Sen. Joel Anderson

Existing law makes it a felony to possess a silencer, as defined, for a firearm. This bill would instead make it a felony to possess a silencer that is attached to a firearm that measures less than 16 inches in length. Existing law restricts the use of firearms in certain areas while hunting, prohibits hunting with a firearm while intoxicated, and requires the use of certain ammunition. This bill would authorize hunting while using a lawfully possessed silencer that is attached to a firearm measuring 16 inches or more in length.

Existing law establishes the University of California, established under the California Constitution as a public trust under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in this state. This bill would establish the Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act, which would require the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and the Trustees of the California State University to, and would encourage the Regents of the University of California to, develop and adopt a policy on free expression that contains specified statements. The bill would require that the outdoor areas of a public institution of higher education be deemed traditional public forums, subject to certain exceptions, and would require that a person who wishes to engage in noncommercial expressive activity in the outdoor areas of a public institution of higher education be permitted to do so freely, as long as the person's conduct is not unlawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the public institution of higher education. The bill would require a public institution of higher education to publicly post on its Internet Web site and submit to the Governor and Legislature an annual report that details the course of action being taken in order to comply with the requirements of the act. The bill would impose other requirements and restrictions on a public institution of higher education, relating to free expression on campus. By imposing new duties on a campus of the California Community Colleges, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a person or student association aggrieved by a violation of the act to bring an action against the public institution of higher education and any other persons responsible for the violation not later than one year after the day the cause of action accrues. The bill would provide that the state waives immunity under the 11th Amendment of the United States Constitution and consents to suit in a federal court for lawsuits arising out of the act, and would provide that a public institution of higher education that violates the act is not immune from suit or liability for the violation. The bill would provide that, if any provision of the act or any application of a provision of the act to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of the act and the application of the provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected. 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.

Existing law provides that a person who uses a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type, to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record by electronic means, another, identifiable person under or through the clothing being worn by that other person, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, with the intent to arouse, appeal to, or gratify the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person and invade the privacy of that other person, under circumstances in which the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. Existing law provides that a person who uses a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type, to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record by electronic means, another, identifiable person who may be in a state of full or partial undress, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, in the interior of a bedroom, bathroom, changing room, fitting room, dressing room, or tanning booth, or the interior of any other area in which that other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the intent to invade the privacy of that other person, is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. This bill would allow a court, in a case in which a person violates the above provisions and intentionally distributes or makes the image or recording accessible to any other person, to impose a fine in an amount not to exceed $1,000 in addition to the punishment prescribed for the violation. The bill would require the court to include economic losses suffered by the victim for costs incurred to delete, remove, and eliminate the images and recordings when imposing restitution. By increasing the punishment for 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.

Existing law requires, as a condition of receipt of funds for instructional materials from any state source, the governing board of a school district to take specified actions, including holding a public hearing or hearings at which the governing board of the school district makes a determination, through a resolution, as to whether each pupil in each school in the school district has sufficient textbooks or instructional materials, or both, that are aligned to specified content standards in each of specified subjects. This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would clarify the requirements of that provision in regard to online instructional materials.

This measure would prohibit a Member of the Legislature, or an employee of either house of the Legislature, from negotiating or signing an agreement, on behalf of the Rules Committee of either house, settling a claim for sexual harassment or abuse that contains a confidentiality provision. This measure would also prohibit the use of legislative funds or resources to enforce this type of confidentiality provision contained within a previously-executed settlement agreement.

Existing provisions of the California Constitution declare the policy that the water resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable, that the waste or unreasonable use or unreasonable method of use of water be prevented, and that the conservation of these waters is to be exercised with a view to the reasonable and beneficial use of the waters in the interest of the people and for the public welfare. Existing law requires the state to achieve a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use in California by December 31, 2020. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the State Water Resources Control Board to recognize local water agency investment in water supply and will ensure that local agencies receive sufficient credit for these investments in meeting any water conservation or efficiency mandates.

Existing law, the Chappie-Z'berg Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Law of 1971, generally specifies which lands are available for use by off-highway motor vehicles, as defined, and the operating rules of those vehicles. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would clarify operating rules for off-highway motor vehicles.

Existing law generally protects employees who disclose illegal or improper workplace activities by prohibiting interference with, and retaliation for, making such disclosures. Existing law provides procedures for a person to file a complaint alleging violations of legislative ethics. Existing law also authorizes each house of the Legislature to adopt rules for its proceedings and to select committees necessary for the conduct of its business. This bill would impose criminal and civil liability on a Member of the Legislature or legislative employee, as defined, who interferes with, or retaliates against, a legislative employee's exercise of the right to make a protected disclosure, which is defined as a good faith allegation made by a legislative employee to specified entities that a Member of the Legislature or a legislative employee has engaged in, or will engage in, activity that may constitute a violation of law, including sexual harassment, or a violation of a legislative standard of conduct. The bill would also impose civil liability on an entity that interferes with, or retaliates against, a legislative employee's exercise of the right to make a protected disclosure, as specified. By creating new crimes, 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law provides that every person has, subject to the qualifications and restrictions provided by law, the right of protection from bodily harm, and from injury to his or her personal relations. Existing law authorizes the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board to compensate a victim of a crime from the Restitution Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, for pecuniary loss incurred as a direct result of the crime, when the board determines it will best aid the person seeking compensation. Existing law subjects certain property to forfeiture, such as controlled substances and equipment used to process controlled substances. Existing law allows peace officers, under specified circumstances, to seize property that is subject to forfeiture. Existing law authorizes specified public agencies to bring an action to recover expenses of seizing, eradicating, destroying, or taking remedial action with respect to any controlled substance. Existing law requires seized property or the proceeds from the sale of that property to be distributed among specified entities. This bill would subject property used in the course of, intended for use in the course of, derived from, or realized through an act of terrorism, by a person or entity who committed, who aided a person or entity to commit, or who coerced, induced, or solicited a person or entity to commit an act of terrorism to civil forfeiture. The bill would specify the circumstances under which property subject to civil forfeiture may be seized by a law enforcement officer. The bill would authorize a person who is injured by an act of terrorism, and a law enforcement agency or other governmental agency that participated in the investigation, mitigation, seizure, or forfeiture process for an act of terrorism, to file a claim to recover damages and costs, and prioritize allocation of the proceeds of the civil forfeiture and disposition, as specified. This bill would also authorize a person who is injured by an act of terrorism, as defined, to bring an action to recover damages against a person or entity who committed the act of terrorism, aided the person or entity to commit the act or terrorism, or coerced, induced, or solicited the person or entity to commit the act of terrorism. The bill would provide that the amount awarded may be up to 3 times the damages actually incurred, but in no event less than $10,000. This bill would permit a civil forfeiture proceeding or civil action under this section to be commenced at any time within 5 years after the act of terrorism occurred, and would toll the time for commencement of a civil action during the pendency of a criminal prosecution.