Sen. Marty Block

Existing law provides certain protections and benefits for veterans and members of the National Guard. This bill would create in state government the California Interagency Council on Veteran Services and Programs, composed of specified members, for the purpose of bringing together key state agencies and departments, federal officials, legislative representatives, local governments, and stakeholder organizations to ensure that the state's programs that serve veterans are efficiently administered and properly integrated with federal and local government and other stakeholder organizations. The bill's provisions would remain in effect until December 31, 2017.

This measure would resolve that the month of April be designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, would recognize April 27, 2011, as Denim Day California, and would encourage everyone to wear jeans on that day to help communicate the message that there is no excuse for, and never an invitation to, rape or sexual assault.

This measure would proclaim May 2011 as Buy California Small Business First Month.

(1) The Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 prohibits a person, with exceptions, from conducting surface mining operations unless a permit is obtained from, a reclamation plan is submitted to and approved by, and financial assurances for reclamation have been approved by, the lead agency for the operation. Existing law prohibits a lead agency from approving a reclamation plan for a surface mining operation for gold, silver, copper, or other metallic minerals or financial assurances for the operation if the operation is located on, or within one mile of, a Native American sacred site and is located in an area of special concern, unless certain criteria are met. This bill would also prohibit a lead agency from approving a reclamation plan for an aggregate products operation if the operation is located on or within 2,000 yards of the external boundaries of an Indian reservation and is on or within 5,000 yards of a Native American sacred site, and is on or within 4,000 yards of the Santa Margarita River or an aquifer that is hydrologically connected to the river, unless the tribe whose reservation is nearest the operation consents to the operation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would proclaim July 27, 2011, as Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. It would urge Californians to remember the Korean War and those who fought against communism. It would also urge Governor Jerry Brown to proclaim July 27, 2011, as Korean War Armistice Day and instruct all state departments, agencies, interested groups, organizations, and individuals to fly the United States flag at half-mast on July 27, 2011, in memory of the veterans who died as a result of their service in Korea.

This measure would urge Congress to extend the alternative minimum tax holiday for private activity bonds.

Existing law prescribes the procedure for conducting an official canvass of election results, including the manner in which a name written upon a ballot for a qualified write-in candidate is to be counted for the office. Existing law, with regard to voting systems in which write-in spaces appear directly below the list of candidates for that office and provide a voting space, prohibits an elections official from counting a write-in vote unless the voting space next to the write-in space is marked or slotted as directed in the voting instructions. This bill, as an exception to that prohibition, would authorize the elections official, after tallying all eligible votes but prior to completion of the official canvass and the issuance of the certified statement of the results, and upon the request of a qualified write-in candidate for an examination of undervotes that is received within 5 days of completion of the semi-official canvass, to hand tally the remaining undervotes if specified conditions are applicable. If an elections official conducts a hand tally pursuant to this authority, the bill would require the elections official to include the results in the official canvass of the election.

Existing law establishes the California State University as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The university includes 25 specified campuses and is administered by a board, known as the Trustees of the California State University. This bill would require the trustees to ensure that campuses meet specific requirements with respect to appeal procedures for a denial of admission.

This measure would memorialize the Legislature's support for the school-based health center program authorized by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, an appropriation by the United States Congress to fund this program, policies that include school-based health centers as a partner in creating a medical home for all children, and the inclusion of school-based health centers in the reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.