The Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act generally requires the administrator for oil spill response, who is the head of the Office of Spill Prevention and Response in the Department of Fish and Wildlife, to implement activities relating to oil spill response, including drills and preparedness, and oil spill containment and cleanup. The act requires the administrator, taking into consideration the California oil spill contingency plan, to promulgate regulations regarding the adequacy of oil spill elements of area plans adopted pursuant to specified existing law. The act authorizes the administrator to offer, to a unified program agency with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of the state, a grant to complete, update, or revise an oil spill element of the area plan. The act requires each oil spill element prepared under those provisions to be consistent with the local government's local coastal program, the California oil spill contingency plan, and the National Contingency Plan. This bill would additionally require that each oil spill element prepared under those provisions be consistent with the area contingency plan.
Sponsored bills
Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the California Conservation Corps and requires the corps to implement and administer the conservation corps program. Existing law requires the director of the corps to establish a forestry corps program to accomplish specified objectives related to forest health. This bill would require the director to establish and administer the California Ocean Corps Program to provide competitive grants to certified local conservation corps located in coastal counties in order to provide opportunities for young people to complete workforce preparation, training, and education programs, and, ultimately, to obtain employment, or continue education, in ocean and coastal conservation or related fields, as provided. The bill would require the director to develop and adopt program guidelines before awarding any grants, as provided. The bill would require the director to develop performance measures and accountability controls to track progress and outcomes of all grants. The bill would require the director, on or before January 1, 2026, to report these outcomes to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would make these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2027.
Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state. Existing law requires the Governor annually to proclaim the date corresponding with the second new moon following the winter solstice, or the third new moon following the winter solstice should an intercalary month intervene, as the "Lunar New Year." Existing law entitles state employees, with specified exceptions, to elect to receive 8 hours of holiday credit for "Native American Day," in lieu of receiving 8 hours of personal holiday credit, and to elect to use 8 hours of vacation, annual leave, or compensating time off, consistent with departmental operational needs and collective bargaining agreements, for "Native American Day," as specified. This bill would repeal provisions requiring the Governor to annually proclaim the "Lunar New Year," and would instead recognize the "Lunar New Year" as a state holiday. The bill would authorize state employees, with specified exceptions, to elect to receive 8 hours of holiday credit for the "Lunar New Year" in lieu of receiving 8 hours of personal holiday credit, and to elect to use 8 hours of vacation, annual leave, or compensating time off, consistent with departmental operational needs and collective bargaining agreements, for "Lunar New Year," as specified. Existing law designates specific days designated as holidays in this state, every Saturday and the day after Thanksgiving Day as judicial holidays, except "Admission Day," "Columbus Day," and any other day appointed by the President, but not by the Governor, for a public fast, thanksgiving, or holiday. This bill would additionally exclude "Lunar New Year" from designation as a judicial holiday. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 135 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by AB 1801 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1801 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 6700, 19853, and 19853.1 of the Government Code proposed by AB 1655 and AB 1801 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1655, AB 1801, or both are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs. The department, among other services, provides veterans and their dependents and survivors with assistance in processing service-related disability claims, assistance in obtaining affordable housing, and information about health ailments associated with military service. This bill would require the department to establish a program to fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, an academic study of mental health among women veterans in California, as specified. The bill would require the department to submit a report summarizing the findings and recommendations of the study to the Legislature no later than July 31, 2024. This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 31, 2024, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2025.
Existing law authorizes area agencies on aging and other county agencies that provide services to older adults through an established multidisciplinary team to provide information regarding older adult clients only to other county agencies with staff designated as members of a multidisciplinary team that are, or may be, providing services to the same individuals for purposes of identifying and coordinating the treatment of individuals served by more than one agency. This bill would specifically authorize an area agency on aging or a county, or both, to establish an aging multidisciplinary personnel team, as defined, with the goal of facilitating the expedited identification, assessment, and linkage of older adults to services and to allow provider agencies and members of the personnel team to share confidential information, as specified, for the purpose of coordinating services. Under the bill, any discussion relative to the disclosure or exchange of the information or writings during a team meeting would be confidential and testimony concerning that discussion would not be admissible in any criminal, civil, or juvenile court proceeding. The bill would require the sharing of information permitted under these provisions to be governed by protocols developed by each area agency on aging or county, as specified, and would require each area agency on aging or county to provide a copy of its protocols to the California Department of Aging. The bill would require the protocols to include a requirement that, unless otherwise permitted by law, an area agency on aging or county obtain the affirmative consent of an individual or their representative before the individual's information is shared and a requirement to notify an individual, among other things, that they may opt out of sharing information at any time. This bill would authorize the aging multidisciplinary personnel team to designate qualified persons to be members of the team for a particular case and would require every member who receives information or records regarding adults and families in their capacity as a member of the team to be under the same privacy and confidentiality obligations and subject to the same confidentiality penalties as the person disclosing or providing the information or records. The bill would also require the information or records to be maintained in a manner that ensures the maximum protection of privacy and confidentiality rights. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution provides for the Right to Truth-In-Evidence, which requires a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature to exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding or any trial or hearing of a juvenile for a criminal offense, as specified. Because this bill would exclude from a criminal or juvenile court proceeding any discussion relative to the disclosure or exchange of information or writings during an aging multidisciplinary personnel team meeting, which would otherwise be admissible, it requires a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature.
Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to acquire, study, design, develop, construct, and equip a state-owned and state-operated Southern California Veterans Cemetery in the County of Orange at one of 2 possible sites, as specified. Existing law requires the department to, after completing acquisition studies on both sites, consult with the Department of General Services to determine which site to pursue based on the economic feasibility, benefits to veterans and City of Irvine residents, and availability of each location. Existing law makes honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, and dependent children eligible for interment in the cemetery, as specified. This bill would delete those site selection requirements and would instead require the department to acquire, study, design, develop, construct, and equip a state-owned and state-operated Southern California Veterans Cemetery in the County of Orange. The bill would require the department to conduct an acquisition study, in consultation with the Department of General Services, to assess the feasibility and costs of construction of the cemetery. The bill would additionally create the Southern California Veterans Cemetery Study Donation Fund, and would authorize any local governmental entity or private organization in the County of Orange to donate to the fund. The bill would authorize the department, upon receipt of sufficient moneys, to conduct a study of the feasibility of a site formally proposed by a local government in the County of Orange for the purpose of establishing a Southern California Veterans Cemetery, as specified. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the fund to the department for these purposes. The bill would require any excess funds to be returned to the donor if requested, and to otherwise be used for the design, development, construction, and equipment of the cemetery. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, Medi-Cal services may be provided pursuant to contracts with various types of managed care health plans, including through a county organized health system. Under existing law, in-person contact between a health care provider and a patient is not required under the Medi-Cal program for services appropriately provided through telehealth. Existing law provides that neither face-to-face contact nor a patient's physical presence on the premises of an enrolled community clinic is required for services provided by the clinic to a Medi-Cal beneficiary during or immediately following a proclamation declaring a state of emergency. Existing law defines "immediately following" for this purpose to mean up to 90 days following the termination of the proclaimed state of emergency, unless there are extraordinary circumstances. Under existing law, federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program, to be reimbursed, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, to providers on a per-visit basis. "Visit" is defined as a face-to-face encounter between an FQHC or RHC patient and any of specified health care professionals. Under existing law, "visit" also includes an encounter between an FQHC or RHC patient and specified medical professionals when services delivered through that interaction meet the applicable standard of care. Existing law prohibits an FQHC or RHC from establishing a new patient relationship using an audio-only synchronous interaction and authorizes the department to provide specific exceptions to that prohibition, developed in consultation with affected stakeholders and published in departmental guidance. This bill would authorize the department to authorize an FQHC or RHC to establish a new patient relationship using an audio-only synchronous interaction when the visit is related to sensitive services, as defined, and authorize an FQHC or RHC to establish a new patient relationship using an audio-only synchronous interaction when the patient requests an audio-only modality or attests they do not have access to video. Existing law provides that face-to-face contact is not required when covered health care services are provided by video synchronous interaction, audio-only synchronous interaction, remote patient monitoring, or other permissible virtual communication modalities when those services and settings meet certain criteria. Existing law, effective as specified, requires a provider furnishing services via audio-only synchronous interaction to also offer those same health care services via video synchronous interaction to preserve beneficiary choice. Existing law authorizes the department to provide specific exceptions to that requirement based on a Medi-Cal provider's access to requisite technologies, as specified. Existing law also prohibits a health care provider from establishing a new patient relationship with a Medi-Cal beneficiary via, among other interactions, telephonic (audio-only) synchronous interaction. Existing law authorizes the department to provide specific exceptions to that prohibition, as specified. This bill would authorize the department to take into consideration the availability of broadband access when providing those specific exceptions. The bill would authorize the department to authorize a health care provider to establish a new patient relationship using an audio-only synchronous interaction when the visit is related to sensitive services, as defined, and authorize a health care provider to establish a new patient relationship using an audio-only synchronous interaction when the patient requests an audio-only modality or attests they do not have access to video. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14132.100 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by SB 966 to be operative only if this bill and SB 966 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which health care services are provided to qualified, low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes a county board of supervisors, by ordinance, to establish a commission to negotiate an exclusive contract with the department and to arrange for the provision of health care services under the Medi-Cal program. This system of services provided by or through a county under these provisions is known as a county organized health system. Pursuant to this authority, the County of Orange, by ordinance, established a commission, known as the Orange County Health Authority, or CalOptima, to provide health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Existing law codifies the establishment of the Orange County Health Authority and vests governance of the authority in a 10-member governing body. Existing law prescribes the membership of the governing body, which includes, among others, 2 members of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange, one member who is a current or former hospital administrator, and one member who is a representative of a community clinic. Existing law requires a member of the governing body to serve a 4-year term, except for a member who is a member of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange, who is required to serve a one-year term. Existing law prohibits a member of the governing body, except for a member of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange, from serving more than 2 consecutive terms. This bill would prohibit an individual who served a one-year term on the governing body as a member of the board of supervisors from being appointed to serve a 4-year term under any of the other categories within 12 months of the expiration of their one-year term. Under existing law, the voting members are nominated by the Orange County Health Care Agency and are appointed by a majority vote of the board of supervisors. This bill would require the board of supervisors to consult with stakeholders in the County of Orange, as specified, for purposes of identifying qualified individuals to be considered as members of the governing body. Existing law requires members of the governing body to, among other things, strive to improve health care quality, promote prevention and wellness, ensure the provision of cost-effective health and mental health care services, and reduce health disparities. This bill would require the members of the governing body to ensure the provision of cost-effective behavioral health care services, rather than mental health care services, and would additionally require the members to address the needs of Medi-Cal members who are affected by homelessness and housing instability, improve quality outcomes, and manage the risk and needs of Medi-Cal beneficiaries through whole-person care approaches and addressing social determinants of health. This bill would require a member of the governing body who has a financial interest in a decision of the governing body to, upon identifying a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest, take certain actions, including publicly identifying the financial interest that gives rise to the conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest, recusing the member's own self from discussing and voting on the matter, and leaving the room until after the discussion, vote, and any other disposition of the matter is concluded. This bill would prohibit members of the governing body, for a period of one year after leaving office, from acting as an agent or attorney for, or otherwise representing, for compensation, any other person, by making any appearance before, or by making any communication to, the commission, as specified, if the appearance or communication is made for the purpose of influencing the commission to take certain actions. The bill would also prohibit specified members of the governing body, for a period of one year after leaving office, from serving as an employee, agent, or attorney for, or otherwise representing, for compensation, the Orange County Health Authority or any other entity that received an expenditure of Medi-Cal funds from the Orange County Health Authority during the prior 5 years, with exceptions, including if the member is returning to or continuing a role they held when appointed to the governing body. This bill would eliminate the January 1, 2023, repeal date for the authority, thereby extending the authorization for the authority indefinitely. The bill would make other clarifying changes. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Orange.
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, and the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, as 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. A provision of the Donahoe Higher Education Act expresses the intent of the Legislature that specified categories of applicants be prioritized in a specified order for the purpose of enrollment planning and admission priority practice at the undergraduate resident student level for the California State University and the University of California, including applicants who have been previously enrolled at the campus to which they are applying, as specified. The act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it applicable. This bill would require the California State University, and request the University of California, to require each campus in their respective systems to grant students the right to reenroll in their baccalaureate degree program after withdrawing or stopping out, if the student was in good academic standing with the university.
Existing law establishes the Department of Child Support Services within the California Health and Human Services Agency and requires the department to administer all services and perform all functions necessary to establish, collect, and distribute child support. Existing law requires a person responsible for registering live births to provide a voluntary declaration of parentage and specified written materials to a woman giving birth and to attempt to provide to the person identified by the woman giving birth as either the only possible genetic parent other than the woman who gave birth or the intended parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction. Existing law also requires the department to develop a form to execute the voluntary declaration of parentage. This bill would require the department to make the above-described form available as both a paper and an electronic version, as specified. Existing law requires a voluntary declaration of parentage to be in a record signed by the woman who gave birth to the child and by either the only possible genetic parent other than the woman who gave birth or the intended parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction, and requires the signatures to be attested by a notary or witnessed. This bill would authorize a signatory or witness to sign a voluntary declaration of parentage using an electronic signature if certain requirements are met, including that the electronic signature is unique to the person using it and it is capable of independent verification. The bill would delay the operation of the above-described provisions until January 1, 2024.