Existing federal law, until September 30, 2017, authorizes a state to allow specified labeled vehicles to use lanes designated for high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) . Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of HOVs. Under existing law, until January 1, 2019, or until federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, those lanes may be used by certain vehicles not carrying the requisite number of passengers otherwise required for the use of an HOV lane, if the vehicle displays a valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) . Existing law authorizes the DMV to issue no more than 70,000 of those identifiers. This bill would increase the number of those identifiers that the DMV is authorized to issue to 85,000. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
This measure would designate the month of April 2015 as Autism Awareness Month and would encourage residents to show support for autism awareness.
Existing law provides that a child may become a dependent child of the juvenile court under certain circumstances, including in cases of abuse and neglect. Existing law authorizes a peace officer, without a warrant, to take a minor into temporary custody when there is reasonable cause to believe the minor comes within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Under existing law, a social worker is required to acquire the consent of a parent or permission from the court to authorize medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care to a child who is in temporary custody. Existing law permits, under specified emergency conditions, a licensed physician to provide emergency medical, surgical, or other remedial care to a child in temporary custody without the consent of a parent or permission from the court. This bill would additionally permit, in the absence of a standing court order, a social worker to authorize a noninvasive initial medical, dental, and mental health screening of a child in temporary custody. The bill would require the social worker to make reasonable attempts to notify the parent that the child will be undergoing a screening and to provide the parent with a reasonable opportunity to object. The bill would provide that if the parent objects, the screening may be conducted only upon the order of the court. The bill would also add mental health care, as defined, to the medical and dental care that may be authorized for a child who is a dependent of the juvenile court, who is in temporary custody, or for whom a dependency petition has been filed.
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.
(1) Existing law establishes the Department of Parks and Recreation and vests the department with the control of the state park system. Existing law authorizes the department to enter into concession contracts for the construction, maintenance, and convenience of the general public in the use and enjoyment of units of the state park system. Existing law authorizes the department, whenever significant savings can be achieved by the department, to enter into a contract with specified entities regarding the collection of revenues for, and the operation of a reservation system for, the state park system. Under its existing authority, the department has created regional park passes and other passes that serve the needs of visitors interested in parks with a shared theme or within a region. This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation, on or before July 1, 2015, to prepare a report to the Legislature that fully addresses the department's energy costs, projects that could reduce those costs, and potential energy-related infrastructure projects, as specified. The bill would require the department, until January 1, 2018, and from available appropriated funds, to establish a pilot program for mobile food and beverage services in multiple units and in multiple locations, if feasible, and to assess and report on the suitability, increase in visitation, and visitor satisfaction regarding the program. The bill would also expressly authorize the department to engage in activities to increase the opportunities to sell park passes through vendors and would require the department, on or before July 1, 2016, to report to the Legislature on those activities. The bill would require the department, on or before December 31, 2015 and from available appropriated funds, to establish a minimum of 2 additional regional passes available to park visitors for purchase. (2) Existing law establishes the State Park and Recreation Commission and vests the commission with specified authorities regarding the operation and development of the state park system. Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to revise the individual taxpayer return form to allow an individual to designate a contribution in excess of tax liability be made to the State Parks Protection Fund to be used for, among other purposes, the protection and preservation of state parks. This bill would require the commission's costs be reflected separately and displayed in the annual budget proposed by the Governor. The bill would require the commission to hold one or more public hearings to further the public process that may be initiated by the Department of Parks and Recreation to select one or more annual projects to receive funding from taxpayer contributions. The bill would require the commission and the department to create one or more "projects of the year" to be funded by those contributions and to post information about the public selection process and the chosen projects on its Internet Web site. (3) Existing law authorizes the Director of Parks and Recreation to negotiate or renegotiate a concession contract if specified conditions exist. This bill would additionally authorize the director to negotiate or renegotiate a concession contract if the services provided pursuant to the contract will have minimal impact on state park resources, are inherently mobile or transitory in nature, and do not occupy a state-owned structure.
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.
(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.
Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale, any food that is misbranded. Food is misbranded if its labeling does not conform to specified state and federal labeling requirements regarding nutrition, nutrient content or health claims, and food allergens. Violation of this law is a misdemeanor. This bill, beginning January 1, 2016, would require that any food, except as provided, offered for retail sale in the state be considered misbranded if it is entirely or partially genetically engineered, as defined, and that fact is not disclosed in a specified manner. The bill would prescribe labeling requirements for a raw agricultural commodity that is genetically engineered and packaged foods, as defined, containing some products of genetic engineering. The bill would impose these labeling requirements on manufacturers and retailers, as defined, of the commodities and foods. Because this bill would create new crimes by expanding the number of foods that could potentially be misbranded, it 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This measure would proclaim the week of April 23 to April 30, 2014, inclusive, as Black April Memorial Week, a special time for Californians to remember the countless lives lost during the Vietnam War era, and to hope for more justice and liberty for the people of Vietnam.