The Political Reform Act of 1974, among other things, requires the disclosure of certain payments of or promises to pay $50,000 or more for a communication that clearly identifies a candidate for elective state office, but does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of the candidate, and that is disseminated, broadcast, or otherwise published within 45 days of an election, as specified. The Act also requires disclosure by any person who receives or is promised a payment totaling $5,000 or more for the purpose of making such a communication, unless the person who receives the payment is in the business of providing goods or services and receives or is promised the payment for the purpose of providing those goods or services. This bill would also require the disclosure of any payment of or promise to pay $25,000 or more for a communication that clearly identifies an elected state officer, and educates the public about the previous votes cast by the elected state officer or about the source of campaign donations received by the elected state officer, and that is disseminated, broadcast, or otherwise published within 150 days of an election, as specified. The bill also would require disclosure by any person who receives or is promised a payment totaling $5,000 or more for the purpose of making such a communication, unless the person who receives the payment is in the business of providing goods or services and receives or is promised the payment for the purpose of providing those goods or services. Existing law makes a knowing or willful violation of the Political Reform Act of 1974 a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. By expanding the scope of an existing 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 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.
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Existing law provides the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with jurisdiction over the state prison, as specified. Existing law states that it is unlawful to use any cruel, corporal, or unusual punishment or to inflict any treatment or allow any lack of care which would injure or impair the health of a prisoner, inmate, or person confined. This bill would require the department to track specified data regarding the population within solitary confinement, also known as restricted housing, including demographic information and a specific description of the types of restrictions for solitary confinement in the institution. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, to report this data to the Legislature, as specified.
Existing law establishes the California Promise, which requires at least 20 campuses of the California State University to establish a California Promise program by which the campus enters into a pledge with a qualifying transfer student to support the student in earning a baccalaureate degree within 2 academic years of the student's first year of enrollment to the campus, as provided. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2026. This bill would rename the California Promise program the Finish in Four and Through in Two program, as provided. The bill would require each campus participating in the Finish in Four and Through in Two program to take specified actions to promote the program. The bill would require the Trustees of the California State University, on or before July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, until January 1, 2034, to submit a report to the Legislature that includes specified program participation information. The bill would delete an obsolete reporting requirement. The bill would delete the January 1, 2026, program repeal date, thereby extending the program indefinitely.
Existing law provides comprehensive regulation of ticket sellers and makes violations of those provisions a misdemeanor. Existing law imposes various refund requirements on a ticket seller, including a requirement to issue a refund upon request to a ticket purchaser for canceled, postponed, or rescheduled events. Existing law also imposes various disclosure requirements on a ticket seller, including a requirement to disclose to a purchaser the location of the seat represented by the ticket, as specified. This bill would revise and recast those provisions by expanding the definition of a ticket seller to include a primary contractor or platform, as defined, and would instead apply the refund requirement relating to the postponement or rescheduling of an event only to primary contractors. The bill would impose various disclosure requirements on ticket sellers relating to ticket price, including that the ticket seller would be prohibited from advertising, displaying, or offering a price for a ticket that does not include all fees or charges that must be paid in order to purchase the ticket other than taxes or fees imposed by a government on the transaction. The bill would prohibit the resale of tickets that were initially offered at no charge and that were knowingly obtained using software or services that circumvent controls or measures that ensure an equitable ticket buying process for event attendees, and would require a ticket seller to provide printed tickets for a cellular telephone-free event, as defined, at the same price that a mobile or electronic ticket is sold. By expanding the scope of existing provisions regulating ticket sellers and imposing new requirements on ticket sellers and primary contractors, the violation of which would be a 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.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 114 is a non-binding tribute from the California State Senate honoring President Joseph Biden for his extensive public service career. The resolution details his background, legislative achievements, and leadership roles as a senator, vice president, and president, specifically highlighting his work on infrastructure, climate action, and pandemic response. It concludes by formally thanking the President for stepping down to allow new leaders to take office and directs the Senate Secretary to distribute copies of the resolution.
