Sen. Angelique Ashby

Existing law regulates vehicles, including autonomous vehicles and autonomous technology in vehicles. Existing law prohibits vehicles from being equipped with certain equipment, including, among other things, theft alarm systems that emit the sound of a siren. Existing law also prohibits vehicles from being equipped with a device that is designed for, or is capable of, jamming, scrambling, neutralizing, disabling, or interfering with radar, laser, or any other electronic device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects. This bill would prohibit vehicles from being equipped with a device that is specifically designed for, marketed for, or being used for, neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering with a driver monitoring system, as defined, that is engaged when drivers are utilizing advanced driver assistance system features or autonomous technology, as defined. The bill would prohibit a person from using, buying, possessing, manufacturing, selling, advertising for sale, or otherwise distributing a device that is specifically designed for neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering with a driver monitoring system that is engaged when drivers are utilizing advanced driver assistance system features or autonomous technology. The bill would make a violation of the above provisions an infraction. By creating a new 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.

Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, which generally requires employers to secure the payment of workers' compensation for injuries incurred by their employees that arise out of and in the course of their employment. Existing law entitles, among others, local law enforcement, firefighters, and probation officers employed on a regular full-time basis to a leave of absence without loss of salary while disabled by injury or illness arising out of and in the course of their duties. Existing law provides that a leave of absence under those provisions is in lieu of temporary disability payments or maintenance allowance payments otherwise payable under the workers' compensation system. This bill would expand these provisions to entitle a park ranger employed on a regular full-time basis by a county or special district to this leave of absence.

Existing law, until January 1, 2025, establishes the Court Reporters Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs and charges the board with the executive functions necessary for effectuating the licensure and regulation of shorthand reporters. Existing law, on and after July 1, 2022, and until January 1, 2025, authorizes an entity that is not a shorthand reporting corporation to engage in specified acts if the entity is approved for registration by the board, as specified. This bill would extend the operation of the above provisions to January 1, 2029. The bill would require a certified shorthand reporter, whether appearing in person or through the use of remote technology, to state on the record their full name and license number, as provided, at the beginning of a proceeding, as specified. The bill would require an applicant or renewing certificate holder who has a valid email address to provide that email address to the board at the time of application or renewal and to notify the board within 30 days of any change to their email address on file. The bill would require the board to take reasonable actions to encourage applicants and certificate holders to maintain a valid email address, as provided. Existing law entitles a person to obtain a certificate as a certified shorthand reporter if certain requirements are met, including passing a specified exam. Existing law requires a person to present specified evidence of qualifications for admission to the examination, including evidence that the applicant has obtained a certificate from a recognized court reporting school, as specified. This bill would require the California state licensing examination to consist of three divisible parts, including English, Professional Practice, and Dictation/Transcription (Machine/Skill) and would set forth requirements for the passing grades for these parts. The bill would require the board to notify each examinee electronically or in writing of their examination results, as specified. The bill would require an applicant to take and pass all three parts of the examination within 3 consecutive years, as specified, to have passed the examination. The bill would authorize an applicant to repeat any part of the examination, as specified. The bill would require an applicant who passes a part of the examination to receive conditional credit for passing that part and authorize an applicant to retake the remaining parts. Existing law, until January 1, 2025, requires funds generated by fees received by the board, pursuant to specified provisions, in excess of funds needed to support the board's operating budget for the fiscal year, to be transferred from the Court Reporters' Fund and used by the board for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Transcript Reimbursement Fund, which is continuously appropriated, to provide shorthand reporting services to low-income litigants in civil cases who are unable to otherwise afford those services. Under existing law, documentation accompanying an invoice is sufficient to establish entitlement for reimbursement from the Transcript Reimbursement Fund if it is filed with the executive officer on an application form prescribed by the board, as specified. This bill would continue the operation of provisions that provide for funds to be transferred into the Transcript Reimbursement Fund until January 1, 2029, and make other conforming changes. By continuing the transfer of funds into a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. Existing law states that a natural person holding a valid certificate as a shorthand reporter is known as a "certified shorthand reporter." Existing law prohibits any other person, firm, or corporation from assuming or using the title "certified shorthand reporter" or use any words or symbols indicating or tending to indicate that the person, firm, or corporation is certified under these provisions. Existing law specifies that the use of the words "stenographer," "reporter," or the phrases "court reporter" or "deposition reporter" in combination with words or phrases related to the practice of shorthand reporting indicates or tends to indicate certification. Existing law makes a violation of the provisions of law governing shorthand reporters a misdemeanor. This bill would add the phrase "voice writer" to the above-described list of words and phrases. By expanding the scope of the above-described prohibition, the violation of which is 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.

