Existing law provides that the California Workforce Investment Board is responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system. Existing law further provides that the board must assist the Governor in targeting resources to specified high-wage industry sectors and providing guidance to ensure that services reflect the needs of those sectors. This bill would provide that the board is also responsible for assisting the Governor in the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century workforce and the promotion of the development of a well-educated and highly skilled 21st century economy and workforce. This bill would require the board to assist the Governor in targeting resources to specified industry clusters that provide economic security and leverage state and federal funds to ensure that resources are invested in activities that meet the needs of specified industry sectors and advance the education and employment of students and workers so they can meet the specified needs of the state, its regional economies, and leading industry sectors. Existing law requires the board, in collaboration with specified state and local partners, and the local workforce investment boards to develop a specified strategic workforce plan, updated at least every 5 years, to address the state's economic, demographic, and workplace needs and to meet the single state plan requirement of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. This bill would require, as part of the strategic workforce plan, the creation of a California Industry Sector Initiative that will accomplish specified tasks, including aligning and leveraging federal, state, and local Workforce Investment Act funding streams, identifying specified industry sectors and clusters, providing skills-gap analysis, and establishing specified eligibility criteria for the Workforce Investment Act eligible training provider list. This bill would also make related changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14013 of the Unemployment Insurance Code proposed by AB 285 that would become operative if this bill and AB 285 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Sponsored bills
The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development serves as the Governor's lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. The office, among others, makes recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature regarding policies, programs, and actions to advance statewide economic goals. This bill would create the California Innovation Hub Program within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. The bill would require the office to designate Innovation Hubs, as specified. The bill would require the office to issue a request for proposals for the California Innovation Hub Program, and would require the proposals to include specified information except as provided. The bill would require each designated iHub partnership to include, among other things, at least one major university or research center or institute. The bill would establish the Innovation Accelerator Account within the California Economic Development Fund and would make a continuous appropriation from that account to the office to be used for California Innovation Initiatives, as specified. The bill would require an iHub to annually post the information from these reports on its Internet Web site and notify the Governor and specified legislative committees that such information is available on its Internet Web site.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal law, provides various exclusions from gross income in computing tax liability. This bill would, in reference to specified federal income tax laws, provide that gross income does not include 50% of any gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock, as defined, held for more than 5 years, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2008, and before January 1, 2013, as provided. The provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2016. The bill, with regard to personal income tax, would provide that a penalty shall not be imposed with respect to the additional tax, as defined, of a taxpayer, and interest shall not accrue with respect to the additional tax of that taxpayer due for the taxable year. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board, in the case of a liability for additional tax of a taxpayer, notwithstanding certain other eligibility requirements, to enter into an agreement to accept the full payment of the additional tax in installments over a period not to exceed 5 years. These provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2018. The bill would authorize any claim for credit or refund pursuant to the bill to be filed within 180 days of its effective date, as provided. The bill would make a legislative finding and declaration regarding the public purpose served by the bill. The bill would state that its provisions are not severable, except as provided.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal law, provides various exclusions from gross income in computing tax liability. This bill would, in reference to specified federal income tax laws, provide that gross income does not include 38% of any gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock, as defined, held for more than 5 years, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2008, and before January 1, 2013, as provided. The provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2016. The bill, with regard to personal income tax, would provide that a penalty shall not be imposed with respect to the additional tax, as defined, of a taxpayer, and interest shall not accrue with respect to the additional tax of that taxpayer due for the taxable year. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board, in the case of a liability for additional tax of a taxpayer, notwithstanding certain other eligibility requirements, to enter into an agreement to accept the full payment of the additional tax in installments over a period not to exceed 5 years. These provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2018. The bill would authorize any claim for credit or refund pursuant to the bill to be filed within 180 days of its effective date, as provided. The bill would make a legislative finding and declaration regarding the public purpose served by the bill. The bill would state that its provisions are not severable, except as provided.
The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development serves as the Governor's lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. The office, among others, makes recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature regarding policies, programs, and actions to advance statewide economic goals. This bill would establish the California Foreign Investment Program. The bill would require the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to serve as the lead state entity for overseeing the state's participation with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' EB-5 Investment Program. The bill would require the director of the office to set the terms and conditions for issuing a state designation letter for targeted employment areas within the structure and scope of the EB-5 Investment Program and to post on the office's Internet Web site a list with the contact information for each regional center, as specified. The bill would require a regional center with one or more offices in the state to provide the office with, among other things, information on the number of clients served, the location of investments, and the number of direct and indirect jobs created. The bill would authorize specified public and private corporations to establish, operate, and maintain a regional center subject to specified conditions and restrictions. The bill would apply only to EB-5 activities of the state relating to the EB-5 Investment Program occurring on or after January 1, 2014.
