Attorneys & law firms

Existing law specifies those types of orders and judgments from which an appeal may be taken, including, an order dismissing or denying a petition to compel arbitration. This bill would limit that basis from which an appeal may be taken to an order dismissing or denying a petition to compel arbitration if the party who opposed the petition to arbitrate is 65 years of age or older or a dependent adult, as defined. Hide

(1)Existing law establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of his or her employment. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to prohibit the use of risk factors and specified characteristics to deny an injured worker his or her rightful benefit when disabled in the workplace. The bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to prohibit the apportionment of risk factors and characteristics without prohibiting the apportionment of documentable preexisting nonindustrial causes of disability or holding an employer liable for any percentage of permanent disability not directly caused by an injury arising out of and occurring in the course of employment. (2)Existing law requires any physician who prepares a report addressing the issue of permanent disability due to a claimed industrial injury to address the issue of causation of the permanent disability, and requires that the report include an apportionment determination in order to be considered complete on the issue of permanent disability. Existing law requires a physician to make an apportionment determination by finding what approximate percentage of the permanent disability is caused by the direct result of injury arising out of and occurring in the course of employment and what approximate percentage is caused by other factors. This bill would prohibit the approximate percentage of the permanent disability caused by other factors from including consideration of race, religious creed, color, national origin, age, gender, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, or genetic characteristics. Hide

Existing law authorizes the plaintiff, in an action for the breach of an obligation not arising from contract, where it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant has been guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice, to recover damages for the sake of example and by way of punishing the defendant in addition to the actual damages.This bill would provide, in a case involving injury or harm allegedly caused by a product, that the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of the product shall not be guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice if, at the time of manufacture, distribution, or sale, the product, or the aspect, component, warning, or absence of warning contained in or accompanying the product that allegedly caused the injury or harm, was either approved by, or in material compliance with, a statute or the standards, rules, regulations, requirements, or specifications of, a federal or state agency responsible for regulating, evaluating, or approving the product, except as specified. Hide

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the state Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act define and regulate consumer credit reports and authorize the use of consumer credit reports for employment purposes, pursuant to specified requirements. The FCRA provides that it does not preempt state law, except as specifically provided or to the extent that state laws are inconsistent with its provisions. Existing federal and state law specify the procedures that an employer is required to follow before requesting a report and if adverse action is taken based on the report. Existing federal law provides that, subject to certain exceptions, an employer may not procure a report or cause one to be procured for employment purposes, unless prior disclosure of the procurement is made to the consumer and the consumer authorizes the procurement, as specified. Existing federal law further requires, subject to certain exceptions, an employer, before taking any adverse action based on the report, to provide the consumer with a copy of the report and a written description of certain rights of the consumer. Under existing state law, an employer may request a credit report for employment purposes so long as he or she provides prior written notice of the request to the person for whom the report is sought. Existing state law also requires that the written notice inform the person for whom the consumer credit report is sought that a report will be used and of the source of the report and contain space for the person to request a copy of the report. Existing state law further requires an employer, whenever he or she bases an adverse employment decision on information contained in a consumer credit report, to advise the person for whom the report was sought that an adverse action was taken based upon information contained in the report and provide the person with the name and address of the consumer credit agency making the report. A consumer who suffers damages resulting from a violation of these state law provisions may bring a court action to recover monetary damages, as specified, but no person is liable for the violation if he or she shows reasonable procedures were maintained to assure compliance with the provisions, as specified. This bill would prohibit an employer or prospective employer, with the exception of certain financial institutions, from obtaining a consumer credit report, as defined, for employment purposes unless the position of the person for whom the report is sought is (1) a position in the state Department of Justice, (2) a managerial position, as defined, (3) that of a sworn peace officer or other law enforcement position, (4) a position for which the information contained in the report is required by law to be disclosed or obtained, (5) a position that involves regular access to specified personal information for any purpose other than the routine solicitation and processing of credit card applications in a retail establishment, (6) a position in which the person is or would be a named signatory on the employer’s bank or credit card account, or authorized to transfer money or enter into financial contracts on the employer’s behalf, (7) a position that involves access to confidential or proprietary information, as specified, or (8) a position that involves regular access to $10,000 or more of cash, as specified. This bill would also require the written notice informing the person for whom a consumer credit report is sought for employment purposes to also inform the person of the specific reason for obtaining the report, as specified. Hide

Existing law specifies the judgments and orders from which an appeal may be taken to the court of appeal. Existing law also provides that, if the consent of any person who should have been joined as a plaintiff cannot be obtained, the person may be made a defendant. This bill would require an appellate court to permit an appeal from an order granting or denying class action certification to join a defendant pursuant to those provisions if the petition to appeal is filed within 14 days of entry of the order. Hide

Under existing law, the State Department of Public Health licenses and regulates hospitals, as defined. Violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires hospitals, not less than annually, to conduct a security and safety assessment and, using the assessment, develop a security plan with measures to protect personnel, patients, and visitors from aggressive or violent behavior. Existing law provides that the plan may include, but is not limited to, prescribed considerations. This bill would, instead, require the plan to include these considerations, as well as other considerations prescribed by the bill. It would also require the hospital to adopt specified security policies as part of the plan. The bill would also require the hospital to evaluate and treat an employee who is involved in a violent incident and to provide specified followup care. The bill would prohibit a hospital from prohibiting an employee from, or taking punitive or retaliatory action against an employee for, seeking assistance from local emergency services or law enforcement when a violent incident occurs. Under existing law, an act of assault that results in injury or involves the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon against on-duty hospital personnel is required to be reported to law enforcement within 72 hours of the occurrence of the incident. This bill would, instead, require reporting to law enforcement within 24 hours. This bill would also require a hospital to report incidents of assault or battery to the department, as specified. This bill would allow the imposition of a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $100 per day for each day that certain incidents are not reported, as prescribed. The bill would require the department to make an onsite inspection or investigation when it receives a report from a hospital that indicates an ongoing, urgent, or emergent threat of imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm to patient, personnel, or visitors. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature, as prescribed, beginning on January 1, 2014, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2018, certain information regarding incidents of violence at hospitals. Under existing law, all hospital employees who are regularly assigned to the emergency department are required to receive, on a continuing basis as provided by the security plan, specified training. This bill would require training to be provided annually, and would include in the required training hospital employees who provide direct care to patients.Because this bill expands the definition of a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, the Corrections Standards Authority is required to establish minimum standards for state and local correctional facilities. This bill would require the standards to include a safety and security plan to protect health care personnel who provide care to persons confined in state and local correctional facilities, 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. Hide

Existing law provides employees with the right to take time off work without discharge or discrimination for a number of reasons. This bill would prohibit an employer from refusing to grant a request by any employee to take up to 3 days of bereavement leave or to interfere with or restrain an employee from doing so. This bill would authorize an employee who has been discharged, disciplined, or discriminated against for exercising his or her right to bereavement leave to bring a civil action against his or her employer for reinstatement, specified damages, and attorney’s fees. The provisions of the bill would not apply to an employee who is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides for bereavement leave and other specified working conditions. Hide

Existing law, the California Finance Lenders Law, provides for the licensure and regulation by the Commissioner of Corporations of those engaged in making consumer loans, as defined, and makes a willful violation of its provisions a misdemeanor. Existing law places a cap on interest rates for consumer loans of less than $2,500. With respect to loans secured by a lien on a motor vehicle, existing law requires a licensee to give at least 15 days’ written notice of intent to dispose of a repossessed or surrendered motor vehicle to all persons liable on the loan, as specified. Existing law makes those persons liable for any deficiency after the vehicle is repossessed or surrendered if that notice is given within 60 days of repossession or surrender, except as specified.With respect to title loans, as defined, this bill would require a licensee to give at least 30 days’ written notice of intent to dispose of a repossessed or surrendered motor vehicle to all persons liable on the loan and would eliminate the liability of those persons when the borrower defaults and the lender disposes of the surrendered or repossessed motor vehicle. The bill would prohibit a licensee from making a title loan unless the licensee provides certain disclosures to the borrower and underwrites each loan to determine the borrower’s ability and willingness to repay the loan, as specified. The bill would also prohibit a licensee from structuring a title loan transaction as if it were a sale-leaseback of the vehicle. The bill would enact other provisions relative to title loans and would make a person who violates these provisions liable for a civil penalty of no more than $10,000 in addition to any other remedies prescribed by law.Because a willful violation of the bill’s provisions 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. Hide

