Sen. Henry Stern

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and implement the Electric Program Investment Charge program for the purpose of awarding funds to projects that may lead to technological advancement and breakthroughs to overcome barriers that prevent the achievement of the state's statutory energy goals and that may result in a portfolio of projects that are strategically focused and sufficiently narrow to make advancement on the most significant technological challenges. Existing law requires the commission to develop, implement, and administer the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Program to provide support for a full range of research, development, and demonstration activities to advance energy science or technologies that, as determined by the commission, are not adequately provided for by competitive and regulated energy markets. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a new model for providing agile financial assistance for research, development, and demonstration of climate change mitigation technologies with transformational potential.

Existing law prohibits the state from reimbursing a local government or any facility thereof, under Medi-Cal or under any other health program if the state pays part or all of the costs, for care provided to a person covered under any disability insurance, health insurance, or prepaid health plan. Under existing law, for local programs fully or partially funded by the state, state participation is reduced by an amount proportionate to the cost of service paid by private health care coverage. This bill would make technical, non substantive changes to those provisions.

This measure would provide that the Legislature strongly and unequivocally supports the current federal prohibition on new oil and gas drilling in federal waters offshore California, opposes the Trump administration's proposal to remove safety and environmental protections related to offshore drilling operations, and opposes the Trump administration's proposed leasing plan that would expose the state to new offshore drilling. The measure would also urge the United States Secretary of the Interior to remove California from that proposed leasing plan, and would request that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management hold more than one public hearing on the plan in the State of California to ensure that all Californians have an opportunity to have their voices heard.

Existing law establishes various educational programs and activities for pupils, including programs and activities relating to civics education. This bill would establish the Student Empowerment Commission program, under which a public school, including a charter school, and a private school may choose to participate in the program and each year elect a pupil in grade 9, 10, or 11 to participate in regional and statewide conferences and to prepare proposals addressing legislative solutions to public policy issues, as specified. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to solicit proposals and select one or more qualified nonprofit organizations to assist in the administration of the program. The bill would require the Secretary of State to divide the state into 12 regions and would require the program administrators to conduct regional conferences and a statewide conference for participating pupils each year and to set forth procedures for the preparation, discussion, and vetting of issues at the conferences.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the Department of General Services, and the State Air Resources Board, in consultation with other state agencies deemed necessary, to develop and adopt fuel-efficiency specifications governing the purchase by the state of motor vehicles and replacement tires that, on an annual basis, will reduce petroleum consumption of the state vehicle fleet to the maximum extent practicable and cost effective. Existing law also requires the Secretary of the Government Operations Agency, in consultation with the Department of General Services and other appropriate state agencies that maintain or purchase vehicles for the state fleet, including the campuses of the California State University, to develop and implement a plan to improve the overall state fleet's use of alternative fuels, synthetic lubricants, and fuel-efficient vehicles by reducing or displacing the consumption of petroleum products by the state fleet. Existing law requires a state agency that has under its jurisdiction or control a parking facility that is available to state officers and employees and to private persons who desire to conduct business with a state agency, to construct, operate, and maintain bicycle and moped parking facilities for the use of bicycle and moped riders. This bill would require the Department of General Services to expand the State Employee BikeShare Program to state employees throughout the state at any location that the department determines that it is feasible and reasonable to do so. The bill would require the department to prepare and administer a program that offers state employees the ability to use bicycles during the workday, as specified.

Under existing law, the Department of Fish and Wildlife is required to enforce and administer the fish and game laws pursuant to the policies formulated by the Fish and Game Commission. The department is administered by the Director of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law makes it unlawful to take any marine mammal, as defined, except as provided under specified federal laws. This bill would, upon appropriation of moneys by the Legislature, require the Wildlife Health Center at the Davis campus of the University of California to provide grants to qualified organizations, as defined, that respond to marine mammal or sea turtle entanglement or stranding emergencies. The bill would require the grants to be issued on an emergency basis and not for the operating expenses of a qualified organization, except as specified.

This measure would express that the Legislature strongly denounces and opposes the totalitarian impulses, violent terrorism, xenophobic biases, and bigoted ideologies that are promoted by white nationalists and neo-Nazis and urges federal law enforcement to use the full extent of the nation's laws, including, but not limited to, statutes related to terrorism and hate crimes, to prosecute white nationalist and neo-Nazi individuals who come into our communities and commit violent and destructive acts.

Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture, which is tasked with, among other things, promoting and protecting the agricultural industry of the state, and seeking to enhance, protect, and perpetuate the ability of the private sector to produce food and fiber in a way that benefits the general welfare and economy of the state. Existing law also establishes the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative for the purpose of promoting healthy food access in the state. This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would develop and implement a coherent and comprehensive policy to improve access to more equitable, sustainable, and healthier food choices for all Californians.