Existing law required the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, by March 1, 2010, to establish a regulatory proceeding to develop a comprehensive program to achieve greater energy savings in the state's existing residential and nonresidential building stock, in accordance with specified requirements. Existing law requires that the program developed pursuant to those provisions, among other things, ensure, for residential buildings, that the energy efficiency assessments, ratings, or improvements do not unreasonably or unnecessarily affect the home purchasing process or the ability of individuals to rent housing. This bill would, for purposes of those provisions governing energy efficiency assessments, ratings, or improvement for residential buildings, specify that an unreasonable or unnecessary affect on the home purchasing process or the ability of individuals to rent housing includes an act or requirement in the assessment, rating, or improvement of a residential building that results in certain costs or delays the close of escrow.
Sponsored bills
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA requires the lead agency to consider and respond to comments received on a draft EIR, proposed negative declaration, or proposed mitigated negative declaration that are received within the public review period. This bill would specify that the lead agency does not have a duty to consider, evaluate, or respond to comments received after the expiration of the public review period. The bill would provide these comments are not a part of the record of proceedings for the EIR, negative declaration, or mitigated negative declaration.
This measure would recognize April 23, 2012, to April 30, 2012, inclusive, as Black April Memorial Week, and April 2012 as Vietnamese American month.
This measure would acknowledge the month of April 2012 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and encourage the people of the State of California to work together to support youth-serving child abuse prevention activities in their communities and schools.
Existing law requires that the Department of Water Resources annually prepare and submit to the Legislature a report that includes a description of the progress achieved by the department with regard to meeting the goals of the Bay-Delta Program and a related implementation schedule. The department also is required annually to prepare and submit to the Legislature a report with regard to the budget for the State Water Resources Development System. This bill would require the department to conduct a statewide inventory of local regional water supply projects and post specified results of the inventory on the department's Internet Web site by July 1, 2013.
This measure would call upon all Californians to observe César Chávez's birthday, March 31, as a day of public service, to recognize the hard work and self-sacrifice that farmworkers go through to feed all the families in our state, and to learn from César Chávez's life and his mission of nonviolence, social justice, and selfless service to others.
Existing law, the California High-Speed Rail Act, creates the High-Speed Rail Authority with 9 members to develop and implement a high-speed train system in the state, with specified powers and duties. Existing law, pursuant to that act, specifies the powers and duties of the authority, which include entering into contracts with private and public entities for the design, construction, and operation of high-speed trains, the acquisition of rights-of-way through purchase or eminent domain, and the relocation of highways and utilities, among other things. Existing law requires the authority to adopt and submit to the Legislature, every 2 years, a business plan. Existing law authorizes the authority to appoint an executive director, and authorizes the Governor to appoint up to 6 additional persons exempt from civil service. Existing law provides for the authority to establish an independent peer review group. Existing law, the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, approved by the voters as Proposition 1A at the November 4, 2008, general election, provides for the issuance of $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail and related purposes. This bill would repeal all of the provisions of the California High-Speed Rail Act. The bill would enact a new California High-Speed Rail Act. The bill would continue the High-Speed Rail Authority in existence with limited responsibilities and would place the authority within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The 5 members of the authority appointed by the Governor would be subject to Senate confirmation, but existing members could continue to serve the remainder of their terms. The bill would authorize the authority to appoint an executive director, and would provide for the Governor to appoint up to 6 additional individuals exempt from civil service as authority staff. The bill would require the authority to adopt policies directing the development and implementation of high-speed rail, prepare and adopt a business plan and high-speed train capital program, establish a peer review group, select alignments for the routes of the high-speed train system established by law, adopt criteria for the award of franchises, and set fares or establish guidelines for the setting of fares. The bill would enact other related provisions.
This measure would designate the month of November 2012 as California Runaway and Homeless Youth Month and would recognize the need for individuals, schools, communities, businesses, local governments, and the state to take action on behalf of runaway and homeless youth in California.
This measure would proclaim California as a Purple Heart State, honoring the service and sacrifices of our nation's men and women in uniform wounded or killed by the enemy while serving to protect the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans.