Sen. Catherine Blakespear

Under existing law, unless expressly provided by law, the State Bar of California is not subject to various state laws prescribing the mode of procedure for exercising the powers of state public bodies or state agencies, as specified. Existing law, the Political Reform Act of 1974, defines "public official" broadly, but it expressly excludes specified persons, including those affiliated with the State Bar of California, from that definition. Under the act, each agency is required to adopt and promulgate a Conflict of Interest Code that requires designated employees of the agency, as defined, to file statements disclosing specified economic interests. Existing law generally requires such a code to contain specific provisions setting forth any circumstances under which designated employees or categories of designated employees must disqualify themselves from making, participating in the making, or using their official position to influence the making of any decision. However, the act specifically provides that the Conflict of Interest Code for members of the Board of Governors of, and designated employees of, the State Bar of California need not contain such a provision. The act further requires certain enumerated public officials to file their conflict of interest statements, and make specified disclosures, pursuant to specific provisions of the act. This bill would instead expressly require include board members and designated employees of the State Bar of California within its definition of "public official." The bill would eliminate the above-referenced exception for Conflict of Interest Codes with respect to board members and designated employees of the State Bar of California, thereby requiring these codes to contain such disqualification provisions. The bill would also specify that board members and designated employees of the State Bar of California are not enumerated public officials required to comply with specified filing and disclosure requirements; rather, they would only need to file conflict of interest statements and make specified disclosures pursuant to the requirements of their own code. A violation of the act's provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.

The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as defined, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit, as provided. The act requires the issuance of a coastal development permit if the proposed development is in conformity with the certified local coastal program. The act provides for the certification of local coastal programs by the California Coastal Commission. This bill would provide that an application by a local government to convert an existing motorized vehicle travel lane into a dedicated bicycle lane, dedicated transit lane, or a pedestrian walkway shall not require a traffic study for the processing of either a coastal development permit or an amendment to a local coastal program. The bill would require, if a proposal to convert an existing motorized vehicle travel lane into a dedicated bicycle lane, dedicated transit lane, or a pedestrian walkway within the developed portion of an existing road right-of-way requires an amendment to a local coastal program, that the amendment be processed in accordance with the procedures applicable to de minimus local coastal program amendments if the executive director of the commission makes specified determinations.

Existing law, the California Coastal Act of 1976, among other things, establishes the California Coastal Commission and provides for planning and regulation of development in the coastal zone, as defined. The act requires the commission to adopt, after public hearing, procedures for the preparation, submission, approval, appeal, certification, and amendment of a local coastal program, as provided. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, authorizes a local agency to provide for the creation of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned for residential use, as specified. Existing law also authorizes a local agency to provide for the creation of junior accessory dwelling units in single-family residential zones, as specified. Existing law authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development to review, adopt, amend, or repeal guidelines to implement uniform standards or criteria that supplement or clarify certain statutory terms, references, and standards related to accessory dwelling units. This bill would require, by July 1, 2026, the commission, in coordination with the department, to develop and provide guidance for local governments to facilitate the preparation of amendments to a local coastal program to clarify and simplify the permitting process for accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units within the coastal zone. The bill would require the commission, in coordination with the department, to convene at least one public workshop to receive and consider public comments on the draft guidance before the finalization of the guidance document and to post the guidance document on the commission's and department's respective internet websites, as specified. To the extent the bill would create additional duties for a local government, 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.

Under existing law, campaign funds may not be used to pay health-related expenses for a candidate, elected officer, or any individual or individuals with authority to approve the expenditure of campaign funds held by a committee, or members of their households. This bill would create an exception to that general rule and expressly permit campaign funds to be used to pay a candidate for reasonable and necessary mental health care expenses if the candidate does not have health insurance or their insurance does not cover the full cost of these mental health care expenses, as specified. This bill would limit use of campaign funds for these purposes to circumstances in which the candidate has experienced prejudice, harassment, or a threat or other criminal act, as defined, which resulted in the need for mental health care services. This bill would also require the candidate to disclose general information about this use of campaign funds on their campaign statements. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 89513 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2803 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2803 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act.

Existing law prohibits a store, as defined, from providing a single-use carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale, with specified exceptions, including an exemption for bags used to contain unwrapped food. Existing law defines a "single-use carryout bag" as a bag made of plastic, paper, or other material that is provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale and that is not a recycled paper bag or a reusable grocery bag that meets specified requirements, including that the bag be made by a certified reusable grocery bag producer and meets specified requirements with regard to the bag's durability, material, labeling, heavy metal content, and, with regard to reusable grocery bags made from plastic film, recycled material content. Existing law prohibits a producer of reusable grocery bags made from plastic film from selling or distributing those bags unless the producer is certified by a third-party certification entity, and provides proof of that certification and a certification fee to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, as specified. Existing law also prohibits a store from selling or distributing a recycled paper bag at the point of sale unless the store makes that bag available for purchase for not less than $0.10. Existing law defines "recycled paper bag," in part, as a paper carryout bag that contains a minimum of 40% postconsumer recycled materials, except as provided, and meets other requirements. Existing law allows a retail establishment to voluntarily comply with these requirements, if the retail establishment provides the department with irrevocable notice. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, revise and recast those provisions to, among other things, recast the definition of a "single-use carryout bag" to a "carryout bag," and would revise the definition to mean a bag made of plastic, paper, or other material that is provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale for the purpose of carrying purchased goods and that is not a recycled paper bag. The bill would create a carryout bag exception to include a bag provided to a customer before the customer reaches the point of sale, that is designed to protect a purchased item from damaging or contaminating other purchased items in a checkout bag, or to contain an unwrapped food item, as specified. The bill would revise the definition of "recycled paper bag" to require it be made from a minimum of 50% postconsumer recycled materials on and after January 1, 2028, without exception. The bill would also prohibit a store from providing, distributing, or selling a carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale, except as provided. The bill would also repeal the provisions relating to standards for and the certification of reusable grocery bags, and would repeal a provision relating to certain obsolete at-store recycling program requirements. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations and would make related conforming changes.

Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place. Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into community access agreements with eligible entities to provide interpretive services and visitor services at units of the state parks system to underserved park users, as provided. This bill would provide that use of a state park by an eligible entity, as defined, to provide outdoor equity programs, as defined, shall be considered an allowable public use of a unit of the state park system, and would require the department or an entity managing a unit of the state park system to treat this use in the same manner as general public use of the state park, as provided. The bill would, for planning purposes, require the eligible entity to notify the department or an entity managing the unit of the state park system at least 15 calendar days in advance of the planned activity and communicate any consequential changes to the planned activity or location before the start of the outdoor equity program.

(1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees. Existing law requires general internists and family physicians who have a patient population of which over 25% are 65 years of age or older to complete at least 20% of all mandatory continuing education hours in a course related to geriatric medicine or the care of older patients. This bill would revise the above-described course requirements to include the special care needs of patients with dementia. (2) Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, establishes the Board of Registered Nursing to license and regulate the practice of nursing. Existing law requires the board to establish standards for continuing education consisting of specified approved coursework. Existing law requires a licensee under the act to submit a statement to the board, under penalty of perjury, indicating compliance with those continuing education requirements. This bill would require a nurse practitioner who provides primary care to a patient population of which over 25% are 65 years of age or older to certify that they have completed at least 20% of all existing mandatory continuing education hours in a course in the field of gerontology, the special care needs of patients with dementia, or the care of older patients at the time of renewal. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, establishes the Physician Assistant Board for the licensure and regulation of physician assistants. Existing law authorizes the board to require a licensee to complete specified continuing education coursework as a condition of license renewal. This bill would require a physician assistant who provides primary care to a patient population of which over 25% are 65 years of age or older to complete at least 20% of all mandatory continuing education hours in a course in the field of geriatric medicine, the special care needs of patients with dementia, or the care of older patients. (4) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2811.5 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by AB 2270 and AB 2581 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 law establishes the family conciliation court, which may be implemented by the superior court in each county, to provide means for the reconciliation of spouses and the amicable settlement of domestic and family controversies. In each county in which a family conciliation court is established, the superior court may appoint one supervising counselor of conciliation and one secretary to assist the family conciliation court in disposing of its business and carrying out its functions. Existing law defines an "evaluator" for purposes of family reconciliation court proceedings to include a supervising or associate counselor, a mediator, a court-connected or private child custody evaluator, or a court-appointed investigator or evaluator, as described. Existing law requires an evaluator to participate in specified training requirements, including 16 hours of advanced training within a 12-month period. Existing law requires 12 hours of that advanced training to include, among other topics, the unique issues in a family and psychological assessment in a domestic violence case, such as the nature and extent of domestic violence, and the relationship of gender, class, race, culture, and sexual orientation to domestic violence, and the influence of alcohol and drug use and abuse on the incidence of domestic violence. This bill would require the risks associated with access to firearms and ways to reduce those risks to be included on the list of issues in a family and psychological assessment in a domestic violence case for purposes of the advanced training.

