Laws, Bills & Regs

Existing law establishes the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which is under the direction of the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation. Existing law makes the department responsible for administering various laws relating to financial institutions, including the Banking Law, the California Credit Union Law (CCUL) , and the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act (CRMLA) , a willful violation of which is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill, the California Fair Lending Examination Act, would require, under the Banking Law, the CCUL, and the CRMLA, the commissioner to, at least once every 4 years, examine, as prescribed, the books and records of any entity subject to the commissioner's examination authority under those laws for compliance with any applicable nondiscrimination law, as specified, and would require the commissioner to provide a written statement of the findings of that examination, issue a copy of that statement to the subject's principals, officers, or directors, and take appropriate steps to ensure correction of any violations of applicable nondiscrimination laws. The bill would prohibit disclosure of that statement to anyone other than the subject entity, law enforcement officials, or other state or federal regulatory agencies for further investigation and enforcement. This bill would make a violation of an applicable nondiscrimination law a violation of the Banking Law, the CCUL, or the CRMLA, as applicable, and would authorize the commissioner to examine the applicable entity's officers, directors, employees, or agents under oath regarding the bank's operations. By expanding the scope of the crimes of perjury and of violating the CRMLA, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to exempt from taxation, in whole or in part, property that is used exclusively for religious, hospital, or charitable purposes, and is owned or held in trust by a nonprofit entity. Pursuant to that authority, existing law provides for a welfare exemption under which property used exclusively for an exempt purpose and owned and operated by specified entities, including foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meeting certain statutory requirements is exempt from taxation. This bill would specify that for the purposes of the welfare exemption provisions above, "property used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes" shall not include property, or any portion thereof, operated as a detention facility, as defined. The bill would declare that the above provision is declarative of, and not a change in, existing law.

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.

(1) Existing law prohibits discrimination on the basis of various specified personal characteristics, including disability. Existing law imposes minimum statutory damages for construction-related accessibility claims if the violation of a construction-related accessibility standard denied the plaintiff full and equal access to the place of public accommodation on a particular occasion, as specified. Existing law provides that a plaintiff demonstrates that the plaintiff was deterred from accessing a place of public accommodation on a particular occasion only if both (1) the plaintiff had actual knowledge of a violation, as specified, and (2) the violation would have actually denied the plaintiff full and equal access, as specified. Existing law authorizes the assessment of statutory damages under these provisions based on each particular occasion that the plaintiff was denied full and equal access, as specified, not upon the number of violations of construction-related accessibility standards. Existing law prohibits a defendant from being liable for minimum statutory damages in a construction-related accessibility claim, with respect to a violation noted in a report by a certified access specialist (CASp) , for a period of 120 days following the date of the inspection if the defendant demonstrates compliance with each of specified requirements. Existing law includes in these specified requirements that the inspection predates the filing of the claim by, or receipt of a demand letter from, the plaintiff, as specified, and that the defendant was not on notice of the alleged violation before the CASp inspection. This bill would establish, until January 1, 2034, the Small Business Right to Cure Program and would prohibit a defendant who qualifies for the program from being liable for minimum statutory damages for any construction-related accessibility claim for a period of 6 years following a CASp report, as provided. To qualify for the program, the bill would require the defendant to demonstrate specified conditions, among others, that the defendant has posted, as provided, both the CASp inspection notice and a Notice of Participation in the Small Business Right to Cure Program, as defined. The bill would authorize the State Architect to develop, as specified, a form Notice of Participation in the Small Business Right to Cure Program, and would authorize a business to satisfy any requirement to provide the notice by providing a specified written statement until and unless the State Architect promulgates the form. The bill would require a public accommodation that participates in the program to make available specified documents for public inspection, including the CASp report that is the basis for the public accommodation asserting that it qualifies for the program. The bill would provide that no provision of the program applies under any of specified conditions, including that the plaintiff or prospective plaintiff alleges an intentional violation of any state or federal disability rights law, a violation related to policies, practices, or procedures, or seeks special damages that arise from physical personal injuries or damage to personal property. Existing law establishes the California Commission on Disability Access for purposes of developing recommendations to enable persons with disabilities to exercise their right to full and equal access to public facilities and facilitating business compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. Existing law requires an attorney who sends or serves a complaint on the basis of one or more construction-related accessibility claims, as specified, to notify the commission, as provided, of specified information, including, among other requirements, the date of the judgment, settlement, or dismissal. Existing law requires the commission to make an annual report to the Legislature of tabulated data relating to the various types of construction-related physical access violations alleged in demand letters and complaints by January 31 of each year. This bill would, until January 1, 2034, additionally require an attorney to include in the above-described notification to the commission whether the defendant qualified for and used the Small Business Notice and Right to Cure Program. The bill would require the commission, beginning on or before July 1, 2027, and until January 1, 2034, to include in the above-described annual report information about the number of businesses that participate in the Small Business Notice and Right to Cure Program. (2) The Unfair Competition Law makes various practices unlawful and provides that a person who engages, has engaged, or proposes to engage in unfair competition is liable for a civil penalty, as specified. This bill would provide that a person who posts a specified notice, including a Notice of Participation in the Small Business Right to Cure Program on the premises of a place of public accommodation, or authorizes the document to remain posted on the premises, and knows or should know that the document is inauthentic, materially inaccurate, or that the place of public accommodation does not qualify for the applicable program or other limitation on liability provided by law shall be subject to enforcement under the Unfair Competition Law. (3) Existing law requires a property owner or lessor to state on every lease form or rental agreement whether the subject premises have undergone inspection by a CASp. Existing law provides that making repairs or modifications necessary to correct violations of construction-related accessibility standards that are noted in a CASp report is presumed to be the responsibility of the property owner or lessor unless otherwise mutually agreed upon by the commercial property owner or lessor and the lessee or tenant, as prescribed. This bill would extend the above-described presumption to include repairs or modifications necessary to correct violations of construction-related accessibility standards in the common area of a commercial property. In the event that a commercial property owner fails to comply with specified requirements in relation to certain lease agreements, the bill would make void and unenforceable an indemnity provision or contractual agreement that seeks to shift the financial responsibility for construction-related accessibility violations from the commercial property owner or lessor to the lessee or tenant within a lease for a commercial property.

Existing law establishes an accidental release prevention program for the state. Under that law, stationary sources subject to the accidental release prevention program may be required to prepare and submit a risk management plan (RMP) to prevent accidental releases of certain substances. Existing law imposes criminal penalties upon a stationary source that knowingly violates the requirements of the accidental release prevention program. This bill would state findings and declarations concerning refinery closures in California. The bill would create the Refinery Safe Staffing Task Force to develop potential methods and strategies for ensuring maximum employee retention at refineries and addressing employment dislocations associated with oil, gas, and related industries, with membership, as specified, appointed and commencing service no later than January 1, 2028. The bill would require the task force, no later than June 1, 2029, to present to the Legislature and make available online to the public a report documenting a wide range of potential methods and strategies for ensuring maximum employee retention in the time period preceding refinery closure or long-term idling of a refinery, for ensuring safe operation in the event of understaffing, and for transitioning oil and gas workers into sectors that match their skills and experience. The bill would repeal the provisions that would create the task force on January 1, 2030. This bill would require the California Environmental Protection Agency, by January 1, 2028, to adopt regulations that require all refineries, as specified, to develop safe staffing management plans to address staffing risks associated with anticipated refinery closure or long-term idling. The bill would require the regulations to require the plans to be updated periodically and upon announcement of a refinery closure or long-term idling, as specified. The bill would require the regulations to make the plans subject to public comment and presentation to the agency for approval. The bill would make the agency responsible for conducting inspections and investigations to ensure implementation of the refinery's plan, addressing noncompliance through all available and necessary enforcement authority, and posting the drafts, comments, plans, and updates on its internet website, as specified. Because the bill would expand the scope of a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, the California Refinery and Chemical Plant Worker Safety Act of 1990, the purpose of which is to prevent or minimize the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, flammable, or explosive chemicals and eliminate the risks to which workers are exposed in refineries, requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to propose, and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to consider for adoption, regulations implementing provisions for refineries, that, among other things, require an employer to develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting process or business activities. This bill would require the division, by January 1, 2028, to propose, and the board to consider for adoption, regulations that require refinery employers to develop safe staffing management plans to address staffing risks associated with anticipated refinery closure or long-term idling. The bill would require the regulations to require the plans to be updated periodically and upon announcement of a refinery closure or long-term idling, as specified. The bill would require the regulations to make the plans subject to public comment and presentation to the division for approval. The bill would make the division responsible for conducting inspections and investigations to ensure implementation of an employer's plan, addressing noncompliance through all available and necessary enforcement authority, and posting the drafts, comments, plans, and updates on its internet website, as specified. 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.

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.

Existing law establishes the Elderly Parole Program for the purpose of reviewing the parole suitability of inmates who are 50 years of age or older and who have served a minimum of 20 years of continuous incarceration on their sentence. If an inmate is found suitable for parole under this program, existing law requires the Board of Parole Hearings to release the individual on parole, as specified. For an inmate sentenced for certain sexually related crimes, the bill would not consider the inmate suitable for parole under the program unless the person is 65 years of age or older and has served a minimum of 25 years of continuous incarceration on their current sentence.

Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law provides that a health care service plan or a health insurer that authorizes a specific type of treatment by a health care provider shall not rescind or modify this authorization after the provider renders the health care service in good faith and pursuant to the authorization. This bill would require an approved prior authorization for a health care service requested by an in-network provider to remain valid for the period required by the treating provider for the course of the prescribed treatment, not to exceed a period of at least one year from the date of approval, if less than one year. Because a violation of the bill by a health care service plan 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.

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.

To enact section 5534.59 of the Revised Code to designate a portion of U.S. Route 33 in Fairfield County and I-70 in Clark County as the "Congressman David Hobson Memorial Highway."

Existing law authorizes a legislative body of a city to designate one or more proposed infrastructure revitalization financing districts, as specified, which are legally constituted governmental entities established for the sole purpose of financing certain types of facilities, as specified. Existing law limits districts to only financing facilities or projects of communitywide significance, including the acquisition, construction, or repair of commercial or industrial structures for private use. This bill would specify that a facility or project to acquire, construct, or repair commercial or industrial structures for private use includes entertainment or sports facilities.

To amend section 2903.22 and to enact section 2927.31 of the Revised Code to prohibit a person from knowingly harassing or impeding an emergency service responder who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty and to clarify that heightened penalties apply for menacing a probation officer.

