Sen. Roger Niello

Existing law requires a state agency, except as specified, proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a major regulation to prepare a standardized regulatory impact analysis in the manner prescribed by the Department of Finance, addressing specified considerations, and submit that analysis to the Department of Finance. Existing law requires the department to comment, within 30 days of receiving the analysis, on the extent to which the analysis adheres to specified regulations. This bill would require the State Air Resources Board to also prepare and publish a supplemental standardized regulatory impact analysis if the proposed regulation is materially changed after release of the initial standardized regulatory impact analysis described above, and before adoption, that updates the consumer cost analysis to reflect amendments made during the rulemaking process. The bill would require the board to make the supplemental standardized regulatory impact analysis available for public review.

This measure would acknowledge the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and express the Legislature's deepest respect to Muslims across California and throughout the world on this significant occasion.

Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state, including Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, and requires the Governor to annually proclaim March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day. This bill would instead designate March 31 as Farmworkers Day and would require the Governor to annually proclaim March 31 as Farmworkers Day. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law, the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law, imposes a tax upon each gallon of motor vehicle fuel removed from a refinery or terminal rack in this state, entered into this state, or sold in this state, at a specified rate per gallon. Existing unfair competition laws establish a statutory cause of action for unfair competition, including any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business act or practice and unfair, deceptive, untrue, or misleading advertising and acts prohibited by false advertisement laws. This bill would suspend the imposition of the tax on motor vehicle fuels for one year. The bill would require that all savings realized based on the suspension of the motor vehicle fuels tax by a person other than an end consumer, as defined, be passed on to the end consumer, and would make the violation of this requirement an unfair business practice, in violation of unfair competition laws, as provided. The bill would require a seller of motor vehicle fuels to provide a receipt to a purchaser that indicates the amount of tax that would have otherwise applied to the transaction. This bill would also direct the Controller to transfer a specified amount from the General Fund to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account in the Transportation Tax Fund. By transferring General Fund moneys to a continuously appropriated account, this bill would make an appropriation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons pursuant to a state plan. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the department to convene a task force of specified members by no later than January 1, 2027, to conduct a comprehensive assessment of fraud risks in the Medi-Cal program. The bill would require the task force, within 6 months of formation, to review current fraud prevention tools, analyze data-sharing gaps, and evaluate how best practices from the federal government and other states could be applied in California. The bill would require the task force to submit specified recommendations based on this assessment to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by no later than January 1, 2028.

The California Constitution delays for 30 days the implementation of any decision by the Board of Parole Hearings granting, denying, revoking, or suspending the parole of a person sentenced to an indeterminate term upon conviction of murder. The California Constitution authorizes the Governor, during this 30-day period, to affirm, modify, or reverse any such decision of the Board of Parole Hearings, and requires the Governor to report to the Legislature each parole decision affirmed, modified, or reversed, stating the pertinent facts and reasons for the action. This measure would additionally delay, and authorize the Governor to affirm, modify, or reverse, any decision of the Board of Parole Hearings for the granting of parole for any person receiving parole through any early parole program designated by the Legislature, if that person was convicted of a violent felony, as defined.

This measure would designate February 28, 2026, as Rare Disease Day and, with respect to rare diseases and disorders, would recognize the importance of improving awareness, encouraging accurate and early diagnosis, and supporting national and global efforts to develop effective treatments, diagnostics, and cures.

This measure would commemorate, recognize, and celebrate the 125th anniversary of the certified public accountant profession, commend the California Board of Accountancy for its commitment to consumer protection and professional excellence, and honor the many certified public accountants who have contributed to California's economic strength, public accountability, and community well-being.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 79 designates the week of March 8 through March 14, 2026, as Sleep Health Awareness Week in California. This symbolic measure aims to highlight the importance of adequate sleep for public health and encourages healthcare providers, educators, and parents to promote better sleep habits. The resolution also supports the goals of the National Sleep Foundation's annual awareness campaign and calls on citizens to discuss their sleep with medical professionals.

Existing law, the California Financing Law, generally regulates the business of finance lenders and brokers and prohibits any person from engaging in those businesses without obtaining a license from the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation. Existing law also imposes various requirements on licensees who offer or sell commercial loans, as defined. Existing law prohibits a person that receives compensation in connection with a referral of a commercial loan from making a materially false or misleading statement or representation to a borrower about the terms or conditions of a prospective loan or from engaging in various other deceptive and unfair acts. A willful violation of the California Financing Law is a crime, except as specified. This bill would prohibit a financial institution from engaging in unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices in the use of mortgage trigger lead information, defined to include certain consumer credit information related to a real estate-secured loan application. The bill would provide that a violation of these provisions occurs if the financial institution takes various acts, including, among others, failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose to the consumer, at the initial point of contact, that the financial institution is not affiliated with the consumer's original lender or broker. The bill would make a violation of these provisions an unlawful, unfair, or deceptive business practice under specified law. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, and local prosecutors to enforce this section. The bill also would authorize a consumer who suffers a violation of these provisions to bring a private right of action for damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney's fees. By expanding the scope of a crime, the 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.