Sen. Josh Newman

The Personal Income Tax Law excludes from the gross income of an employee amounts paid or incurred by an employer for educational assistance to the employee, as specified, up to $5,250 during a calendar year. This bill would exclude from the gross income of an employee amounts, not exceeding an aggregate amount of $5,250 per year, that are paid or incurred by an employer on and after January 1, 2018, and before January 1, 2023, for the payment of principal or interest on a qualified education loan, as defined, incurred by the employee. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

This measure would proclaim April 16, 2018, as California Holocaust Memorial Day and would urge all Californians to observe this day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.

This measure would designate April 14, 2018, as Mendez v. Westminster School District Day.

This measure would proclaim the month of April 2018 as Arab American Heritage Month.

This measure would recognize the week of April 9, 2018, as California Conservation Corps and Community Conservation Corps Week, would commend the California Conservation Corps and community conservation corps for their long history of developing young adults into citizens with character, credentials, and commitment, while protecting and enhancing California's natural resources, and would extend sincere best wishes for the organizations' continued success in the future.

This measure would recognize the week of April 8, 2018, to April 14, 2018, inclusive, as Crime Victims' Rights Week in California.

Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted as an initiative statute by Proposition 47, as approved by the electors at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, makes it a misdemeanor for a person to possess specified controlled substances that are classified as narcotics. The act also makes it a misdemeanor to possess, without a prescription, specified controlled substances, including hallucinogens, stimulants, and depressants. Under the act, a person violating either of these provisions may be charged with a felony if he or she has a prior conviction for a violent offense or an offense for which registration as a sex offender is required. The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors. This bill would amend Proposition 47 to authorize a person who has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to 2 misdemeanor violations of either of the above crimes or one violation of each within a 6-month period to be charged, upon a 3rd violation of either crime within that same 6-month period, with either a misdemeanor or a felony. The bill would authorize a person charged with a felony under these provisions to remain eligible for the diversion program for drug offenses if he or she is otherwise eligible. By increasing the penalty for a crime, this 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. This bill would call a special election to be consolidated with the November 6, 2018, statewide general election. This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit the provision of the bill that amends the initiative statute to the electors for their approval at the November 6, 2018, consolidated election. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an act calling an election.

(1) Existing law establishes the State Coastal Conservancy and prescribes the membership and functions and duties of the conservancy with regard to the protection, preservation, restoration, and enhancement of specified coastal lands. Existing law establishes the Coastal Trust Fund to receive and disburse funds paid to the conservancy in trust for specified coastal purposes, and establishes separate accounts in the fund for the purpose of separating deposits into the fund according to their origin. Existing law also establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board and requires the board to take various actions with regard to the preservation of public lands to protect wildlife and habitat in the state. This bill would, until January 1, 2028, establish the West Coyote Hills Conservancy Program, to be administered by the conservancy and to undertake projects and award grants in the West Coyote Hills area, as described, for purposes relating to improvement of public access, and the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources in the area. The bill would prescribe the duties of the conservancy with regard to the implementation and administration of the program. The bill would create the West Coyote Hills Conservancy Program Account within the fund, for the purpose of depositing and disbursing funds, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for program purposes. The bill would require that the $15,000,000 appropriated in the Budget Act of 2017 for the purposes of this bill be deposited in the account to be used for the purchase of specified property and related projects. The bill would make findings and declarations regarding funding under the bill for the board to open up, operate, and maintain the Robert E. Ward Nature Preserve, and would state the intent of the Legislature in enacting this act to specify the particular uses of the appropriated funds. (2) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.