(1) Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and prescribes the authorities, duties, and responsibilities of the commission pertaining to energy matters. Existing law requires the commission, on or before January 1, 2019, in consultation with the Contractors State License Board, local building officials, and other stakeholders, to approve a plan that promotes compliance with specified regulations relating to building energy efficiency standards in the installation of central air-conditioning and heat pumps, as specified. Existing law authorizes the commission to adopt regulations to increase compliance with permitting and inspection requirements for central air-conditioning and heat pumps, and associated sales and installations, consistent with the above-described plan. This bill would establish various requirements and authorizations for the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system, as defined, by, among other things, requiring a city, county, or city and county, beginning July 1, 2027, to adopt and offer asynchronous inspections for installations that do not require a licensed contractor and building inspector to be simultaneously present during the inspection. The bill would additionally require a city, county, or city and county, except as specified, to post specific information online, and on or before July 1, 2028, to implement an online automated permitting process for the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or residential heat pump HVAC system that issues permits in real time to a licensed contractor that meets certain criteria. The bill would require the criteria to include, among others, that the licensed contractor certify under penalty of perjury that they have performed a load calculation to properly size the new equipment, as specified. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. By imposing these various new duties on the described local entities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county, except as specified, to require up to one nondiscretionary permit per installation of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system in which the local entity administratively approves an application to install the residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system. The bill would additionally authorize a city, county, or city and county to apply only certain planning or zoning or workforce labor standards on the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system that are in addition to any state-level requirements. The bill would prohibit a local entity described above from requiring a permit or inspection for plug-in ready window air-conditioner or window heat pump HVAC systems, provided that certain requirements are met, including that the appliance has a voltage rating of 120 volts or less and the appliance is a self-contained unit. The bill would limit the amount a city, county, or city and county may charge as a permit fee for a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system, as specified. The bill would require a local entity described above that applies to receive any funding from the commission to self-certify to the commission its compliance with any applicable portions of the bill's provisions. The above provisions would not apply to new residential construction. The bill would include findings and declarations related to these provisions. (2) Existing law, the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, defines and regulates common interest developments. Among other things, the act makes a provision of the governing document or architectural or landscaping guidelines or policies void and unenforceable if, among other things, the provision prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement of existing turf. This bill would additionally make any provision of the governing documents, architectural guidelines, or policies void and unenforceable if the provision prevents the replacement of a fuel-gas-burning appliance with an electric appliance. The bill would also make any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any, among other specified agreements, deed, and any provision of a governing document, that effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system, void and unenforceable. The bill would prohibit an association, among other things, from prohibiting or restricting a member from installing, upgrading, replacing, or using a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system in the member's separate interest, except as specified. (3) The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. (4) 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, with regard to certain mandates, no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , consisting of 5 members appointed by the Governor. Existing law requires the Governor to designate one of those members as the chair and another member as the vice chair. Existing law establishes an annual salary for the commission members and a higher annual salary for the chairperson, as prescribed. This bill would require the vice chair of the Energy Commission, operative July 1, 2027, to receive an annual salary that is at the midpoint between the annual salary of the other commission members and that of the chairperson. Existing law establishes the California membership of the board of directors of the Western Climate Initiative, Incorporated (WCI, Inc.) as part of the state's implementations of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. Existing law requires certain procurement and contracts proposed by the WCI, Inc. to meet requirements that include, among others, notification to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The State Contract Act generally provides a contracting process for state agencies and exempts specific state entities from its provisions relating to contracts for the acquisition of information technology goods and services. This bill would exempt the Western Climate Initiative, Incorporated from provisions of the State Contract Act relating to the acquisition of information technology goods and services and consider a certain type of contract with WCI, Inc. as a membership agreement. Existing law establishes various incentive programs that are administered or funded by the State Air Resources Board to provide financial assistance for the purchase of vehicles by individuals and fleet purchasers. This bill would, with funds provided in the 2026 Budget Act, require the state board to establish a new zero-emission electric vehicle incentive program for first-time zero-emission vehicle buyers and, as part of that program, to enter into grant agreements with light-duty passenger vehicle original engine manufacturers to provide incentives for consumers for the purchase or lease of new, and the purchase of used, light-duty passenger electric vehicles at the point of sale and registered to California residents. This bill would make these provisions inoperative on September 1, 2031, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2032. Existing law establishes the Continuation Account in the Wildfire Fund, to be administered by the Wildfire Fund Administrator, and continuously appropriates moneys in the account for purposes of payment of eligible claims arising from wildfires ignited on or after September 19, 2025, as provided. Existing law requires each large electrical corporation to provide to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) a written notification of its election to participate, or not to participate, in the account, and requires the PUC, if all participating electrical corporations have provided their election to participate in the account, to provide the administrator and other entities notification of their elections. Existing law authorizes the administrator, on or after the date the PUC provides that notification, but not later than December 31, 2028, to determine if additional annual contributions from large electrical corporations are needed to enable the account to fund the timely payment of eligible claims, as provided. Existing law requires the PUC, within 15 days of receiving notification from the administrator that additional annual contributions are required, to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider using its authority to require the large electrical corporations to collect a nonbypassable charge from ratepayers to support the account, as provided. If the PUC imposes the nonbypassable charge to support the account, existing law requires the large electrical corporations, from calendar years 2029 to 2045, inclusive, to provide to the administrator their annual contributions, as specified, for deposit into the account. This bill would instead authorize the administrator, on or after the date the PUC provides that notification, but not later than December 31, 2028, to determine if those annual contributions, instead of the additional annual contributions, are needed. The bill would make additional technical and conforming changes. Existing law requires the PUC to prohibit a large electrical corporation from including in its equity rate base its share, as determined pursuant to a specific allocation metric, of the first $6,000,000,000 expended in aggregate by large electrical corporations on fire risk mitigation capital expenditures approved by the commission on or after January 1, 2026. This bill would modify the allocation to be used for purposes of the above-described prohibition. Existing law requires the Energy Commission to implement and administer the Distributed Electricity Backup Assets Program to incentivize the construction of cleaner and more efficient distributed energy assets that would serve as on-call emergency supply or load reduction for the state's electrical grid during extreme events, and the Demand Side Grid Support Program to incentivize dispatchable customer load reduction and backup generation operation as on-call emergency supply and load reduction for the state's electrical grid during extreme events, as provided. Existing law, the Budget Act of 2021, appropriates $495,000,000 from the General Fund to the Energy Commission to support the implementation of the Distributed Electricity Backup Assets Program and provides that this amount is available for encumbrance or expenditure by the Energy Commission until June 30, 2026, and for liquidation until June 30, 2030. Existing law, the Budget Act of 2024, reverts $308,700,000 of that amount to the General Fund. This bill would specify that the moneys appropriated in the Budget Act of 2021 to support the implementation of the Distributed Electricity Backup Assets Program is also available to be used for the Demand Side Grid Support Program, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would make that appropriation available for encumbrance or expenditure until June 30, 2027. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. Because certain of the above-described provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a PUC action implementing the above-described provisions 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

(1) Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to work in partnership with the California Workforce Development Board to support California's high road construction careers program. Existing law requires the department to reserve a minimum aggregate total of $50,000,000 of federal funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to be allocated over 4 years in support of the program. This bill would instead require the department to reserve a minimum aggregate total of $30,000,000 of state transportation funds to be allocated in support of California's high road construction careers program. (2) Existing law establishes priorities and procedures that any state agency disposing of surplus residential property is required to follow. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to deposit proceeds from the sale of a surplus residential property from the department to a new owner into the SR-710 Rehabilitation Account. Existing law continuously appropriates the funds in the account to the department for the purpose of providing required repairs to certain surplus residential properties that are offered for sale, as provided. Existing law requires that the total funds maintained in the account not exceed $1,200,000 and that funds exceeding that amount, less any reimbursements due to the federal government, be transferred to the State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund, to be used for allocation by the California Transportation Commission exclusively to fund projects located in specified cities and in the 90032 postal ZIP Code. This bill would authorize an increase in the amount of the total funds maintained in the account to instead be up to $15,000,000. By authorizing an increase in the funds held in a continuously appropriated account, the bill would make an appropriation. (3) Under the Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act, also known as the Transportation Development Act, transit operators are required to maintain specified ratios of fare revenue to operating costs in order to receive funds under the act. If a transit operator does not maintain the prescribed ratio of fare revenues to operating costs, the act requires a reduction in the amount of funding for which the transit operator would otherwise be eligible, as specified. The act suspends the imposition of those penalties on transit operators during the 2019–20 to 2025–26 fiscal years, inclusive. This bill would suspend the imposition of those penalties through the 2026–27 fiscal year. (4) The Transportation Development Act creates the State Transit Assistance Program, under which certain revenues in the Public Transportation Account are allocated by formula for public transportation purposes. The act requires a transit operator to receive its entire allocation under the program, and authorizes the operator to use any or all of that allocation for operating purposes, if it meets one of 2 specified efficiency standards. If the operator fails to meet either of those efficiency standards, existing law reduces the amount of the operator's allocation available for operating purposes by a specified percentage and requires that amount to be used by the operator for capital purposes. The act exempts a transit operator from meeting either of those efficiency standards for the 2020–21 to 2025–26 fiscal years, inclusive, and authorizes the operator to use those funds for operating or capital purposes during that period. This bill would extend that exemption through the 2026–27 fiscal year. (5) Existing law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail system in the state. Existing law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority Office of the Inspector General and authorizes the High-Speed Rail Authority Inspector General to initiate an audit or review regarding oversight related to delivery of the high-speed rail project undertaken by the authority and the selection and oversight of contractors related to that project. This bill would require the Inspector General, upon completion of an audit or review, to publish a complete report on its internet website, provide notification of the published report to the Governor and the High-Speed Rail Authority, and submit a copy of the report to the Legislature. The bill would authorize the Inspector General to hold that report, or a portion of that report, confidential, as specified, if the Inspector General determines that the report, or portion of the report, would describe or otherwise reveal weaknesses that would pose a substantial and articulable risk to the project or to state operations if publicly disclosed. If the Inspector General makes that determination, the bill would require the Inspector General, among other things, to deliver a confidential report to state officials with oversight of the project, as specified. This bill would require all books, papers, records, and correspondence of the office to be public records subject to the California Public Records Act, but would prohibit the Inspector General or the employees of the Inspector General from releasing certain types of records to the public, except under specified circumstances. The bill would prohibit the Inspector General from destroying any papers or memoranda used to support a completed audit or review sooner than 3 years after the corresponding report is published or delivered, as specified. Existing law authorizes the Inspector General to access certain records and property and requires an officer or employee of any agency or entity having those records or property in their possession or under their control to permit access to, and examination and reproduction of, those records or property, upon the request of the Inspector General, as specified. This bill would specify that providing confidential information to the Inspector General under these circumstances does not constitute a waiver of that confidentiality. Existing law requires the Inspector General to report at least annually to the Legislature and the Governor a summary of its findings of any reviews, investigations, or audits, when the High-Speed Rail Authority provides statutorily required documents to the Legislature, and upon request of the Legislature or the Governor. This bill would instead require the Inspector General to report at least annually to the Legislature and the Governor a summary of its findings of any reviews, investigations, or audits published pursuant to the above-described provisions at the beginning of each fiscal year and upon request of the Legislature or the Governor. (6) Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to, upon registration of a vehicle, issue a certificate of ownership to the legal owner and a registration card to the owner, or both the certificate and the registration card to the owner, if there is no legal owner of the vehicle. This bill would authorize the department to adopt regulations for the issuance and acceptance of an electronic certificate of title or electronic certificate of ownership, as specified. (7) Existing federal regulations require a state, prior to issuing a REAL ID driver's license or REAL ID identification card, to check with all other states, using the State-to-State Verification Service, to determine if an applicant currently holds a REAL ID driver's license or REAL ID identification card in another state. Existing law requires specified forms filed with the department to contain a social security account number. Existing law provides that information provided on those forms regarding a driver's license or identification card applicant's social security account number or ineligibility for a social security account number is not a public record and is not subject to disclosure by the department, except for specified reasons. This bill would authorize the department to participate in the State-to-State Verification Service, or any successor system, if operated by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, as specified. The bill would require the department to report on its participation in the service or system, annually provide its report to the budget and relevant policy committees of the Legislature, and publish the report on its internet website. The bill would require that the report include, among other things, each participating jurisdiction's number of requests made directly to the state and information on any unusual requests or patterns in the data that indicate a participating jurisdiction is using the service or system for unauthorized purposes. The bill would also require the department, with the advice of stakeholders sitting on an advisory group, as specified, to adopt and maintain a State-to-State Verification Service Monitoring Plan to detect, prevent, and respond to requests for, or uses of, information through the service system for an unauthorized purpose. The bill would require the department to provide the budget and relevant policy committees with a draft version of the plan by February 1, 2027, and a final plan by July 1, 2027. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to commence an action against the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, a participating jurisdiction, or another individual or entity, or on behalf of certain individuals, to enforce these provisions, as specified. This bill would expand the above-described exceptions by permitting the department to disclose specified information to participate in the State-to-State Verification Service for the sole purpose of verifying and exchanging driver's license, identification card, and driver history records with participating jurisdictions. (8) Existing law requires the department to publish a summary or synopsis of the laws regulating the operation of a vehicle and the use of the highways. Existing law requires the department to publish as many copies of the summary or synopsis in Spanish as the director of the department determines are needed. Existing law requires the department to provide the summary or synopsis in English and Spanish to its field offices and to law enforcement without charge. This bill would require the department to publish the summary or synopsis on its internet website and would eliminate the other requirements described above pertaining to the summary or synopsis. (9) Existing law authorizes the department to provide electronic notification under certain circumstances if the department establishes certain conditions, including, among others, that the department has identified the person before accepting their consent to receive the type of document or information that is electronically delivered and the person has consented to the electronic receipt of the document or information delivered. This bill would delete the conditions described above and instead authorize the department to provide electronic notification if the person has been identified by the department and has provided the department with an email address or other similar electronic address, and the department has informed the person that the department will use the electronic address provided to deliver a type of document or information electronically and that the person will not receive a separate paper copy by mail or other means, as specified. (10) Existing law authorizes the department to charge a service fee of not more than $15, in addition to other fees payable under the Vehicle Code, for the completion of specified services at the department's headquarters office in Sacramento within 72 hours after receipt of a complete and proper application for the service. This bill would repeal this provision. (11) Existing law requires an application for renewal of a driver's license to be made at a department office by the person to whom the license was issued. Existing law requires renewal of a license to be under the terms and conditions prescribed by the department. Existing law authorizes the department to require an applicant to take certain examinations for renewal, as specified. Existing law requires that a person who is required to pass a knowledge examination in order to renew their driver's license be provided with written notice of that requirement in their driver's license renewal notice. This bill would delete the written notice requirement described above. (12) Existing law authorizes the department to establish a pilot program to evaluate the use of optional mobile or digital alternatives to driver's licenses and identification cards, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, the voluntary participation of persons in the program and limiting participation in the program to 15% of licensed drivers. This bill would increase the limit on participation in the program to 60% of licensed drivers. (13) Existing law, until January 1, 2029, authorizes the Department of Transportation and local authorities to temporarily permit exclusive or preferential use of HOV lanes, high-occupancy toll lanes, and other lanes for vehicles displaying a distinctive decal, label, or other identifier issued by the organizers of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games that clearly distinguishes the vehicle is being operated on the games route network during a 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games period, as specified. This bill would, until January 1, 2029, authorize the Department of Transportation, on highways in its jurisdiction, in consultation with state, local, and regional authorities and other relevant stakeholders, to establish a program of automated enforcement of drivers that fail to obey the directions of a traffic control device establishing the games route network during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games period. The bill would authorize the department to enter into an agreement with a local authority or regional transportation agency to administer a program pursuant to these provisions or to become the program operator, as specified. The bill would authorize a program operator to enter into contracts with manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors for purposes of the automated enforcement system, subject to specified requirements. The bill would require each program operator that is not the department to report information to the department, as it requests, to conduct an evaluation of the program. This bill would require a program operator of an automated enforcement system to administer a public information campaign before implementation of the system and to issue warning letters before issuing notices of violations, as specified. The bill would require that a notice of violation be issued in writing to the registered owner of the vehicle within 15 days of the date of the violation, as specified. The bill would establish procedures to review and contest a notice of violation, as specified, and would require the administrative hearing process to include, among other things, the ability for the person requesting the hearing the option to choose a hearing upon written declaration, video conference, or in person. This bill would impose a civil penalty for improper use of the games route network recorded by an automated enforcement system, as provided, and would specify that these violations shall not result in the Department of Motor Vehicles suspending or revoking driving privileges, preventing registration renewals, or assessing violation points against driving records. This bill would establish the Games Route Network Account in the State Transportation Fund and direct moneys generated from the automated enforcement program into the account. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys from the account to support the administration of the automated enforcement program and to be transferred to the State Highway Account or the Motor Vehicle Account to cover the Department of Transportation's cost for the construction, maintenance, and deconstruction of the games route network or to the Department of the California Highway Patrol to cover their enforcement efforts related to the games route network. By establishing a new continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would make any photographic image or administrative records made by an automated enforcement system pursuant to these provisions or information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles for the administration and enforcement of these provisions confidential. (14) Existing law authorizes the department to issue a distinguishing placard to a disabled veteran or person with a disability, upon application, to be displayed upon a parked vehicle for the purpose of identifying eligibility for certain parking privileges. Existing law requires the placard to meet specified requirements, including that a portion of the placard be printed in a contrasting color to be changed every 2 years and that the size and color of the contrasting portion of the placard be large and distinctive to be readily identifiable by a law enforcement officer in a passing vehicle. This bill would remove the size and contrasting color requirements for the placard expiration date. (15) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. (16) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