(1) Existing law requires specified regulatory boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs to require an applicant for licensure to furnish to the board a full set of fingerprints in order to conduct a criminal history record check. This bill would additionally authorize those boards to request and receive from a local or state agency certified records of all arrests and convictions, certified records regarding probation, and any and all other related documentation needed to complete an applicant or licensee investigation and would authorize a local or state agency to provide those records to the board upon request. (2) The Chiropractic Act, enacted by an initiative measure, provides for the licensure and regulation of chiropractors in this state by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Existing law specifies that the law governing chiropractors is found in the act. This bill would require that the powers and duties of the board, as provided, be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature as if these provisions were scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018. This bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to conform with the Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 2. (3) Existing law, the Osteopathic Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. This bill would require that the powers and duties of the board, as provided, be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would require that the review be performed as if these provisions were scheduled to be repealed as of January 1, 2018. (4) Existing law, the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers by the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. The act authorizes the board to appoint an executive officer. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2014, and subjects the board to review by the Joint Committee on Boards, Commissions, and Consumer Protection. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until January 1, 2018, and provide that the repeal of these provisions subjects the board to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. The Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act also authorizes the board to refuse to issue, or issue subject to terms and conditions, a license on specified grounds, including, among others, securing a license by fraud or deceit. This bill would additionally authorize the board to refuse to issue, or issue subject to terms and conditions, a license for a violation of a term or condition of a probationary order of a license or a term or condition of a conditional license issued by the board, as provided. The bill would also delete an obsolete provision and make other technical changes. (5) Existing law, the Occupational Therapy Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of occupational therapists, as defined, by the California Board of Occupational Therapy. Existing law repeals those provisions on January 1, 2014, and subjects the board to review by the Joint Committee on Boards, Commissions, and Consumer Protection. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until January 1, 2018, and provide that the repeal of these provisions subjects the board to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. (6) Existing law, the Naturopathic Doctors Act, until January 1, 2014, provides for the licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors by the Naturopathic Medicine Committee within the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. Existing law also specifies that the repeal of the committee subjects it to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until January 1, 2018, and make conforming changes. (7) Existing law, the Optometry Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of optometrists by the State Board of Optometry. The Respiratory Care Act provides for the licensure and regulation of respiratory care practitioners by the Respiratory Care Board of California. Each of those acts authorizes the board to employ an executive officer. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2014, and subjects the boards to review by the Joint Committee on Boards, Commissions, and Consumer Protection. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until January 1, 2018, and provide that the repeal of these provisions subjects the boards to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. (8) The Optometry Practice Act prescribes license eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, not having been convicted of a crime, as specified. The act defines unprofessional conduct to include, committing or soliciting an act punishable as a sexually related crime, if that act or solicitation is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of an optometrist. Under the act, the board may take action against a licensee who is charged with unprofessional conduct, and may deny an application for a license if the applicant has committed an act of unprofessional conduct. Under existing law, commission of any act of sexual abuse, misconduct, or relations with a patient, client, or customer constitutes unprofessional conduct and grounds for disciplinary action against any healing arts licensee, subject to a specified exception for a physician and surgeon. This bill would add to the license eligibility requirements under the act that the applicant is not currently required to register as a sex offender, as specified. The bill would make conviction of a crime that currently requires a licensee to register as a sex offender unprofessional conduct and would expressly specify that commission of an act of sexual abuse or misconduct, as specified, constitutes unprofessional conduct, subject to an exception for an optometrist treating his or her spouse or person in an equivalent domestic relationship. The bill would also state that those acts of unprofessional conduct shall be considered crimes substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee. The bill would also expressly specify that the board may revoke a license if the licensee has been found, in an administrative proceeding, as specified, to have been convicted of sexual misconduct or convicted of a crime that currently requires the licensee to register as a sex offender. (9) The Respiratory Care Act also prohibits a person from engaging in the practice of respiratory care unless he or she is a licensed respiratory care practitioner. However, the act does not prohibit specified acts, including, among others, the performance of respiratory care services in case of an emergency or self-care by a patient. This bill would additionally authorize the performance of pulmonary function testing by persons who are currently employed by Los Angeles County hospitals and have performed pulmonary function testing for at least 15 years. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the persons described above.