(1) Existing law establishes the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (board) , which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs, to license and regulate engineers under the Professional Engineers Act, to license and regulate land surveyors under the Professional Land Surveyors' Act, and to license and regulate geologists and geophysicists under the Geologist and Geophysicist Act. Existing law requires the board to appoint an executive officer. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing the board, requiring the board to appoint an executive officer, and vesting the board with the power to administer these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would extend these repeal dates to January 1, 2029. (2) Under existing law, the board consists of 15 members. Existing law requires the term of office of any member of specified agencies, including the board, to be for a term of 4 years expiring on June 1. Existing law also requires each member to be at least 30 years of age. This bill would remove the term and age requirements for members of the board. (3) Existing law authorizes the Governor to remove any member of the board for misconduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty. This bill would delete that provision, and would instead authorize each appointing authority to remove from office at any time any member of the board appointed by that appointing authority for continued neglect of duties required by law, or for incompetence, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct. (4) Existing law regulates the examination for applicants for licensure as a professional engineer, including by requiring the exam duration and composition to be designed to conform to a specified general principle, consisting of two divisions. Existing law authorizes the board, by rule, to provide for a waiver of the second division of the examination for certain eminently qualified persons. Existing law requires the board to administer questions to test the applicant's knowledge of seismic principles and engineering surveying principles as a separate part of the second division of the examination for registration as a civil engineer. This bill would authorize the board, by rule, to provide for a waiver of any part of the second division of the examination for certain eminently qualified persons. The bill would instead require the board to administer questions to test the applicant's knowledge of seismic principles and engineering surveying principles as separate parts of the second division of the examination for registration as a civil engineer. (5) Existing law authorizes the board to refund to applicants for licensure as a professional engineer, for certification as an engineer-in-training, for authorization to use the title "structural engineer" or "soil engineer," for license as a land surveyor, or for certification as a land surveyor-in-training who the board finds lack the qualifications for such license, certification, or authorization, one-half of the amount of their application fee. This bill would, instead, authorize the board to refund to the above-described applicants their examination fee. (6) The Professional Engineers Act makes it a misdemeanor for a person to present or attempt to file as the person's own the certificate of licensure of a licensed professional engineer unless they are the person named on the certificate of licensure, to give false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a certificate of licensure, to impersonate or use the seal, signature, or license number of a licensed professional engineer or use a false license number, or to use an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked license. This bill would expand these misdemeanors to include persons who present or attempt to file as the person's own certificate of an engineer-in-training, give false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a certificate as an engineer-in-training, impersonate or use the certificate number of an engineer-in-training or uses a false certificate, or use an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked certificate. By expanding the scope of a crime under the act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (7) The Geologist and Geophysicist Act makes certain acts a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment not to exceed three months, or by both fine and imprisonment, including to present or attempt to file as their own the certificate of registration of another person, to give false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a certificate of registration, to impersonate or use the seal, signature, or license number of any professional geologist, certified specialty geologist, professional geophysicist, or certified specialty geophysicist or use a false license number, or use an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked license. This bill would remove the above-described provisions relating to fines and imprisonment and, instead, make it a misdemeanor to present or attempt to file as their own the certificate of a geologist-in-training or the license of a professional geologist, certified specialty geologist, a professional geophysicist, or a certified specialty geophysicist unless they are the person named on the certificate or the license. The bill would also make it a misdemeanor to give false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a certificate or a license, to impersonate or use the certificate number of a geologist-in-training or use a false certificate, or use an expired, suspended, surrendered or revoked certificate. By expanding the scope of a crime under the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (8) The Professional Land Surveyors' Act makes it a misdemeanor to presents as their own the license of a professional land surveyor unless they are the person named on the license, give false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a license, impersonate or use the seal, signature, or license number of a professional land surveyor or use a false license number, or use an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked license. This bill would expand these misdemeanors to include persons who present as their own the certificate of a land surveyor-in-training unless they are the person named on the certificate, give false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a certificate, impersonate or use the certificate number of a land surveyor-in-training or uses a false certificate, or use an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked certificate. By expanding the scope of a crime under the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (9) Existing law requires professional engineers, professional geologists or professional geophysicists, and licensed land surveyors or licensed civil engineers authorized to practice land surveying to use a written contract when contracting to provide their respective services to a client. Existing law requires those contracts to include specified information, including, among other things, a description of the services to be provided to the client. This bill would additionally require those contracts to include disclosure of any existence of a current professional liability insurance policy covering the professional engineer, professional geologist or professional geophysicist, or licensed land surveyor or licensed civil engineer in responsible charge of the services. (10) Existing law authorizes one or more civil, electrical, or mechanical engineers to practice or offer to practice, within the scope of their license, civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering as a business, as defined, if certain requirements are met, including that the engineer currently licensed is an owner, partner, or officer in charge of the engineering practice of the business, and that all civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering services are performed by, or under the responsible charge of, a professional engineer licensed in the appropriate branch of professional engineering. Existing law also requires all businesses engaged in rendering civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering services to file a current organization record form with the board. This bill would require those businesses to file, in addition to the above-described form, documentary evidence that demonstrates compliance with the above-described requirements. (11) Existing law authorizes one or more licensed land surveyors or civil engineers licensed before 1982 to practice or offer to practice, within the scope of their licensure, land surveying as a business, as defined, if certain conditions are satisfied, including that the land surveyor or civil engineer currently licensed is an owner, partner, or officer in charge of the land surveying practice of the business, and that all land surveying services are performed by or under the responsible charge of a land surveyor or civil engineer. Existing law also requires all businesses engaged in rendering professional land surveying services to file a current organization record form with the board. This bill would require those businesses to file, in addition to the above-described form, documentary evidence that demonstrates compliance with the above-described requirements. (12) Existing law requires any person practicing, or offering to practice, land surveying in the state to submit evidence that they are qualified to practice and to be licensed under these provisions. Existing law requires a land surveyor, when filing a corner record with the county surveyor or engineer of the county where the corner is situated, to ensure a corner accessory or monument is reconstructed or rehabilitated so that it remains permanently fixed, as specified. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to those provisions, and would, until January 1, 2029, require a land surveyor or registered civil engineer using any monument as a control, to similarly reconstruct or rehabilitate that monument. (13) Existing law makes any violation of the Professional Land Surveyors' Act a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of practices subject to the Professional Land Surveyors' Act, 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. (14) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 6738 and 8729 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by AB 1862 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1862 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Existing law establishes the California Board of Accountancy, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs, and requires the board to license and regulate accountants in this state. Existing law authorizes the board to appoint an executive officer, as specified. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would extend the repeal date for the above-described provisions until January 1, 2029. Existing law requires an application to meet specified education, examination, and experience requirements to be qualified for licensure as a certified public accountant, including, except as specified, completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a degree-granting university, college, or other institution of learning accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency included in a list of these agencies published by the United States Secretary of Education under specified federal law. This bill would instead require the university, college, or other institution of learning be accredited by an accrediting agency included in a list of these agencies published by the United States Secretary of Education under specified federal law. Existing law authorizes an applicant for licensure as a certified public accountant to demonstrate compliance with the above-described educational requirement if the applicant's institution mails the applicant's official transcript or its equivalent together or separately with a signed letter, as specified. This bill would instead authorize compliance to be demonstrated if the applicant's institution sends electronically or provides the applicant's official transcript or its equivalent together or separately with a signed letter, as specified. Existing law authorizes the board to prescribe, amend, or repeal rules of professional conduct by regulation, as specified. Existing law requires the board to mail a copy of the rules to every licensee at least 30 days before public hearing on the rules. This bill would instead require the board to provide a copy of the rules to every licensee at least 30 days before public hearing on the rules. Existing law requires a firm, in order to renew its registration in an active status or convert to an active status, to have a peer review report of its accounting and auditing practice accepted by a board-recognized peer review program, as specified. This bill would require a board-recognized peer review program to utilize a secure web-based application to provide the board with objective information and data relating to the progress, participation, and results of a peer review and would require a firm to participate in the secure web-based application, as specified. Existing law authorizes the board to establish a system for the placement of a license into a retired status, as specified. Existing law requires the board to deny an application to place a license in a retired status if the permit is subject to an outstanding order of the board, is suspended, revoked, or