Sen. Richard Roth

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution designates March 2024 as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month in California to highlight conditions such as hemophilia and Von Willebrand disease. The measure aims to increase public understanding of these rare genetic disorders, which can cause severe bleeding, chronic pain, and disability without proper treatment. By officially recognizing this month, the state seeks to foster community support and encourage engagement with medical resources for those affected. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic declaration to raise awareness among the general public.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates April 2024 as Parkinson's Awareness Month in California to highlight the challenges faced by individuals with the disease and their caregivers. The measure does not change laws or allocate funding but serves to formally recognize the month for public education and awareness. By acknowledging the significant impact of Parkinson's disease, the resolution aims to draw attention to the need for continued research and support services.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 92 officially designates May 2024 as Lupus and Fibromyalgia Awareness Month in California. This legislative measure aims to increase public understanding of these conditions by highlighting their symptoms, diagnostic challenges, and prevalence among specific demographics. The resolution does not alter laws or funding but serves to encourage education and research into these chronic health issues.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 94 officially designates June 1, 2024, as California Adopt-a-Pet Day to encourage pet adoptions across the state. This proclamation aims to help shelters find homes for 2,024 animals during a special event organized by animal welfare groups. The resolution does not change any laws or policies but serves as a formal declaration to support a one-day campaign. It is intended to raise awareness and facilitate adoptions without altering existing regulations or funding.

Existing law establishes the California School for the Deaf, Northern California, the California School for the Deaf, Southern California, known collectively as the California School for the Deaf, and the California School for the Blind, as the state special schools, under the administration of the State Department of Education. Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources to consider making salaries for teachers, specialists, and administrators of the state special schools competitive with the salaries of similarly qualified school teachers, specialists, and administrators who are employed by the encompassing school districts. This bill would instead require the department to establish salaries for school personnel, as defined, of the state special schools that are comparable with the salaries of similarly qualified school personnel who are employed by the encompassing school districts.

The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal law, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income for purposes of computing tax liability. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2035, would provide an exclusion from gross income for survivor benefits or payments, not to exceed $20,000 per taxable year, received during the taxable year under the federal Survivor Benefit Plan. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Pursuant to authority delegated by the Federal Communications Commission to state regulatory bodies and its existing statutory authority, the Public Utilities Commission has established procedures for implementing 2-1-1 dialing in California to connect people to social services and aid in times of disaster. Existing law, until January 1, 2023, authorized the commission, if it determined that doing so was an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers, to expend up to $1,500,000 from the California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund to help close 2-1-1 service gaps in counties lacking access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information and referral services, where technically feasible, through available 2-1-1 service. Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) within the Governor's office to provide long-range planning and research and to serve as the comprehensive state planning agency. This bill would, upon appropriation, require the OPR to establish and convene the 2-1-1 Strategic Advisory Committee. The bill would require the committee to be composed of specified members, including directors of specified state agencies or their designees, representatives of community-based organizations that represent specified vulnerable populations, a member of the public with lived experience in utilizing 2-1-1 services, and city or county officials with knowledge or experience with local 2-1-1 programs and services. The bill would require the committee to, among other things, identify and establish an ongoing funding source for statewide 2-1-1 infrastructure and operations, and recommend policies and priorities to encourage the development of California's 2-1-1 infrastructure. The bill would require the committee's meetings to be open to the public.

Existing law makes theft a crime, and distinguishes between grand theft and petty theft. Existing law makes the theft of money, labor, or property petty theft punishable as a misdemeanor, whenever the value of the property taken does not exceed $950. Under existing law, if the value of the property taken exceeds $950, the theft is grand theft, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. Existing law makes a first conviction for petty theft involving merchandise taken from a merchant's premises punishable by a mandatory fine and as a misdemeanor. This bill would require the Department of Justice to determine the number of misdemeanor convictions for a crime of theft for which the property was taken from a retail establishment during the Governor's declared state of emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to report that information to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution formally recognizes May as Maternal and Mental Health Awareness Month in California to highlight critical issues facing women and birthing people. The document draws attention to disparities in reproductive care, noting that many women lack access to hospitals with obstetrics services and that costs for fertility treatments remain a significant barrier. It also emphasizes the high prevalence of untreated mental health conditions among new mothers, particularly within communities of color and those with lower incomes. While the resolution does not create new laws, it serves to raise public awareness about the need for equitable access to both physical and mental health services during the reproductive years.

This measure would proclaim the month of September 2024 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.