Laws, Bills & Regs

By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1430) of Brendan P. Crighton and Vanna Howard for legislation relative to the taxation of certain land and zoning ordinances owned by religious organizations. Municipalities and Regional Government.

By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2041) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to close a corporate tax haven loophole. Revenue.

By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1320) of Paul R. Feeney for legislation to increase unemployment insurance benefits for low wage workers. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Representative Lawn of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1384) of John J. Lawn, Jr. relative to health care cost growth benchmark and associated market oversight activities. Health Care Financing.

By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2012) of Adam Gomez and James B. Eldridge for legislation to establish fairness for agricultural laborers. Revenue.

By Representative Stanley of Waltham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2544) of Thomas M. Stanley relative to nursing career pathways in long term care. Public Health.

By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 359) of Marjorie C. Decker for legislation to assure coverage and reimbursement for covered health care services and to establish a community health worker workforce development task force (including members of the General Court) to provide health equity. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

By Representative Haggerty of Woburn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1370) of Richard M. Haggerty and Mike Connolly relative to primary care and for the creation of a primary care council (including members of the General Court). Health Care Financing.

By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2202) of Marjorie C. Decker relative to mental and behavioral health services. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 30) of Cynthia Stone Creem for legislation to protect children from addictive social media feeds. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.

By Ms. Rausch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1367) of Rebecca L. Rausch for legislation to establish a standard for prevention of heat illness in outdoor public sector workers. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1132) of Marjorie C. Decker relative to external reviews and patient protections. Financial Services.

By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1396) of James J. O'Day and others for legislation to increase minimum payment rates for certain behavioral health services. Health Care Financing.

By Representatives Garballey of Arlington and Cataldo of Concord, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2104) of Sean Garballey, Simon Cataldo and others relative to wage rates for human services providers. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Representative Doherty of Taunton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2092) of Carol A. Doherty and James K. Hawkins relative to mandatory overtime protections in collective bargaining agreements entered into by hospitals and labor organizations. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1718) of Joan B. Lovely, Vanna Howard, Hannah Kane, Paul W. Mark and other members of the General Court for legislation to require health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

By Mr. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2023) of Edward J. Kennedy, James B. Eldridge and Michael O. Moore for legislation to promote urban agriculture and horticulture. Revenue.

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2074) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation relative to the taxation of historic property. Revenue.

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 669) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation relative to sustaining natural and working lands for climate programs. Environment and Natural Resources.

By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1938) of Joanne M. Comerford, Jason M. Lewis, Michael D. Brady, Jacob R. Oliveira and other members of the Senate for legislation to establish an advisory council on family caregiving. Revenue.

By Representative Chan of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2382) of Tackey Chan and others relative to office-based surgical centers. Public Health.

By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2014) of Adam Gomez for legislation to establish voluntary contribution check-off boxes on state tax returns to provide financial assistance to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Revenue.

By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 547) of Joanne M. Comerford, Michael O. Moore, James B. Eldridge and Dylan A. Fernandes for legislation to establish an ecologically-based mosquito management program in the Commonwealth to protect public health. Environment and Natural Resources.

By Representative Cahill of Lynn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2073) of Daniel Cahill and others for legislation to prohibit health care worker mandatory overtime. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Representatives Lawn of Watertown and Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1380) of John J. Lawn, Jr., and Mindy Domb for legislation to establish a healthcare industry recruitment and education advisory council. Health Care Financing.

By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 608) of Patricia D. Jehlen relative to combined sewer overflows. Environment and Natural Resources.

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2077) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation relative to tax credits for affordable housing. Revenue.

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 551) of Cynthia Stone Creem, Joanne M. Comerford, Michael O. Moore, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the General Court for legislation to prohibit the sale of newly farmed fur products. Environment and Natural Resources.

By Representative Cusack of Braintree, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2083) of Mark J. Cusack relative to family and medical leave. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Mr. Brady, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1927) of Michael D. Brady, Kathleen R. LaNatra, Christopher Richard Flanagan and Norman J. Orrall for legislation relative to the separation of agricultural land for renewable energy purposes. Revenue.

By Representative Lawn of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1385) of John J. Lawn, Jr., relative to expanding the moral obligation bond program to include acute care hospitals. Health Care Financing.

By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 462) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa relative to establishing senior psychologist licensure. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1341) of Patricia D. Jehlen relative to the Department of Unemployment Assistance Advisory Council. Labor and Workforce Development.

By Mr. Finegold, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 606) of Barry R. Finegold for legislation relative to further testing after a combined sewage overflow event. Environment and Natural Resources.

By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 549) of Joanne M. Comerford, James B. Eldridge, James K. Hawkins, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the General Court for legislation to invest in natural and working lands. Environment and Natural Resources.