Existing law provides that if a court finds that a person has, in bad faith, wrongfully taken, concealed, or disposed of property belonging to the estate of a decedent, conservatee, minor, or trust, the person is liable for twice the value of the property. This bill would also establish liability for a person who has taken, concealed, or disposed of property, as described above, by use of undue influence in bad faith or through the commission of elder or dependent adult financial abuse, as defined. Hide

Existing law provides that an injury of an employee arising out of and in the course of employment is generally compensable through the workers’ compensation system. Existing law provides that, in the case of certain public employees, the term “injury” includes heart trouble, hernia, pneumonia, human immunodeficiency virus, lower back impairment, and other injuries and diseases. This bill would provide, with respect to hospital employees who provide direct patient care in an acute care hospital, as defined, that the term “injury” includes a bloodborne infectious disease, as defined, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that develops or manifests itself during the period of the person’s employment with the hospital. This bill would further create a disputable presumption that the above injury arises out of and in the course of the person’s employment if it develops or manifests as specified. Hide

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. Under existing law, no change in premium rates or coverage in a health care service plan or a health insurance policy may become effective without prior written notification of the change to the contractholder or policyholder. Existing law prohibits a health care service plan or health insurer during the term of a group plan contract or policy from changing the rate of the premium, copayment, coinsurance, or deductible during specified time periods. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer that issues individual or group contracts or policies to file with the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance specified rate information at least 60 days prior to the effective date of any rate change. This bill would further require a health care service plan or health insurer that issues individual or group contracts or policies to file with the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance, on and after January 1, 2012, a complete rate application for any proposed rate, as defined, or rate change, and would prohibit the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance from approving any rate or rate change that is found to be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. The bill would require the rate application to include certain rate information. The bill would authorize the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance to approve, deny, or modify any proposed rate or rate change, and would authorize the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance to review any rate or rate change that went into effect between January 1, 2011, and January 1, 2012, and to order refunds, subject to these provisions. The bill would authorize the imposition of fees on health care service plans and health insurers for purposes of implementation, for deposit into newly created funds, subject to appropriation. The bill would impose civil penalties on a health care service plan or health insurer, and subject a health care service plan to discipline, for a violation of these provisions, as specified. The bill would establish proceedings for the review of any action taken under those provisions related to rate applications and would require the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance, and plans and insurers, to disclose specified information on the Internet pertaining to rate applications and those proceedings. The bill would require the Department of Managed Health Care or the Department of Insurance, or the court, to award reasonable advocate’s fees, including expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs in those proceedings under specified circumstances, to be paid by the plan or insurer. Because a willful violation of these provisions 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. Hide

Existing law requires various state agencies to administer programs relating to water supply, water quality, and flood management in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This bill would prohibit the construction of a peripheral canal, as defined, that conveys water from a diversion point in the Sacramento River to a location south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, unless expressly authorized by the Legislature. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to complete an economic feasibility analysis prior to the enactment of a statute authorizing the construction of a peripheral canal. The bill would prohibit the construction and operation of a peripheral canal from diminishing or negatively affecting the water supplies, water rights, or quality of water for water users within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed, or imposing any new burdens on infrastructure within, or financial burdens on persons residing in, the Delta or the Delta watershed. Hide

Existing law provides that a prevailing party is entitled as a matter of right to recover costs in any action or proceeding, and specifies those items allowable as costs. Existing law provides that costs, or any portion of claimed costs, shall be as determined by the court, in its discretion, in a case other than a limited civil case, if the prevailing party recovers a judgment that could have been rendered in a limited civil case. This bill would exempt from that latter provision an action brought under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Hide

Existing law governs contracts between vehicle rental companies and their customers. Existing law regulates an automobile renter’s liability for loss due to theft, a rental company’s loss of use, or damage or loss to a rental vehicle, a renter’s credit card liability, the submission of insurance claims, damage waivers and damage waiver fees, and the notice to a renter regarding financial responsibility and optional damage waivers. This bill would, until January 1, 2015, require a rental company or its registered agent to accept service of a summons and complaint and any other required documents against a renter who resides out of this country for an accident or collision resulting from the operation of the rental vehicle in this state, if the rental company provides liability insurance coverage as part of, or associated with, the rental agreement. The bill would require that any plaintiff who elects to serve the foreign renter by delivering the summons and complaint and any other required documents to the rental company pursuant to these provisions agree to limit his or her recovery against the renter and rental company to the limits of the protection of the liability insurance. Hide

The Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law contains various provisions regarding the contents, packaging, labeling, and advertising of food, drugs, and cosmetics. The California Retail Food Code provides for the regulation of health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities, as defined, by the State Department of Public Health. Under existing law, local health agencies are primarily responsible for enforcing the California Retail Food Code. A violation of any of these provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would prohibit a retailer from selling or offering for sale after the expiration date an over-the-counter drug, as defined. The bill would also prohibit a retail food facility from selling or offering for sale after the “use by” date infant formula or baby food that is required to have this date on its packaging pursuant to federal law. This bill would make a violation of its provisions an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than $10 per day, calculated as prescribed. This bill would also authorize the department or an enforcement agency, as specified, to assess administrative penalties on a retailer who violates these provisions in the amount of $10 per day for each item sold or offered for sale in violation of these provisions, in addition to other penalties authorized by law. By creating new crimes and imposing additional duties on local officials, this bill would create 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 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. Hide

Existing law authorizes the creation of retirement systems for public employees by counties, cities, and districts. Existing law creates the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the State Teachers Retirement System, which provide a defined benefit to their members based on age at retirement, service credit, and final compensation. Existing law establishes the criteria for membership in the various public employee retirement systems and may exclude certain employment classifications from membership. Existing law prohibits Members of the Legislature elected on or after November 1, 1990, from accruing any retirement or pension benefit, provided that other elective officers provided for by the California Constitution may elect to become members of Legislators’ Retirement System. The California Constitution provides for the division of the state into counties and requires that a county have an elected sheriff, elected district attorney, elected assessor, and elected governing body. Existing law provides for the incorporation of cities in various forms and requires that certain city offices be filled pursuant to elections, as prescribed. Existing law provides for the creation of districts, the governing bodies of which may be elected. This bill would prohibit a person who is publicly elected to an office of any kind that is less than full time, as defined, on and after January 1, 2013, from becoming a member of a retirement system by virtue of that service or acquiring any retirement right or benefit for serving in that elective office. The bill would also apply these prohibitions to a person who is appointed to fill the term of a person so elected. The bill would except from this prohibition a person who obtained membership by virtue of holding an elective public office prior to January 1, 2013, and remains in that office or is reelected to it. Hide

(1)Existing law prohibits a person engaging in the short-term rental of vehicles from renting a vehicle unless the vehicle meets specified requirements. A violation of this prohibition is a crime. This bill would enact the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Rental Car Safety Act, which would further prohibit the short-term rental of a vehicle that is subject to a federal safety recall notice unless specified conditions are met. The bill would prohibit a person engaging in the short-term rental of vehicles from selling a vehicle at retail unless the vehicle meets specified requirements. Because a violation of these prohibitions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would specify that the provisions relating to short-term rental vehicles are applicable to a rental car company, as defined, and would state that this provision is declaratory of existing law. (2)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. Hide

Existing law provides for the CalFresh program, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law provides that a person convicted of a drug-related felony, with certain exemptions, is eligible for aid under CalFresh, if specified requirements are met. This bill would, instead, provide that a person convicted of a drug felony shall be eligible for aid under CalFresh, provided that 6 months have passed since the person has been convicted of any crime, and would eliminate the above-referenced eligibility requirements. By changing the eligibility standards under CalFresh, this bill would increase the responsibilities of counties in the administration of the program, thereby imposing 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, 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 these statutory provisions. Hide

Existing law sets forth the criteria for procedures for the foreclosure of property, including the filing of various notices with the county recorder, and generally sets forth the duties of the county recorder in this regard. This bill would, until January 1, 2015, for loans already originated as of the date that this bill becomes effective, with some exceptions, prohibit a notice of trustee’s sale from being accepted for filing with the county recorder until the mortgage servicer pays a foreclosure mitigation charge of $20,000. It would require the county recorder to keep the moneys in trust until a notice of rescission is filed, at which time the moneys would be returned to the mortgage servicer, or until a trustee deed of sale is filed, at which time the moneys would be transmitted to the Treasurer for deposit in the Foreclosure Mitigation Fund, which would be created by the bill; the interest earned on the moneys would be retained by the county recorder in either case. The fund would be continuously appropriated for distribution by the Treasurer to local agencies for specified purposes. By imposing a new duty on county recorders in collecting this fee, 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. Hide

Existing law generally requires employers to secure the payment of workers’ compensation, including medical treatment, for injuries incurred by their employees that arise out of, or in the course of, employment. Existing law generally prohibits aggregate disability payments for a single injury occurring on or after January 1, 2008, causing temporary disability from extending for more than 104 compensable weeks within a period of 5 years from the date of injury. Under existing law, if an employee suffers from specified injuries or conditions, aggregate disability payments for a single injury occurring on or after April 19, 2004, causing temporary disability are prohibited from extending for more than 240 compensable weeks within a period of 5 years from the date of injury. This bill would add an injury or condition occurring on or after January 1, 2012, where surgery or recovery from surgery occurs after 104 weeks of temporary disability benefits have been paid, provided that specified conditions are met, to the injuries or conditions for which aggregate disability payments for a single injury causing temporary disability are prohibited from extending for more than 240 compensable weeks within a period of 5 years. Hide

Existing law, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, provides that a patient or a patient’s primary caregiver who possesses or cultivates marijuana for personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician is not subject to conviction for offenses relating to possession and cultivation of marijuana. Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to establish and maintain a voluntary program for the issuance of identification cards to patients qualified to use marijuana for their personal medical purposes, and to their primary caregivers, if any. Existing law states, however, that these provisions do not require any accommodation of any medical use of marijuana on the property or premises of any place of employment or during the hours of employment. This bill, notwithstanding existing law, would declare it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person in hiring, termination, or any term or condition of employment or otherwise penalize a person, if the discrimination is based upon the person’s status as a qualified patient or a positive drug test for marijuana, except as specified. The bill would authorize a person who has suffered discrimination in violation of the bill to institute and prosecute a civil action for damages, injunctive relief, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, any other appropriate equitable relief, as specified, and any other relief the court may deem proper. The bill would not prohibit an employer from terminating the employment of, or taking other corrective action against, an employee who is impaired on the property or premises of the place of employment, or during the hours of employment, because of the medical use of marijuana. Hide

Existing law, the Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation Act, requires all mattresses and box springs manufactured for sale in this state to be fire retardant, as defined to meet the federal standards for resistance to open-flame test, and authorizes the Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation to adopt regulations to implement those standards. The act requires other bedding products to comply with regulations adopted by the bureau specifying that those products be resistant to open-flame ignition, requires all seating furniture to be fire retardant and labeled as specified, and, except as specified, requires all flexible polyurethane foam offered for retail sale to be fire retardant. The bureau has adopted, by regulation, a flame retardance test of the filling materials of residential upholstered furniture. This bill would require the bureau, on or before March 1, 2013, to modify the requirements applicable to that flame retardance test regarding residential upholstered furniture to include a smolder flammability test to provide an alternative method of compliance that can be met without the use of fire retardants and does not compromise public safety.Existing law authorizes the chief of the bureau to exempt items of upholstered furniture which are deemed not to pose a serious fire hazard from the fire retardant requirements. This bill would also authorize the chief to provide for a similar exemption for polyurethane foam. Hide

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations, as defined. The Public Utilities Act authorizes the commission to ascertain and fix just and reasonable standards, classifications, regulations, practices, measurements, or services to be furnished, imposed, observed, and followed by specified public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing federal law requires the United States Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to adopt minimum safety standards for pipeline transportation and for pipeline facilities, including an interstate gas pipeline facility and intrastate gas pipeline facility, as defined. Existing law authorizes the United States Secretary of Transportation to prescribe or enforce safety standards and practices for an intrastate pipeline facility or intrastate pipeline transportation to the extent that the safety standards and practices are regulated by a state authority that annually submits to the secretary a certification for the facilities and transportation or, alternatively, authorizes the secretary to make an agreement with a state authority authorizing it to take necessary action to meet certain pipeline safety requirements. Existing law prohibits a state authority from adopting or continuing in force safety standards for interstate pipeline facilities or interstate pipeline transportation. Existing law authorizes a state authority that has submitted a current certification to adopt additional or more stringent safety standards for intrastate pipeline facilities and intrastate pipeline transportation only if those standards are compatible with the minimum standards prescribed by the PHMSA. The bill would require the commission, unless it determines that doing so is preempted under federal law, to require the installation of automatic shutoff or remote controlled sectionalized block valves on certain intrastate transmission lines that are located in a high consequence area, as defined, or that traverse an active seismic earthquake fault. The bill would require the owner or operator of a commission-regulated gas pipeline facility that is an intrastate transmission line to provide the commission with a valve location plan, along with any recommendations for valve locations, and would authorize the commission to make modifications to the valve location plan. 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 an order or decision of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. 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. Hide

Existing law prohibits unauthorized communication with inmates in state prison. A person who violates that provision is guilty of a misdemeanor. Existing law further prohibits a person in a local correctional facility from possessing a wireless communication device, except as specified. This bill would provide, with exceptions, that a person who possesses with the intent to deliver, or delivers, to an inmate or ward in the custody of the department any cellular telephone or other wireless communication device or any component thereof, including, but not limited to, a subscriber identity module or memory storage device, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, a fine not to exceed $5,000 for each device, or both that fine and imprisonment. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would provide that if a person who is visiting an inmate or ward under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is found to be in possession of a cellular telephone, wireless communication device, or any component thereof, upon being searched or subjected to a metal detector, that device is subject to confiscation and would be returned the same day, except as specified. The bill would require that a notice to that effect be posted in each area where visitors are searched prior to visiting with an inmate or ward. The bill would provide that a person who brings, without authorization, a wireless communication device within the secure perimeter of a prison or institution housing offenders under the jurisdiction of the department is deemed to have consented to the department using available technology to prevent the device from sending or receiving calls or other electronic communication, and would require notice of this provision to be posted at all public entry gates. Existing law provides for the accumulation, denial, or loss of time credits for inmates of the department based on each inmate’s behavior while under the jurisdiction of the department. The bill would provide that an inmate who is found to be in possession of a wireless communication device would be subject to the denial of time credits, as specified. The bill would prohibit the department from accessing data or communications that have been captured using available technology from unauthorized use of a wireless communication device except after obtaining a valid search warrant, and would provide that any contractor or employee of a contractor or the department who knowingly and willfully, without authorization, obtains, discloses, or uses, confidential data or communications from an unauthorized wireless communication device is subject to an administrative fine or civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation, $10,000 for a 2nd violation, and $25,000 for a 3rd or subsequent violation. The bill would further prohibit the department from capturing data or communications from an authorized wireless communication device, or accessing data or communications that have been captured from an authorized wireless communication device, except as authorized under existing law. The bill would provide that any contractor or employee of a contractor or the department who knowingly and willfully, without authorization, obtains, discloses, or uses, confidential data or communications from an authorized wireless communication device is subject to an administrative fine or civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation, $10,000 for a 2nd violation, and $25,000 for a 3rd or subsequent violation. The bill would also provide that until January 1, 2018, the state shall require as part of the contract for the Inmate Ward Telephone System that the total cost for intrastate and interstate calls be equal to or less than the total costs of a call established in the contract in effect on September 1, 2011, and that other than the conversation minute charges and prepaid account setup fees, there shall be no additional charges of any type, including administrative fees, call-setup fees, detail billing fees, hard copy billing fees, or any other fees. 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 an urgency statute. Hide