(1) Existing law establishes the California Cradle-to-Career Data System to be a source for actionable data and research on education, economic, and health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities, and to provide for expanded access to tools and services that support the navigation of the education-to-employment pipeline. Existing law defines "data providers" as the entities that submit the individual, educational, academic, training, employment, social service, health, and other information used to create the data system. This bill would require the data providers, and would request the University of California, to enter into memoranda of understanding for data sharing purposes for implementation of the data system. (2) Existing law establishes the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program to provide one-time grants for the construction of student housing, or for the acquisition and renovation of commercial properties into student housing for the purpose of providing affordable, low-cost housing options for students enrolled in public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires, as a condition of receiving these funds, the Regents of the University of California, the Trustees of the California State University, and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to, from the receipt of funds to completion of a project and following completion of a project for a 5-year period, report by July 1 annually to the Department of Finance and the relevant policy and budget committees of the Legislature with information on the status of the project or the public benefit provided by the project, as applicable. This bill would require this information to be provided by February 1 rather than July 1, together with an annual report provided for in existing law on student housing data, if applicable. (3) Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and requests the office of the President of the University of California, to require each of their respective campuses that provide campus-owned, campus-operated, or campus-affiliated student housing to collect and post on its external and internal internet websites, data on student housing, and to submit an annual report with that information to the Legislature, as specified. This bill would require the above-described annual report to be submitted together with certain information required to be provided pursuant to the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. (4) Existing law requires each California State University campus, and requests each University of California campus, to establish the position of the Basic Needs Coordinator to, among other responsibilities, assist students with basic needs services and resources, including childcare, and to establish a Basic Needs Center where basic needs services, resources, and staff are made available to students, as provided. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature for certain funds appropriated to the University of California and the California State University in the annual Budget Act specifically for rapid rehousing, basic needs, and student mental health to be used for specified purposes, as provided. The bill would require those funds that are to be provided to students to be distributed to the student by the campus financial aid office, as specified. (5) Existing law requires, among other requirements related to nondiscrimination, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the Chancellor of the California State University, and the President of the University of California to each annually present during a public hearing of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance on the state of their respective systems in ensuring that their programs and activities are free from discrimination based on specified characteristics, as provided. This bill would authorize a designee of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the Chancellor of the California State University, and the President of the University of California to perform the above-described presentation on nondiscrimination. (6) Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A and B Entitlement awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B awards, the Cal Grant C awards, and the Cal Grant T awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for these awards for participating students attending qualifying institutions. Existing law requires a Cal Grant C award to be used only for occupational or technical training in a course of not less than 4 months. This bill, among other changes related to the Cal Grant C award, would instead require a Cal Grant C award to be used only for occupational or technical training in a program of not less than 8 weeks and provide Cal Grant C award amounts based on the length of the occupational or technical training program, as provided. (7) Existing law prohibits a student who will be 28 years of age or older by December 31 of an award year from receiving a California Community College Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement award. This bill instead would prohibit, for the 2026–27 award year through the 2030–31 award year, inclusive, a student who will be 30 years of age or older by December 31 of an award year from receiving a California Community College Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement award. (8) Beginning on July 1, 2026, for the financial aid award year of 2026–27 and each award year thereafter, existing federal law establishes the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to award grants to eligible students who are enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in a short-term educational program that, among other things, provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations, as provided. This bill would require the commission, on behalf of the Governor, to determine whether a short-term program offered by postsecondary educational institution, as defined, meets specified requirements in order to receive federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds for students enrolled in the short-term program. The bill would require the Student Aid Commission to consult with the California Workforce Development Board and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency on the process for making those determinations and the short-term programs that the commission is proposing to approve, as specified. The bill would require a postsecondary educational institution seeking a determination that one or more of its short-term programs meets the requirements of the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to provide to the commission, among other things, a completed program application, and to provide to the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data specified data. The bill would require the Employment Development Department to provide a list of high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, as specified. The bill would require the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, after presenting the list to the California Workforce Development Board, to provide the list to the commission for the commission's consideration in determining whether to approve a short-term program. This bill would prohibit the commission from authorizing a participating institution to receive federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds for a short-term program unless the commission determines, among other things, that the short-term program meets the requirements of the above-described federal provisions. The bill would require the commission to determine a participating institution's eligibility and provide written notice of its decision within 90 days of receiving a request for an eligibility determination and a completed participation agreement, as specified. The bill would require the commission to submit specified reports to the Department of Finance, the Assembly Committee on Budget, and the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review with, among other things, a list of all institutions seeking an eligibility determination and an evaluation of the federal Workforce Pell Grant program. (9) Existing law establishes the Middle Class Scholarship Program (MCSP) under the administration of the commission. Existing law, subject to an available and sufficient appropriation, makes an undergraduate student eligible for a scholarship award under the MCSP if the student is enrolled at the University of California or the California State University, or enrolled in upper division coursework in a community college baccalaureate program, and meets certain eligibility requirements. Existing law generally sets the MCSP award at an amount that equals the difference between the student's cost of attendance and the sum of other scholarships, grants, or fee waivers, including those administered by federal, state, and institutions, awarded to the student in excess of $7,898 in expected student contribution, and, for dependent students with a household income exceeding $100,000, a percentage of the parents' contribution, as specified. If a foster youth or former foster youth receives additional financial aid following the determination of the student's MCSP award, this bill, for purposes of determining the student's MCSP award amount, would not require the student's MCSP award to be recalculated, except as provided. (10) This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish the Common Cloud Data Platform to create a unified, modern data infrastructure to enhance statewide reporting, data sharing, and available analytical tools across participating community college districts and the chancellor's office. The bill would require the Common Cloud Data Platform to be designed to enable certain functions, as specified. The bill would require funding appropriated for the development, implementation, and systemwide adoption of the Common Cloud Data Platform to support specific areas of work. (11) Existing law establishes the California Online Community College, commonly known as Calbright College, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, for the purpose of creating an organized system of accessible, flexible, and high-quality online content, courses, and programs focused on providing industry-valued credentials compatible with the vocational and educational needs of Californians who are not currently accessing higher education. This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop and submit to the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, on or before October 1, 2028, recommendations for equating enrollment in competency-based education programs at all community college districts, including the California Online Community College, to full-time equivalent students for the purposes of generating funding. The bill would require the chancellor's office to convene a workgroup of experts to support in developing these recommendations. The bill would require, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year, the California Online Community College to submit data to the chancellor's office's management information system on the same reporting schedule and using the comparable data elements applicable to noncredit programs offered by other community college districts, as provided, and would require the chancellor's office to post this data on its internet website. The bill, as part of the Credit for Prior Learning Initiative described below, would require the chancellor's office to make credit for prior learning recommendations for the California Online Community College's programs and similar programs at other community colleges, as provided, and to submit these recommendations, on or before July 1, 2027, to the Department of Finance and Joint Legislative Budget Committee. (12) Existing law authorizes community college districts to admit nonresident students, and requires that nonresident students be charged a nonresident tuition fee unless an exemption applies. Existing law includes among these exemptions a nonresident, low-income student who: (A) is a resident of Mexico, (B) registers for lower division courses at Cuyamaca College, Grossmont College, Imperial Valley College, MiraCosta College, Palomar College, San Diego City College, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego Miramar College, or Southwestern College, and (C) has residence within 45 miles of the California-Mexico border, as provided. Existing law, in any academic year, prohibits more than 150 full-time equivalent students (FTES) at each of those community colleges from being exempted from payment of the nonresident tuition fee under that exemption. This bill would instead, in any academic year, prohibit more than 1,350 FTES in total, across all community colleges that choose to use the above-described exemption, from being exempted from payment of the nonresident tuition fee. The bill would require the governing boards of the community colleges that choose to use that exemption to develop a plan to jointly administer and allocate the total number of FTES across these community colleges. For an enrolled student granted that exemption for an academic year, the bill would require that the student retains the exemption for that academic year. (13) Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish, by March 31, 2019, an initiative to expand the use of course credit at the California Community Colleges for students with prior learning. Existing law required the chancellor to submit, by January 1, 2020, a report on the initiative to the Legislature. This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish the Credit for Prior Learning Initiative as a systemwide initiative to award credit for prior learning opportunities at community colleges. The bill would require the initiative to include specified components, including a systemwide process to identify students who may qualify for prior learning credit, statewide technology infrastructure to make credit for prior learning opportunities visible and accessible to the public, and support for community college faculty discipline review groups to develop credit recommendations for awarding credit for prior learning that community colleges may adopt systemwide. The bill would require community colleges to evaluate prior learning documents and credentials of incoming students for the assessment and award of prior learning credit, as specified. The bill would also require community colleges to accept transcribed credit for prior learning from other community colleges as credit, as specified. The bill would require and encourage the California Community Colleges system, in partnership with the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, to collaborate with certain entities of the California State University and the University of California for specified purposes, including for intersegmental alignment of credit for prior learning policies, as specified. The bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require the chancellor's office to allocate designated funds to support implementation of these provisions at each campus using specified goals, including advancing career attainment through credit for prior learning. By imposing new duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (14) Existing law requires community college districts that accept Nursing Enrollment Growth and Retention program funds to report specified data to the chancellor's office and requires the chancellor's office, beginning in the 2025–26 fiscal year, to compile and provide the reported data to the Legislature and the Governor biennially, on or before March 1. Existing law authorizes that data to be submitted with the below-described report related to allied health professional programs. Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to report annually to the Legislature and the Governor, on or before March 1 of each year, on students admitted to community college registered nursing programs through a multicriteria screening process, and requires the report to be submitted in conjunction with the above-described report related to Nursing Enrollment Growth and Retention program. Existing law requires the chancellor, to submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor, on or before March 1, 2026, and each March 1 thereafter, that examines and includes certain information, including the participation, retention, and completion rates in community college allied health programs of students admitted through a multicriteria screening process, as specified, and requires the report to be submitted in conjunction with the above-described Nursing Enrollment Growth and Retention program. Existing law requires the chancellor, beginning in the 2025–26 fiscal year, to provide to the Legislature biennially, on or before March 1, a report that includes information related to certain allied health professional programs, and authorizes the report to be submitted with the above-described report related to the Nursing Enrollment Growth and Retention program. This bill would require all 4 of the above-described reports to be submitted on or before December 31, 2026, and on or before December 31 triennially thereafter, as provided. (15) Existing law requires the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to adopt regulations providing for the payment of apportionments to community college districts on a specified schedule. Existing law, notwithstanding the provision referenced above, adjusts the payment of apportionments to community college districts for the 2025–26 fiscal year to defer $408,363,000 of those payments to the 2026–27 fiscal year in accordance with a designated schedule. Existing law appropriates that amount to the board of governors for apportionments to community college districts for expenditure in the 2026–27 fiscal year, as specified. Existing law applies that amount toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts for the 2026–27 fiscal year imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, as specified. This bill would apply the amount referenced in the provision above toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts for the 2024–25 fiscal year, rather than for the 2026–27 fiscal year. (16) Existing law provides a formula for the calculation of general purpose apportionments of state funds to California Community Colleges under which the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges annually calculates a base allocation, supplemental allocation, and student success allocation for each community college district in the state, as specified. Existing law requires, to calculate the base allocation for each community college district, the chancellor's office to calculate the 3-year rolling average of funded full-time equivalent students (FTES) , as specified. This bill would require, for purposes of calculating the base allocation commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year, a community college district's funded credit FTES to be the greater of the above-described 3-year rolling average of credit FTES or credit FTES for the current year, as provided. This bill, commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year, would require each community college district to receive the greater of its total revenue computed pursuant to the sum of the base allocation, supplemental allocation, and student success allocation for that fiscal year, or its general purpose apportionment funding computed for the 2024–25 fiscal year, including the greater of discretionary resources, or specified revenue received by the district, as adjusted to reflect the application of a 1.44% discretionary cost-of-living adjustment, as provided. Beginning in the 2026–27 fiscal year, of the amount appropriated in a specified item of the annual Budget Act, this bill would require $159,741,000 to be allocated to reimburse community colleges for incurring costs related to providing employees with paid pregnancy disability leave, as provided. (17) Existing law requires the governing board of a community college district to provide for a leave of absence from duty for a certificated employee or an academic employee of the district who is required to be absent from duty because of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery from those conditions. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a community college district to provide for a leave of absence from duty as it deems appropriate for a female employee in the classified service of the district who is required to be absent from duty because of pregnancy or convalescence following childbirth. Existing law authorizes a governing board to adopt rules and regulations about leaves of absence for classified employees for these purposes, and authorizes a governing board to provide in the rules and regulations whether the leave granted shall be with or without pay, as provided. This bill would delete the latter provisions authorizing the governing board of a community college district to adopt those rules and regulations. The bill instead would require a community college district to, for an academic employee or an employee in the classified service of the community college district, provide up to 14 weeks of a leave of absence with specified pay benefits for an employee who is required to be absent from duty because of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions, as provided. The bill would authorize the paid leave to begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or a related condition. The bill would prohibit a leave of absence taken pursuant to these provisions from being deducted from other leaves of absence, as provided, would require community college districts to maintain group health coverage for an employee who takes a leave of absence under these provisions for the duration of the leave of absence at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had not taken a leave of absence, would require compensation during the leave of absence taken under these provisions to include retirement fund contributions required of the community college district, and would require the employee to earn full service credit during the leave of absence and to pay member contributions to the retirement fund. The bill would prohibit any other eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, minimum hours worked or length of service, before an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions is eligible for a paid leave of absence under these provisions. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2027. (18) Existing law establishes the Part-Time Community College Faculty Health Insurance Program, which authorizes the governing board of a community college district to provide a program of health insurance for part-time faculty, multidistrict part-time faculty, and their dependents. Existing law requires the chancellor, by June 15 of each year, to apportion funds that have been appropriated specifically for purposes of the program to each community college that establishes a program, as provided. Existing law defines "health insurance benefits" for purposes of the program to include medical benefits but excludes vision or dental benefits. This bill instead would authorize health insurance benefits under the Part-Time Community College Faculty Health Insurance Program to include vision or dental benefits. (19) This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California State University to annually develop and report to the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, the Assembly Committee on Budget, and the Department of Finance enrollment targets and related data for each California State University campus, as provided. (20) Existing law establishes the Native American Heritage Commission and vests the commission with specified powers and duties. Existing law, the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001, requires the commission to develop a list of all California Indian tribes and their respective state aboriginal territories for the purpose of the repatriation of Native American tribal human remains and cultural items. The act requires all agencies and museums that receive state funding and have possession or control over collections of California Indian human remains and associated funerary objects to inventory those remains and objects for repatriation to the appropriate California Indian tribes, as specified. The act provides a process by which a California Indian tribe can request the return of human remains and cultural items, and requires an agency or museum receiving a repatriation request to repatriate human remains and cultural items if specified conditions are met, including, among others, that none of the exceptions to repatriation listed in those regulations apply. This bill would, for the purposes of repatriation of human remains and cultural items as described above, in order to align with updated federal regulations, recast the condition related to exceptions to instead condition repatriation on a stay of repatriation described in the federal regulations not being in effect, and would make other changes related to repatriation of human remains and cultural items, as specified. (21) The Budget Act of 2025 made appropriations for the support of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges for the 2025–26 fiscal year, including $3,580,708,000 for apportionments. This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2025 by reducing the appropriation made to the board of governors for apportionments by $455,452,000. (22) This bill would appropriate $36,078,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support Dreamer Resource Liaisons in assisting students in meeting certain requirements for those students to be exempt from paying nonresident tuition by streamlining access to all available financial aid and academic opportunities for those students. (23) This bill would appropriate $147,208,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support the Student Support Block Grant. (24) This bill would appropriate $16,000,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors for allocation for related and supplemental instruction hours for the 2024–25 and the 2025–26 fiscal years for certain apprenticeship programs, as provided. (25) This bill would appropriate $10,000,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to establish and support the California Early College Demonstration Initiative, a regional pilot focused on implementing and scaling comprehensive dual enrollment and early college systems through partnerships between local educational agencies and community college districts, as provided. (26) This bill would appropriate $1,200,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support the Cal-Bridge First Academic Scholar Training Program. (27) This bill would appropriate $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support Pierce College Family Resource Centers. (28) This bill would appropriate $3,312,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors for specified purposes related to deferred maintenance, including, among other purposes, scheduled maintenance and special repairs of facilities, as provided. (29) This bill would appropriate $15,000,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) students, as provided. (30) This bill would appropriate $196,328,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support community college apportionments, and increase statewide growth of FTES, as provided. (31) The funds appropriated by the bill would be applied toward meeting the minimum funding requirements for school district and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, as specified. (32) 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. (33) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

