Existing law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requires each state to, by January 1, 2014, establish an American Health Benefit Exchange that makes available qualified health plans to qualified individuals and qualified employers, as specified, and meets certain other requirements. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. This bill would, contingent on the enactment and operation of AB 1602, establish the California Health Benefit Exchange (the Exchange) within state government. The bill would require the Exchange to be governed by a board composed of the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, or his or her designee, and 4 other members appointed by the Governor and the Legislature in a specified manner and would enact other related provisions with respect to the governance of the Exchange. The bill would also require the board of the exchange, or the California Health and Human Services Agency, if a majority of the board has not been appointed, to apply for and receive federal funds for purposes of establishing the Exchange. The bill would require the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care and the Insurance Commissioner to review an Internet portal developed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and to jointly develop and maintain an electronic clearinghouse of coverage available in the individual and small employer markets if the federal Internet portal does not adequately achieve certain purposes.
Sponsored bills
Existing law establishes the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. These segments include the California State University, the campuses of which are administered by the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the University of California, and the California Community Colleges, which are administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses. Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, authorizes the community colleges to grant associate in arts and associate in science degrees. The act also requires the regents, the trustees, and the board of governors to have as a fundamental policy the maintenance of a healthy and expanded program to increase the number of transfer students from community colleges. This bill would enact the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, which, commencing with the 2011–12 academic year, would require a student that receives an associate degree for transfer to be deemed eligible for transfer into a California State University baccalaureate program when the student meets prescribed requirements. The bill would condition a community college district's receipt of state apportionment funds on its development and granting of associate degrees for transfer, unless each of the state's community college districts waives reimbursement for specified state-mandated costs of implementing the bill in accordance with a prescribed procedure. This bill would prohibit a community college district from imposing any requirements, in addition to these requirements, for a student to be eligible for the associate degree for transfer, and would prohibit remedial noncollegiate level coursework from being counted towards the units required for the associate degree for transfer. This bill would require the California State University to guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets the requirements for the associate degree for transfer. This bill would not guarantee a student admission for specified majors or campuses, but would require the California State University to grant a student priority admission to his or her local California State University campus and to a program or major that is similar to his or her community college major or area of emphasis, as determined by the California State University campus to which the student is admitted. This bill would authorize the California State University to require a transferring student to take additional coursework at the California State University in specified circumstances, and would prohibit the California State University from requiring a transferring student to repeat courses that are similar to those taken at the community college that counted towards the units required for the associate degree for transfer. This bill would also require the Legislative Analyst's Office to review and report to specified legislative committees and subcommittees, within a prescribed time period, on specified outcomes and recommendations related to this act. By requiring a community college district to grant the associate degree for transfer in exchange for receipt of state apportionment funds, 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, 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 these statutory provisions.
(1) 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 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 allows a lead agency to use a tiered environmental impact report when a prior environmental impact report has been prepared and certified for a program, plan, policy, or ordinance and a later project meets certain requirements. Existing law provides that the report on the later project is not required to examine those effects that the lead agency determines were, among other things, examined at a sufficient level of detail in the prior environmental impact report. This bill, until January 1, 2016, would provide that if a lead agency determines that a cumulative effect has been adequately addressed in a prior environmental impact report, in accordance with a specified procedure, that cumulative effect is not required to be examined in a later environmental impact report, mitigated negative declaration, or negative declaration. (2) CEQA imposes requirements for an attempted settlement upon a public agency that has been served a petition or complaint for noncompliance with CEQA. CEQA provides that the settlement meeting is intended to be conducted concurrently with any judicial proceedings. Existing law also provides that an action brought in a superior court relating to certain subjects, including an act or decision of a public agency made pursuant to CEQA, may be subject to a mediation proceeding. Existing law specifies procedures for bringing an action under CEQA for noncompliance with that act. An organization formed after the approval of a project is allowed to maintain an action for noncompliance if a member of that organization has presented the alleged grounds for noncompliance to the public agency in a specified manner. This bill, until January 1, 2016, would provide that a mediation proceeding also is intended to be conducted concurrently with any judicial proceedings. This bill, until January 1, 2016, would authorize a person wishing to bring an action or proceeding pursuant to CEQA to file with the lead agency and the real party in interest a notice requesting mediation within 5 business days from the date of the filing of a notice of determination occurring on or after July 1, 2011. The bill would provide that the notice for mediation is deemed to be denied if the lead agency fails to respond within 5 business days of receiving the request for mediation. The bill would authorize a court to impose a penalty on a party making a frivolous claim in the course of an action brought under CEQA on or before December 31, 2015. This bill, until January 1, 2016, additionally would require a member of that organization to have objected to the approval of the project orally or in writing. This bill, until January 1, 2016, also would authorize the Attorney General to file a motion with the court seeking an expedited schedule for resolution of an action or proceeding alleging noncompliance. This bill would make conforming changes. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 21094 of the Public Resources Code proposed by this bill and AB 231, to be operative only if this bill and AB 231 are both enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2011, and this bill is enacted last. (4) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Water Resources, the Salton Sea Authority, appropriate air quality districts, and a specified advisory committee, to undertake a restoration study to determine a preferred alternative for the restoration of the Salton Sea ecosystem and the protection of wildlife dependent on that ecosystem. Existing law establishes the Salton Sea Restoration Fund, which is administered by the Director of Fish and Game, and requires the moneys in that fund to be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for various actions on behalf of the Salton Sea, including the implementation of the preferred Salton Sea restoration alternative. This bill would establish the Salton Sea Restoration Council as a state agency in the Natural Resources Agency to oversee the restoration of the Salton Sea. For the purpose of developing a restoration plan, the bill would require the council to evaluate Salton Sea restoration plans and, by June 30, 2013, report to the Governor and the Legislature with a recommended Salton Sea restoration plan. The bill would require the council to comply with specified requirements in conducting its duties. The bill would prescribe requirements relating to the composition and administration of the council. The council would be required to include an executive committee, a science committee, a local government forum, and a stakeholder forum, as specified. The executive committee would be required to serve as the governing body of the council and provide guidance and oversight on behalf of the restoration program. The bill would require the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Water Resources to implement specified activities relating to the restoration of the Salton Sea. The bill would require the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Water Resources to provide staff services that the council requires to carry out its activities and would require the directors of these departments to enter into interagency agreements with other state agencies to provide staff services.
This measure would recognize March 31, 2010, 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.
Existing law creates the Federal Trust Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of moneys received from the federal government where the expenditure is administered through or under the direction of any state agency. This bill would appropriate $1,201,534,585 from the Federal Trust Fund to the Office of Planning and Research for the 2010–11 fiscal year upon notification to the state of a funding award pursuant to the federal Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. From that amount, the bill would require the Office of Planning and Research to transfer $1,201,406,585 to the State Department of Education for purposes of implementing that federal act and make $128,000 available to the Office of Planning and Research for the purposes of providing oversight of funds allocated to local educational agencies pursuant to the bill. Of the amount transferred to the department, the bill would require that $1,199,906,585 be allocated to local educational agencies, as specified, and would make $1,500,000 available to the department for administrative purposes related to that allocation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This measure would urge the United States Congress to oppose a free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia.
This measure would proclaim April 12 through April 18, 2010, as California Holocaust Memorial Week and would urge Californians to observe these days of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.
This measure would designate September 25, 2010, as Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day and would urge individuals and families who have had no prior involvement with Special Olympics or Best Buddies to contact their local Special Olympics program or visit www.eksday.org and participate.