Existing law prohibits employment discrimination based on sex or disability. Existing law prohibits an employer from refusing to allow a female employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition to take a leave for a reasonable time of up to 4 months before returning to work. This bill would also prohibit an employer from refusing to maintain and pay for coverage under a group health plan for an employee who takes that leave, as specified. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12945 of the Government Code proposed by AB 592, to be operative only if AB 592 and this bill are both enacted, both bills become effective on or before January 1, 2012, and this bill is enacted last. Hide

Existing law establishes the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the standards board to adopt and, through the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, to enforce all occupational safety and health standards. Under existing law, a knowing or negligent violation of any standard, which is deemed to be a serious violation, constitutes a misdemeanor. This bill would require the standards board to adopt a standard, no later than December 1, 2012, relating to housekeeping in transient lodging establishments requiring the use of fitted sheets on beds or the use of an approved alternative to assist in sheet installation, as specified, and the use of long-handled tools for cleaning bathrooms. The bill would require the division to enforce the standard in the ordinary course of its duties pursuant to existing authority. This bill would require that the standard be operative as of September 1, 2013, and be fully complied with by December 31, 2015. Because this bill would require the standards board to adopt a new standard, the serious violation of which would, when effective, create a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Hide

Existing law, as added and amended by various initiatives, including Proposition 7, approved by the voters at the November 7, 1978, statewide general election, provides for imposition of the death penalty for murder in the first degree if certain special circumstances are proved. Proposition 7 may only be amended by the Legislature by a statute that becomes effective only when approved by the electors. This bill would abolish the death penalty, and provide instead for imprisonment in the state prison for life without the possibility of parole. The bill would provide that, where a defendant or inmate was sentenced to death prior to the date of voter approval of the bill, upon voter approval of the bill, the defendant’s or inmate’s sentence would automatically be converted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The bill would require persons sentenced pursuant to the provisions of the bill to work in a maximum security prison for the term of their imprisonment, as specified. The bill would state findings and declarations of the Legislature regarding the death penalty. The bill would provide that it would only become effective if certain of its provisions are submitted to and approved by the electors at the November 6, 2012, statewide general election. Hide

Under existing law, the Board of Registered Nursing in the Department of Consumer Affairs regulates the licensing of registered nurses. Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate health facilities, including hospitals, and establish minimum hospital nurse-to-patient ratios by licensed nurse classification and by hospital unit. Under existing law, specified hospitals are required to adopt written policies and procedures for training and orientation of nursing staff. These provisions prohibit a registered nurse from being assigned to a nursing unit or clinical area until that nurse has received the specified orientation and demonstrated sufficient competency. A violation of these health facility provisions is a crime.This bill would require each direct care registered nurse to receive and complete an orientation to the hospital and patient care unit in which he or she will be working and to have demonstrated competency, as specified. It would preclude a nurse who has not completed this orientation and had validation of competency from being assigned direct patient care. This bill would specify that, until the nurse completes orientation and has validation of competency, he or she would not be counted as staff in computing the nurse-to-patient ratio. This bill would exempt a state inpatient mental health hospital, a state developmental center, a state veterans’ home, or a state correctional institution from those provisions of the bill requiring specified observation of the nurse. By creating a new 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. Hide

Existing law makes it a crime for a person to disturb, obstruct, detain, or interfere with any person carrying or accompanying human remains to a cemetery or funeral establishment, or engaged in a funeral service or an interment. This bill would make it a crime, punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000, imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding 6 months, or by both, for a person to engage in picketing, as defined, except upon private property, which is targeted at a funeral, as defined, during the time period beginning one hour prior to the funeral and ending one hour after the conclusion of the funeral. The bill would set forth related findings and declarations. Because this bill would create a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Hide

(1)Existing state and federal law regulate the terms and conditions of mortgages and deeds of trust secured by real property. Existing state law requires, upon a breach of the obligation of a mortgage or deed of trust secured by real property, that the trustee, mortgagee, or beneficiary record a notice of default in the office of the county recorder where the mortgaged or trust property is situated and mail the notice of default to the mortgagor or trustor, among other acts, prior to exercising a power of sale. Existing state law, until January 1, 2013, prohibits the filing of a notice of default on a mortgage or deed of trust, as specified, secured by owner-occupied real property, as defined, until 30 days after specified parties contact the borrower or 30 days after satisfying due diligence requirements in this regard. This bill would prohibit a mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent from recording a notice of default unless that party makes reasonable and good faith efforts to evaluate the borrower for all available loss mitigation options to avoid foreclosure. The bill would prohibit a mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent from recording a notice of default on residential mortgages and deeds of trust, as defined, until various notice requirements and other requirements regarding loan modifications are fulfilled. The bill would include among these requirements informing the borrower of the deadline for applying for a loan modification, which would be prohibited from being earlier than a specified date. The bill would prohibit a mortgagee, trustee, or beneficiary from recording a notice of default on a residential mortgage or deed of trust if a borrower who is eligible for a loan modification submits an application, as specified, unless the mortgagee, trustee, or beneficiary has, in good faith, reviewed the application, rendered a decision on the application, and sent the borrower a denial explanation letter. The bill would provide a process for reviewing a mortgage loan modification application, which would depend, in part, on whether the mortgage servicer, as defined, is participating in the federal Making Home Affordable Modification Program. The bill would except certain borrowers from these requirements. The bill would require that a borrower who requests a loan modification and is denied receive a denial explanation letter stating the reason or reasons for the denial, as specified. The bill would require a mortgage servicer to whom the provisions described above apply, to perform specified actions as part of foreclosing on a residential mortgage or deed of trust, including compiling a record documenting compliance with those provisions, which would be signed, certified, and transmitted to the foreclosure trustee or authorized agent. The bill would require the declaration of compliance to be included or attached to every notice of default recorded, as specified, and a notice of default recorded without the compliance declaration would be void. The bill would prescribe a form for the declaration and would require that the declaration substantially comply with it. The bill would permit an eligible borrower to enjoin a trustee sale if provisions of the bill are not satisfied, and would authorize a borrower to recover damages, attorney’s fees, and costs, as specified, if the property is sold without compliance with the bill’s requirements. The bill would permit the Attorney General to enforce these provisions. The bill would also establish other penalties for certain acts, including for a false declaration of a lost note representing a mortgage or deed of trust. The bill would provide that any person licensed by the State of California who violates the bill’s provisions is deemed to have violated the licensing law applicable to that person. Because the violation of certain licensing laws, including those regulating mortgage services, are punishable as crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also delete duplicative provisions of law.(2)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. Hide

Existing law sets forth the requirements for the solicitation and evaluation of bids and the awarding of contracts by public entities and authorizes a public entity to use, enter into, or require contractors to enter into, a project labor agreement for a construction project if the agreement includes specified taxpayer protection provisions. Existing law also provides that if a charter provision, initiative, or ordinance of a charter city prohibits the governing board’s consideration of a project labor agreement for a project to be awarded by the city, or prohibits the governing board from considering whether to allocate funds to a city-funded project covered by such an agreement, state funding or financial assistance may not be used to support that project, as specified. This bill would additionally provide that if a charter provision, initiative, or ordinance of a charter city prohibits, limits, or constrains in any way the governing board’s authority or discretion to adopt, require, or utilize a project labor agreement that includes specified taxpayer protection provisions for some or all of the construction projects to be awarded by the city, state funding or financial assistance may not be used to support any construction projects awarded by the city, as specified. Hide