(1) Existing law, the Boxing Act, also known as the State Athletic Commission Act, creates within the Department of Consumer Affairs the State Athletic Commission. Existing law requires a person who conducts a contest or wrestling exhibition, within 72 hours after the determination of every contest or wrestling exhibition for which admission is charged and received, to furnish to the commission certain fees. One fee is based, in part, on the amount paid for admission to the contest or wrestling exhibition, as specified. Existing law requires the fee for a professional contest or exhibition to be at least $1,250. This bill would increase the minimum amount of that fee to $2,500. Existing law also requires a person who conducts a contest or wrestling exhibition to furnish to the commission another fee based, in part, on the gross price of the sale, lease, or exploitation of the broadcasting or television rights for the event. Existing law prohibits this fee from exceeding $35,000. This bill would increase the maximum amount of that fee to $50,000. (2) Existing law establishes the California Education Learning Laboratory, which is administered by the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, for purposes of increasing learning outcomes and closing equity and achievement gaps, using technologies involving learning science and adaptive learning, as defined, in online or hybrid college-level lower division courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and other disciplines. Existing law requires, in administering the California Education Learning Laboratory, the office to issue calls for, evaluate, and annually award funds to, competitive grant proposals from intersegmental faculty teams that apply principles of learning science and adaptive learning technologies in online or hybrid course series in STEM and other disciplines, as specified. This bill would revise and recast the California Education Learning Laboratory to, among other things, instead establish the program for purposes of increasing learning outcomes and closing equity and achievement gaps using the science of human learning and adaptive learning technologies in STEM disciplines and other disciplines. The bill would require the program to be administered by the Government Operations Agency instead of the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. (3) Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture under the control of the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. Existing law authorizes the secretary to charge a bureau, division, board, or other agency of the department that is not supported by appropriations from the General Fund its proportionate share of the administrative expenses of the department, or a share in an amount that is computed to reasonably compensate the department for the administrative services that it renders. Existing law prohibits the proportionate or computed share charged from exceeding 5% of the collections that are made by the department for the bureau, division, board, or other agency. This bill would instead prohibit the proportionate or computed share charged to the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund from exceeding 5% of the total departmentwide expenditures, except for expenses associated with information technology, legal services, human resources, and the Office of Civil Rights, as specified. By increasing the amount of continuously appropriated moneys in the fund that may be expended for administrative purposes, the bill would make an appropriation. (4) Existing law creates the State Race Track Leasing Commission and authorizes the commission to enter into leases or other agreements for the use of the Del Mar Race Track and any other property owned or controlled by the 22nd District Agricultural Association that the commission deems necessary to provide horse racing at the Del Mar Race Track. Existing law requires the Department of Finance to provide clerical services to the commission. This bill would instead require the Department of Food and Agriculture to provide those clerical services to the commission. (5) Existing law creates the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state. This bill would establish the California Farm to School Program, to be developed, administered, and implemented by the office, as specified, for purposes of cultivating equity, nurturing students, building climate resilience, and creating scalable and sustainable change in the school food system. The bill would require that the program, among other things, increase procurement of foods that are grown or produced in California and are whole or are minimally processed from food producers in California for school meal programs, increase hands-on food education opportunities that engage pupils and connect the classroom with the cafeteria, and administer the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. The bill would authorize the office to implement initiatives under the program, including, but not limited to, initiatives that advance the California farm to school network and facilitate a California Farm to School Interagency Working Group, including, but not limited to, specified state agencies. (6) The California Constitution authorizes state and local governmental entities to contract with private entities for architectural and engineering services. Existing statutory law requires the selection by a state or local agency for professional engineering, environmental, land surveying, or construction project management firms to be on the basis of demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performances of the services required, and further requires a state agency to adopt procedures by regulation that, among other things, assure that these services are engaged on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications for the types of services to be performed. This bill would authorize a state agency to use the procedures adopted by the Department of General Services until the state agency adopts their own procedures by regulation. (7) Existing law, commencing January 1, 2028, requires state and local agencies, as defined, that collect demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians to use separate collection categories and tabulations for major Middle Eastern or North African groups, as specified, and, with certain exceptions, to include that data in every demographic report published on or after January 1, 2029, and to make the aggregated data available to the public. This bill would, instead, commencing January 1, 2029, require state and local agencies, as defined, that collect demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians to use separate collection categories and tabulations for a major Middle Eastern or North African group, including minor groups, as specified, and, with certain exceptions, to include that data in every demographic report published on or after January 1, 2030. The bill would require each state and local agency to apply de-identification and privacy protection methods to demographic data collected pursuant to these provisions, as described. The bill would require a state or local agency that collects or reports demographic data in a manner that differs from the above-described provisions pursuant to federal program requirements to comply with the requirements of the above-described provisions, as specified. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (8) Existing law establishes the Department of Technology. Existing law establishes the Office of Broadband and Digital Literacy within the department and requires the office to oversee the acquisition and management of contracts for the development and construction of, and for the maintenance and operation of, a statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network to provide an opportunity for last-mile providers, anchor institutions, and tribal entities to connect to, and interconnect with other networks and other appropriate connections to, the broadband network to facilitate high-speed broadband service, as specified. Existing law provides that the office has the powers and authorities necessary to implement these and related provisions, including, but not limited to, the authority to enter into contracts with one or more entities to acquire goods and services and to take actions it deems necessary and appropriate for the development, acquisition, construction, maintenance, and operation of a statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network, including the creation of rural exchange points. This bill would prohibit the department or the office from entering into, amending, or assigning a contract related to the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network if the contract is for an amount exceeding a total cost of $8,000,000 unless the contract is approved by the Director of Finance. The bill would prohibit the Director of Finance from approving that contract until at least 30 days after informing the Joint Legislative Budget Committee of the director's intent to approve the contract unless that notification period is waived by the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee or the chairperson's designee. The bill would require the approval of the Director of Finance to take effect immediately following either the completion of the 30-day notification period or the waiver of that period. The bill would specify that these provisions do not apply in the case of an emergency, as defined. Existing law establishes the State Middle-Mile Broadband Enterprise Fund, consisting of fees for connection to the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network, revenues payable to the department for activities undertaken by the department for maintenance, operation, repair, and expansion of the statewide open-access middle-mile broadband network, and proceeds from the disposition of fixed assets and leasehold interests related to the network. Existing law provides that funds deposited into the fund are continuously appropriated to the department for the maintenance, operation, repair, and expansion until July 1, 2027, and thereafter are available upon appropriation for those purposes. This bill would extend the date the moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to July 1, 2031. By extending the term of a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. (9) Existing law, the Financial Information System for California (FISCal) Act, establishes the Department of FISCal within the Government Operations Agency to implement a single integrated financial management system for use by state departments and agencies. The act requires the partner agencies to collaboratively develop enhancements to the system, utilize the system, and assist the department to maintain the system, and defines "partner agencies" to mean the Department of Finance, the Controller, the Department of General Services, and the Treasurer. This bill would require the department to work in consultation with the Department of Finance and the Department of Technology in ongoing maintenance and roadmap activities of the system, as specified. (10) Existing law creates the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. This bill would create the Office of Regional Economic Development Initiatives within GO-Biz. Under the bill, the Director of GO-Biz would oversee the office and a deputy director appointed by the Governor would administer the office. The bill would set forth the duties of the office, including, among other things, supporting regional partners in developing, maintaining, and implementing their regional economic development strategies. (11) Existing law authorizes the court, in an action brought by the Attorney General under specified unfair competition and false advertising laws, to award the remedy of disgorgement. Existing law requires the funds recovered by the Attorney General under these provisions to be deposited into the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund, and makes the funds available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Attorney General to provide restitution to victims of acts or practices for which consumer restitution has been ordered but not paid, as provided. This bill would make an appropriation by making the money in the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund continuously appropriated to the Attorney General for purposes of the restitution described above. (12) Existing law, until December 31, 2030, establishes the Projected Surplus Temporary Holding Account in the State Treasury as a General Fund reserve to hold a portion of General Fund surplus moneys temporarily for use in future fiscal years, as an added responsible budgeting technique to counter tax revenue volatility. Existing law requires, in a year that a transfer is made to the account, that the transfer be provided for in the annual Budget Act, and requires the transferred funds to remain in the account for no more than one year from the date of deposit, after which time the funds are required to be transferred to the General Fund, except as specified. Existing law authorizes the Controller to use the funds in the account for cashflow loans to the General Fund, as specified. This bill would eliminate the December 31, 2030, sunset date for the account, thereby making the account operative permanently. (13) Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, sets forth the duties of the Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) with respect to specified emergency preparedness, mitigation, and response activities within the state. Existing law establishes the Public Safety Communications Division within the office and prescribes certain duties in regard to statewide public safety communications systems, including providing for coordination of, and comment on, plans, policies, and operational requirements from departments that utilize public safety communications in support of their principal function. Existing law, the Warren-9-1-1-Emergency Assistance Act, establishes the State 911 Advisory Board to advise CalOES on specified subjects relating to the state's 911 emergency telephone response system. Existing law provides that the board consists of 11 members appointed by the Governor, including the Chief of the Public Safety Communications Division, who serves as the nonvoting chair. This bill would revise the board membership and, instead, make the Deputy Director of Public Safety Communications (deputy director) a nonvoting member of the board and require the deputy director to serve for the duration of their tenure. The bill would require the board, at its first meeting of each calendar year, or at another time the board deems appropriate, to elect one of its voting members to serve as chair by a majority vote. The bill would additionally authorize the board to make formal recommendations to CalOES. The bill would also authorize the board to enlist an independent technical expert for advisory purposes, as specified, and require Public Safety Communications to timely share all information with the board relevant to the board's requirement to advise the office. (14) Existing law, the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act, requires every local public agency to establish within its jurisdiction a basic emergency telephone system that includes, at a minimum, police, firefighting, and emergency medical and ambulance services. Existing law requires CalOES to develop a plan and timeline for the testing, implementation, and operation of a Next Generation 911 emergency communication system throughout the state, as provided. This bill would require CalOES, on or before August 15, 2026, to enter into a contract with an independent evaluator, the Rand Corporation, for the purpose of performing an independent technical evaluation of the development and implementation of the Next Generation 911 system, as defined, subject to certain requirements. In this regard, the bill would require the independent technical evaluation to, among other things, describe the state's options for delivering reliable Next Generation 911 system services to the state and the strengths and weaknesses of each option, as specified, and would require the independent evaluator, in carrying out the independent technical evaluation, to consider relevant factors, including the emergency communication systems implemented in other states. The bill would require the independent evaluator to provide a final report on the independent technical evaluation on or before May 1, 2027, and to provide an initial evaluation and preliminary report on the independent technical evaluation on or before December 15, 2026, as specified, simultaneously to certain entities, including CalOES. The bill would require CalOES, the State 911 Advisory Board, public safety answering points, and state 911 system vendors to provide the independent evaluator with any requested assistance, as specified. The bill would require CalOES to also provide the independent evaluator with a primary point of contact and key stakeholders, as specified. The bill would prohibit CalOES from issuing a request for proposals or awarding a Next Generation 911 network services contract sooner than 60 days after the independent evaluator's final report is complete and received by the required entities and CalOES has submitted the final report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Legislative Analyst's Office describing the actions that CalOES has taken or will take in response to the findings and recommendations in the independent evaluator's preliminary and final reports. The bill would exempt the contract entered into by CalOES with the independent evaluator from the Public Contract Code, the State Contracting Manual, any other state contracting requirements, and the approval of the Department of General Services. The bill would require CalOES to submit a quarterly report to the Legislature, beginning on or before October 1, 2026, regarding the development and implementation of, and the total and current year funding spent on, the Next Generation 911 system. The bill would require the report to include, among other specified information, documentation of the progress toward, and major challenges facing, statewide development and implementation of a Next Generation 911 system, as specified. The bill would require CalOES to also submit a copy of the quarterly reports to, among other specified entities, the chairs of the budget committees and emergency management committees of both houses of the Legislature, as specified. (15) Existing law establishes the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation in the Governor's office for the purpose of serving the Governor and the Governor's cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research and constituting the comprehensive state planning agency. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires each county and each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its boundaries, that includes, among other specified mandatory elements, a housing element. That law requires the planning agency of a city or county to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to the legislative body, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, and the Department of Housing and Community Development that includes, among other specified information, the agency's progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs and the number of units approved and disapproved in the prior year. This bill would require the remaining portion of the annual report, not required pursuant to specified provisions related to meeting regional housing needs, to be prepared through the use of standards, forms, and definitions adopted by the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, as prescribed. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (16) Existing law authorizes any public entity to adopt methods and procedures to receive bids on public works or other contracts and supporting materials submitted over the internet. Existing law defines "supporting materials" for purposes of those provisions to include payment requests, shop drawings, schedules, notices of claims, and certified payrolls. This bill would expand the authority of a public entity to adopt methods and procedures to receive supporting materials to include those supporting materials submitted pursuant to a contract other than a public works contract. The bill would also expand the definition of "supporting materials" to include resumes, references, licenses, specifications, certifications, and applications. The bill would authorize the Department of General Services to develop, implement, and maintain secure electronic procurement platforms for use by public entities. The bill would require posting solicitations and receiving bids through an electronic procurement platform to satisfy all statutory requirements for public advertising, bid submission, and document retention, and would require an electronic procurement platform to comply with specified requirements, including maintaining automated audit trails. The bill would authorize bid openings to be conducted electronically. (17) Existing law, the Iran Contracting Act of 2010, generally makes a person engaged in investment activities in the energy sector of Iran, as specified, ineligible for a public contract for goods or services of $1,000,000 or more. In this regard, the act requires the Department of General Services to create a list of persons it determines engages in those investment activities, as specified. The act requires a public entity to require a person that submits a bid or proposal to a public entity with respect to a covered contract to certify that they are not identified on that list. Existing law requires a state agency to submit the certification information to the department. This bill would delete the requirement that a state agency submit the certification information to the department. (18) Existing law generally requires all public contracts for the acquisition or lease of goods in an amount of $25,000, or a higher amount as established by the Department of General Services, to be made with the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications and requires public contracts to be made pursuant to specified competitive bidding procedures. This bill would make various technical changes relating to the physical submission of bids and the physical presence of bidders, including revising requirements referencing the physical presence of bidders and changing requirements for submitting sealed envelopes to sealed submissions. (19) Existing law requires a state agency to provide 24-hour notification prior to awarding a contract to a bidder who is not the lowest bidder, as specified. If, prior to making the award, a bidder who has submitted a bid files a protest with the Department of General Services against the awarding of the contract on the ground that they are the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications, existing law prohibits the contract from being awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or the department has made a final decision as to the action to be taken relative to the protest. This bill would make those provisions applicable only if the bidder has submitted a bid that is subject to protest. (20) Existing law establishes procedures for the procurement of information technology goods and services, and grants to the Department of General Services or the Department of Technology the final authority in the determination of information technology procurement procedures, depending on the type of acquisition or procurement. This bill would authorize software license contracts allowing the use of the software for a specified time period with recurring payments to be paid in advance subject to procedures, terms, and conditions, as specified, that the controlling department deems necessary to protect the state's interest. The bill would authorize a single payment for a lifetime license and would prohibit advance payments from exceeding 3 years. (21) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA requires the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (office) , formerly known as the Office of Planning and Research, to implement a public assistance and information program to ensure efficient and effective implementation of CEQA and that, among other things, establishes and maintains an online database for the collection, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of various documents prepared under CEQA. CEQA requires a lead agency to provide various environmental documents to the office in specified circumstances. This bill would authorize the office to include additional information in the online database, including, but not limited to, information related to planning, permitting, grants, and procurement, as provided. The bill would authorize the office to charge a fee upon the submission of documents pursuant to CEQA to the database for the reasonable costs incurred in implementing the provisions relating to the establishment and maintenance of the database. The bill would create the State Clearinghouse Administrative Fund in the State Treasury and require this fee money to be deposited into the account. These moneys would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be available to the office for implementation of the provisions relating to the establishment and maintenance of the database. (22) The California Constitution generally limits ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property, defined as the county assessor's valuation of real property as shown on the 1975–76 tax bill and, thereafter, the appraised value of the property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change in ownership occurs after the 1975 assessment, subject to an annual inflation adjustment not to exceed 2%. Existing property tax law authorizes, pursuant to constitutional authorization, on and after April 1, 2021, any person who is over 55 years of age, any severely and permanently disabled person, or a victim of wildfire or natural disaster who resides in property that is eligible for the homeowner's exemption or the disabled veteran's exemption to transfer the taxable value of that property to a replacement dwelling that is purchased or newly constructed as a principal residence within 2 years of the sale of the original property, as provided. Existing property tax law provides for the payment of taxes on the secured roll in 2 installments, which are due and payable on November 1 and February 1, respectively. Under existing property tax law, unpaid property taxes become delinquent, and subject to a delinquent penalty of 10%, as provided. Existing property tax law, after the 2nd installment becomes delinquent, requires the tax collector to collect a cost of $55, but no more than the actual cost, for preparing the delinquent tax records and giving notice of delinquency and to prepare a delinquent roll, as provided. Under existing property tax law, the taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs on certain real property that have not been paid are declared to be in default at 12:01 a.m. on July 1. Until January 1, 2026, former property tax law required, except as provided, payment of property taxes for a property to be deferred, without penalty or interest, if the property owner has claimed the property tax relief described above, but the county assessor has not completed its determination of the property's eligibility for that relief, and the person requested deferment with the county assessor within one calendar year, but before January 1, 2024, of receiving the first tax bill for the property. Existing property tax law requires a disclosure to be printed on each tax bill for properties that have been purchased, newly constructed, or changed ownership in the year preceding the tax bill and requires the disclosure to include information regarding the property tax relief and deferment procedures described above. Existing property tax law requires counties with a population of over 4,000,000, as specified, to comply with these disclosure requirements. This bill would repeal the above-described disclosure requirements. (23) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Rand Corporation. (24) The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. (25) 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. (26) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

