(1) Existing law establishes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials. Existing law requires, as a minimum requirement for a preliminary multiple subject, single subject, or education specialist teaching credential, the satisfactory completion of a program of professional preparation that has been accredited by the Committee on Accreditation on the basis of standards of program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the commission. This bill would, among other things, require the commission, on or before January 1, 2027, to update its literacy standards of program quality and effectiveness, literacy teaching performance expectations, and literacy instruction preconditions for program sponsors offering Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist Credentials and Reading and Literacy Added Authorizations, or any other reading- or literacy-specific credential, certification, or authorization developed by the commission, in order to ensure compliance with effective means of teaching literacy, as defined, and adherence to the science reading, as provided. (2) Existing law prescribes the powers of the commission regarding the accreditation system, including, among others, to adopt and implement an accreditation framework, which sets forth the policies of the commission regarding the accreditation of educator preparation in California. This bill, for program sponsors whose educator preparation programs are not in compliance with the literacy instruction preconditions, as defined, literacy standards of program quality and effectiveness, as defined, or literacy teaching performance expectations, as defined, would require the commission to establish a probationary accreditation process that includes mandatory requirements for faculty at the program sponsor to successfully complete professional development and training on the science of reading and effective means of teaching literacy in order to remove probationary status, or lose accreditation, as specified. (3) Existing law establishes the Committee on Accreditation, consisting of 12 members selected for their distinguished records of accomplishment in education, and requires the committee to, among other things, make decisions about the accreditation of educator preparation programs in accordance with the accreditation framework, adopt guidelines for accreditation reviews, and monitor the performance of accreditation teams and other aspects of the accreditation system. This bill would require at least one of the 12 members to have demonstrated expertise in the science of reading and effective means of teaching literacy, and would require the committee to make decisions regarding initial and existing accreditation status of programs of educator preparation, including program approval, with respect to the quality of educator preparation in literacy standards of program quality and effectiveness, the literacy instruction preconditions, and the literacy teaching performance expectations, as provided. (4) Existing law requires the accreditation framework to include provisions regarding well-trained accreditation teams, as specified. This bill would, among other things, require an accreditation or program review team to report to literacy personnel, as defined, on the results of their accreditation or program review team site visits, as specified, including a separate section with respect to literacy instruction preconditions, literacy standards of program quality and effectiveness, and literacy teaching performance expectations, including detailed summaries as to what evidence was gathered and reviewed during the site visit. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to, among other things, provide funding so that by no later than June 30, 2025, the commission employs sufficient personnel with demonstrated expertise in the science of reading, as defined, and effective means of teaching literacy, as defined, to ensure that the commission's review for accrediting a program sponsor, and its review and approval of the program sponsor's programs and schools, be held to rigorous literacy program standards. (5) Existing law requires the State Department of Education to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development of standards for professional development for educators and instructional leaders. Existing law requires the standards to serve as guidelines for providers of professional development activities and authorizes them to be used to facilitate coordination among existing professional development programs. This bill would, among other things, require the department, on or before August 30, 2025, with technical assistance from the literacy staff, as defined, to designate a county office of education, or a consortium of county offices of education, with demonstrated expertise in the science of reading and evidence-based literacy instruction, with an emphasis on demonstrated, prior experience in literacy with pupils in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 5, inclusive, to serve as the state literacy expert lead for purposes of administering, supporting, and monitoring specified professional development and training. The bill would require the state literacy expert lead, on or before January 1, 2026, to develop a list of professional development and training programs that it recommends and submit the list to the department of for approval, as specified. The bill would authorize the state literacy expert lead to also develop and provide professional development and training programs, as specified. The bill would, commencing March 1, 2026, require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to ensure participation in, and would require all applicable personnel, as defined, to satisfactorily complete by no later than June 30, 2028, an approved professional development and training program that is listed on the department's internet website, as specified, and except as provided. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (6) Existing law, subject to an appropriation included in the annual Budget Act for these purposes, authorizes the department and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to establish a process, administered by the department, to select, subject to approval by the executive director of the State Board of Education, an expert lead agency based on specific expertise in an area of need to conduct activities and build statewide capacity to address that area of need within the statewide system of support, as specified. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2025, require any expert lead agency supporting literacy initiatives for those purposes to demonstrate expertise in the science of reading and proficiency in evidence-based literacy instruction, as specified. (7) Existing law requires the state board to adopt basic instructional materials for use in kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, for governing boards, subject to specified provisions, including, among others, that the state board adopt at least 5 basic instructional materials for all applicable grade levels in each of the specified subject areas, including, among others, language arts, including, but not limited to, spelling, reading, and English language development. In reviewing and adopting or recommending for adoption submitted basic instructional materials, existing law requires the state board to use specified criteria, and to ensure that, in its judgment, the submitted basic instructional materials meet that criteria, including, among others, that the instructional materials are aligned to the content standards adopted by the state board in the subject area and the grade level or levels for which they are submitted. Notwithstanding any other law, existing law authorizes a local educational agency to use instructional materials that are aligned with the academic content standards previously adopted by the state board. This bill would revise and recast provisions relating to adoption of instructional materials for English language arts, English language development, and reading by, among other things, requiring the state board, on or before January 1, 2026, to adopt basic and supplementary instructional materials, as defined, for transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, in English language arts, English language development, and reading. The bill would require the state board to, among other things, ensure that all instructional materials adopted pursuant to these provisions are aligned to the most recently adopted academic content standards and curriculum frameworks, and adhere to the science of reading. The bill would require the department to publish the complete list of the state board's adopted instructional materials on the department's internet website and to distribute the complete list to all local educational agencies, as specified. Upon the state board's adoption of those instructional materials, the bill would require all basic and supplementary instructional materials in English language arts, English language development, and reading for transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and any of grades 1 to 8, inclusive, adopted by each school district, county office of education, and charter school to, among other requirements, adhere to the science of reading, and would prohibit those local educational agencies from adopting basic instructional materials in English language arts, English language development, or reading that have not been adopted by the state board unless the local educational agency is granted a waiver, as specified. On or before December 31, 2027, the bill would require each local educational agency to provide to the department, and the department to develop, maintain, and annually update, a current list of basic and supplementary instructional materials in English language arts, English language development, and reading, adopted by each local educational agency that is publicly accessible on the department's internet website. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (8) Existing law requires the University of California, Los Angeles and the California State University, Dominguez Hills, along with California State University campuses serving the Los Angeles Basin selected by the Board of Trustees of the California State University, to form a neurodiversity and learning collaborative in order to, among other things, create a framework for embedding neurodiversity knowledge into the teacher education programs at the University of California and the California State University. This bill would authorize that collaborative to be expanded to include any University of California campus or California State University campus willing to voluntarily participate in strengthening educational support and effective means of teaching literacy through faculty professional development and training programs that adhere to the science of reading. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to provide grant funding to both expand the collaborative and to, among other things, provide faculty professional development aligned with the science of reading to faculty members who teach literacy and reading instruction at accredited institutions with approved educator preparation programs. (9) This bill would make Legislative findings and declarations relating to these provisions, conforming changes, and other nonsubstantive changes. (10) 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Sponsored bills
Under existing law, there are programs providing assistance for, among other things, emergency housing, multifamily housing, farmworker housing, home ownership for very low and low-income households, and downpayment assistance for first-time home buyers. Existing law also authorizes the issuance of bonds in specified amounts pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law and requires that proceeds from the sale of these bonds be used to finance various existing housing programs, capital outlay related to infill development, brownfield cleanup that promotes infill development, and housing-related parks. This bill would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2024, which, if adopted, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund affordable rental housing and homeownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program. This bill would provide for submission of the bond act to the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide general election in accordance with specified law. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This measure would declare the month of September 2023 as California Emergency Preparedness Month.
The California Constitution vests the judicial power of the state in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts, and establishes the Judicial Council to, among other things, adopt rules of court and perform functions prescribed by statute. This bill would require the Judicial Council to develop and make available to each county court a court reminder program that allows the county court to send a text message to notify defendants of scheduled court appearances, as specified. The bill would require each law enforcement agency to collect the cell phone number of a person accused of a criminal offense upon citation or booking and transmit it to the county court in their jurisdiction. The bill would require each county superior court to submit specified data to the Judicial Council, and would require the Judicial Council to report that data to the Legislature annually. The bill would require the Judicial Council to convene an implementation oversight committee to, among other things, advise on the design of the system and identify barriers to implementation of the system. By imposing a new duty on local law enforcement agencies, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law allows a search warrant to be issued upon probable cause, supported by affidavit, naming or describing the person to be searched or searched for, and particularly describing the property, thing, or things and the place to be searched. Existing law also specifies the grounds upon which a search warrant may be issued, including, among other grounds, when the property or things to be seized constitute evidence showing that a felony has been committed. This bill would authorize a search warrant to be issued on the grounds that the property or things to be seized consists of evidence that tends to show that certain misdemeanor hate crimes, as defined, have occurred or are occurring.
