Existing law provides for the licensing and regulation of escrow agents by the Commissioner of Corporations. Existing law, until January 1, 2010, requires each escrow agent to pay an annual license fee of up to $2,800 for each office or location and authorizes the commissioner to additionally levy a special assessment of up to $500, which is required to be paid by the escrow agent within 30 days of receipt of notification by the commissioner, for each office or location in certain circumstances. Commencing January 1, 2010, existing law instead requires each escrow agent to pay to the commissioner the agent's pro rata share of the commissioner's annual administrative costs and expenses, as specified. This bill would repeal the provisions that would require an escrow agent, commencing January 1, 2010, to pay to the commissioner the agent's pro rata share of the commissioner's annual administrative costs and expenses. The bill would, instead, continue the requirement for an escrow agent to pay an annual license fee of up to $2,800 for each office or location. The bill would authorize the special assessment that may be levied by the commissioner to be in an amount of up to $1,000 for each office or location. The bill would require an escrow agent to pay the special assessment within 60 days of notification by the commissioner. Existing law provides that the license of an escrow agent remains in effect until surrendered, revoked, or suspended. Existing law sets forth the procedure for the surrender of the license of an escrow agent, and requires a surrendering licensee to, among other things, tender his or her license and all other indicia of licensure to the commissioner, and submit a closing audit to the commissioner, as specified. Existing law provides that a license is not surrendered until the commissioner has reviewed and accepted the closing audit, made a determination that there is no violation of law, and, in writing, accepted tender of the license. This bill would delete the requirement that the commissioner make a determination that there is no violation of law and instead require a determination that acceptance of the surrender is in the public interest. Existing law requires a person engaging in business as an exchange facilitator, as defined, to comply with certain bonding and insurance requirements that may include, among other things, maintaining a fidelity bond or bond and a policy of errors and omissions insurance executed by an insurer authorized to do business in this state. Existing law authorizes a person to file a claim to recover damages on the bonds, deposits, or letters of credit maintained by an exchange facilitator for a failure to comply with the provisions regulating exchange facilitators. This bill would authorize the fidelity bond or bonds and the policy of errors and omissions insurance maintained by an exchange facilitator to be executed by specified eligible surplus line insurers. The bill would require claims for damages to be subject to the terms and conditions of the bonds, deposits, or letters of credit maintained by an exchange facilitator and would provide that the amounts of those bonds, deposits, or letters of credit shall be reduced to the extent of any payment made.
Sponsored bills
(1) Articles XIIIC and XIIID of the California Constitution generally require that assessments, fees, and charges be submitted to property owners for approval or rejection after the provision of written notice and the holding of a public hearing. Existing law, the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act, prescribes specific procedures and parameters for local jurisdictions to comply with Articles XIIIC and XIIID of the California Constitution. Existing statutory law provides notice, protest, and hearing procedures for the levying of new or increased assessments, fees, and charges by local government agencies pursuant to Articles XIIIC and XIIID of the California Constitution. This bill would prescribe other requirements relating to the ballot envelope, the tabulation of ballots, and the preservation of ballots to the public as disclosable public records. By creating new requirements for property assessments conducted by counties and cities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 civil service law requires that veterans be allowed preference points for civil service employment, as specified. Existing law provides that disabled veterans who become eligible for certification from eligible lists by attaining the passing mark established for an entrance examination held on an open, nonpromotional basis are allowed 10 additional points. Other veterans are allowed 5 additional points. This bill would instead provide that disabled veterans shall be allowed 15 additional points and other veterans shall be allowed 10 additional points.