Existing law creates the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as a local area planning agency for the 9-county San Francisco Bay area with comprehensive regional transportation planning and other related responsibilities. Existing law establishes the Public Transit Revenue Measure District, governed by the same board that governs the commission, with jurisdiction extending throughout the boundaries of the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, and the City and County of San Francisco. Existing law authorizes a retail transactions and use tax applicable to the entire district to be imposed by the board of the district or by a qualified voter initiative for a duration of 14 years, and in specified amounts, subject to voter approval at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election. Existing law establishes specified procedures for that election, including a requirement that the elections officials of the counties where the measure will appear on the ballot mutually agree to use the same letter designation for the measure. This bill would revise those election procedures by, among other things, instead requiring the measure to be identified on the ballot by the designation "Regional Transit Measure" in each county included in the district and by requiring each county elections official in the district to select, from among the submissions of proposed arguments in favor of, and against, the measure, the arguments to be included in the county voter information guide of that county, as specified. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law requires that a housing development project, as defined, within a specified distance of a transit-oriented development stop, as defined, be an allowed use as a transit-oriented housing development on any site zoned for residential, mixed, or commercial development, if the development complies with certain, applicable requirements, as provided. Among these requirements, existing law prohibits a proposed development under these provisions from being located on sites where the development would require demolition of housing, or that was previously used for housing, that is subject to rent or price controls, as provided. This bill would additionally prohibit the development from being located on an existing parcel of land or site governed under the Mobilehome Residency Law, the Recreational Vehicle Park Occupancy Law, the Mobilehome Parks Act, or the Special Occupancy Parks Act. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law, the K–12 Pupil Online Personal Information Protection Act (KOPIPA) , generally protects the personal information of a student enrolled in a K–12 course of instruction, defined as a "pupil," by prescribing requirements and prohibitions applicable to an operator of an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application with actual knowledge that the site, service, or application is used primarily for K–12 school purposes and was designed and marketed for K–12 school purposes. Existing law, the Early Learning Personal Information Protection Act (ELPIPA) , generally protects the personal information of a child enrolled in a preschool or prekindergarten course of instruction, defined as a "pupil," by prescribing requirements and prohibitions applicable to an operator of an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application with actual knowledge that the site, service, or application is used primarily for preschool or prekindergarten purposes and was designed and marketed for preschool and prekindergarten purposes. This bill would instead apply the provisions of KOPIPA and ELPIPA to an operator, or an entity working on behalf of the operator, of an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application with actual knowledge that the site, service, or application is used for the applicable school purposes and was designed or marketed for those purposes, as specified. The bill would, among other changes to KOPIPA and ELPIPA related to protecting the personal information of students, prohibit an operator from using covered information, as defined, including persistent unique identifiers, created or gathered by the operator's site, service, or application to train a generative artificial intelligence system or service or develop an artificial intelligence system. This bill would also enact the Higher Education Student Information Protection Act (HESIPA) , which would generally protect the personal information of a student enrolled in a higher education institution, as defined, in a similar manner as KOPIPA and ELPIPA. The bill would make HESIPA operative on July 1, 2027. This bill would authorize a pupil or student actually harmed by the noncompliance with KOPIPA, ELPIPA, or HESIPA to bring a civil action against the noncompliant operator, as prescribed.

To enact sections 1357.01, 1357.011, 1357.02, 1357.03, 1357.04, 1357.05, 1357.06, 1357.07, and 1357.08 and to repeal section 1349.55 of the Revised Code to revise and supplement state regulations concerning non-recourse litigation funding agreements.

To enact sections 4933.51, 4933.53, 4933.54, 4933.55, 4933.57, and 4933.59 of the Revised Code to regulate the ownership of electric vehicle charging stations.

Existing law, the Mobilehome Residency Law, prescribes various terms and conditions of tenancies in mobilehome parks. The law deems the substantial failure of the management of a mobilehome park, as defined, to provide and maintain physical improvements in the common facilities in good working order and condition, and the substantial violation of a mobilehome park rule, to be a public nuisance that may be remedied only by a civil action or abatement, as specified. The law authorizes a civil action for purposes of that provision to be brought by, among others, the Attorney General. Existing law establishes within the Department of Housing and Community Development the Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program, which authorizes additional enforcement measures for violations of the Mobilehome Residency Law. Existing law requires the department to refer any alleged violations of law or regulations within the department's jurisdiction to the Division of Codes and Standards within the department, and to refer any alleged violations of law or regulations that are not within the jurisdiction of the department, as specified, to the appropriate enforcement agency. This bill would require the department to additionally refer alleged violations of the Mobilehome Residency Law, certain laws relating to the conversion or closure of a mobilehome park, and related local government ordinances to a nonprofit legal services provider within 5 days of receipt. Existing law authorizes the department to refer alleged violations of law or regulations that are not within the jurisdiction of the department, including, but not limited to, rent disputes, criminal activity, or alleged discrimination, to the appropriate enforcement agency. This bill would authorize the department to also refer alleged violations of a local ordinance to the appropriate enforcement agency. Existing law requires the department to contract with one or more qualified and experienced nonprofit legal services providers for purposes of the Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program and to refer complaints to those providers for possible enforcement action. Existing law establishes minimum requirements for nonprofit legal services providers that may contract with the department for these purposes. This bill would instead require the department to develop a grant process to distribute funds to those nonprofit legal services providers and to refer program complaints to those providers for possible enforcement action. The bill would require that grant process to be fully developed and operational for program complaints by July 1, 2029. The bill would require nonprofit legal services providers, in order to receive a grant, to meet the same requirements applicable to a provider contracting with the department under existing law. The bill would specify that these provisions do not interfere with or replace any existing contracts or commitments between the department and any legal services provider entered into before the grant program is operational. Existing law creates the Mobilehome Dispute Resolution Fund, as specified, and requires moneys in the fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of implementing the program. This bill would require moneys in the fund to be made available to the department or to the Attorney General, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of implementing the program. The bill would require the Attorney General to use funds appropriated to it as necessary to perform duties related to enforcing the alleged violations described above. Existing law requires the department to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature outlining, among other things, the amount of registration fees collected and the amount expended on the program. This bill would additionally require the department to include the amount expended by the Attorney General, as specified, and the number of complaint allegations referred to the Attorney General, as specified, in the annual report. Existing law repeals the above-described provisions relating to the Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program on January 1, 2027. This bill would extend that repeal date to June 30, 2033.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-6-390.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to reckless stunt driving, so as to replace the forfeiture penalty of a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving with authority to order the installation of a device which limits the speed of such vehicle; to provide for a definition; to provide for procedures and conditions upon issuance of such orders; to provide for notification to the Department of Revenue; to provide for a penalty; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