(1) Existing law establishes the State Department of Developmental Services and sets forth its powers and duties, including, but not limited to, the administration of state developmental centers, community facilities, and acute crisis homes to provide care to persons with developmental disabilities, as specified. This bill would authorize the department to make direct care purchases in individual amounts of less than $10,000 commencing with the 2026–27 fiscal year, as specified, for facilities operated by the department, and would require the department to establish and maintain a written policy and procedures manual to guide the implementation of these provisions. The bill would define "direct care purchases" to mean a good or service necessary for an individual's health, safety, or continuity of care, as specified. (2) Existing law places various requirements on the department to report specified information to the Legislature, including reports on how the department will provide access to crisis services after the closure of a developmental center, the use of the department's employees in providing services in the community to assist in meeting the goal of successfully transitioning developmental center residents to community living, best practices for regional center administrative management and purchase of services, and the estimated amount of General Fund expenditures used to backfill federal funding as a result of the decertification of intermediate care facility units at the Sonoma Developmental Center. This bill would remove those and other obsolete reporting requirements on the department. (3) Existing law authorizes family home agencies to offer services and supports in family homes or family teaching homes, as defined. Existing law requires the department to promulgate regulations for family home agencies, family teaching homes, and family homes that include standards and requirements related to, among other things, rates of payment for family home agencies and approved family home providers. This bill would authorize the department to establish a distinct service code and rate model for the family teaching home that is separate from the service code and rate model for the family home agency and that considers costs for housing, staffing, and census. If established by the department, the bill would require family home agencies that provide family teaching homes to use the service code and rate model for those family teaching homes. (4) Existing federal law, known as Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, generally provides funding for states for the purpose of operating a comprehensive statewide program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, from birth through 2 years of age, and their families. Part B of that federal act generally provides funding to states to provide public education available to children with disabilities from 3 to 5 years of age, inclusive. Existing state law, the California Early Intervention Services Act, provides a statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered, multidisciplinary, and interagency programs that are responsible for providing appropriate early intervention services and supports to all eligible infants and toddlers and their families. Existing law requires the State Department of Developmental Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to plan, develop, implement, and monitor the statewide system of early intervention services, as specified. Existing law requires the department to serve as the lead agency responsible for the administration and coordination of the statewide system and makes the department responsible for various duties, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to be responsible for administering services and programs for infants with solely visual, hearing, and severe orthopedic impairments, as specified. Under existing law, direct services for eligible infants and toddlers and their families are provided by regional centers and local educational agencies. Existing law requires the department and the State Department of Education to require regional centers and local educational agencies to designate a main point of contact for coordinating and completing the transition of child and family from Part C to Part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to allocate funds to support family resource services, including, but not limited to, parent-to-parent support, information dissemination and referral, public awareness, family-professional collaboration activities, and transition assistance for families. This bill would require the State Department of Education to enter into an interagency agreement with the State Department of Developmental Services to facilitate a seamless transition between services in Part C and under Part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and to collaborate with the State Department of Developmental Services as they develop and disseminate written directives for transition practices between those parts. The bill would revise and recast related provisions regarding local educational agencies and regional centers. The bill would authorize the department to, among other things, issue directives to local educational agencies and regional centers until regulations are adopted and would require the directives to be issued no later than June 30, 2029, as a condition to receive federal Part C grant funds. The bill would require regional centers to assess toddlers who qualify for early intervention services and are transitioning to or may be eligible for a state preschool program, as specified. (5) Existing law establishes the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) , which provides individuals with disabilities with the tools to, among other things, maximize employment, independence, and economic and social self-sufficiency in the mainstream of society. Existing law designates DOR as the sole state agency with full power to supervise every phase of the administration of the state plan for vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services (the department) to contract with regional centers to provide services and support to individuals with developmental disabilities. Existing law requires a regional center consumer to be referred to a provider of habilitation services if they are determined to be in need of habilitation services, which is defined to mean community-based services purchased or provided for adults with developmental disabilities, including services provided under the Work Activity Program and the Supported Employment Program, to prepare and maintain them at their highest level of vocational functioning, or to prepare them for referral to vocational rehabilitation services. Existing law authorizes a regional center to vendor a new work activity or supported employment program after determining the capacity of the program to deliver effective services and assessing the ability of the program to comply with the requirements of CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Existing law requires a regional center to monitor, evaluate, and audit habilitation services providers for program effectiveness using performance criteria that include, among other things, compliance with applicable CARF standards. This bill would remove the requirement for a work activity program or supported employment program to comply with the requirements of CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and would instead require a regional center to monitor, evaluate, and audit habilitation services providers for program effectiveness using, among other things, service standards established by the department. The bill would also require the department and DOR to develop an interagency agreement, with respect to the delivery of habilitation services and vocational rehabilitation programs, to create an integrated employment services system between DOR and regional centers, with the goals of having each individual experience uninterrupted services, minimized handoffs, and fewer barriers, and increase timely access to employment, as specified. The bill would, beginning December 1, 2026, require the department to semiannually report milestones on the development of the integrated employment services system on the department's internet website until the integrated employment services system is developed. The bill would also make related technical, nonsubstantive changes. Under existing law, the services and supports to be provided to a regional center consumer are contained in an individual program plan (IPP) , developed in accordance with prescribed requirements. Existing law requires the department to establish and implement a statewide Self-Determination Program, as defined, that is available in every regional center catchment area to provide participants and their families, within an individual budget, increased flexibility and choice and greater control over decisions, resources, and needed and desired services and supports to implement their IPP. This bill would authorize individuals and families to voluntarily choose to receive specified services remotely until December 31, 2028, if remotely receiving those services or supports would effectively meet the needs identified through the planning team process. The bill would require providers to document the remote services each individual receives on a monthly basis. The bill would require the department to include specified information regarding remote services in quarterly updates to the Legislature beginning in March 2027, and to report to the Legislature no later than February 1, 2028, survey results regarding specified information about remote services. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions by means of written directives or similar instructions. Existing law authorizes a consumer to choose a tailored day service or vouchered community-based training service, in lieu of, or in conjunction with, any other regional center vendored day program, look-alike day program, supported employment program, or work activity program. Existing law prohibits tailored day services from being delivered on the same day as any other regional center vendored day program, look-alike day program, supported employment program, or work activity program, unless certain conditions are met. This bill would authorize tailored day services to be delivered on the same day as supported employment individual placement services. Existing law prescribes the process for allocating specific federal financial participation funds, first by offsetting the costs to the department for the required criminal background check and other administrative costs and then authorizing the remaining funds be used by the department, in consultation with stake holders, to prioritize the use of funds to meet the needs of participants, including costs associated with independent facilitators, development of the participant's initial individual budget, and regional center operations. Existing law requires the establishment of local and statewide advisory committees to ensure the effective implementation of the program. This bill would restrict the allocation of those federal financial participation funds to offsetting the costs to the department for the required criminal background check and other administrative costs, inclusive of support for the Statewide Self-Determination Advisory Committee. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2030, require that up to $1,000,000 of specified reappropriated funds be made available to the department to meet the needs of participants, including costs associated with local community resource fairs and the development and delivery of standardized statewide training. Beginning on July 1, 2030, and subject to an appropriation of at least $1,000,000 for these purposes, the bill would require that those funds be made available to the department for those same activities. (6) The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act authorizes regional centers to contract with agencies or individuals, also known as vendors, to assist consumers in securing their own homes and to provide consumers with the supports needed to live in their own homes, and lists the range of supported living services and supports to include, among other things, assistance in finding, modifying and maintaining a home and recruiting, training, and hiring individuals to provide personal care and other assistance. Existing law requires the contracts to include a provision requiring each regional center to render services in accordance with applicable state laws and regulations. This bill would, notwithstanding any other law, require that hourly workers employed by a regional center vendor providing supported living services, as those terms are defined, be compensated for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek at a rate of 112 times the employee's regular rate of pay. The bill would require department-approved performance measures, as specified, to be incorporated into contracts between the state and regional centers, and would require the department to give consideration to the availability of regional center operations funding when establishing and revising these measures. The bill would also require the contracts to include a provision requiring each regional center to render services in accordance with applicable provisions of federal law and written directives from the department. This bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to modernize the department's financial and case management information technology systems for use by regional centers through the development and implementation of the Life Outcomes Improvement System (LOIS) , and would require LOIS to serve as the system used by all regional centers to improve the user experience, promote access, and manage eligibility and services for individuals and families who are applying for or receiving regional center services. The bill would prescribe requirements for regional centers to prepare for and assist the transition from their existing information technology systems to LOIS, as specified, and upon readiness of LOIS for implementation, would require each regional center to discontinue the use of all other case management and financial technology systems. The bill would also require the department to submit quarterly written updates to both the relevant budget subcommittees and policy committees of each house of the Legislature, as well as the Legislative Analyst's Office, on the planning for LOIS, and to submit to the Legislature a copy of the Post Implementation Evaluation Report for LOIS, as specified. (7) The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act requires a regional center to post specified information on its internet website, and update the information no less frequently than once every 6 months, until the department determines that there is statewide compliance with the federal Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Final Rule, or January 1, 2025, whichever occurs first. This bill would require the department, beginning July 1, 2026, to post that information on its internet website and update the information no less frequently than every 6 months to monitor compliance with the HCBS Final Rule. Existing law provides that a consumer, or any representative acting on behalf of a consumer or consumers, who believes that a right to which a consumer is entitled has been abused, punitively withheld, or improperly or unreasonably denied by a regional center, state-operated facility, or service provider, may pursue a complaint and establishes a procedure for processing of those complaints. Pursuant to that procedure, existing law requires the initial referral of a complaint to be made to the director of the regional center, or the director of the state-operated facility, as applicable, and requires the complaint to be investigated and a proposed resolution sent within 20 working days of receiving the complaint. Existing law authorizes, if the complainant is not satisfied with the proposed resolution, the complainant to refer the complaint, in writing, to the Director of Developmental Services, who is required to issue a written administrative decision on the complaint within 45 days of its receipt. This bill would make that procedure applicable only to complaints filed before February 1, 2027, and would establish a new procedure to apply to grievances filed on or after February 1, 2027. The bill would require, under that new procedure, grievances to be filed with the department and the department to, among other things, refer the grievance to the applicable regional center or state-operated facility. The bill would require the grievance to be reviewed within 5 days and would require the grievant to be given an opportunity to present evidence, information, or testimony and make legal and factual arguments related to their grievance. The bill would require the grievance reviewer to send, produce, and sign a resolution plan within 60 days of the date that the grievance was referred by the department, subject to extension, as specified. The bill would authorize the grievant to request a review of the resolution plan by the department, and would require the department to make a determination on it within 21 days. The bill would require the department to review a sample of resolution plans and annually post the deidentified results of that review, as well as certain additional information related to grievances, on its internet website. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions by means of written directives or similar instructions. The bill would require the department to convene stakeholders and legislative staff by August 1, 2027, to receive input and feedback regarding implementation of these provisions, and to submit a report to the Legislature on the implementation of these provisions no later than December 1, 2027. (8) Existing law requires the State Department of Developmental Services on or before March 1, 2019, to submit a rate study to specified committees of the Legislature regarding community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Existing law requires the department to implement rate increases between April 1, 2022, and July 1, 2025, to raise service providers' rates based on a formula that takes into account the fully funded rate reflected in the rate models that were included in the rate study. Existing law requires the department, commencing on July 1, 2025, and every other year thereafter, subject to appropriation and the approval of federal funds, to review and update the rate models, as defined, per the cost inputs available at the time of the review. Existing law requires, in conjunction with the rate reform, the department to implement a quality incentive program that includes the development of a quality incentive payment structure for providers meeting quality measures or benchmarks, or both. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations by no later than June 30, 2028. This bill would exempt, operative through December 31, 2030, contracts and contract amendments to procure services necessary to implement the provisions above from the requirements of the Public Contract Code, the State Administrative Manual, and from approval by the Department of General Services. The bill would instead require the department to adopt regulations by no later than December 31, 2030. This bill would require the department to continue and enhance robust ongoing technical assistance, training, and operational guidance to service providers and to use the data collected through the quality incentive program to understand and address provider capacity needs in the system and inform and develop the infrastructure necessary to track and achieve quality outcomes. The bill would also require the department to evaluate the reasons why some providers have been unable to access the quality incentive rate increment in the 2026–27 fiscal year and require the department and regional centers to support service providers with meeting the qualifying prerequisites to maximize access to the quality incentive rate increment in the 2027–28 fiscal year and ongoing, as specified. (9) Existing law requires that all contracts entered into by a state agency for the acquisition of goods, services, construction, or performance of work or services by the state agency for or in cooperation with any person or public body, be approved by the Department of General Services, except as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Developmental Services to issue and adjust funding allocations to the regional centers, and would specify that those funding allocations and adjustments may be done, at the department's discretion, by letter, contract, or contract amendment, and require that those funding allocations be consistent with, and subject to, funding appropriated in the annual Budget Act. The bill would also make those funding allocations and adjustments exempt from the Public Contract Code and the State Contracting Manual and not subject to the approval of the Department of General Services. (10) Existing law states legislative intent to provide consistency and uniformity and promote equity within the administrative practices and services of regional centers. Under existing law, the services and supports to be provided to a regional center consumer are contained in an individual program plan, developed in accordance with prescribed requirements. Existing law requires regional centers to perform specified functions, including securing needed services and supports for an individual to implement their individual program plan, including pursuant to a vendorization or a contract. The bill would require, no later than March 1, 2028, the department, in consultation with stakeholders, to issue guidance to regional centers on maintaining necessary quality assurance oversight of service providers, special incident reporting, provider directory structure, and rate controls while removing barriers to statewide accessibility of services. The bill would require service providers to give preference to providing services to individuals served by the service provider's initially vendorizing regional center. Under this bill, effective January 1, 2027, a vendor would not be required to maintain a physical location within a regional center's service area unless a physical location is required for the delivery of services. The bill would authorize the department to repeal or amend any regulations necessary to implement this provision. (11) Existing law limits the state's authority to contract only with agencies whose governing boards meet certain requirements, including the backgrounds of members of the board. Existing law requires no less than 50% of the members of the governing board to be persons with developmental disabilities or their parents or legal guardians and no less than 25% of the members of the governing board to be persons with developmental disabilities. The bill would limit the state's authority to contract only with agencies whose governing boards meet, no later than January 1, 2028, additional requirements, including, among other things, that the board be composed of no more than 17 individuals with specified expertise, including California law, management, board governance, fiscal or financial, and developmental disability programs. The bill would require the board to complete trainings in specified subject areas, to appoint an advisory group, as specified, and to review the performance of the regional center executive director on an annual basis. Existing law requires the governing board of each regional center to adopt and maintain a written policy requiring the board to review and approve any regional center contract of $250,000 or more before entering into the contract. The bill, until July 1, 2030, would subject contracts of $350,000 or more to approval by the governing board of each regional center. The bill would increase this amount to $450,000 as of July 1, 2030, and would increase this amount by $50,000 every 5 years thereafter. The bill would exempt purchase of service authorizations from this requirement. Existing law prohibits an attorney retained or employed by the governing board of a regional center from being an employee of the regional center to ensure the delivery of independent legal advice. The bill would instead require, by no later than July 1, 2027, the governing board of a regional center to retain or employ an attorney to provide general legal advice and counsel. The bill would require the attorney to have at least 5 years of specified legal experience. The bill would require the attorney to be present at all regional center board meetings and executive committee meetings where final decisions are made, except as specified. (12) Existing law authorizes the department to directly operate a regional center during the interim period between the termination of its contract with one governing board and the assumption of operating responsibility by a regional center contract with another governing board. Existing law prohibits the department from directly operating a regional center program for longer than 120 days before contracting with a new governing board. The bill would remove the prohibition on the department from directly operating a regional center program for longer than 120 days before contracting with a new governing board. The bill would also authorize the department to operate a regional center during the interim period between governing boards through contract. The bill would require the department to notify the Joint Legislative Budget Committee every 6 months, as specified, until the transition to the new governing board is complete. (13) The Budget Acts of 2023, 2024, and 2025 made appropriations related to Local Volunteer Advisory Committees. This bill would reappropriate those funds and extend the period in which the reappropriated funds may be encumbered until June 30, 2030. (14) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

