Sen. Marty Block

This measure would proclaim the month of March of every year as Read Across California Month and request that public and private stakeholders work together to raise awareness of the importance of reading to young children and the importance of independent reading among our pupils and citizens of California by encouraging everyone to read for 30 minutes for 30 days during the month of March of every year, in conjunction with the Read Across America campaign held annually on March 2.

The California Public Records Act requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection and to make copies available upon request and payment of a fee unless those records are exempt from disclosure. Existing law establishes the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state, including the University of California administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. This bill would require records maintained by an auxiliary organization of the governing board of a community college district, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and California State University, as defined, or a University of California (UC) campus foundation, as defined, to be available to the public to inspect or copy at all times during the office hours of the organization or foundation, as specified. The bill would require an auxiliary organization and a UC campus foundation to follow specified requirements when fulfilling or denying a request for a record. The bill would prohibit specified records maintained by an auxiliary organization or UC campus foundation from being subject to disclosure. The bill would prohibit an auxiliary organization from disclosing trade secrets, as defined, and would require this information to be redacted from the organization's records before disclosure. The bill would provide specified judicial relief to persons seeking disclosure of records from an auxiliary organization or a UC campus foundation pursuant to this bill. The bill would require a disclosure of a record, which is exempt from disclosure, by an auxiliary organization or a UC campus foundation to constitute a waiver of the exemptions provided by this bill with regard to that record, except as specified. The bill would provide that a contract entered into after the effective date of this bill, which would prevent the disclosure of information required to be disclosed pursuant to this bill, is void and unenforceable. The bill would provide that its provisions do not apply to any records subject to a request made pursuant to the California Public Records Act.

This measure would recognize March 31, 2011, as the anniversary of the birth of César Chávez, and would call upon all Californians to participate in appropriate observances to remember César Chávez as a symbol of hope and justice to all persons.

This measure would request that law enforcement, first responders, schools, local elected officials, and parents educate youth about the risks associated with synthetic drugs.

Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue various types of teaching credentials and authorizations. Existing law establishes multiple pathway programs, which are multiyear comprehensive high school programs of integrated academic and technical study that are organized around a broad theme, interest area, or industry sector. Multiple pathway programs are comprised, among other things, of an integrated core curriculum that meets the eligibility requirements for admission to the University of California and the California State University and is delivered through project-based learning and other engaging instructional strategies that intentionally bring real-world context and relevance to the curriculum where broad themes, interest areas, and career technical education are emphasized. This bill would define "linked learning programs," and would authorize the commission to convene a workgroup consisting of specified members to develop program standards for the issuance of a recognition of study in linked learning, as defined, for linked learning competence for holders of a single subject teaching credential who will be teaching pupils enrolled in linked learning programs, as specified. The bill would authorize the commission to work with the Superintendent of Public Instruction to gather and post, on an appropriate Internet Web site, best practices from school districts and schools on curriculum development and professional development relating to implementing and sustaining multiple pathway programs. The bill would also provide that a recognition of study in linked learning is not considered a type of authorization, cannot be used as a condition of employment, does not replace subject matter competence requirements, and cannot be used in making certain employment decisions relating to reductions in employee positions.

Existing property tax law provides, pursuant to the authorization of the California Constitution, for the exemption from property taxation of the principal residence of a disabled veteran, a veteran's spouse, and the unmarried surviving spouse, in the case in which the veteran has, as a result of a service-connected disease or injury, died while on active duty in military service. Existing property tax law specifies that property is a veteran's principal residence if the veteran would principally reside at that property if not for his or her confinement to a hospital or other care facility. This bill would, beginning with the lien date for the 2012–13 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, specify that property is an unmarried surviving spouse's principal residence if the unmarried surviving spouse would principally reside at that property if not for his or her confinement to a hospital or other care facility. This bill would also correct an erroneous cross-reference in this provision. This bill would additionally make technical, nonsubstantive changes that would consolidate the provisions relating to the date when property becomes eligible for the disabled veterans' exemption, and would make other conforming changes. This bill would also make other clarifying changes, including clarifying that the exemption terminates for an unmarried surviving spouse of a disabled veteran when that surviving spouse remarries.

Existing law, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, sets forth the procedures for incorporations and changes of organizations of cities, including procedures for disincorporation. This bill would provide that every city with a population of less than 150 people as of January 1, 2010, would be disincorporated into that city's respective county as of 91 days after the effective date of the bill, unless a county board of supervisors determines, by majority vote within the 90-day period following enactment of these provisions, that continuing such a city within that county's boundaries would serve a public purpose if the board of supervisors determines that the city is in an isolated rural location that makes it impractical for the residents of the community to organize in another form of local governance. The bill would also require the local agency formation commission within the county to oversee the terms and conditions of the disincorporation of the city, as specified. The bill would become operative only if AB 781 of the 2011–12 Regular Session is enacted.

Existing law requires that, as a precondition to receiving a technology grant administered by the State Department of Education, a school district shall have a current 3- to 5-year education technology plan, unless this requirement is waived by the State Board of Education. Existing law also requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop guidelines and criteria for inclusion in the education technology plan, including a component to educate pupils and teachers on specified topics. This bill would expand that list of topics to include the prevention of, and legal consequences for, cyberbullying, the active use of content control software, and the responsible use by pupils of mobile communication technology. The bill would exempt from compliance with this requirement a school district that, on July 1, 2012, has a 3- to 5-year education technology plan until that plan expires or is voluntarily replaced, at which time the school district would be subject to the requirement. The bill would also require that the additional topics of the prevention of, and legal consequences for, cyberbullying, the active use of content control software, and the responsible use by pupils of mobile communication technology, be implemented only to the extent that state or federal funds are appropriated for those topics. The bill would make other conforming changes.

(1) Existing law establishes the University of California, 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, and the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and private, independent institutions of higher education as the 4 segments of postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes a higher education accountability program under which the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges are required to prepare a list of reports on a regular basis and submit them to the Legislature and to state agencies. Under the program, the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) is required to submit annually a higher education report to the Legislature and the Governor that provides information on significant indicators of the performance of public colleges and universities. This bill would repeal the existing higher education accountability program and require the state to establish a new accountability framework for achieving prescribed educational and economic goals. The bill would require the Governor to convene a task force by July 1, 2012, to review the framework and recommend a set of overarching goals for the state's higher education institutions, as specified. The bill would urge the task force to consider issues that include 6 statewide policy questions. The bill would require the task force to report to the Legislature and the Governor on the recommended statewide goals and indicators of progress for higher education, as specified. (2) Existing law requires the 3 public segments of postsecondary education to present annual statistical reports on transfer patterns via the CPEC to the Governor and the Legislature. This bill would repeal this requirement.