Existing law requires the Governor to create an Interagency Council on Homelessness, consisting of specified members. Among other goals, existing law requires the council to coordinate existing funding and applications for competitive funding. Existing law requires the council to create a statewide data system, which is known as the Homeless Data Integration System, that collects local data through the Homeless Management Information System, with a goal of matching data on homelessness to programs impacting homeless recipients of state programs. Existing law also requires the council to collect, compile, and make available to the public financial data provided to the council from all state-funded homelessness programs. Existing law defines state programs as any programs a California state agency or department funds, implements, or administers for the purpose of providing housing or housing-based services to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, except as specified. This bill would additionally require the council to include the Governor's Tribal Advisor. The bill would remove the above-mentioned reference to competitive funding and would instead require the council to coordinate applications for funding. The bill would require council staff to develop and regularly maintain a strategic funding guide and a calendar of new or existing funding opportunities. The bill would require agencies and departments administering state programs to provide the council updated information on new or existing funding opportunities on a quarterly basis. The bill would also require council staff to collect fiscal and outcome data, as defined, from state agencies and departments administering state homelessness programs with a grantee or entity that is required to enter data elements on the individuals and families it serves into its local Homeless Management Information System, as specified. The bill would require the state agencies and departments to submit the fiscal and outcome data to council staff on or before February 1, 2027, and annually thereafter. The bill would require council staff to make the data publicly available on or before June 1, 2027, and annually thereafter. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 8257 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by SB 1443 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1443 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

(1) Existing law authorizes a governing body of a political subdivision, as those terms are defined, to declare a shelter crisis if the governing body makes a specified finding. Upon declaration of a shelter crisis, existing law, among other things, suspends certain state and local laws, regulations, and ordinances to the extent that strict compliance would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of the shelter crisis and allows a city, county, or city and county, in lieu of compliance, to adopt by ordinance reasonable local standards and procedures for the design, site development, and operation of homeless shelters and the structures and facilities therein. Existing law, among other things, exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act specified actions by a state agency or a city, county, or city and county to lease, convey, or encumber land owned by a city, county, or city and county, or to facilitate the lease, conveyance, or encumbrance of land owned by the local government for, or to provide financial assistance to, a homeless shelter constructed or allowed by these provisions. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2026. This bill would expand the exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act described above to include action taken by a state agency or a city, county, or city and county, to approve a contract to provide services for people experiencing homelessness to a homeless shelter constructed pursuant to, or authorized by, these provisions, as specified. This bill would extend the repeal date of these provisions to January 1, 2036. The bill would make other nonsubstantive, conforming changes. (2) Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) , requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires that a Low Barrier Navigation Center development be a use by right in areas zoned for mixed uses and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses if it meets prescribed requirements. Existing law provides that the CEQA does not apply to an action taken by a public agency to lease, convey, or encumber land owned by a public entity or to facilitate the lease, conveyance, or encumbrance of land owned by a public agency, or to provide financial assistance to, or otherwise approve, a Low Barrier Navigation Center constructed or allowed by existing law. Existing law defines the term "Low Barrier Navigation Center" for these purposes to mean a Housing First, low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2027. This bill would revise the definition of "Low Barrier Navigation Center" by specifying that a Low Barrier Navigation Center may be non-congregate and relocatable. The bill would also delete the January 1, 2027, repeal date, thereby extending operation of these provisions indefinitely. By indefinitely changing the local permitting process and increasing the duties of local planning officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would exempt from CEQA specified activities by local agencies relating to low barrier navigation centers. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on county clerks, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires agencies and departments administering state programs related to homelessness to adopt guidelines and regulations to incorporate core components of Housing First, as defined. Existing law defines "state programs" for this purpose as any program a California state agency or department funds, implements, or administers for the purpose of providing housing or housing-based services to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, except as provided. This bill would expand the definition of "state programs" to include programs a California state agency or department funds, implements, or administers for the purpose of providing emergency shelter or interim housing. (4) 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.