Existing law provides that the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the Board of Parole Hearings, or both, may, for specified reasons, recommend to the court that a prisoner’s sentence be recalled, and that a court may recall a prisoner’s sentence. This bill would authorize a prisoner who was under 18 years of age at the time of committing an offense for which the prisoner was sentenced to life without parole to submit a petition for recall and resentencing to the sentencing court, and to the prosecuting agency, as specified. The bill would prohibit a prisoner who tortured his or her victim or whose victim was a public safety official, as defined, from filing a petition for recall and resentencing. The bill would require the petition to include a statement from the defendant that includes, among other things, his or her remorse and work towards rehabilitation. The bill would establish certain criteria, at least one of which shall be asserted in the petition, to be considered when a court decides whether to conduct a hearing on the petition for recall and resentencing and additional criteria to be considered by the court when deciding whether to grant the petition. The bill would require the court to hold a hearing if the court finds that the statements in the defendant’s petition are true, as specified. The bill would apply retroactively, as specified. Hide

Existing law prohibits an employer from issuing in payment of wages due certain instruments, including an order, check, draft, note, memorandum, scrip, coupon, card, or other acknowledgment of indebtedness or redeemable instrument, unless specified requirements are satisfied. This bill would authorize an employer to pay an employee’s wages by means of a payroll card, as defined, provided that specified requirements are satisfied. In addition, the bill would make a violation of its provisions a misdemeanor and would subject a violator to specified civil penalties. By creating new crimes, 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. Hide

Existing law, the False Claims Act, provides that a person who commits any one of several enumerated acts relating to the submission to the state or a political subdivision of the state a false claim for money, property, or services, as specified, shall be liable to the state or political subdivision for certain damages and may be liable for a civil penalty. Existing law requires the Attorney General and a prosecuting authority of a political subdivision of the state to diligently investigate specific violations of the act. Existing law also authorizes the Attorney General or the prosecuting authority of a political subdivision of the state to intervene in an action filed by a qui tam plaintiff under these provisions. Existing law authorizes a court to award a defendant its reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses under certain circumstances that include when the court finds the claim was brought solely for purposes of harassment. This bill would define terms for purposes of these provisions, expand the definition of a claim, and require the imposition of a civil penalty on a person found liable for a violation. This bill would exclude from these provisions specified claims to the Commissioner of Insurance. This bill would require the written consent of the Attorney General or prosecuting authority of a political subdivision, or both, as appropriate under the allegations of the civil action, to dismiss an action filed by a qui tam plaintiff, and would prohibit the waiver or release of specified claims except as part of a settlement of a civil action filed under these provisions. The bill would also modify the statute of limitations to commence on the date of discovery by the Attorney General or prosecuting authority of a political subdivision. This bill would modify when a court is authorized to award a defendant reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses to when the court finds the claim was brought primarily, rather than solely, for purposes of harassment. This bill would state that the Attorney General or prosecuting authority of a political subdivision has a duty to investigate specific violations of the act. Hide

Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, contains various provisions regarding the contents, packaging, labeling, and advertising of food, drugs, and cosmetics. A violation of any of these provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would prohibit a retailer from selling or permitting to be sold after the “use by” date infant formula, as defined, or baby food, as defined, that is required to have this date on its packaging pursuant to federal law. It would also prohibit a retailer from selling or permitting to be sold after the expiration date an over the counter drug, as defined, that is required to have this expiration date on its packaging pursuant to that federal law. A violation of these provisions would, notwithstanding the above-described penalty, be punishable as an infraction with a specified fine. By creating a new crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that local and state authorities should make reasonable efforts to notify the public about potential threats to public safety resulting from the sale of expired products and, for public purchasers of expired products, to contact their respective state or local authorities. 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. Hide

Existing law requires that, upon a breach of the obligation of a mortgage or transfer of an interest in property, the trustee, mortgagee, or beneficiary record a notice of default in the office of the county recorder where the mortgaged or trust property is situated and mail the notice of default to the mortgagor or trustor, among other acts required prior to exercising a power of sale in a nonjudicial foreclosure proceeding. This bill would establish, contingent upon receipt of federal funding for all costs, and only until January 1, 2014, the Facilitated Mortgage Workout (FMW) Program. The program would be a process whereby borrowers and lenders would engage in conciliation sessions for purposes of developing a loan modification plan. These provisions would apply, except as specified, if the loan originated prior to January 1, 2009, the loan is the 1st mortgage or deed of trust secured by the property, the property is occupied by the borrower as the borrower’s principal residence, and the unpaid principal balance is not more than $729,750. The program would require that specified information regarding the FMW Program be included with the notice of default sent to a borrower, as defined, on a loan secured by residential real property of one- to 4-family dwelling units that is the primary residence of the borrower, as specified. The bill would require that this additional notice be recorded in the office of the county recorder. By expanding the duties of county recorders, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide for an administrator of the program who would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The program would require a borrower who elects to participate in the program to complete a specified form and return the form to the administrator of the program not later than 30 calendar days after receiving the notice of default. The program would require the borrower to submit other information to the administrator within 15 days of requesting to participate in the program, including tax returns, income verification, a specified deposit of funds, and a letter describing the borrower’s financial hardship, as specified. The program would require a borrower who elects to participate in the program to deposit with the administrator 50% of the current mortgage payment each month during participation in the FMW Program. The bill would also prohibit a mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent from reporting negative credit information to a credit reporting agency about a borrower who has completed the FMW Program and accepted a mortgage loan modification. The bill would impose various administrative fees, and a specified minimum deposit, payable by the mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent, or by the borrower, as specified, who participates in the FMW Program. The bill would also provide that the timelines set forth in the provision governing the exercise of the power of sale, as specified, would be suspended until the completion of the program, as specified. The bill would require the administrator of the program, among other duties, to implement rules and standards for selecting qualified neutral conciliation officers and to develop standards for forms and reports required to implement the program. The bill would also require the administrator, upon receipt of a borrower’s form whereby he or she elects to participate in the program, to nominate an individual to serve as a neutral conciliation officer from a list of qualified neutral conciliation officers in the county in which the property is located. The bill would establish the compensation for a neutral conciliation officer who provides his or her services to the program and require a neutral conciliation officer to use reasonable efforts to ensure that each FMW Program is completed within 60 calendar days of the neutral conciliation officer’s nomination. The bill would require the neutral conciliation officer to prepare a final report, as specified. The bill would also require, only until January 1, 2015, the administrator to report quarterly to the Legislature regarding the FMW Program, as specified. The bill would also require each mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent participating in the program to post specified data about its loans on its Internet Web site.These provisions would become operative only upon the issuance of a notice from the administrator to the Governor and specified other legislative leaders, and the posting of the notice on an Internet Web site, declaring that the administrator has the capacity to make the program available to any borrower in every county who desires to participate.The bill would also make related and technical changes. 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 these statutory provisions. Hide

The Sales and Use Tax Law imposes a tax on the gross receipts from the sale in this state of, or the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, tangible personal property. That law imposes the sales tax upon “retailers,” and defines a “retailer engaged in business in this state” to include specified entities. Existing law also provides that every retailer engaged in business in this state and making sales of tangible personal property for storage, use, or other consumption in this state, that engages in specified activities in this state shall, at the time of sale or at the time the storage, use, or other consumption becomes taxable, collect the tax from the purchaser. This bill would include in the definition of a “retailer engaging in business in this state” a retailer entering into an agreement with a resident of this state under which the resident, for a commission or other consideration, directly or indirectly refers potential customers, whether by a link or an Internet Web site or otherwise, to the retailer, if the cumulative gross receipts or sales price from sales by the retailer to customers in this state who are referred pursuant to these agreements is in excess of $10,000 during the preceding 4 calendar quarterly periods, except as specified. Hide