(1) Existing law requires a person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle to be suspended or revoked for a specified period of time if the person has been convicted of violating specified provisions prohibiting driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug, or the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and drug, or with 0.08% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood, or who is addicted to the use of any drug. Existing law authorizes a person whose privilege is suspended or revoked in that manner to receive a restricted driver's license if specified requirements are met, including, in some instances, the installation of a certified ignition interlock device on the person's vehicle. Existing law requires that a person, convicted of driving under the influence, without bodily injury to another, within 10 years of being convicted of a separate violation of one of specified driving-under-the-influence offenses, be punished by his or her driving privilege being suspended for 2 years. The Department of Motor Vehicles is required to advise the person that he or she may apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 12 months of the suspension period, which may include credit for a specified concurrent suspension, subject to certain conditions, including, among other things, submitting proof of installation of a certified ignition interlock device, agreeing to maintain the ignition interlock device, and paying certain fees, including, but not limited to, all administrative fees or reissue fees. This bill would instead require the department to advise a person, who was only under the influence of an alcoholic beverage at the time of the violation, that he or she may apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 90 days of the suspension period, under certain circumstances. (2) Existing law requires that a person convicted of driving under the influence, without bodily injury to another, within 10 years of being convicted of 2 separate violations of specified driving-under-the-influence offenses, be punished by his or her driving privilege being revoked for 3 years. The department is required to advise the person that he or she may apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 12 months of the revocation period, which may include credit for a specified concurrent suspension, subject to certain conditions, including, among other things, satisfactory completion of 12 months of an 18-month or 30-month driving-under-the-influence program, submitting proof of installation of a certified ignition interlock device, agreeing to maintain the ignition interlock device, and paying certain fees. This bill would instead require the department to advise a person, who was found to be only under the influence of an alcoholic beverage at the time of the violation, of his or her ability to apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 6 months of the revocation period, subject to certain conditions, including that if the person is convicted of a specified offense that person subsequently satisfactorily provides proof of enrollment in an 18-month or 30-month driving-under-the-influence program, as prescribed. The bill would require the person to pay a fee sufficient to cover the costs of administration, as determined by the department. (3) This bill would require that a person convicted of driving under the influence of any drug or the combined influence of any drug and an alcoholic beverage, without bodily injury to another, within 10 years of being convicted of a separate violation of one of the specified driving-under-the-influence offenses, be punished by his or her driving privilege being revoked for 2 years. This bill would authorize the department to reinstate the privilege provided certain conditions are met. This bill would require the department to advise the person that he or she may apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 12 months of the suspended period, subject to certain conditions including, among other things, that the person provides proof of enrollment in an 18-month or 30-month driving-under-the-influence program, as prescribed. (4) This bill would also require a person convicted of driving under the influence of any drug or the combined influence of any drug and an alcoholic beverage, without bodily injury to another, within 10 years of being convicted of 2 separate violations of specified driving-under-the-influence offenses, be punished by his or her driving privilege being revoked for 3 years. This bill would authorize the department to reinstate the privilege provided certain conditions are met. This bill would require the department to advise the person that he or she may apply for a restricted driver's license after completion of 12 months of the suspended period, subject to certain conditions, including, among other things, that the person has satisfactorily completed the initial 12 months of an 18-month or 30-month driving-under-the-influence program as prescribed. (5) This bill would make other conforming changes. (6) This bill would become operative on July 1, 2010.