(1) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California. Existing law authorizes the board to employ an executive director. Existing law provides that those provisions will be repealed on January 1, 2014, and, upon repeal, the board is subject to review by the Joint Sunset Review Committee. This bill would instead repeal those provisions on January 1, 2018, and subject the board to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would authorize the board to employ an executive director by, and with the approval of, the Director of Consumer Affairs. Existing law authorizes the board to issue a physician and surgeon's license to an applicant who acquired all or part of his or her medical education at a foreign medical school that is not recognized by the board if, among other requirements, the applicant has held an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state or federal territory and has continuously practiced for a minimum of 10 years prior to the date of application or to an applicant who acquired any part of his or her professional instruction at a foreign medical school that has previously been disapproved by the board if, among other requirements, the applicant has held an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state or federal territory and has continuously practiced for a minimum of 20 years prior to the date of application. For the purposes of these provisions, the board may combine the period of time that the applicant has held an unlimited and unrestricted license, but requires each applicant to have a minimum of 5 years continuous licensure and practice in a single state or federal territory. This bill would instead authorize the board to issue a physician and surgeon's license to an applicant who acquired any part of his or her medical education from an unrecognized medical school if, among other requirements, the applicant has held an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state, a federal territory, or a Canadian province and has continuously practiced for a minimum of 10 years prior to the date of application, or from a disapproved medical school if, among other requirements, the applicant has held an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state, a federal territory, or a Canadian province and has continuously practiced for a minimum of 12 years prior to the date of application. The bill would reduce the minimum number of years that each applicant must have continuous licensure and practice in a single state or federal territory to 2 years and permit the period of continuous licensure and practice to occur in a Canadian province. Existing law authorizes the Medical Board of California, if it publishes a directory of its licensees, as specified, to require persons licensed, as specified, to furnish specified information to the board for purposes of compiling the directory. This bill would require that an applicant and licensee who has an electronic mail address report to the board that electronic mail address no later than July 1, 2014. The bill would provide that the electronic mail address is to be considered confidential, as specified. Existing law requires an applicant for a physician and surgeon's certificate to obtain a passing score on Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination with not more than 4 attempts, subject to an exception. This bill would require an applicant to have obtained a passing score on all parts of that examination with not more than 4 attempts, subject to the exception. Existing law requires that a complaint, with exceptions, received by the board determined to involve quality of care, before referral to a field office for further investigation, meet certain criteria. This bill would expand the types of reports that are exempted from that requirement. Existing law provides for a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day, as specified, to be imposed on a health care facility that fails to comply with a patient's medical record request, as specified, within 30 days. This bill would shorten the time limit for compliance to 15 days for those health care facilities that have electronic health records. Existing law establishes that corporations and other artificial legal entities have no professional rights, privileges, or powers. This bill would provide that those provisions do not apply to physicians and surgeons or doctors of podiatric medicine enrolled in approved residency postgraduate training programs or fellowship programs. (2) Existing law, the Licensed Midwifery Practice Act of 1993, provides for the licensure and regulation of licensed midwives by the Medical Board of California. Existing law specifies that a midwife student meeting certain conditions is not precluded from engaging in the practice of midwifery as part of his or her course of study, if certain conditions are met, including, that the student is under the supervision of a licensed midwife. This bill would require that to engage in those practices, the student is to be enrolled and participating in a midwifery education program or enrolled in a program of supervised clinical training, as provided. The bill would add that the student is permitted to engage in those practices if he or she is under the supervision of a licensed nurse-midwife. (3) Existing law provides for the regulation of registered dispensing opticians by the Medical Board of California and requires that the powers and duties of the board in that regard be subject to review by the Joint Sunset Review Committee as if those provisions were scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2014. This bill would instead make the powers and duties of the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature as if those provisions were scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018. (4) Existing law provides for the accreditation of outpatient settings, as defined, by the Medical Board of California, and requires outpatient settings to report adverse events, as defined, to the State Department of Public Health within specified time limits. Existing law provides for the imposition of a civil penalty in the event that an adverse event is not reported within the applicable time limit. This bill would instead require those outpatient settings to report adverse events to the Medical Board of California within specified time limits and authorize the board to impose a civil penalty if an outpatient setting fails to timely report an adverse event. (5) Existing law establishes the Medical Quality Hearing Panel, consisting of no fewer than 5 administrative law judges with certain medical training, within the Office of Administrative Hearings. Existing law authorizes those administrative law judges to issue interim orders suspending a license, or imposing drug testing, continuing education, supervision of procedures, or other license restrictions. Existing law requires that in all of those cases in which an interim order is issued, and an accusation is not filed and served within 15 days of the date in which the parties to the hearing have submitted the matter, the order be dissolved. Under existing law, if a healing arts practitioner is unable to practice his or her profession safely due to mental or physical illness, his or her licensing agency may order the practitioner to be examined by specified professionals. This bill would extend the time in which the accusation must be filed and served to 30 days from the date on which the parties to the hearing submitted the matter. The bill would