Under existing law, an assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy, oral copulation, or with the intent to commit, by force, rape, spousal rape, or sexual penetration in concert with another, is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years, except as specified. This bill would provide that an assault of a person under 18 years of age with the intent to commit rape, sodomy, oral copulation, or with the intent to commit, by force, rape, spousal rape, or sexual penetration in concert with another, would be punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 5, 7, or 9 years. Under existing law, any person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to effect or maintain a felony violation of specified sex crimes, extortion, or to obtain forced labor or services, is guilty of human trafficking. Existing law provides that a violation of this provision where the victim of the trafficking was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 4, 6, or 8 years. This bill would provide that any person who commits human trafficking involving a commercial sex act where the victim of the human trafficking was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense shall be punished in addition by a fine of not more than $100,000, to be used as specified. Under existing law, rape, sodomy accomplished against the victim’s will, oral copulation accomplished against the victim’s will, and sexual penetration accomplished against the victim’s will is punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 3, 6, or 8 years. Rape, sodomy, and oral copulation committed in concert with another is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 7, or 9 years. This bill would provide that the punishment for these specified crimes upon a child who is under 14 years of age is punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 9, 11, or 13 years, and if committed upon a minor who is 14 years of age or older is punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 7, 9, or 11 years. This bill would provide that if these crimes are committed in concert with another person upon a child who is under 14 years of age they are punishable in state prison for 10, 12, or 14 years and if committed in concert upon a minor who is 14 years of age or older by imprisonment for 7, 9, or 11 years. By increasing the punishment for crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, a person who commits an act of rape, rape or sexual penetration in concert, sodomy, oral copulation, or sexual penetration, when the act is committed upon a child who is under 14 years of age and 7 or more years younger than the person, is guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Aggravated sexual assault of a child under these circumstances is punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 15 years to life. This bill would provide that it does not preclude prosecution under this existing law. Under existing law, a person who commits any lewd or lascivious act upon a child who is under 14 years of age by use of force or fear is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 3, 6, or 8 years. This bill would increase the punishment for this crime to imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 8, or 10 years. By increasing the punishment for a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, a person who commits any lewd or lascivious act upon a dependent person, as defined, by use of force or fear is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 3, 6, or 8 years. This bill would increase the punishment for this crime to imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 8, or 10 years. By increasing the punishment for a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, as amended by Proposition 83 of the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, requires a person convicted of certain felonies under specified circumstances to be committed to prison for a term of years to life. This bill would provide that these felonies committed under the above-specified circumstances upon a victim who is a child under 14 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in state prison for life without the possibility of parole if the offender is 18 years of age or older or 25 years to life if the offender is under 18 years of age. This bill would add as a circumstance the infliction of bodily harm, as defined, on a victim who is a child under 14 years of age to the list of specified circumstances that would result in this imprisonment. This bill would provide that when rape, spousal rape, rape in concert, or sexual penetration, sodomy, or oral copulation committed against the victim’s will are committed under 2 of a specified list of circumstances, upon a minor 14 years of age or older, the punishment shall be imprisonment in state prison for life without the possibility of parole if the offender is 18 years of age or older or 25 years to life if the offender is under 18 years of age, or for 25 years to life if committed under one of the specified circumstances. Under existing law, a person convicted of certain felony sex offenses shall be committed to prison for a term of 15 years to life if during the commission of the felony the defendant inflicted great bodily injury on the victim. This bill would provide that any person who is convicted of certain sex offenses under specified circumstances, upon a victim who is a child under 14 years of age, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 25 years to life. The bill would provide a life term of imprisonment for any person convicted of a lewd or lascivious act where he or she inflicted bodily harm. Existing law makes it unlawful for a person who is required to register as a sex offender to reside within 2,000 feet of a public or private school, or park where children regularly gather. Existing law also provides that any person required to register as a sex offender who comes into any school building or upon any school ground without lawful business and written permission is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would make it a misdemeanor for a person who is on parole for specified sex offenses to enter any park where children regularly gather without express permission from the person’s parole agent. Under existing law, a prisoner is generally released on parole for a period not exceeding 3 years, except that inmates sentenced for certain enumerated violent felonies are released on parole for a period not exceeding 5 years. Under existing law, the period of parole for an inmate who has received a life sentence for certain specified sex offenses is for a period not exceeding 10 years. This bill would require lifetime parole for habitual sex offenders, persons convicted of kidnapping a child under 14 years of age with the intent to commit a specified sexual offense, and persons convicted of other specified sex crimes, including, among others, aggravated sexual assault of a child. The bill would, unless a longer period of parole applies, impose a 10-year parole period on inmates sentenced for kidnapping with the intent to commit specified sex offenses, specified lewd or lascivious acts, and other specified sexual offenses. The bill would impose a 20-year parole period on inmates convicted and required to register as sex offenders for rape, sodomy, lewd or lascivious acts, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and other specified sex crimes, in which one or more of the victims of the offense was a child under 14 years of age, as specified. Existing law provides that petty theft is a misdemeanor, except that every person who, having been convicted of petty theft, grand theft, auto theft, burglary, carjacking, robbery, or receiving stolen property and having served time in a penal institution therefor, is subsequently convicted of petty theft, is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison. This bill would require that most persons be convicted 3 or more times of a qualifying offense to be subject to imprisonment in the state prison for petty theft. Persons required to register as sex offenders, or with a prior serious or violent felony conviction, who have been convicted and imprisoned for the commission of specified crimes, including, among others, petty theft, auto theft, burglary, carjacking, or robbery, would remain subject to imprisonment in the state prison with one prior qualifying offense. Existing law provides that the sex offender risk assessment tool for use with selected populations shall be known as the State-Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders (SARATSO). Existing law provides that the SARATSO for adult males required to register as sex offenders shall be the STATIC-99 risk assessment scale. Existing law requires the SARATSO Review Committee to determine whether the STATIC-99 should be supplemented with an actuarial instrument that measures dynamic risk factors or whether it should be replaced with a different risk assessment tool. This bill would provide that the STATIC-99 shall be the SARATSO static tool for adult males. The bill would require the SARATSO Review Committee, on or before January 1, 2012, to select an actuarial instrument that measures dynamic risk factors and an actuarial instrument that measures risk of future sexual violence to be administered as specified. The bill would provide that persons who administer the dynamic SARATSO and the future violence SARATSO shall be trained, as specified. The bill would make other conforming changes. Existing law provides that with respect to a person who has been convicted of specified sex crimes, the Department of Justice shall make available to the public via the department’s Internet Web site certain identifying and criminal history information. This bill would require the department to also make available the person’s static SARATSO score and information on an elevated risk level based on the SARATSO future violence tool. Existing law requires that persons convicted of certain sex crimes be evaluated by the county probation department and requires that if a defendant is granted probation, the court shall order the defendant to be placed in an appropriate treatment program designed to deal with child molestation or sexual offenders, if an appropriate program is available in the county. This bill would remove the requirement that the defendant be placed in an appropriate treatment program but would instead impose specified conditions, including participation in an approved sex offender management program, on persons released on formal supervised probation for an offense requiring registration as a sex offender, as specified. By imposing additional requirements on county probation departments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would similarly require participation in an approved sex offender management program, as a condition of parole, for persons released on parole for an offense that requires registration as a sex offender, as specified. Existing law requires that, as a condition of parole, prisoners who meet specified criteria be treated by the State Department of Mental Health. Existing law requires that prior to release on parole, these prisoners be evaluated, as specified. Existing law provides that only if both independent professionals who evaluate the prisoner, as required, concur with the chief psychiatrist’s certification shall treatment by the department be required. This bill would instead make these provisions applicable to the prisoner if at least one of the independent professionals concurs with the chief psychiatrist’s certification. Under the Personal Income Tax Law, individual taxpayers are allowed to contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability for the support of specified funds or accounts, including, among others, the California Sexual Violence Victim Services Fund. Existing law provides for the appearance of this fund on the tax return form until January 1, 2011, unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends that date. This bill would delete the January 1, 2011, repeal date. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 290.06 of the Penal Code proposed by SB 1201 contingent on the prior enactment of that bill. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Hide

