Sen. Steve Choi

This measure would commemorate the American Legion for 100 years of service to the United States.

This measure would declare the month of May 2019 as Foster Care Month.

This measure would recognize June 19, 2019, as Juneteenth and would urge the people of California to join in celebrating Juneteenth as a day to honor and reflect on the significant role that African Americans have played in the history of the United States and how they have enriched society through their steadfast commitment to promoting unity and equality.

This measure would declare June 6, 2019, as Secure Your Load Day in California.

The federal Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, subject to the availability of appropriations, to provide financial assistance to the State of Maryland and the State of Louisiana for a program to implement measures to eradicate or control nutria and restore marshland damaged by nutria. Under the federal act, the federal share of the costs of the program is prohibited from exceeding 75% of the total costs of the program. This measure would urge the United States Congress to reauthorize and specifically add California to the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 and to authorize an appropriation of $4,000,000 to help the state implement a nutria eradication program.

Under existing law, obtaining property by theft with a value under $950 is petty theft, punishable as a misdemeanor, and obtaining property by theft with a value over $950 is grand theft, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. Existing law authorizes a fine of $1,000 for a misdemeanor or $10,000 for a felony, upon conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment for which a fine is not prescribed. This bill would, in a county participating in a Rural Crime Prevention Program, require the proceeds of a fine imposed for a grand theft involving agricultural property, as specified, to be allocated by the Controller, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program or the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program. By requiring a prosecutor to prove additional elements 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.

This measure would urge the 116th Congress of the United States to enact House Resolution 1708, which would, among other things, add 191,000 acres of the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

This measure would designate the week of May 5, 2019, through May 11, 2019, as Compost Awareness Week.

Existing law defines specified terms, including the term "source of income," in connection with provisions that prohibit discrimination in housing accommodations. This bill would define "victim of abuse" for purposes of discrimination in housing accommodations. Existing law makes it the policy of the state to prevent discrimination in housing based on certain enumerated characteristics. Existing law prohibits the owner of any housing accommodation, or any person, bank, mortgage company, or other financial institution that provides financial assistance for the purchase, organization, or construction of any housing accommodation, among other persons and entities from, discriminating against any person because of particular characteristics of that person, including race and gender. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fair Employment and Housing to enforce antidiscrimination statutes. This bill would prohibit the persons and entities described above from discriminating against any person because of their status as a victim of abuse. The bill would also make other conforming changes to reference victims of abuse throughout the provisions prohibiting discrimination in housing accommodations. This bill would clarify that eviction and other actions authorized pursuant to specified statutory provisions that permit such conduct under certain circumstances, do not constitute discrimination under these provisions. The bill would also specify that denial of tenancy to an applicant who was evicted pursuant to those statutory provisions within the last 2 years does not constitute discrimination under these provisions. Existing law requires a county recorder who provides a copy of a declaration, governing document, or deed to any person to place a cover page or stamp on the first page of the previously recorded document stating that if the document contains any restriction based on certain characteristics, that the restriction violates state and federal fair housing laws and is void, and may be removed. This bill would require the specified language in the cover page or stamp to include the characteristic of victim of abuse status. By requiring the county recorder to change the cover page or stamp, 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, 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.