Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution officially designates October 3, 2024, as Latina Equal Pay Day in California to highlight the persistent wage gap affecting Latinas. The measure acknowledges that Latinas in the state earn significantly less than their White male counterparts, a disparity that impacts their economic security and retirement savings. By recognizing this date, the resolution aims to raise awareness about the need for policies that ensure equal pay for all workers regardless of gender or ethnicity.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including certain dental services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment (EPSDT) services are covered under Medi-Cal for an individual under 21 years of age in accordance with certain federal provisions. Under existing law, for persons 21 years of age or older, laboratory-processed crowns on posterior teeth are a covered benefit when medically necessary to restore a posterior tooth back to normal function based on the criteria specified in the Medi-Cal Dental Manual of Criteria. This bill, The Smile Act, for purposes of the above-described Medi-Cal coverage for laboratory-processed crowns, would remove the condition that the tooth be posterior and would apply the coverage to persons 13 years of age or older. The bill would also add, as a covered Medi-Cal benefit for persons of any age, subject to prior authorization, a dental implant if tooth extraction or removal is medically necessary or if the corresponding tooth is missing. The bill would condition this coverage on there being no other covered functional alternatives for prosthetic replacement to correct the person's dental condition, as specified, on the person being without medical conditions for which dental implant surgery would be contraindicated, on receipt of any necessary federal approvals, and on the availability of federal financial participation. Under the bill, the above-described provisions would not be construed to exclude Medi-Cal coverage for laboratory-processed crowns on teeth or dental implants if otherwise required under EPSDT services.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates October 2024 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to highlight the issue and encourage community support. It does not change any laws or allocate funding but serves as a symbolic recognition of the problem's impact on survivors across all demographics. The measure aims to raise public awareness about domestic violence statistics and the importance of prevention programs.

Existing law allows individuals, until January 1, 2025, to designate on their personal income tax return that a specified amount in excess of their tax liability be contributed to the California Breast Cancer Research Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, which is continuously appropriated to the Franchise Tax Board, the Controller, and the University of California for specified purposes. Existing law also allows individuals, until January 1, 2025, to designate on their tax returns that a specified amount in excess of their tax liability be contributed to the California Cancer Research Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, which is continuously appropriated to the Franchise Tax Board, the Controller, and the University of California for specified purposes. Existing law requires that each of these funds equal or exceed a minimum contribution amount of $250,000 to continue appearing on the return. This bill would extend the operation of each fund's provisions to January 1, 2032. By extending operation of continuously appropriated funds, this bill would make an appropriation.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution formally recognizes July 4 as Independence Day and encourages Californians to celebrate the occasion with reverence and gratitude. The document highlights the historical significance of the date, noting its role in commemorating American independence and the principles of liberty and democracy. It serves as a symbolic gesture to honor the sacrifices of military service members and the contributions of citizens to the nation. The resolution does not create new laws or change existing policies but rather expresses the Senate's collective sentiment regarding the holiday.

(1) The California Constitution prohibits the Legislature from creating a debt or liability that singly or in the aggregate with any previous debts or liabilities exceeds the sum of $300,000, except by an act that (1) authorizes the debt for a single object or work specified in the act, (2) has been passed by a 23 vote of all the Members elected to each house of the Legislature, (3) has been submitted to the people at a statewide general or primary election, and (4) has received a majority of all the votes cast for and against it at that election. This bill would set forth the Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024 as a state general obligation bond act that would provide $10,000,000,000 to construct and modernize education facilities, including $8,500,000,000 for elementary and secondary educational facilities and $1,500,000,000 for community college facilities, as specified. This bond act would become operative only if approved by the voters. (2) The Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 provides for the adoption of rules, regulations, and procedures, under the administration of the Director of General Services, for the allocation of state funds by the State Allocation Board for the construction and modernization of public school facilities. This bill would require a school district to submit to the Department of General Services a 5-year school facilities master plan as a condition of participating in the school facilities program under the act. The bill would amend the methodology for calculating the local contribution a school district is required to make in order to be eligible to receive state funding under the act, as specified. The bill would require a school district that seeks new construction or modernization funding under the act after November 5, 2024, to submit an updated report of the school district's existing school building capacity to the State Allocation Board. The bill would authorize the allocation of state funds under the act for the replacement of school buildings that are at least 75 years old, for specified assistance to school districts with a school facility located on a military installation, as specified, and small school districts, as defined, and for the testing and remediation of lead levels in water fountains and faucets used for drinking or preparing food on schoolsites, as provided. The bill would authorize new construction and modernization grants to be used for seismic mitigation purposes, certain health and safety projects, and, among other things, to establish schoolsite-based infrastructure to provide broadband internet access. The bill would also authorize modernization grants to be used for the control, management, or abatement of lead. The bill would increase the maximum level of total bonding capacity, as defined, that a school district could have and still be eligible for financial hardship assistance under the act from $5,000,000 to $15,000,000. The bill, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year, would increase that $15,000,000 maximum by a specified inflation adjustment each fiscal year. The bill would authorize the State Allocation Board to provide assistance for purposes of procuring interim housing to school districts and county offices of education impacted by a natural disaster for which the Governor has declared a state of emergency. The bill would also make conforming changes. The bill would make these provisions effective upon the adoption by the voters of the Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes various deductions in computing income that is subject to tax under that law. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, would allow a deduction in computing adjusted gross income in connection with health savings accounts in modified conformity with federal law. In general, the deduction would be an amount equal to the aggregate amount paid in cash during the taxable year by, or on behalf of, an eligible individual, as defined, to a health savings account of that individual, as provided. The bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, would also provide related conformity to that federal law with respect to the allowance of rollovers from Archer Medical Savings Accounts, health flexible spending arrangements, or health reimbursement accounts to a health savings account, and penalties in connection therewith. Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