Existing law prohibits any person from giving, offering, promising, or attempting to give any money or any other thing of value to any particular student athlete or member of the immediate family of the student athlete for purposes of inducing or encouraging the student athlete’s application, enrollment, or attendance at a public or private institution of postsecondary education in order to have the athlete participate in intercollegiate sporting events, contests, exhibitions, or programs at that institution, except in accordance with the bylaws of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, as specified. This bill, commencing January 1, 2012, would require a California postsecondary educational institution that offers athletic scholarships, or that provides, by any delivery method, written material regarding its athletic program to a student athlete, to provide specified information on its Internet Web site that describes, among other things, the institution’s athletic program’s policies concerning athletic scholarship issuance, renewal, release, and medical expenses. Hide

Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law prohibits a health insurer from engaging in postclaims underwriting, as defined, and requires an insurer that willfully violates that provision to pay a $118 penalty to the state. Existing law prohibits any person in the state from engaging in any trade practices that are defined as unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance and makes a person who engages in those practices liable to the state for a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 or $10,000, as specified. This bill would include engaging in health insurance postclaims underwriting as an unfair method of competition or unfair or deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance. The bill would specify the penalties that could be levied on a person who engages in postclaims underwriting, as specified, and would require that the amount by which a penalty exceeds $118 be deposited in the Major Risk Medical Insurance Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program. Hide

Existing law requires an employer to provide employees with a safe workplace and authorizes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations to enforce health and safety standards in places of employment and to investigate and to issue a citation and impose civil penalties when an employer commits a serious violation that causes an employee to suffer or potentially suffer, among other things, “serious injury or illness” or “serious physical harm.” This bill would establish a rebuttable presumption as to when an employer commits a serious violation of these provisions and would define serious physical harm, as specified. The bill would also establish new procedures and standards for an investigation and the determination by the division of a serious violation by an employer which causes harm or exposes an employee to the risk of harm. Hide

Existing law sets wage and hour requirements for employees and requires an employer to pay overtime wages as specified to an employee who works in excess of a workday or workweek, as defined. Existing law exempts agricultural employees from these requirements. This bill would remove the exemption for agricultural employees. Hide

Existing law provides that, except as authorized by law, every person who possesses not more than 28.5 grams of marijuana, other than concentrated cannabis, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100. This same penalty is imposed for the crime of possessing not more than 28.5 grams of marijuana while driving on a highway or on lands, as specified. Existing law provides with respect to these offenses that, under specified conditions, (1) the court shall divert and refer the defendant for education, treatment, or rehabilitation, as specified, and (2) an arrested person who gives satisfactory evidence of identity and a written promise to appear in court shall not be subjected to booking. This bill would provide that any person who commits any of the above offenses is instead guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $100. This bill would eliminate the above-described provisions relating to booking and to diversion and referral for education, treatment, or rehabilitation. Hide

Existing law defines the felony offense for which a person has been released on bail or his or her own recognizance, or for which release on bail or his or her own recognizance has been revoked prior to final judgment, as a “primary offense,” and defines an offense committed while so released as a “secondary offense.” Under existing law, any person arrested for a secondary offense which was alleged to have been committed while that person was released from custody on a primary offense is subject to a penalty enhancement of an additional 2 years in state prison, as specified. This bill would include within the definition of “primary offense” a felony offense for which the person has been released from custody, other than on bail or on his or her own recognizance, prior to sentencing. By expanding the application of this enhancing allegation, 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. Hide

Existing law provides that the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the Board of Parole Hearings or both may, for specified reasons, recommend to the court that a prisoner’s sentence be recalled, and that a court may recall a prisoner’s sentence. This bill would authorize a prisoner who was under 18 years of age at the time of committing an offense for which the prisoner was sentenced to life without parole to submit a petition for recall and resentencing to the sentencing court, and to the prosecuting agency, as specified. The bill would establish certain criteria, at least one of which shall be asserted in the petition, to be considered when a court decides whether to conduct a hearing on the petition for recall and resentencing and additional criteria to be considered by the court when deciding whether to grant the petition. The bill would require the court to hold a hearing if the court finds that the defendant’s statement is true, as specified. The bill would apply retroactively, as specified. This bill would incorporate amendments to Section 1170 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 2263, contingent on the prior enactment of that bill. Hide

