Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil

Existing law vests the Department of Transportation with possession and control of all state highways. Existing law requires the department, on or before July 1, 1992, to adopt and implement a deicing policy for state highways, as specified. Existing law specifically requires the department to remove snow from a specified portion of Interstate Route 80, as specified. This bill would require, on or before April 1 of each year, the department, to the extent feasible, to notify an affected local official of the department's proposed schedule for opening a mountain pass, as defined. The bill would require the department to develop a public outreach plan to inform the public about the closing and opening of a mountain pass, as specified.

Proposition 117, an initiative measure approved by the voters at the June 5, 1990, statewide primary election, enacted the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990. The act classifies the mountain lion as a specially protected mammal under the laws of this state, and makes it unlawful to take, injure, possess, transport, import, or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof. The act authorizes the take of mountain lions under limited circumstances, including by authorizing the Department of Fish and Wildlife, or an appropriate local agency authorized by the department, to remove or take any mountain lion that is perceived to be an imminent threat to public health or safety. Existing law permits the department, as the department determines is necessary to protect mountain lions or the public, to authorize qualified individuals, educational institutions, governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations to implement nonlethal procedures, which are defined as procedures that may include, among other things, capturing, pursuing, or hazing mountain lions. Existing law permits the department to authorize qualified individuals, educational institutions, governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations to conduct scientific research involving mountain lions pursuant to a scientific collecting permit, as specified. This bill would require the department, contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to maintain, enhance, and expand its human-mountain lion conflicts program in a specified region of the state in order to protect public health and safety, including by exercising its authority to authorize nonlethal procedures. The bill would require the department to continue and expand its scientific research effort to develop and evaluate methods to deter mountain lions from entering communities and to prevent habituation to humans. In implementing these programs, the bill would require the department to engage in specified public outreach activities in a specified region of the state. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on or before October 1, 2031, describing these programs, the results of the programs, the number of department personnel involved in the programs, and recommendations to further improve the programs to protect human health and safety. The bill would require the Director of Fish and Wildlife, when requested, to appear before the appropriate policy or budget committees of the Assembly and Senate to provide a status update on the programs. The California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 prohibits the Legislature from changing the act, with specified exceptions, except by a 45 vote of the membership of both houses of the Legislature and then only if consistent with, and in furtherance of, the purposes of the act. This bill would declare that it is consistent with, and furthers the purposes of, that act.

The California Constitution establishes the Fish and Game Commission and provides for the delegation to the commission of powers relating to the protection and propagation of fish and game. Existing law places the Fish and Game Commission in the Natural Resources Agency. This bill would require the commission to, on or before January 1, 2028, adopt regulations, as provided, to increase opportunities to fish, and to hunt big game, wild pigs, upland game birds, and migratory game birds, for resident youth with life-threatening illnesses. The bill would require the commission, in adopting those regulations, to ensure reasonable accommodations for participants in accordance with federal and state disability are incorporated into the regulations and to consider authorizing special hunts, as prescribed. The bill would authorize the commission to include in the regulations additional reasonable accommodations consistent with safe, ethical, and science-based wildlife management practices. The bill would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to, on or before January 1, 2032, prepare and submit a report to the relevant legislative policy and budget committees in both houses of the Legislature and to the commission, as provided. The bill would make the implementation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires individual lobbyists to prepare certifications, as specified, for filing with the Secretary of State. The act also requires lobbying firms and certain lobbyist employers to register with the Secretary of State. The act makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. Under existing law, a person who violates the act is prohibited from acting as a lobbyist for a period of four years following the date of conviction, except as specified. This bill would prohibit a person who has been convicted of a crime of public corruption, as defined, from serving as a lobbyist for 12 years following the date of the conviction. The bill would prohibit the Secretary of State from accepting a lobbying certification from a person who indicates such a conviction on the lobbying certification. The bill would void an existing lobbying certification in the event of such a conviction. The bill would require a registered lobbyist, upon conviction for a crime of public corruption, to immediately terminate their registration with the Secretary of State. The bill would require a lobbying certification to include a statement that the applicant has not been convicted of a crime of public corruption within the previous 12 years. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 86103 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2592 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2592 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act to further the act's purposes upon a 23 vote of each house of the Legislature and compliance with specified procedural requirements. This bill would declare that it furthers the purposes of the act. A violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 is punishable as a misdemeanor. By creating a new 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.

The California Constitution provides that all property is taxable and requires that it be assessed at the same percentage of fair market value, unless otherwise provided by the California Constitution or federal law. The California Constitution and existing property tax law provide various exemptions from taxation, including, among others, a disabled veterans' exemption. Under existing law, the disabled veterans' exemption exempts from taxation part of the full value of property that constitutes the principal place of residence of a veteran, the veteran's spouse, or the veteran and veteran's spouse jointly, and the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran, as provided, if the veteran incurred specified injuries or died while on active duty in military service, as described. Existing law exempts that part of the full value of the residence that does not exceed $100,000, or $150,000 if the household income of the claimant does not exceed $40,000, as adjusted for inflation, as specified. This bill would, until January 1, 2037, exclude service-connected disability payments from the definition of "household income" for purposes of the disabled veterans' exemption. The bill would also correct an erroneous cross-reference in the above-described provisions. By imposing additional duties on local tax officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that 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. 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 requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Existing law requires the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the state's "Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan," as provided. Existing law requires, on or before March 1, 2026, and every 5 years thereafter, the task force to update the action plan. This bill would require the task force, on or before July 1, 2028, and in cooperation with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the State Air Resources Board, and the State Department of Public Health, to assess the health costs and impacts of wildfire smoke using existing wildfire smoke and health data, as provided. The bill would require the task force, in developing this assessment, to, among other things, develop a model to determine the approximate health benefits of achieving the goals identified in the action plan and make recommendations on how the action plan can increase its health benefits. The bill would authorize the task force to enter into contracts with an independent group to assist with this assessment. The bill would require the task force to include this assessment and additional actions to reduce the health impact of wildfire smoke in the next update to the action plan, as provided.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates September 20, 2026, as Soju Day within the state to honor the traditional Korean alcoholic beverage. The measure does not alter existing laws regarding alcohol sales or consumption but serves as a commemorative observance. It requires no changes to regulations or funding, functioning solely as a symbolic recognition of cultural heritage.

This measure would urge the Congress and President of the United States to permit states to extend burial and memorial benefits in state cemeteries to Republic of Korea veterans who served in the Vietnam War and who subsequently became United States citizens.

Maddy summaryCalifornia Senate Resolution 121 formally recognizes the Killed in Action flag as a symbol honoring military personnel who died in combat. The resolution encourages the voluntary display of this flag at state and local public buildings, schools, and private homes to express remembrance for fallen service members. It also suggests that Californians display the flag during specific observances such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day. Finally, the bill directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the resolution to the Governor, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and various veterans' service organizations.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 122 formally recognizes November 2026 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in California. This non-binding resolution highlights the severity of the disease, noting its high mortality rate and lack of early detection methods, while also pointing out that current federal funding for pancreatic cancer research is low compared to other areas. The bill urges all Californians to take action to end pancreatic cancer and calls for increased awareness and support for research efforts. It does not change any laws or allocate state funds but serves to draw public attention to the issue.