(1) Existing law requires a pupil to complete designated coursework while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. These graduation requirements include, among others, the completion of 3 courses in social studies, including a one-semester course in economics. This bill would add the completion of a separate, stand-alone one-semester course in personal finance, that is prohibited from being combined with any other course, to the graduation requirements commencing with pupils graduating in the 2030–31 school year, including for pupils enrolled in a charter school. The bill would authorize, commencing with pupils graduating in the 2030–31 school year, including for pupils enrolled in a charter school, a pupil who completes a separate, stand-alone one-semester course in personal finance, that is not combined with any other course, to elect to be exempt from the graduation requirement to complete a one-semester course in economics. The bill would require local educational agencies, including charter schools, to offer in all of its high schools a separate, stand-alone one-semester course in personal finance, that is not combined with any other course, commencing with the 2027–28 school year, as provided. By imposing new duties on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law establishes the Instructional Quality Commission and requires the commission to, among other things, recommend curriculum frameworks to the State Board of Education and consider including, when revising the history-social science curriculum framework, age-appropriate information on financial literacy for kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, as provided. This bill would revise and recast the list of financial literacy topics for the commission to consider including when revising the history-social science framework, as applied to kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. The bill would also require, on or before May 31, 2026, the state board to adopt a curriculum guide and resources for the above-described separate, stand-alone one-semester course in personal finance based on a curriculum guide and resources developed and recommended by the commission. The bill would require the curriculum guide and resources to include all of, and only, the financial literacy topics considered by the commission as part of the history-social science framework revision, and would also require the above-described separate, stand-alone one-semester course in personal finance to include all of, and only, those topics, as provided. The bill would appropriate $300,000 from the General Fund to the commission for purposes of developing, and recommending to the state board, the curriculum guide and resources. In the event that the state board has not adopted a curriculum guide and resources for this personal finance course by May 31, 2026, the bill would require local educational agencies, including charter schools, to locally develop the curriculum and resources to offer this personal finance course, as provided. By imposing new obligations on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, among other duties, to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to issue a single subject teaching credential only in specified subjects. Existing law authorizes the commission to grant an added or supplementary authorization to a credentialholder who has met the requirements and standards of the commission for the added or supplementary authorization. This bill would expressly authorize an individual holding a single subject teaching credential in Social Science, Business, Mathematics, or Home Economics to teach the above-described personal finance course, and would authorize the commission to additionally establish a supplementary authorization that authorizes individuals holding single subject teaching credentials in other subjects to teach the above-described personal finance course. (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, 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. (5) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution declares September 2024 as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in California to honor those affected by the disease and promote public understanding. The measure highlights critical statistics about ovarian cancer, such as its high mortality rate and the fact that early detection significantly improves survival chances. By drawing attention to these facts, the resolution encourages women to monitor their health and consult medical professionals regarding unexplained symptoms. Ultimately, the bill serves as a formal acknowledgment of the disease's impact and a call to support ongoing efforts in research, advocacy, and patient care.

This measure would designate a specified portion of United States Highway 395 in the County of Mono as the Dave McCoy Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.