also provide that a physician and surgeon's failure to comply with an order to be examined may constitute grounds for an administrative law judge of the Medical Quality Hearing Panel to issue an interim suspension order. Existing law establishes the Health Quality Enforcement Section within the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute proceedings against licensees and applicants within the jurisdiction of the Medical Board of California, the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, the Board of Psychology, or any committee under the jurisdiction of the Medical Board of California. Existing law provides for the funding for the section, and for the appointment of a Senior Assistant Attorney General to the section to carry out specified duties. Existing law requires that all complaints or relevant information concerning licensees that are within the jurisdiction of the boards served by the Health Quality Enforcement Section be made available to the Health Quality Enforcement Section. Existing law establishes the procedures for processing the complaints, assisting the boards or committees in establishing training programs for their staff, and for determining whether to bring a disciplinary proceeding against a licensee of the boards. Existing law provides for the repeal of those provisions, as provided, on January 1, 2014. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions indefinitely and make those provisions applicable to the Physical Therapy Board of California and licensees within its jurisdiction. Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2014, a vertical enforcement and prosecution model for cases before the Medical Board of California and requires the board to report to the Governor and Legislature on that model by March 1, 2012. This bill would extend the date that report is due to March 1, 2015. Existing law creates the Division of Investigation within the Department of Consumer Affairs and requires investigators who have the authority of peace officers to be in the division, except that investigators of the Medical Board of California and the Dental Board of California who have that authority are not required to be in the division. This bill would require, effective July 1, 2014, that investigators of the Medical Board of California who have the authority of a peace officer be in the division and would protect the positions, status, and rights of those employees who are subsequently transferred as a result of these provisions. The bill would also, effective July 1, 2014, create within the Division of Investigation the Health Quality Investigation Unit. (6) Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, provides for the licensure and registration of veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians and the regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine by the Veterinary Medical Board. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing the board, and authorizing the board to appoint an executive officer, as of January 1, 2014. Under existing law, the board is subject to evaluation by the Joint Sunset Review Committee prior to its repeal. This bill would provide that those provisions are instead repealed as of January 1, 2016. The bill, upon repeal of the board, would require that the board be subject to a specifically limited review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. Existing law authorizes the board, at any time, to inspect the premises in which veterinary medicine, veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced and requires that those premises be registered with the board. Existing law requires the board to establish a regular inspection program that will provide for random, unannounced inspections. This bill would require the board to make every effort to inspect at least 20% of veterinary premises on an annual basis and would exclude from inspection those premises that are not registered with the board. Existing law requires the board to establish an advisory committee, the Veterinary Medicine Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee, to assist, advise, and make recommendations for the implementation of rules and regulations necessary to ensure proper administration and enforcement of specified provisions and to assist the board in its examination, licensure, and registration programs. Existing law requires the committee to consist of 7 members, with 4 licensed veterinarians, 2 registered veterinary technicians, and one public member. This bill would expand the number of members on the committee to 9 by including one veterinarian member of the board, to be appointed by the board president, and the registered veterinary technician of the board, both of whom would serve concurrently with their terms of office on the board. The bill would additionally require that the committee serve only in an advisory capacity to the board, as specified. The bill would make other technical and conforming changes. Existing law authorizes a registered veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant to administer a drug under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian when administered pursuant to the order, control, and full professional responsibility of a licensed veterinarian. Existing law limits access to controlled substances by veterinary assistants to persons who have undergone a background check and who, to the best of the licensee manager's knowledge, do not have any drug- or alcohol-related felony convictions. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2015. This bill would instead require, until the later of January 1, 2015, or the effective date of a specified legislative determination, a licensee manager to conduct a background check on a veterinary assistant prior to authorizing him or her to obtain or administer a controlled substance by the order of a supervising veterinarian and to prohibit the veterinary assistant from obtaining or administering controlled substances if the veterinary assistant has a drug- or alcohol-related felony conviction. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, this bill imposes a state-mandated local program. This bill would require that, upon the later of January 1, 2015, or the effective date of a specified legislative determination, a veterinary assistant be designated by a licensed veterinarian and hold a valid veterinary assistant controlled substances permit from the board in order to obtain or administer controlled substances. The bill would, as part of the application for a permit, require an applicant to furnish a set of fingerprints to the Department of Justice for the purposes of conducting both a state and federal criminal history record check. The bill would require an applicant for a veterinary assistant controlled substances permit to apply for a renewal of his or her permit on or before the last day of the applicant's birthday month and to update his or her mailing or employer address with the board. The bill would authorize the board to collect a filing fee, not to exceed $100, from applicants for a veterinary assistant controlled substances permit. Because that fee would be deposited in the Veterinary Medical Board Contingent Fund, which is a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. (7) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 11529 of the Government Code proposed by SB 670 that would become operative if this bill and SB 670 are enacted and this bill is chaptered last. (8) 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.