otherwise punitively restricted by the board, or is subject to disciplinary action. This bill would instead require the board to deny an application if the permit is subject to an outstanding order of the board, is suspended, revoked, or is subject to disciplinary action. The bill would specify that a permanent restricted practice order is not an outstanding order of the board for purposes of this requirement if the licensee has completed probation as part of any original disciplinary order. The bill would require a permanent restricted practice order to be reinstated if the license is restored from retired status to an active status, as specified. Existing law requires a licensee to complete a minimum of 500 hours of experience in attest services to be authorized to sign reports on attest engagements. This bill would specify that, for purposes of an enforcement action taken by the board, the licensee owners of an accounting firm are held to the same level of responsibility as a licensee that performs an attest engagement if an accounting firm provides attestation services and the licensee owners of the firm are not authorized to sign reports on attest engagements. The bill would also require an accounting firm to make all working papers available to a licensee who signed a report on an attest engagement if the licensee is no longer employed by the accounting firm, as specified. Existing law generally prohibits the practice of public accountancy in the state unless the person holds a valid permit to practice public accountancy issued by the board or holds a practice privilege, except as specified. Existing law, until January 1, 2011, specifies that these provisions do not prohibit a certified public accountant, a public accountant, or a public accounting firm lawfully practicing in another state from temporarily practicing in this state incident to practice in another state, subject to certain conditions and limitations. This bill would delete the above-described obsolete provisions and would make conforming changes. Existing law, on or before July 1, 2014, requires the board to convene a stakeholder group to consider whether existing law on the regulation of accountancy in this state is consistent with the board's duty to protect the public, as specified. This bill would delete the above-described obsolete provision.

Existing law establishes the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs and, until January 1, 2025, tasks the board with various licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions related to vocational nurses and psychiatric technicians under the Vocational Nursing Practice Act and the Psychiatric Technicians Law, respectively. Existing law, until January 1, 2025, requires the board to select an executive officer to perform duties as are delegated by the board, as specified. Existing law makes a violation of either the Vocational Nursing Practice Act or the Psychiatric Technicians Law a misdemeanor. This bill would extend the operation of the above provisions to January 1, 2029. By extending the operation of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the board to annually elect from its members a president, vice president, and other officers as it may deem necessary. This bill would instead require the board to biennially elect those officers from its members. Existing law, until January 1, 2025, sets forth an approval process for a vocational nursing school or program or a school or program for psychiatric technicians to be consistent with specified timelines. Under that timeline, existing law requires the board, upon receipt of a letter of intent to submit an application for approval as a school or program of licensed vocational nursing or a school or program for psychiatric technicians, to notify the proposed school or program of the steps in the approval process and provide an estimated wait time until active assignment to a nursing education consultant. Existing law requires a school or program seeking board approval to respond to the board within 2 weeks of each inquiry or request during all phases. Existing law designates a school or program as inactive if it does not respond within 2 weeks or fails to pay the required fees. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions setting forth the approval process to January 1, 2029. The bill would clarify the above-described board notification requirement is contingent on the board receiving a letter of intent that is complete. If a vocational nursing school or program or a school or program for psychiatric technicians fails to submit a complete letter of intent, as specified, the bill would require the school or program to be taken out of consideration and would prohibit it from reapplying for 6 months. The bill would also clarify that the requirement that the school or program seeking board approval respond, within 2 weeks, to the board's inquiries or requests is applicable during all phases of the application process after the school or program has submitted an initial application for approval, as specified. The bill would expand the grounds on which a school or program is designated as inactive to include failing to submit documentation required by the board in time. Existing law requires the board to inspect or review all schools of vocational nursing and psychiatric technician schools in this state, as specified, and to approve schools that meet the requirements provided by the board. If the board determines that any approved school is not maintaining the standard required by the board, existing law requires the board to immediately give notice in writing specifying the defect. Existing law authorizes the removal of the school from the approved list if the school does not correct the defect within a reasonable time. This bill would authorize the board, after establishing regulations for this purpose, to issue a citation and assess a fine, as specified, if a vocational nursing school or program or a school or program for psychiatric technicians is not maintaining the required standard. If a school or program does not remit the assessed fine within 30 days, the bill would authorize the board to place it on provisional approval for up to 6 months or remove it from the approved school or program list, as specified. The bill would prohibit a school or program that is removed from the approved list from applying for approval for 12 months. The bill would clarify that these provisions apply to any vocational nursing school or program. Existing law prescribes various fees in connection with the issuance of licenses under the Vocational Nursing Practice Act and Psychiatric Technicians Law. Existing law makes a license under the Vocational Nursing Practice Act expire after 2 years if not renewed, and