the demonstrated competence and qualifications for the studying, planning, design, developing, financing, construction, maintenance, rebuilding, improvement, repair, or operation, or any combination thereof, of the facility. This bill would instead require the governmental agency to use as a primary selection criterion, the demonstrated competence and qualifications of the private entity to perform the services required under the agreement, including prior experience in performing similar services.

This measure would proclaim May 2010 as Buy California Small Business First Month to raise awareness that when California consumers, businesses, colleges, universities, and governmental agencies choose to first support California small businesses when making purchasing decisions, a wave of positive economic impacts occurs within the state and local economies.

This measure would proclaim May 2 through May 8, 2010, as Cinco de Mayo Week, and would urge all Californians to join in celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

This measure would designate Friday, May 7, 2010, as California Peace Officers' Memorial Day and would urge all Californians to use that day to honor California peace officers.