(1) Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation with the Department of Industrial Relations, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Existing law provides that the administrative director shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Existing law sets, among others, the director's annual salary at $81,635 and provides for general salary increases, as specified. This bill would remove the director from the above-described compensation structure. (2) The Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) creates the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) for the purpose of providing pensions and benefits to state employees and their beneficiaries and prescribes the rights and duties of employers participating in the system. Under PERL, benefits are funded by investment income and employer and employee contributions, which are deposited into the Public Employees' Retirement Fund, a continuously appropriated trust fund administered by the system's board of administration. PERL prescribes methods for the calculation and payment of the state employer contribution for its employees who are PERS members. PERL provides for an annual adjustment of the state's contribution in the budget and quarterly appropriations to the Public Employees' Retirement Fund from the General Fund and other funds that are responsible for payment of the employer contribution. Existing law makes additional General Fund appropriations to the Public Employees' Retirement Fund for the 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26 fiscal years. Supplemental payments connected with appropriations for those fiscal years are to be apportioned to the state employee member categories generally, as directed by the Department of Finance, and to specified state employee member categories, including to the state miscellaneous member category, the industrial member category, the state safety member category, and the state peace officer/firefighter member category. The California Constitution establishes the Budget Stabilization Account in the General Fund and requires the Controller, in each fiscal year, to transfer from the General Fund to the Budget Stabilization Account amounts that include a sum equal to 1.5% of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. These provisions further require, until the 2029–30 fiscal year, that the Legislature appropriate a percentage of these moneys, the amount of which is generated pursuant to specified calculations, for certain obligations and purposes, including addressing unfunded liabilities for state-level pension plans. This bill would appropriate $3,018,000,000 from the General Fund for the purposes identified in the constitutional provisions described above, to supplement the state's appropriation to the Public Employees' Retirement Fund. The bill would specify that this appropriation represents a portion of the amount identified in a specific provision of the Budget Act of 2026. The bill would require the Department of Finance to provide the Controller with a schedule establishing the timing of specific transfers. The bill would require the supplemental payment to the Public Employees' Retirement Fund to be apportioned to specified state employee member categories, not to exceed $1,434,683,000 to the state miscellaneous member category, $83,555,000 to the state industrial member category, $174,232,000 to the state safety member category, and $1,325,530,000 to the state peace officer/firefighter member category. The bill would require the appropriation described above to be applied to the unfunded state liabilities for the state employee member categories that are in excess of the base amounts for the 2026–27 fiscal year. (3) Existing law requires all employers, as defined, to secure payment of that compensation either by being insured against liability to pay compensation or by securing a certificate to self-insure from the Director of Industrial Relations. Existing law requires that separate assessments and surcharges be charged on all employers and deposited in specified funds for expenditure by the Department of Industrial Relations for purposes relating to workers' compensation, occupational safety and health, and enforcement activities. Existing law imposes various penalties and remedies against employers who fail to secure payment of compensation. Existing law authorizes the director to additionally order a civil penalty for specified violations, including failure to timely or completely pay an assessment, the lesser of the amount of the assessment or $2,500. This bill would require that surcharges and assessments be paid by electronic funds transfer, as defined, and would impose a 10% penalty on untimely or unpaid amounts of the above-described surcharges and assessments and for failure to pay by electronic funds transfer. The bill would require that these penalties be deposited in the Workers' Compensation Administration Revolving Fund, as specified. (4) Existing law imposes a 5-year statute of limitations by which to bring a workers' compensation proceeding. Existing law also establishes the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund, a continuously appropriated fund. Under existing law, if a permanently, partially disabled employee receives a subsequent compensable injury resulting in additional permanent disability, that employee receives compensation from the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund. Existing law requires, when applicable, the additional permanent disability resulting from the subsequent injury to be equal to 35% or more of total, when considered alone and without regard to, or adjustment for, the occupation or the age of the employee. Existing case law requires the prior injury to be "labor disabling" and describes that term to mean an injury that could support an award, if industrially caused, but has not required that disability be demonstrated in loss of earnings. This bill would define "labor disabling" to mean specified impairments that resulted in loss of earnings, interfered with an employee's work in the occupation in which they were employed, or otherwise had a demonstrable impact on the employee's ability to perform work. The bill would clarify that an employee has 5 years from the date of the subsequent compensable injury or 6 months from the resolution of the issue of permanent disability in the subsequent injury claim, whichever is later, to file a claim for benefits from the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund. The bill would additionally exclude any adjustment for future earning capacity or a specified adjustment factor when determining whether an employee qualifies for these additional benefits. The bill would also codify existing standards for determining eligibility for compensation from the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund and for calculating the amount of that compensation. To the extent this bill would change the eligibility requirements and calculation for payments made from the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would require, for purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of an award of benefits from the Subsequent Injuries Benefit Trust Fund, the existence of the preexisting disability at the time of the subsequent compensable injury to be determined by substantial evidence based on prior medical records, prior testimony, and other prior evidence in existence prior to the subsequent compensable injury. The bill would make conforming changes. This bill would exempt claims with a certain procedural status on or before June 1, 2026, or filed on or before July 1, 2020, from the above-described changes.This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2031, and would repeal it as of January 1, 2032. (5) Existing law requires the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board to fix and award the amounts of special additional compensation to be paid and to direct the State Compensation Insurance Fund to pay the additional compensation awarded. Existing law authorizes the additional compensation to be paid only from funds appropriated for these purposes. Existing law authorizes the State Compensation Insurance Fund to reimburse itself for specified costs from this appropriation. This bill would replace the State Compensation Insurance Fund with the Director of Industrial Relations, as trustee of the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund, as the entity to pay the additional compensation awarded by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. The bill would delete the State Compensation Insurance Fund's authorization to reimburse itself for specified costs. (6) Existing law requires certain workers' compensation proceedings to be instituted before the appeals board and vests the appeals board with sole power, authority, and jurisdiction to finally determined specified matters before it. Existing law authorizes a petitioner, under specified circumstances, to petition the appeals board for reconsideration of any matters determined by the final order, decision, or award. Existing law, until July 1, 2026, provides that a petition for reconsideration is deemed denied by the board unless it is acted upon 60 days from the date the petition is transmitted to the board. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2026, provides that a petition is deemed denied unless it is acted upon within 60 days from the date of filing. This bill would extend the above-described petition provisions indefinitely and would repeal the provisions effective July 1, 2026. (7) Existing law establishes the California Workforce Development Board as the body responsible for assisting the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. Existing law, as part of its responsibilities, requires the board to administer several grant programs through various initiatives, including funding preapprenticeship programs through the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account, the Breaking Barriers to Employment Initiative, and the Prison to Employment program. Existing law requires the board to submit reports to the Legislature relating to each of the grant programs they administer. This bill would align the reporting requirement timelines relating to the above-referenced grant programs, including requiring the California Workforce Development Board to produce and submit a report to the Legislature evaluating those grant programs by October 1 of every odd-numbered year, as provided. The bill would also establish new reporting requirements for the Breaking Barriers to Employment Initiative and the Prison to Employment program if additional grant funds are appropriated for the purpose of those programs, as provided. (8) This bill would appropriate $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Finance for administrative costs, as specified, thereby making an appropriation. (9) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

