Sen. Mike Morrell

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced by 1% or 5%, and provider payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 1%, for dates of service on and after March 1, 2009, and until June 1, 2011. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments and payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 10% for dates of service on and after June 1, 2011. This bill would, instead, prohibit the application of those reductions for payments to providers for dates of service on or after June 1, 2011. The bill would also require payments for managed care health plans for dates of service following the effective date of the bill to be determined without application of some of those reductions. The bill would require the Director of Health Care Services to implement this provision to the maximum extent permitted by federal law and for the maximum time period for which the director obtains federal approval for federal financial participation for those payments. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would urge the President and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to comply with all requests related to congressional inquiries related to IRS misconduct in a full and transparent manner, and ensure that all government employees are made available for questions relating to the application of tax exempt status for religious organizations. This measure would also urge the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate the actions of the IRS.

This measure would commemorate June 6, 2013, as the 35th anniversary of the approval of Proposition 13 by California voters.

The existing restructuring of the electrical industry within the Public Utilities Act provides for the establishment of an Independent System Operator (ISO) as nonprofit public benefit corporation. The ISO is required to ensure efficient use and reliable operation of the transmission grid consistent with achieving certain planning and operating criteria. This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to these provisions.

Existing law establishes a public school financing system that requires state funding for county superintendents of schools, school districts, and charter schools to be calculated pursuant to a local control funding formula, as specified. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to annually calculate a local control funding formula grant for each school district and charter school based on data submitted by local educational agencies, as specified, in accordance with instructions specified by the Controller. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

Under the Personal Income Tax Law, taxpayers are allowed to contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability for the support of the California Fund for Senior Citizens until the year in which the minimum contribution is not received, or January 1, 2020, which ever occurs first. This bill would eliminate the requirement that these contributions reach the minimum contribution amount.

Existing law establishes the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP) , and, commencing with the 2013–14 school year, requires the MAPP to be composed of (1) a consortium summative assessment in English language arts and mathematics for grades 3 to 8, inclusive, and grade 11, as specified, (2) science grade level assessments in grades 5, 8, and 10, measuring specified content standards, (3) the California Alternate Performance Assessment in grades 2 to 11, inclusive, in English language arts and mathematics and science in grades 5, 8, and 10, as specified, and (4) the Early Assessment Program. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on or before March 1, 2016, to submit to the State Board of Education, the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, and the Director of Finance, recommendations on expanding the MAPP to include additional assessments, including assessments in history-social science, in accordance with specified requirements. This bill would change the name of the MAPP to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) . The bill would require the CAASPP, commencing with the 2018–19 school year, to also be composed of a summative assessment in history-social science that is adopted by the state board, as specified. The bill would require the recommendations of the Superintendent submitted to the state board, the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, and the Director of Finance to include a plan to implement a summative assessment in history-social science commencing with the 2018–19 school year.

This measure would designate Monday, May 5, 2014, as California Peace Officers' Memorial Day, urge all Californians to use that day to honor California peace officers, and recognize specified California peace officers who were killed in defense of their communities.

Existing law provides, upon being served with a summons and complaint asserting a construction-related accessibility claim, that specified defendants may file a request for a court stay and early evaluation conference in the proceedings, as specified. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to the above-described provision relating to the assertion of construction-related accessibility claims.