The reporter's shield law contained in the California Constitution prohibits a publisher, editor, reporter, or other person connected with or employed by a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, or by a press association or wire service, from being held in contempt for refusing to disclose the source of any information procured for publication while so connected or employed. The law also prohibits any of those persons from being held in contempt for refusing to disclose any unpublished information obtained or prepared in gathering, receiving, or processing information for communication to the public. Existing statutory law prohibits any testimony or other evidence given by a journalist under subpoena in a civil or criminal proceeding from being construed as a waiver of the immunity rights provided by the reporter's shield law. Existing law requires that, except in exigent circumstances, a journalist who is subpoenaed in any civil or criminal proceeding be given at least 5 days' notice by the party issuing the subpoena that his or her appearance will be required, and requires a court that holds a journalist in contempt in a criminal proceeding to set forth specified findings regarding the information sought. This bill, in addition, would require that, except in circumstances that pose a clear and substantial threat to the integrity of the criminal investigation or present an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm, a party issuing a subpoena in any civil or criminal proceeding to a third party that seeks the records of a journalist to provide notice of the subpoena to the journalist and the publisher of the newspaper, magazine, or other publication or station operations manager of the broadcast station that employs or contracts with the journalist, as applicable, at least 5 days prior to issuing the subpoena. The bill would require the party issuing the subpoena to include in the notice, at a minimum, an explanation of why the requested records will be of material assistance to the party seeking them and why alternate sources of information are not sufficient to avoid the need for the subpoena. The bill also would revise the exception for the existing 5 days' notice requirement for a subpoena requiring a journalist to appear, providing that the requirement applies except in circumstances that pose a clear and substantial threat to the integrity of the criminal investigation or present an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care. A willful violation of the act is a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires the departments to adopt regulations establishing standards and requirements to provide enrollees and insureds with access to language assistance in obtaining health care services. Existing law requires health care service plans and health insurers, if they exceed certain enrollment thresholds, to implement programs to assess the needs of enrollees and insureds, and to provide translation and interpretation for medical services and translation of vital documents, as defined, to enrollees and insureds, and to report to the respective departments regarding internal policies and procedures related to cultural appropriateness. Existing law provides that a health care service plan is in compliance with the requirements if it is required to meet and meets the same or similar standards, as imposed by the Medi-Cal program. This bill would require a health care service plan, as specified, that advertises or markets products in the individual or small group health care service plan markets, or that allows others to market or advertise on its behalf in those markets, in a non-English language, as provided, and that does not meet certain requirements, to translate into that language specified documents. The bill would also require an insurer that markets, advertises, or allows others to market or advertise on its behalf, or produces educational materials for health insurance policies, in the individual or small group health insurance markets, in a non-English language and that does not meet certain requirements, to translate specified documents into that language. The bill would require both those health care service plans and insurers to use trained and qualified translators. By placing additional requirements on health care service plans, the willful violation of which would be a crime, the bill 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.
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, which lanes may also be used, until January 1, 2015, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, by certain low-emission, hybrid, or alternative fuel 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. A violation of provisions relating to HOV lane use by vehicles with those identifiers is a crime. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions for certain zero-emission vehicles to January 1, 2019, or until federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives that specified notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would authorize the department to issue a valid identifier to a vehicle that meets California's transitional zero-emission vehicle (TZEV) standard. The bill would also repeal duplicate provisions of law, delete obsolete provisions of law relating to hybrid vehicles, and make additional conforming changes. By extending a crime that otherwise would be repealed, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional substantive changes in Sections 5205.5 and 21655.9 of the Vehicle Code made by AB 266, to become operative if AB 266 and this bill become effective on or before January 1, 2014, and this bill is enacted last. 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 bill would become operative only if AB 266 is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2014.