(1) Existing law, the Senior Citizens Manufactured Home Property Tax Postponement Law (manufactured home law) , authorizes a claimant, as defined, to file with the Controller a claim for postponement of a sum equal to but not exceeding the amount of property taxes for the fiscal year for which the claim is made. Existing law also establishes the Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement Fund and continuously appropriates moneys in that fund to the Controller for specified purposes relating to the postponement of property taxes pursuant to specified law, including the manufactured home law. Existing law requires the Controller, on June 30, 2018, and June 30 of each year thereafter, to transfer any moneys in the fund in excess of $15,000,000 to the General Fund and further requires that, on July 1, 2019, and July 1 of each year thereafter, up to 1% of the amount available in the fund be available for disbursements for manufactured home property tax postponements under the manufactured home law. This bill, beginning July 1, 2026, would increase the amount available on July 1 of each year for manufactured home property tax postponement disbursements from the above-described fund to $300,000. By increasing the limit to the amounts available for disbursement from the Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement Fund for property tax postponements under the manufactured home law, the bill would make an appropriation. (2) The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow a credit (CalCompetes tax credit) against the taxes imposed under those laws, for each taxable year beginning on and after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2030, in an amount as provided in a written agreement between the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and the taxpayer, approved by the California Competes Tax Credit Committee, and based on specified factors, including the number of jobs the taxpayer will create or retain in the state and the amount of investment in the state by the taxpayer. This bill would extend the CalCompetes tax credit through taxable years beginning before January 1, 2035. The bill would also make conforming changes. (3) Existing law, the Personal Income Tax Law, generally conforms to federal tax law through January 1, 2025, including conforming to federal law in its treatment of deferred compensation, except as otherwise provided. Existing federal law, Public Law 119-21, enacted July 4, 2025, provides for a tax-deferred investment account for children known as a 530A account. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, would generally conform to federal law in its treatment of 530A accounts, except as specified. (4) The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income. Public Law 119-21 provides for gross income exclusions for employer contributions and qualified general contributions to a 530A account, as specified. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, would conform to those gross income exclusions for purposes of the Personal Income Tax Law. (5) Existing federal and state law provide for the creation of ABLE accounts for the purpose of meeting the qualified disability expenses of a beneficiary and exclude these accounts from gross income. Existing federal and state law limit contributions to ABLE accounts to those made in cash, as a change in designated beneficiary, or as a qualified rollover contribution. Public Law 119-21 includes within those qualified rollover contributions specified rollover contributions from a 530A account. Existing law imposes limits on the amount of contributions that can be made to an ABLE Account and requires an ABLE program to provide adequate safeguards to prevent contributions in excess of that limit. Public Law 119-21 exempts from that requirement qualified rollover contributions from a 530A account. The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, generally conform to federal law relating to qualified ABLE programs prior to Public Law 119-21. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, would conform to the above-described changes to qualified ABLE programs relating to 530A accounts made by Public Law 119-21 for purposes of the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law. The bill would also make conforming changes relating to the requirements for making contributions to an ABLE account. (6) Existing law imposes an annual minimum franchise tax of $800, except as provided, on every corporation incorporated in this state, qualified to transact intrastate business in this state, or doing business in this state, and an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax, except as provided, on every limited partnership, limited liability partnership, and limited liability company doing business in this state, as specified. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2030, would reduce the amount of the annual tax imposed on a limited liability company doing business in this state from $800 to $400 for the company's first taxable year. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.

