Sen. Carol Liu

This measure would recognize September 2014 as Pain Awareness Month and call upon all Californians to observe that month by learning how to improve the quality of life of Californians suffering from pain. This measure would also recognize September 12, 2014, as Women In Pain Awareness Day to draw public attention to gender disparity in pain assessment and treatment in the United States.

This measure would acknowledge the history of the Chinese in California, recognize the contributions made to the State of California by Chinese Americans and Chinese immigrants, and apologize for past discriminatory laws and constitutional provisions that resulted in the persecution of Chinese living in California.

This measure would designate the month of November 2014 as California Runaway and Homeless Youth Month and would recognize the need for individuals, schools, communities, businesses, local governments, and the state to take action on behalf of runaway and homeless youth in California.

This measure would designate the portion of State Highway Route 710 between Pico Avenue and the Pacific Coast Highway in the City of Long Beach as the Senator Jenny Oropeza Memorial Freeway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

Under the California Public Records Act, except for exempt records, every state or local agency, upon request, is required to make records available to any person upon payment of fees to cover costs. The act requires public records in the custody or control of the Governor when he or she leaves office to be transferred to the State Archives as soon as practicable. The act authorizes the Governor to restrict, in writing, public access to any of the transferred public records, or any other writings he or she may transfer, which have not already been made accessible to the public, except as specified. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State to appraise and manage new or existing records subject to these provisions, to determine whether the records are appropriate for preservation in the State Archives, and would require the Secretary of State to use professional archival practices, as specified.

Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge certain children to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm, or a parent fails to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law establishes the grounds for removal of a dependent child from the custody of his or her parents or guardian, and establishes procedures to determine temporary placement of a dependent child. Existing law prescribes various hearings, including specified review hearings, and other procedures for these purposes. When a court orders the removal of a child from the physical custody of his or her parent, existing law generally requires the court to order the return of the child to the physical custody of his or her parent, unless the court finds that the return of the child would create a substantial risk of detriment, or substantial danger, to the safety, protection, or physical or emotional well-being of the child. This bill would specify that the fact that a parent is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with his or her parent is not, for that reason alone, prima facie evidence of detriment or substantial danger and would additionally require the court to consider at those hearings whether the child can be returned to the custody of his or her parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility. Prior to disposition in a dependency proceeding, existing law requires the court to receive in evidence the social study of the child made by the social worker, any study or evaluation made by a child advocate appointed by the court, and any other relevant and material evidence. Existing law requires the social study or evaluation to include a factual discussion of certain subjects. Existing law also requires the status of every dependent child in foster care to be reviewed periodically, and authorizes the court to require a social worker or any other agency to render periodic reports, as specified. Existing law requires each supplemental report under those provisions to include a factual discussion of certain subjects. This bill would require the social study or evaluation and the supplemental report described above to include a discussion of whether a child may be returned to the custody of a parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with the parent. By imposing additional duties on county employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law provides for the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which, pursuant to a combination of federal, state, and county funds, aid on behalf of eligible children is paid to foster care providers. Existing law provides that certain services may be provided under the program to include mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment services. This bill would specify that those treatment services may include treatment at a residential substance abuse treatment facility that accepts families. 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 these statutory provisions.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of teaching credentials. Existing law expresses the Legislature's intent to encourage teachers to engage in an individual program of professional growth that extends a teacher's content knowledge and teaching skills. Existing law provides that an individualized program of professional growth may consist of specified activities and courses. This bill would require a local educational agency, as defined, that offers a program of professional growth for teachers, administrators, paraprofessional educators, or other classified employees involved in the direct instruction of pupils, to evaluate professional learning that meets based on a specified list of criteria, including, that it is based on an needs assessment of the needs of educators and tied to supporting pupil learning, and would encourage local educational agencies to choose professional learning that meets any of the listed criteria. The bill would specify various activities that may be included as professional learning activities, including collaboration time for teachers to develop new instructional lessons.

(1) Existing law, the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2012, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11,140,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. Existing law provides for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. This bill would repeal these provisions. (2) Under existing law, various measures have been approved by the voters to provide funds for water supply and protection facilities and programs. Existing law, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, an initiative measure approved by the voters as Proposition 84 at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $5,388,000,000 for the purposes of financing safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, natural resource protection, and park improvements. Existing law, the Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act of 2006, approved by the voters as Proposition 1E at the November 7, 2006, general statewide election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,090,000,000 for the purposes of financing disaster preparedness and flood prevention projects. Existing law, the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002, an initiative measure approved by the voters as Proposition 50 at the November 5, 2002, statewide general election, authorizes, for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water, water quality, and water reliability program, the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,440,000,000. Existing law, the Costa-Machado Water Act of 2000, approved by the voters as Proposition 13 at the March 7, 2000, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $1,970,000,000 for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water, clean water, watershed protection, and flood protection program. Existing law, the Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act, approved by the voters as Proposition 204 at the November 5, 1996, statewide general election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $995,000,000 for the purposes of financing a safe, clean, reliable water supply program. Existing law, the Water Conservation and Water Quality Bond Law of 1986, approved by the voters as Proposition 44 at the June 3, 1986, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $150,000,000 for the purposes of financing a water conservation and water quality program. This bill would enact the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $7,120,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement program. This bill, upon voter approval, would reallocate $425,000,000 of the unissued bonds authorized for the purposes of Propositions 1E, 13, 44, 50, 84, and 204 to finance the purposes of a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement program. This bill would provide for the submission of these provisions to the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would declare the month of May 2014 as Foster Care Month.