The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, which includes, among other mandatory elements, a housing element. That law requires, for the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) , in consultation with each council of governments, where applicable, to determine the existing and projected need for housing for each region, at least 2 years prior to the scheduled revision of the housing element, as specified. That law requires the department's determination to be based upon population projections produced by the Department of Finance and regional population forecasts developed by the council of governments and used for the preparation of the regional transportation plan, as specified. That law also requires the department to meet and consult with the council of governments regarding the assumptions and methodologies to be used to determine a region's housing need and requires the council of governments to provide data assumptions from the council of governments' projections, as specified. That law authorizes the department to accept or reject the information provided by the council of governments and, requires the department, after consultation with the council of governments, to make determinations on the data assumptions and the methodology the department will use to determine the region's housing need, as specified. That law requires the department to provide its determinations to the council of governments, as specified. This bill would for the 8th and subsequent revisions of the housing element require the department to convene and engage stakeholders to consider improvements to the process of determining the existing and projected housing need for each region before determining any region's existing projected housing need. The bill would require the department, prior to finalization of the regional determination, as specified, to publish on the department's internet website a summary of the information the department considered and determinations made by the department to improve the process of determining the existing and projected housing need for each region. The bill would additionally require the department to publish on its internet website the data sources, analyses, and methodology, including assumptions and factors used in and applied to the Department of Finance's population projections and engagement process with the council of governments prior to finalization of the regional determination. The bill would additionally require the department to publish its determinations on the data assumptions and methodology it will use to determine a region's housing need on the department's internet website.
(1) The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, allow a credit against the taxes imposed by those laws for portions of the costs for qualified services paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer. The bill would define "qualified taxpayer" for this purpose to mean an eligible local news organization or a qualified broadcast station, as those terms are defined. The bill would require a taxpayer to request a tentative credit reservation from the Franchise Tax Board in the form and manner prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board, and would limit the amount of credit allocated by the Franchise Tax Board per calendar year. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to prioritize reservations by qualified small publications, as defined and specified. The bill would allow a payment from the continuously appropriated Tax Relief and Refund Account for an allowable credit in excess of tax liability to a qualified renter, as provided. By authorizing new payments from the Tax Relief and Refund Account in excess of personal income tax liabilities, the bill would make an appropriation. (2) The Personal Income Tax Law and Corporation Tax Law impose taxes measured by income. Those taxes are administered by the Franchise Tax Board pursuant to specified law, the violation of which is a crime. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and in addition to the taxes imposed under the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law, would impose a tax upon gross receipts derived from data extraction transactions at a rate of 7.25% of those gross receipts in excess of $2,500,000,000. The bill would define a "data extraction transaction" for these purposes to mean a transaction where a person sells user information or access to users to advertisers and the person engages in a barter by providing services to a user in full or partial exchange for the ability to display advertisements to the user or collect data about the user, except as provided. The bill would exclude a news media entity, as defined, from the provisions of this tax as either a taxpayer or a user. The bill would establish the Data Extraction Mitigation Fee Fund in the State Treasury, and would direct all revenues from the tax, less refunds and reimbursements, be deposited into the fund, as specified. The bill would appropriate $15,000,000 for journalism fellowships, as specified, and would require the remaining moneys in the fund, except as provided, to be used, upon appropriation, for grants to eligible nonprofit local news organizations administered by the Franchise Tax Board, as specified. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to administer this tax in accordance with existing franchise and income tax law provisions, the violation of which is a crime. By expanding the crimes related to the franchise and income tax laws, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The Personal Income Tax Law and Corporation Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, generally allow various deductions in computing the income that is subject to tax imposed under those laws, including miscellaneous itemized deductions that are allowed only to the extent that the aggregate amount of those deductions exceeds 2% of adjusted gross income. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, would allow a deduction in computing the income that is subject to those laws equal to the amount of taxes paid by the taxpayer under the above-described data extraction transaction tax. (4) Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals 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. (5) This bill would make findings and declarations related to a gift of public funds. (6) 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. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 71 officially designates September 2024 as Service Dog Appreciation Month in California to honor the vital contributions of service dogs and their handlers. This legislative measure does not alter laws or create new regulations but serves as a commemorative proclamation acknowledging the training, dedication, and life-improving benefits these animals provide to individuals with disabilities. The resolution highlights the significant challenges in obtaining service dogs, such as long wait times and rigorous training standards, while celebrating their role in enhancing health and independence for owners across the state.
(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, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, generally allows various deductions in computing the income that is subject to taxes imposed by that law, including a deduction for qualified retirement contributions. Existing federal law, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, among other things, expanded the deduction for qualified retirement contributions by indexing catch-up limitations for persons 50 years of age or older to inflation, increasing catch-up limits for persons 60 to 63 years of age, inclusive, and increasing contribution limits for simple plans, as defined. This bill would conform state law to the above-referenced changes to federal law. 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. The bill would also include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.