Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that formally recognizes Diwali as a significant cultural and religious holiday for Indian Americans and South Asian Americans in California. It acknowledges the festival's importance to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains by highlighting its historical roots and the specific meanings it holds for each group. The resolution expresses the Assembly's respect for these communities and encourages Californians to participate in the celebration of lights on November 1, 2024. As a commemorative measure, the bill does not alter laws or funding but serves to officially honor the occasion within the state legislature.

Maddy summaryThis resolution officially designates Wednesday, June 12, 2024, as Loving Day in the state of California. It commemorates the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized interracial marriage nationwide and honors the legacy of Mildred and Richard Loving. The measure serves as a symbolic observance to celebrate multicultural communities and the historical significance of the court decision.

This measure would designate the portion of Interstate 80 in the County of Placer, from the Douglas Boulevard Overcrossing, 19-0079 at postmile 1.975, to the junction of State Route 65 at postmile 4.160, as the Sergeant Nicole Gee, United States Marine Corps Memorial Highway. The measure would also request that the Department of Transportation determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution commemorates the 100th anniversary of the federal Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, which granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans born within the country's borders. The measure specifically highlights the historical significance of the 1924 Piper v. Big Pine School District case, where a California court ruled in favor of a Paiute student's right to attend public school based on her new citizenship status. By formally recognizing this centennial, the bill honors the progress made in Native American education and integration while acknowledging the state's ongoing efforts toward truth and healing.

Existing law establishes the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, administered by the State Department of Education, with the purpose of encouraging, maintaining, and strengthening the delivery of high-quality career technical education programs, as specified. Existing law requires grant applicants under the program to meet minimum requirements, including, among other things, reporting to the Superintendent of Public Instruction specified data relating to pupils and their career technical education coursework. This bill would require that data to be disaggregated by race and gender. Existing law establishes the Strong Workforce Program to provide funding to career technical education regional consortia made up of community college districts and local educational agencies, as specified. Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to implement performance accountability outcome measures for the Community College component of the program, as provided, and requires these outcome measures to include, to the extent possible, demographic data to allow policymakers and the general public to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups. Existing law requires the chancellor's office to submit an annual report on the Community College component of the program to the Governor and the Legislature that includes, among other things, data summarizing those outcome accountability performance measures. Existing law requires, as part of the K–12 component of the program, a local educational agency applicant, or the applicant's career technical program, as applicable, to report data that can be used by policymakers, local educational agencies, community college districts, and their regional partners to support and evaluate the program, including, to the extent possible, demographic data used to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups, as provided. Existing law requires this reporting to include specified metrics. This bill would require the above-described performance accountability measures and data associated with the Strong Workforce Program to be disaggregated by race and gender, as provided. The bill also would correct a cross-reference.

This measure would recognize June 19, 2024, 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.

Existing law generally regulates the formation and enforcement of contracts, and also regulates consumer refunds specific to certain industries and under specified circumstances. This bill would make a provision in a contract or agreement that prohibits a consumer from publishing or making statements about the business as a condition of receiving a refund or other consideration or thing of value contrary to public policy and void and unenforceable.

Existing law requires the governing boards of community college districts and the Trustees of the California State University, and requests the Regents of the University of California, to provide, as part of established campus orientations, educational and preventive information on sexual violence and sexual harassment. Existing law, beginning on September 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, requires the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and independent institutions of higher education and private postsecondary educational institutions that receive state financial assistance, and requests the University of California, to annually train students on sexual violence and sexual harassment, and requires that training to include certain topics, including common facts and myths about the causes of sexual violence and sexual harassment. This bill would require the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and independent institutions of higher education and private postsecondary educational institutions that receive state financial assistance, and request the University of California, on or before September 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, to consider updating the annual sexual violence and sexual harassment training for students. The bill would also require the annual sexual violence and sexual harassment training, beginning on September 1, 2026, to include additional topics, including how to recognize if someone is at risk of alcohol- and drug-facilitated sexual assault. By imposing new duties on community college districts, 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.

The California Constitution, pursuant to provisions enacted by the initiative Proposition 209 in 1996, prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting. The California Constitution defines the state for these purposes to include the state, any city, county, public university system, community college district, school district, special district, or any other political subdivision or governmental instrumentality of, or within, the state. This measure would instead prohibit the state from harmfully discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment or public education, except as provided. The measure would provide that, except as specified, a state agency or a local agency may use state moneys to fund research-based or research-informed and culturally specific programs in any industry if certain conditions are satisfied, including that those programs are established or otherwise implemented by the state for purposes of eliminating legal barriers to the creation of equality and equitable outcomes for all residents of the state in a specified manner. The measure would define various terms for these purposes.

This measure would recognize June 19, 2024, 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.