makes a license under the Psychiatric Technicians Law expire each year on the date prescribed by the board if not renewed. Existing law under both the Vocational Nursing Practice Act and Psychiatric Technicians Law authorizes an expired license to be renewed at any time within 4 years after its expiration upon filing of an application for renewal and payment of certain fees, as specified. This bill would, upon application and payment of a prescribed fee, require the board to issue a retired license to a licensee under either the Vocational Nursing Practice Act or the Psychiatric Technicians Law if the licensee holds an unrestricted license on the date of application. The bill would exempt a retired licensee from continuing education requirements and would prohibit a retired licensee from being entitled to practice vocational nursing or to practice as a psychiatric technician. The bill would authorize the board to reinstate a retired license to active status if the retired licensee fulfills certain requirements for renewal of a license, including furnishing fingerprints, paying renewal fees, and providing evidence of certain qualifications. 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.

Existing law, the Cemetery and Funeral Act, establishes the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of cemeteries, crematories, funeral establishments, and their personnel. Existing law specifies that the powers and duties of the bureau shall be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature as if the chapter is scheduled to repealed on January 1, 2025. This bill would instead provide that the powers and duties of the bureau are subject to review as if the chapter is scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029. Existing law authorizes a cemetery authority that maintains a cemetery to place its cemetery under endowment care and establish, maintain, and operate an endowment care fund. Existing law requires the bureau to conduct a study to obtain information to determine if the endowment care fund levels of each licensee's cemetery are sufficient to cover the cost of future maintenance, as provided, and to report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2029. This bill would require each licensed cemetery authority to provide prescribed information to the bureau for purposes of the above-described report on or before January 1, 2028. The bill would repeal the provisions relating to the above-described study on January 1, 2033, and would require the bureau to submit the report pursuant to a specified law. The bill would require the bureau, on or before July 1, 2027, to convene a workgroup to discuss options for ensuring continued care, maintenance, and embellishment of abandoned cemeteries, and would require the bureau to submit a report to the Legislature, no later than January 1, 2028, summarizing discussions of the workgroup and any recommendations. The bill would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2029. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any cemetery corporation to make any interments without a certificate of authority, and specifies requirements for an application for a certificate of authority. Existing law, under certain conditions, authorizes the bureau to take possession of the endowment care funds and the books, records, and accounts of a cemetery authority. This bill would require the bureau, 90 days following the cancellation, surrender, or revocation of a certificate of authority, to take title of any endowment care funds of the cemetery authority, take possession of books, records, property, and assets, and act as conservator of the management of the endowment care funds in a prescribed manner, except as specified. The bill would require the bureau to appoint a bank or trust company, as specified, as sole trustee of the endowment care fund and would authorize the sum paid to the bank or trust company to exceed 5% of the net income derived from the endowment care fund, special care fund, or both. By prescribing various requirements related to the management of endowment care funds, the violation of which is a misdemeanor, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make a technical change to a provision excluding specified entities from the act. 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.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive medically necessary health care services, through fee-for-service or managed care delivery systems. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment (EPSDT) services are covered under Medi-Cal for an individual under 21 years of age in accordance with certain federal provisions. Existing federal regulations require the state to provide for a combination of written and oral methods designed to inform individuals eligible for EPSDT services, or their families, about the EPSDT program, within 60 days of the individual's initial Medicaid eligibility determination and, in the case of families that have not utilized EPSDT services, annually thereafter, as specified. Under those regulations, required information includes, among other components, the benefits of preventive health care and the services available under the EPSDT program and where and how to obtain those services. This bill would require the department to prepare written informational materials that effectively explain and clarify the scope and nature of EPSDT services, as defined, that are available under the Medi-Cal program. Under the bill, the materials would include, but would not be limited to, the information required in the above-described federal regulations or their successor. Under the bill, the informational materials would also include content designed for youth, for purposes of delivery of that content to a beneficiary who is 12 years of age or older but under 21 years of age. The bill would authorize the department to standardize the materials, as specified, and would require the department to regularly review the materials to ensure that they are up to date. The bill would require the department to test the quality, clarity, and cultural concordance of translations of the informational materials with Medi-Cal beneficiaries, in order to ensure that the materials use clear and nontechnical language that effectively informs beneficiaries. The bill would require the department or a Medi-Cal managed care plan, to provide to a beneficiary who is eligible for EPSDT services, or to the parent or other authorized representative of that beneficiary, as applicable, the informational materials within a maximum number of calendar days after that beneficiary's enrollment in a managed care plan or initial Medi-Cal eligibility determination and annually thereafter, as specified by the department.