Under existing law, a person required to register as a sex offender who applies for or accepts a position as an employee or volunteer with any person, group, or organization where he or she would be working directly and in an unaccompanied setting with minor children on a regular basis, is required to disclose his or her registrant status, as specified. Existing law also prohibits a person required to register as a sex offender because of a conviction for a crime where the victim was a minor under 16 years of age from being an employer, employee, or independent contractor, or acting as a volunteer with any person, group, or organization in a capacity in which the registrant would be working directly and in an unaccompanied setting with minor children on more than an incidental and occasional basis or from having supervision or disciplinary power over minor children. A violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor. This bill would specify that "working directly and in an unaccompanied setting" includes, but is not limited to, providing goods or services to minors. Because the bill would change the scope of an existing crime, it 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 declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
(1) Existing law establishes the Pierce's Disease Control Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Pierce's Disease Management Account in the Food and Agriculture Fund. Existing law allows money in this account to be expended as specified to combat Pierce's disease and its vectors. Existing law declares that these provisions shall become inoperative on March 1, 2011. This bill would allow specified money in the account to also be expended for purposes relating to other designated pests and diseases, as provided. The bill would change the date on which the above provisions become inoperative to March 1, 2016. (2) Existing law creates in the Department of Food and Agriculture the Pierce's Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board, which consists of specified numbers of representatives of producers and processors, as defined, in the grape industry who are appointed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. Existing law sets forth the powers of the board and provides for an annual assessment to be paid by the processors into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund for the purposes of, among other things, research and other activities related to the transmittal of the plant killing Pierce's disease bacterium, and its vectors, particularly the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Existing law repeals these provisions on March 1, 2011. This bill would authorize the expenditure of the assessments for purposes relating to other designated pests and diseases, as provided, and would extend the repeal date of these provisions to March 1, 2016, except that this bill would make these provisions inoperative as of March 1, 2011, unless the secretary finds, in a referendum conducted by him or her, or a person designated by him or her, that a favorable vote has been given. The bill would require, no later than April 15, 2010, the secretary to establish a list of those individuals eligible to vote on the continued implementation of these provisions, as specified. The bill would also make a conforming change and other technical changes. (3) Existing law authorizes the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Pierce's Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board to charge expenditures for administrative purposes, as specified, in an amount not to exceed a total of 7% of the assessments collected pursuant to these provisions. This bill would increase the amount that may be charged for administrative purposes to an amount not to exceed a total of 14% of the assessments collected. Because assessments collected pursuant to these provisions are deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, which is continuously appropriated, by extending the collection of these assessments and authorizing expenditure for a new purpose, this bill would make an appropriation. (4) Existing law, operative until March 1, 2011, provides that the Secretary of Food and Agriculture shall appoint an advisory task force to advise him or her on the control and management of Pierce's disease. This bill would extend these provisions to March 1, 2016. This bill would authorize the Pierce's Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board, after consulting with the advisory task force and upon making specified findings, to recommend to the secretary, and would authorize the secretary to determine, that a pest or disease affecting grapes grown in California and crushed for wine, wine vinegar, juice, concentrate, or beverage brandy be designated as an other designated pest or disease, and that money should be expended on research and outreach programs for specified purposes relating to the other designated pest or disease, except as provided. The bill would also make conforming changes.
The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act authorizes the Governor to annually award and present in the name of the State of California a Medal of Valor to one public safety officer, as defined, who is cited by the Attorney General, upon the recommendation of the board, for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty. This bill would require the Governor to additionally annually award and present in the name of the State of California a Golden Shield Award to the next of kin of, or immediate family members of, every public safety officer who, while serving in any capacity under competent authority, has been killed in the line of duty.
Existing law makes it a crime for a person who is not a peace officer to impersonate a peace officer, as specified. This bill would authorize the head of an agency that employs specified peace officers to issue identification in the form of a badge, insignia, emblem, device, label, certificate, card, or writing that clearly states that the person has honorably retired following service as a peace officer from that agency, as specified. The bill would also authorize the head of an agency to revoke identification granted pursuant to those provisions in the event of misuse or abuse.
Existing law provides that any person who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency medical care at the scene of an emergency shall not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act or omission. This bill would instead provide that medical, law enforcement, and emergency personnel who in good faith, and not for compensation, render emergency medical or nonmedical care at the scene of an emergency shall not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act or omission. This bill would also provide that any person, not including medical, law enforcement, and emergency personnel, who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency medical or nonmedical care or assistance at the scene of an emergency shall not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act or omission, as long as that act or omission does not constitute gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law provides that no disaster worker who is performing disaster services during a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency shall be liable for civil damages on account of personal injury to or death of any person or property, as provided. This bill would provide that disaster service workers shall not be liable when acting within the scope of their responsibilities under the authority of the governmental emergency organization, as provided. This bill would provide that these provisions apply exclusively to any legal action filed on or after the effective date of this bill. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.