Existing law establishes various commissions within state government. This bill would, until January 1, 2029, establish the California Commission on the United States Semiquincentennial in state government to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States of America. The bill would require the commission to plan and coordinate commemorations and observances of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The bill would require the commission to be solely supported by private or federal funds made available for the purpose of supporting the commission. The bill would require that these funds be deposited in the Semiquincentennial Fund, and would create that fund in the State Treasury. The bill would require funds in the Semiquincentennial Fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require the records, files, and other memoranda of the commission, other than any private possessions, to be deposited and filed with the State Archives before January 1, 2029, and would require the State Archives to receive those materials.
The California Constitution vests the judicial power of the state in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts, and establishes the Judicial Council to, among other things, adopt rules of court and perform functions prescribed by statute. This bill would require the Judicial Council to develop and make available to each county court a court reminder program that allows the county court to send a text message to notify defendants of scheduled court appearances, as specified. The bill would require each law enforcement agency to collect the cell phone number of a person accused of a criminal offense upon citation or booking and transmit it to the county court in their jurisdiction. The bill would require each county superior court to submit specified data to the Judicial Council, and would require the Judicial Council to report that data to the Legislature annually. The bill would require the Judicial Council to convene an implementation oversight committee to, among other things, advise on the design of the system and identify barriers to implementation of the system. By imposing a new duty on local law enforcement agencies, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
(1) Existing law establishes the State Department of Social Services and requires the department to administer various public social services programs, including the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals, and the CalFresh program, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. This bill would require the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to administer the California Farmworkers Drought and Flood Resilience Pilot Project to provide supplemental pay in the form of cash assistance for eligible households to help meet their basic needs. The bill would define eligible household to mean a household in which one member of the household is a farmworker, as specified, and would define supplemental pay to mean unconditional cash payments of equal amounts issued monthly to eligible households with the intention of ensuring the economic security of those households. The bill would require the department to implement the pilot project by awarding grants to eligible entities, as defined, for the purpose of issuing the supplemental pay, and would require the department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to determine the methodology for, and manner of, distributing those grants. The bill would require an eligible entity, in order to receive a grant, to, among other things, present commitments of additional nongovernmental funding to supplement the grant in an amount equal to or greater than 50% of the amount of funding to be provided to the entity from the grant pursuant to the pilot project. The bill would prohibit supplemental pay received by an eligible household from being considered income or resources for purposes of determining the household's eligibility for benefits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance, under any state or local means-tested program. The bill would require the department, in consultation with stakeholders, and after consultation with the Legislature, to identify federal benefit and assistance programs that require an exemption or waiver in order for supplemental pay received by an eligible household pursuant to the pilot project to be excluded from consideration as income or resources for purposes of the federal program. The bill would require a state department or agency that administers a program identified by the State Department of Social Services to, if possible, approve an exemption or waiver or seek one from the federal government. The bill would require the department to work with at least one independent, research-based institution to identify existing, and establish additional, outcome measurements, and to submit a specified report relating to the pilot project to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2027. The bill would authorize the department to accept and expend funds from nongovernmental sources for the pilot project, as specified, and would authorize the department to accept in-kind contributions, including, but not limited to, financial mentorship services for households that receive supplemental pay pursuant to the pilot project. The bill would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific the pilot project by means of a departmental directive or similar instruction. (2) The Personal Income Tax Law imposes taxes based upon taxable income at specified rates. Existing law, in modified conformity with federal income tax law, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded. The bill would exclude from gross income, for purposes of the personal income tax, any supplemental pay received by a household pursuant to the pilot project described above. (3) This bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028. (4) Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure or tax exemption to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax exemption will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. The bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature to apply those requirements to the bill and would set forth specified information related to those requirements.