The Political Reform Act of 1974 regulates the use of campaign funds held by candidates for elective office, elected officers, and campaign committees. The act authorizes a candidate or elected officer to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the costs of installing and monitoring a home or office electronic security system if specified conditions are met. These conditions include that the candidate or elected officer has received threats to physical safety that have been verified by law enforcement and that no more than $5,000 in campaign funds be used for this purpose. This bill would eliminate those conditions. The bill would instead authorize a candidate or elected officer to use campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state for the reasonable costs of installing and monitoring a home or office electronic security system or for another tangible item related to security, and for the reasonable costs of providing personal security to a candidate, elected officer, or the immediate family or staff of a candidate or elected officer, provided that the threat or potential threat to safety arises from the candidate's or elected officer's activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected officer or from staff's position as staff of the candidate or elected officer. The bill would permit a maximum of $10,000 of campaign funds to be expended for these purposes by a candidate or elected officer during their lifetime. The bill would not authorize campaign funds to be used to pay, or reimburse the state, for firearms. The bill would require the return of the security system or other item to the committee that paid for the security system or other item or reimbursement by the candidate, elected officer, immediate family, or staff, to the campaign fund account of the committee that paid for the security system or other item, and reporting of the reimbursement or expenditure on the candidate's or elected officer's campaign statement, as specified. The bill would require the candidate or elected officer to maintain detailed accounts, records, bills, and receipts relating to an expenditure or reimbursement for security, as specified. The bill would also require a candidate or elected officer to submit a form to the Fair Political Practices Commission that documents, under penalty of perjury, the threat or potential threat that necessitated the expenditure of campaign funds for security purposes. By requiring the submission of a form under the penalty of perjury if campaign funds are used in the above manner, the bill creates a new crime and therefore establishes 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

(1) Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, establishes the Contractors State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure and regulation of contractors. Existing law requires the board to appoint a registrar of contractors and fix the registrar's compensation, as specified. This bill would continue in existence the Contractors State License Board and the above-described requirements until January 1, 2029. (2) Existing law authorizes an applicant for a license to qualify the applicant's knowledge and experience with a responsible managing officer, employee, member, or manager who has certain qualifications. Existing law requires the person qualifying on behalf of an individual or firm to be responsible for exercising supervision and control of their employer's or principal's construction operations, as specified. Existing law requires the board to require every applicant or licensee, as specified, to submit detailed information on the qualifying individual's duties and responsibilities for supervision and control of the applicant's construction operations, including, but not limited to, an employment duty statement prepared by the qualifier's employer or principal. Existing law makes the failure to provide this information a cause for disciplinary action and punishable as a misdemeanor, as specified. This bill would delete the requirement that an employment duty statement be included in a specified applicant's or licensee's information submitted to the board. The bill would also delete the provision that makes the failure to provide specified information to the board a cause for disciplinary action and punishable as a misdemeanor. The bill would state that "direct supervision or control" for these purposes to mean, among other things, supervising construction operations. (3) Existing law defines various terms for the purposes of the Contractors State License Law, including defining "person" to mean an individual, a firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, or other organization, or any combination thereof. Existing law makes contractors' licenses issuable to individual owners, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies. Existing law authorizes the board to set fees by regulation, including various application, examination scheduling, and license and registration fees, according to a prescribed schedule. Existing law requires the fees received under this law to be deposited in the Contractors License Fund, a fund that is partially continuously appropriated for the purposes of the law. This bill would expand the definition of "person" under the act to include a federally recognized tribe, as defined. The bill would require a corporation or limited liability company seeking licensure to provide its