Sen. Isadore Hall

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUT) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. The Reliable Electric Service Investments Act required the PUC to require the state's 3 largest electrical corporations, until January 1, 2012, to identify a separate electrical rate component, commonly referred to as the "public goods charge," to collect specified amounts to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, and research, development, and demonstration programs that enhance system reliability and provide in-state benefits. An existing decision of the PUC institutes an Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) , subject to refund, to fund renewable energy and research, development, and demonstration programs. This bill would establish the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project Fund in the State Treasury and require the PUC to allocate not less than $15,000,000 from the moneys collected pursuant to the EPIC to the fund. The bill would authorize the State Air Resources Board, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to use moneys in the fund for distribution as rebates pursuant to the program criteria established pursuant to the state board's Clean Vehicle Rebate Project program.

This measure would designate May 2012 as Foster Care Month in California.

This measure would designate the week of April 15 to 21, 2012, as "National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week," and would encourage the promotion of policies and programs that seek to reduce cancer disparities and improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and followup care for all Californians.

This measure would designate the week of May 13 through May 19, 2012, as Food Allergy Awareness Week.

This measure would designate the second full week in April as California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

This measure would proclaim May 6, 2012, to May 12, 2012, inclusive, to be California Charter Schools Week, and would state that the Legislature joins the California Charter Schools Association in congratulating charter schools for the accomplishments and contributions they have made to public education.

Existing federal law, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, provides for the negotiation and execution of tribal-state gaming compacts for the purpose of authorizing certain types of gaming on Indian lands within a state. The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to negotiate and conclude compacts, subject to ratification by the Legislature. Existing law expressly ratifies a number of tribal-state gaming compacts, and amendments of tribal-state gaming compacts, between the State of California and specified Indian tribes. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. This bill would ratify the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, executed on March 27, 2012. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions may not be deemed projects for purposes of CEQA. By imposing additional duties on a lead agency with regard to the implementation of CEQA requirements, this bill would increase the service provided by a local agency, thereby creating 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 declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would designate April 18, 2012, as DMV/Donate Life California Day in the State of California, and April 2012 as DMV/Donate Life California Month in the State of California, and would encourage all Californians to be organ, tissue, and blood donors.

This measure would designate February 2012 as No Place for Hate (registered trademark) Month.