The Insurance Rate Reduction and Reform Act of 1988, an initiative measure enacted by Proposition 103, as approved by the voters at the November 8, 1988, statewide general election, prohibits specified insurance rates from being approved or remaining in effect that are excessive, inadequate, unfairly discriminatory, or otherwise in violation of the act. Under the act, rates and premiums for automobile insurance are determined based on specified factors, including the insured's driving safety record. Existing law authorizes the provisions of Proposition 103 to be amended by a statute that furthers the purposes of the act and is enacted by the Legislature with a 23 vote. This bill, the Consumer Driving Data Protection Act of 2026, would authorize a consumer to opt to use telematics to establish their driving record, thus amending Proposition 103. The bill would prohibit the use of telematics data for a purpose other than rating private passenger automobile insurance. The bill would require a rate application under which telematics would be used to establish an insured's driving record to include specified materials related to the insurer's telematics program. This bill would prohibit an insurer that uses telematics from taking specified actions, including conditioning eligibility for a discount upon participation in a telematics program, unless the discount is approved by the commissioner. The bill would also set forth written consent and privacy requirements for the collection and use of telematics data. The bill would authorize the commissioner to impose specified penalties for violations of the bill's provisions, including civil penalties and suspension of an insurer's telematics program. This bill would require an insurance provider or third-party vendor to take specified actions with respect to the telematics data, including immediately deleting the data once a rating has been assigned to the consumer and obtaining an express written or electronic signature of a consumer on a notice meeting specified conditions. The bill would additionally prohibit an insurance provider or third-party vendor from keeping the telematics data for longer than 6 months and collecting audio or visual recordings of the occupants of the vehicle or persons outside the vehicle, among other specified prohibitions. The bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes of Proposition 103. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

(1) The California Fire Service Training Act establishes the California Fire Service Training and Education Program in the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal, with policy guidance and advice from the State Board of Fire Services, to carry out the management of the program, including offering courses of study. Existing law separately establishes the California Fire and Arson Training Act, under which the State Fire Marshal is required to establish and validate recommended minimum standards for fire protection personnel and fire protection instructors, develop course curricula for arson, fire technology, and apprenticeship training, and develop, validate, update, copyright, and maintain security over a complete series of promotional examinations for fire protection personnel. Existing law authorizes the State Fire Marshal to establish and collect admission fees and other fees that may be necessary to be charged for seminars, conferences, and specialized training given pursuant to the California Fire and Arson Training Act, and for the implementation of the California Fire and Arson Training Act, only to the extent that state appropriations and other funding sources are insufficient to cover the necessary costs of those seminars, conferences, specialized training, and implementation. Existing law requires the admission fees and other fees collected to be paid into the California Fire and Arson Training Fund. This bill would instead authorize the State Fire Marshal to establish and collect those admission fees and other fees only to the extent that state appropriations from funding sources other than the fund are insufficient to cover the necessary costs of those seminars, conferences, and specialized training. (2) Existing hazardous waste control laws require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to regulate the handling and management of hazardous waste and hazardous materials. A violation of the hazardous waste control laws is a crime. Existing law authorizes the department and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) to continue to administer and collect a fee that was due and payable on or before June 30, 2022, for the disposal of hazardous waste that was disposed of on or before June 30, 2022. This bill would authorize the department and CDTFA to continue to administer and collect the fee if it was due and payable on or before September 30, 2022, rather than on or before June 30, 2022. Because the failure to pay the generation and handling fee would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The Hazardous Substances Tax Law requires a generator of hazardous waste to pay to CDTFA a generation and handling fee for each generator site, as defined, that generates hazardous waste, as specified. Existing law imposes a different generation and handling fee for specified projects. This bill would make various changes to the Hazardous Substances Tax Law, including, among other things, specifying that provisions that apply to the returns and payments of the generation and handling fee also apply to the above-described generation and handling fee for specified projects. Existing law imposes a penalty on a feepayer who willfully or knowingly provides incorrect information or withholds information that results in a deficient payment or nonpayment as determined by CDTFA. Existing law requires penalty determinations to be served within 3 years of the date the return was due or filed, as specified, except as specified. This bill would specify that the above-described penalty determination is based upon a preponderance of the evidence and would create a new exception to the 3-year deadline for willfully or knowingly providing incorrect information or withholding information. Existing law generally limits refunds for overpayments after 3 years, as specified. Existing law makes an exception to that limit for refunds of a facility fee if the taxpayer has paid or is being assessed a disposal or generation and handling fee for the same period and site, or vise versa. This bill would remove from that exception refunds of, or payment or assessment of, a disposal fee. By expanding the scope of the Hazardous Substances Tax Law, the violation of which is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act requires a distributor of beverage containers to pay to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery a redemption payment for every beverage container sold or offered for sale, as provided. The act requires the department to deposit those amounts into the California Beverage Container Recycling Fund. The act continuously appropriates the fund to the department for specified purposes, including, among others, to pay refund values, administrative fees, and processing payments associated with the collection and recycling of empty beverage containers. Until July, 1, 2027, the act authorizes the department to pay a market development payment not exceeding $150 per ton to a reclaimer for empty plastic beverage containers and to a product manufacturer for plastic flake, pellet, sheet, or other form of plastic purchased from a reclaimer, as provided. The act requires the department, in setting the amount of the market development payment, to consider the minimum funding level needed to encourage in-state washing and processing of, and manufacturing that uses processed plastic from, empty plastic beverage containers, as provided. The act also requires the department to consider the projected availability of funds for plastic market development payments and the desire to maintain the minimum funding level needed throughout the year. This bill would authorize the department to make these market development payments at a level not exceeding $250 per ton and extend the authorization to make market development payments until July 1, 2029. In setting the amount of the market development payment, the bill would require the department to consider incentive payments to encourage in-state washing and processing of, and manufacturing for a circular economy that uses processed plastic from, empty plastic beverage containers. The bill would also require the department to consider market conditions and pricing related to certain plastics, the quality of, and types of products manufactured from, plastic, and the overall benefit to the beverage container recycling program and advancing circularity in the state. The bill would require the department to determine eligibility for a market development payment based on market conditions. The bill would require a reclaimer or manufacturer to report to the department specified information to be eligible for a market development payment. The bill would require the department to aggregate and publish the reported information on its internet website. The bill would require the department to publish a report on its internet website regarding proposed methodologies for the verification of recycled plastic, as specified. The act continuously appropriates moneys from the fund through the 2025–26 fiscal year to the department for these market development payments. This bill would continuously appropriate money from the fund through the 2028–29 fiscal year to the department for these market development payments, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to establish a grant program to support plastic reclaimers and manufacturers operating in California that invest in equipment, facility operations, or other infrastructure necessary to process postconsumer plastic beverage containers and manufacture products using recycled plastic feedstock, as specified. (5) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. (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. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.