identification number issued by the Secretary of State. This bill would additionally make contractors' licenses issuable to participating tribes, as the bill would define, that provide verification of their status as a tribal business, as specified. By expanding the category of who contractors' licenses are issuable to and would be required to pay fees deposited into the Contractors License Fund, the bill would make an appropriation. (4) Existing law exempts from licensure under the Contractors State License Law certain entities, including an authorized representative of the United States government or the State of California, when the entity or its representative is acting within the scope of the entity's or representative's official capacity. This bill would extend the above-described exemption to an authorized representative of any federally recognized tribe or participating tribe acting within tribal jurisdiction. If a qualifying individual, as described, is neither the proprietor, a general partner, nor a joint licensee, existing law requires the qualifying individual to file a bond, as specified, in the sum of $25,000. This bill would prohibit the above-described bond requirement from applying to a federally recognized tribe or a participating tribe. Existing law requires a corporation license to be canceled upon the corporation's dissolution, merger, or surrender of its right to do business in this state and requires a corporation to notify the registrar within 90 days of the dissolution, merger, or surrender. If a corporation fails to provide notice, existing law requires the corporation license to be canceled 60 days after the board's discovery when researching the corporate records of the Secretary of State. This bill would extend the above-described requirements to a participating tribe and would specify the above-referenced corporate records to include only relevant corporate records. (5) Existing law requires the suspension of a contractor's license if the contractor fails to register and be in good standing with the Secretary of State after notice from the registrar. Existing law requires a specified notice process and authorizes reinstatement of the license if the contractor provides proof satisfactory to the registrar that the license is properly registered and in good standing. Existing law also makes specified persons within a limited liability company personally liable for up to $1,000,000 in damages to third parties in certain cases. This bill would exempt federally recognized tribes and participating tribes from the above-described suspension, notice, reinstatement, and liability provisions. This bill would remove specified fees for scheduling or rescheduling examinations and instead require that the fee to take an examination conducted or administered by a specified public or private organization be no greater than the actual cost of the administration of the examination and be paid directly to the organization by the applicant. The bill would require licensees subject to a public complaint requiring a professional or expert investigation or inspection and report to pay the reasonable fees necessary to cover the costs of that investigation or inspection and report, as specified. (6) Existing law requires, in public works contracts, as defined, the awarding authority to determine the license classification necessary to bid and perform the project. This bill would require the awarding authority's determination to be made in accordance with the classifications prescribed by specified provisions of the Contractors State License Law and provisions of the California Code of Regulations. (7) Existing law, until January 1, 2026, with certain exceptions, requires every licensed contractor, or applicant for licensure, to have on file at all times with the board a current and valid Certificate of Workers' Compensation Insurance or Certification of Self-Insurance, or to file a certificate of exemption certifying that they have no employees and are not required to provide for workers' compensation insurance coverage under state law. Under existing law, the failure to file the proper certification, as described, constitutes cause for disciplinary action, and the failure of a qualifier for a license to ensure compliance with these provisions, as specified, is a crime. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, requires the removal of specified license classifications if certification provisions are not met and requires suspension of any license that is active and has had specified classifications removed, if the licensee is found by the registrar of contractors to have employees and to lack proper certification. This bill would extend the effective date of those provisions until January 1, 2028. (8) As of January 1, 2026, existing law requires all licensed contractors or applicants for licensure, regardless of classification, to obtain and maintain workers' compensation insurance unless they have no employees, are organized as a joint venture, and file a certificate of exemption. This bill would instead make the above provisions operative on January 1, 2028. This bill would require the board, by no later than January 1, 2027, to establish a process and procedure, as specified, to verify that applicants or licensees without an employee or employees are eligible for exemption from the workers' compensation insurance requirement. (9) 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.