To amend sections 149.43 and 5149.10 and to enact section 5149.102 of the Revised Code to require electronic recordings to be made of all parole board hearings and to make electronic recordings of full parole board hearings public records.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to license plates promoting or supporting certain agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation, so as to establish a specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; to provide for related matters; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state. Existing law designates holidays on which public schools are required to close. This bill would require, commencing with the 2026–27 school year, the governing board of a school district, a county office of education, or the governing body of a charter school to consider making efforts to avoid scheduling the first day of class and high school graduation, if applicable, on a date for which the governing board of the school district, the county office of education, or the governing body of the charter school knows, or has reason to know, that members of the public would be unable to participate or be present due to the ritual observance of a religious, cultural, or ancestral holiday. The bill would require the governing board of a school district, a county office of education, or the governing body of a charter school, in considering and making a determination of which dates to avoid, to actively seek input from the affected community and consider any other relevant sources to ensure inclusive public participation. The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth the missions and functions of California's public segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. The California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, are 3 of the segments. Provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act, by appropriate resolution, to make them applicable. This bill would require, commencing with the 2026–2027 academic year, the governing board of a community college and the California State University, and would request the University of California, to make good faith, reasonable efforts, when developing academic calendars, to avoid calendaring an institutional event, as defined, on a date for which the institution of higher education knows, or has reason to know, that members of the public would be unable to participate or be present due to the ritual observance of a religious, cultural, or ancestral holiday. The bill would require the governing board of a community college and the California State University, and would request the University of California, in considering and making a determination of which dates to avoid, to seek input from the student and faculty organizations on campus. The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act and the Ralph M. Brown Act require, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of specified governmental bodies be open and public and all persons be permitted to attend. Existing law prohibits a state agency, as defined, or a legislative body of a local agency, as defined, from conducting any meeting, conference, or other function in any facility that prohibits the admittance of any person, or persons, on the basis of ancestry or a specified characteristic, that is inaccessible to disabled persons, or where members of the public may not be present without making a payment or purchase. This bill would require a state agency to make good faith, reasonable efforts to avoid conducting any meeting, conference, or other function on a date for which the state agency knows, or has reason to know, that members of the public would be unable to participate or be present due to the ritual observance of a religious, cultural, or ancestral holiday, including, among others, Eid al-Adha, Rosh Hashanah, and Diwali. The bill would also encourage a legislative body of a local agency to consider making efforts to avoid conducting any meeting, conference, or other function on a date for which the legislative body knows, or has reason to know, that members of the public would be unable to participate or be present due to the ritual observance of a religious, cultural, or ancestral holiday, including, among others, the holidays listed above. By imposing new duties on school districts and community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would authorize a person who has suffered harm as a result of a violation of certain of the above provisions to bring a civil action for injunctive relief, as provided. The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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 the statutory provisions noted above.

Designates security officers for the village court of the village of Pleasantville as peace officers.

Grants security officers serving at the village of Ardsley village court peace officer status; provides that such officers shall complete training if they are not otherwise police officers or peace officers.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to appoint a chief internal auditor who holds office at the pleasure of the commission. Existing law makes the chief internal auditor responsible for the oversight of the internal audit unit and requires the chief internal auditor to plan, initiate, and perform audits of key financial, management, operational, and information technology functions within the commission to improve accountability and transparency to executive and state management. This bill would repeal the provision providing for the appointment of the chief internal auditor and, on or before January 1, 2028, would transfer the internal audit unit of the commission and its staff to the Independent Office of Audits and Investigations, which the bill would establish within the commission, as specified. The bill would provide for the appointment and removal of the director of the office, who would have the title of Inspector General. The bill would provide the office with access to, and authority to examine, all records, files, documents, accounts, reports, correspondence, or other property of the commission, public utilities, and other entities regulated by the commission, as specified. The bill would require the Inspector General to report to the Governor and the Legislature, as provided. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of a commission action implementing the bill's requirements would be 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.