Sen. Sabrina Cervantes

Existing law, as amended by Proposition 21 as approved by the voters at the March 7, 2000, statewide primary election and by Proposition 83 at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, classifies certain felonies as violent felonies for purposes of various provisions of the Penal Code. Existing law generally imposes an additional one-year term for a felony and a 3-year term for a violent felony for each prior separate prison term served for a felony or a violent felony, respectively. The Legislature may amend these initiative statutes by a statute passed in each house by a 23 vote. This bill would additionally define human sex trafficking as a violent felony. By changing the sentence of 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.

Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education. Under existing law, the commission, among other things, administers the Cal Grant Program, the Student Opportunity and Access Program, the Assumption Program of Loans for Education, the Graduate Assumption Program of Loans for Education, the Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Program, and the California State Work-Study Program. This bill would establish the California Kickstart My Future Loan Forgiveness Program, under the administration of the commission, to provide student loan forgiveness awards for the purpose of alleviating the burden of federal student loan debt for recent graduates meeting specified requirements. The bill would, subject to an available and sufficient appropriation, authorize an eligible applicant to receive a student loan forgiveness award equal to 100% of his or her monthly federal income-driven repayment plan payments for 24 months of repayment under the federal program. The bill would require a recipient, who no longer meets the specified requirements at the time any payment is made under this program, to refund those payments to the state, and would authorize the Franchise Tax Board to recover the payments owed.

Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, establishes a system of child care and development services for children up to 13 years of age, and requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to implement a plan establishing assigned reimbursement rates, per unit of average daily enrollment, to be paid by the state to provider agencies for the provision of those services. Existing law also provides for an adjustment factor to be applied to units of average daily enrollment if a provider agency serves children who meet specified criteria. Existing law provides adjustment factors for infants who are 0 to 18 months of age, and toddlers who are 18 to 36 months of age, and are served in a child day care center, and for infants and toddlers who are 0 to 36 months of age and are served in a family child care home. This bill would increase the adjustment factor for infants who are 0 to 18 months of age and toddlers who are 18 to 36 months of age, would provide that these adjustment factors apply without regard to the kind of facility that the infant or toddler is served by, and would make conforming changes. The bill would establish the Early Education Expansion Program for the purpose of increasing access to inclusive early care and education programs and increasing early learning infrastructure capacity in high-need communities. The bill would require the State Department of Education to award grants on a competitive basis, and would require a grant to be used for one-time infrastructure costs only. The bill would require an applicant to include specified information in its application. The bill would also establish the Early Education Expansion Program for Local Educational Agencies. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, and would require the department's Special Education Division and Early Education and Support Division to provide guidance to local educational agencies on serving young children with exceptional needs in the least restrictive environment. The bill would require a grant to be used for one-time infrastructure costs only. The bill would require an applicant to include specified information in its application. The act establishes the California Child Care Initiative Project and provides that the objective of the project is to increase the availability of quality child care programs in the state. This bill would establish in the department the Family Child Care Recruitment and Training Program of 2018, to be administered by the Superintendent, to support the recruitment and training of a new generation of licensed family child care providers. The bill would require the program to provide resources pursuant to the California Child Care Initiative Project as well as startup costs and resources to new family child care providers, among other things, upon appropriation by the Legislature.

This measure would declare the intent of the Legislature to further support the housing needs of individuals with developmental disabilities by exploring models that facilitate the private donation of homes in perpetuity and would recognize the work of organizations that have developed a property donation program.

This measure would recognize the history and significance of the Eagle Staff to Native American tribes. The measure would express the Legislature's commitment to inclusiveness for all Native Americans and respect for the traditions and symbolism of the Eagle Staff and would urge state government departments to incorporate these principles into their policies and practices.

This measure would proclaim June 2018 as California Grown Flower Month to recognize and honor the people of the California grown flower industry for their dedication and productivity.