(1)Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. Existing law requires the PUC to require the state’s 3 largest electrical corporations, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison, to identify a separate electrical rate component to fund programs that enhance system reliability and provide in-state benefits. This rate component is a nonbypassable element of local distribution and collected on the basis of usage. Existing PUC resolutions refer to the nonbypassable rate component as a “public goods charge.” The public goods charge moneys are collected to support cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation activities, public interest research and development not adequately provided by competitive and regulated markets, and renewable energy resources. The existing Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission). The act requires the commission to certify sufficient sites and related facilities that are required to provide a supply of electric power sufficient to accommodate projected demand for power statewide. The act requires the commission to transmit a copy of an application for certification of a site and related facility to, among other entities, each federal and state agency having jurisdiction or special interest in matters pertinent to the proposed site and related facilities and to the Attorney General. This bill would require an applicant to inform the United States Department of Defense of a proposed project and that an application will be filed with the commission if the site and related facility specified in the application is proposed to be located within 1,000 feet of a military installation, or lies within special use airspace or beneath a low-level flight path, as defined. Existing law establishes the Renewable Resource Trust Fund as a fund that is continuously appropriated, with certain exceptions for administrative expenses, in the State Treasury, and requires that certain moneys collected to support renewable energy resources through the public goods charge are deposited into the fund and authorizes the Energy Commission to expend the moneys pursuant to the Renewable Energy Resources Program. The program states the intent of the Legislature to increase the amount of electricity generated from eligible renewable energy resources per year so that amount equals at least 20% of total retail sales of electricity in California per year by December 31, 2010. This bill would revise the Renewable Energy Resources Program to state the intent of the Legislature to increase the amount of electricity generated from eligible renewable energy resources per year, so that amount equals at least 33% of total retail sales of electricity in California per year by December 31, 2020. The bill would revise certain terms used in the program, and revise certain eligibility criteria for a renewable electrical generation facility, as defined, pursuant to the program. (2)Existing law expresses the intent of the Legislature, in establishing the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (RPS program), to increase the amount of electricity generated per year from eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, to an amount that equals at least 20% of the total electricity sold to retail customers in California per year by December 31, 2010. The RPS program requires that a retail seller of electricity, including electrical corporations, community choice aggregators, and electric service providers, purchase a specified minimum percentage of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, in any given year as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to retail end-use customers each calendar year. The RPS program requires the PUC to implement annual procurement targets for each retail seller to increase its total procurement of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources by at least an additional 1% of retail sales per year so that 20% of its retail sales of electricity are procured from eligible renewable energy resources no later than December 31, 2010. Existing law requires the PUC to make a determination of the existing market cost for electricity, which PUC decisions call the market price referent, and to limit an electrical corporation’s obligation to procure electricity from eligible renewable energy resources, that exceeds the market price referent, by a specified amount. This bill would express the intent that the amount of electricity generated per year from eligible renewable energy resources be increased to an amount that equals at least 20% of the total electricity sold to retail customers in California per year by December 31, 2013, and 33% by December 31, 2020. The bill would require the PUC, by January 1, 2012, to establish the quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources to be procured by each retail seller for specified compliance periods, sufficient to ensure that the procurement of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources achieves 25% of retail sales by December 31, 2016, and 33% of retail sales by December 31, 2020, and that retail sellers procure not less than 33% of retail sales in all subsequent years. The bill, consistent with the goals of procuring the least-cost and best-fit eligible renewable energy resources that meet project viability principles, would require that all retail sellers procure a balanced portfolio of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources, as specified. The bill would require the PUC to waive enforcement of the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirement if the PUC finds that the retail seller has demonstrated certain conditions exist that are beyond the control of the retail seller and will prevent compliance, and has taken all reasonable actions under its control to achieve compliance. The bill would require the PUC to direct each electrical corporation to annually prepare a renewable energy procurement plan containing specified matter and require, to the extent feasible, that the plan be proposed, reviewed, and adopted by the commission as part of, and pursuant to, a general procurement plan process. The bill would require the commission to direct all retail sellers to prepare and submit an annual compliance report. The bill would delete the existing market price referent provisions, and instead require the PUC to establish a limitation for each electrical corporation on the procurement expenditures for all eligible renewable energy resources used to comply with the renewables portfolio standard. The bill would require that by January 1, 2016, the PUC report to the Legislature assessing whether each electrical corporation can achieve a 33% renewables portfolio standard by December 31, 2020, and maintain that level thereafter, within the cost limitations. The bill would provide that, if the cost limitation for an electrical corporation is insufficient to support the projected costs of meeting the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements, the electrical corporation is authorized to refrain from entering into new contracts or constructing facilities beyond the quantity that can be procured within the limitation, unless eligible renewable energy resources can be procured without exceeding a de minimis increase in rates, consistent with the electrical corporation’s general procurement plan. The bill would delete an existing requirement that the PUC adopt flexible rules for compliance for retail sellers. The bill would revise the definitions of certain terms for purposes of the RPS program, would revise certain provisions applicable only to an electrical corporation with 60,000 or fewer customer accounts in California that serves retail end-use customers outside of California, and would add provisions applicable to certain smaller electrical corporations. The bill would authorize an electrical corporation to apply to the PUC for approval to construct, own, and operate an eligible renewable energy resource, and would require the PUC to approve the application if certain conditions are met, until electrical corporation owned and operated resources provide 8.25% of the corporation’s anticipated retail sales. 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 the provisions of this bill are within the act and require action by the PUC to implement its requirements, a violation of these provisions would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the definition of a crime. (3)Under existing law, the governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility is responsible for implementing and enforcing a renewables portfolio standard for the utility that recognizes the intent of the Legislature to encourage renewable resources, while taking into consideration the effect of the standard on rates, reliability, and financial resources and the goal of environmental improvement. This bill would repeal this provision, and instead generally make the requirements of the RPS program applicable to local publicly owned electric utilities, except that the utility’s governing board would be responsible for implementation of those requirements, instead of the PUC, and certain enforcement authority with respect to local publicly owned electric utilities would be given to the Energy Commission and State Air Resources Board, instead of the PUC. By placing additional requirements upon local publicly owned electric utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4)Existing law requires the Energy Commission to certify eligible renewable energy resources, to design and implement an accounting system to verify compliance with the RPS requirements by retail sellers, and to develop tracking, accounting, verification, and enforcement mechanisms for renewable energy credits, as defined. This bill would require the Energy Commission to design and implement an accounting system to verify compliance with the RPS requirements by retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities. The bill would require the Energy Commission, among other things, to adopt regulations specifying procedures for enforcement of the RPS requirements that include a public process under which the Energy Commission is authorized to issue a notice of violation and correction with respect to a local publicly owned electric utility and for referral to the State Air Resources Board for penalties imposed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 or other laws if that act is suspended or repealed. This bill would revise the definition of renewable energy credit. The bill would require the Energy Commission, by June 30, 2011, to study and provide a report to the Legislature that analyzes run-of-river hydroelectric generating facilities, as defined, in British Columbia, including whether these facilities are, or should be, included as renewable electrical generation facilities for purposes of the Renewable Energy Resources Program administered by the Energy Commission or eligible renewable energy resources for purposes of the RPS program. (5)Existing law requires the PUC to prepare and submit to the Governor and the Legislature a written report annually before February 1 of each year on the costs of programs and activities conducted by an electrical corporation or gas corporation that have more than a specified number of customers in California. This bill would require the PUC to prepare and submit to the policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, annually before February 1 of each year, a report on (A) all electrical corporation revenue requirement increases associated with meeting the renewables portfolio standard, (B) all cost savings experienced, or costs avoided, by electrical corporations as a result of meeting the renewables portfolio standard, (C) all costs incurred by electrical corporations for incentives for distributed and renewable generation, (D) all cost savings experienced, or costs avoided, by electrical corporations as a result of incentives for distributed generation and renewable generation, (E) specified costs for which an electrical corporation is seeking recovery in rates that are pending determination or approval by the PUC, (F) the decision number of each PUC decision in the prior year authorizing an electrical corporation to recover costs incurred in rates, (G) any changes in the prior year in load serviced by an electrical corporation, and (H) the efforts each electrical corporation is taking to recruit and train employees to ensure an adequately trained and available workforce. (6)The bill would require the PUC, by July 1, 2011, to determine the effective load carrying capacity of wind and solar energy resources on the electrical grid. The bill would require the PUC to use those values in establishing the contribution of those resources toward meeting specified resource adequacy requirements. (7)The Public Utilities Act prohibits any electrical corporation from beginning the construction of, among other things, a line, plant, or system, or of any extension thereof, without having first obtained from the PUC a certificate that the present or future public convenience and necessity require or will require that construction, termed a certificate of public convenience and necessity. This bill would require the PUC to issue a decision on an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity within 18 months of the filing of a completed application under specified circumstances. (8)Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Game in the Natural Resources Agency, and generally charges the department with the administration and enforcement of the Fish and Game Code. This bill would require the department to establish an internal division with the primary purpose of performing comprehensive planning and environmental compliance services with priority given to projects involving the building of eligible renewable energy resources. (9)The existing restructuring of the electrical industry within the Public Utilities Act provides for the establishment of an Independent System Operator (ISO). Existing law requires the ISO to ensure efficient use and reliable operation of the transmission grid consistent with achieving planning and operating reserve criteria no less stringent than those established by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and the American Electric Reliability Council. Pursuant to existing law, the ISO’s tariffs are required to be approved by the FERC. This bill would require the ISO and other California balancing authorities to work cooperatively to integrate and interconnect eligible renewable energy resources to the transmission grid by the most efficient means possible with the goal of minimizing the impact and cost of new transmission facilities needed to meet both reliability needs and the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements, and to accomplish this in a manner that respects the ownership, business, and dispatch models for transmission facilities owned by electrical corporations, local publicly owned electric utilities, joint power agencies, and merchant transmission companies. (10)This bill would appropriate $322,000 from the Public Utilities Commission Utilities Reimbursement Account to the PUC for additional staffing to identify, review, and approve transmission lines reasonably necessary or appropriate to facilitate achievement of the renewables portfolio standard. (11)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. Hide

Existing law provides that a gift certificate sold after January 1, 1997, is redeemable in cash or subject to replacement with a new gift certificate. Existing law also provides that a gift certificate with a cash value of less than $10 may be redeemed in cash, as defined, for its cash value. Existing law prohibits the sale of a gift certificate that contains a dormancy fee, subject to specified exceptions. This bill would delete those exceptions and expressly prohibit the sale of a gift certificate that contains a dormancy fee. Hide

Existing law prohibits, with specified exceptions, an employer from requiring any employee to work during a meal or rest period mandated by an applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission. Existing law requires, with specified exceptions, employers to provide meal and rest periods to employees during work periods of specified duration. This bill would exempt from these provisions an employee in the transportation industry whose work places him or her inside an armored car in shifts during a workday. Hide