March 7, 2024
Golden State Republican Women
Janet Price, President
Submitted by the GSRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Valerie Evans, Lou Ann Flaherty and Elaine Freeman,
ANOTHER VOTING ISSUE
SCA 2 (Stearn D) Elections: voter qualifications
The California Constitution allows a US citizen who is at least 18 years of age and a resident of California to vote.
This measure would reduce the minimum voting age to 17.
CALIFORNIA DREAM FOR ALL
AB 1840, as amended (in blue), Arambula. California Dream for All Program: eligibility.
Existing law establishes the California Housing Finance Agency in the Department of Housing and Community Development, and authorizes the agency to, among other things, make loans to finance affordable housing, including residential structures, housing developments, multifamily rental housing, special needs housing, and other forms of housing, as specified. Existing law establishes the California Dream for All Program to provide shared appreciation loans to qualified first-time homebuyers, as specified.
Existing law establishes the California Dream for All Fund, which is continuously appropriated for expenditure pursuant to the program and defraying the administrative costs for the agency. Existing law authorizes moneys deposited into the fund to include, among other moneys, appropriations from the Legislature from the General Fund or other state fund.
This bill would specify that an applicant under the program shall not be disqualified solely based on the applicant’s immigration status. By expanding the persons eligible to receive moneys from a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. The bill would recast the fund so that appropriations from the Legislature from the General Fund or other state fund are deposited into the California Dream for All Subaccount, which the bill would create and make available upon appropriation by the Legislature for specified purposes.
(First introduced on January 16th, AB 1840 was originally intended to “provide shared appreciation loans” to low- and middle-income citizens. Under Arambula’s new proposal, the legislation would expand to allow the program to include illegal immigrants into the eligibility pool.)
MOVEMENT ON AB 610
AB 610, as amended, Holden. Fast food restaurant industry: Fast Food Council: health, safety, employment, and minimum wage.
Existing law, until January 1, 2029, establishes the Fast Food Council and prescribes the council’s purposes, duties, and limitations, as described. Existing law establishes an hourly minimum wage for fast food restaurant employees, as described, authorizes the council to increase the hourly minimum wage pursuant to specified parameters, and sets forth requirements, limitations, and procedures for adopting and reviewing fast food restaurant health, safety, and employment standards. Existing law defines terms for these purposes, including defining “fast food restaurant” to mean a limited-service restaurant in the state that is part of a national fast food chain.
Existing law exempts from the definition of “fast food restaurant” an establishment that on September 15, 2023, operates a bakery in a prescribed manner, as long as it continues to operate such a bakery. Existing law also exempts certain restaurants in grocery establishments.
This bill would exempt additional restaurants from the definition of “fast food restaurant,” including such restaurants in airports, hotels, event centers, theme parks, museums, and certain other locations, as prescribed.
Passed the Senate with amendments on 02/29/24 and is back in the Assembly for concurrence. May be considered this week.
SB 923, as introduced, Archuleta. Theft.
Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, defines and prohibits an act of shoplifting and prohibits prosecution for an act of shoplifting under any other law. Existing law defines shoplifting as entering a commercial establishment with intent to commit larceny while the establishment is open during regular business hours.
This bill would revise the definition of shoplifting to require an intent to steal retail property or merchandise.
Existing law provides that a person with a prior conviction for specified sex offenses may be charged with a felony for shoplifting or for theft of property not exceeding $950 in value.
This bill would require a person convicted of petty theft or shoplifting, if the person has 2 or more prior convictions for specified theft-related offenses, to be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year, or for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years, and would make conforming changes.
This bill would provide that its provisions would become effective only upon approval of the voters, and would provide for the submission of its provisions to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.
Hearing: Apr 2 @ 8:30 am in 1021 O Street, Room 2200
SB 59, as amended, Skinner. Menstrual Product Accessibility Act.
Existing law requires certain public schools, as specified, to stock the school’s restrooms with an adequate supply of free menstrual products, as defined, available and accessible, free of cost, in all women’s restrooms and all-gender restrooms, and in at least one men’s restroom, at all times. Existing law also requires the California State University and each community college district to stock an adequate supply of menstrual products, available and accessible, free of cost, at no fewer than one designated and accessible central location on each campus.
This bill would enact the Menstrual Product Accessibility Act, which would require all women’s restrooms, all all-gender restrooms, and at least one men’s restroom in a building owned and used by the state to be stocked with menstrual products, as defined, available and accessible to employees and the public, free of cost, at all times.
MEDI-CAL BILLS
SB 980, as introduced, Wahab. Medi-Cal: dental crowns and implants.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including certain dental services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.
Under existing law, for persons 21 years of age or older, laboratory-processed crowns on posterior teeth are a covered benefit when medically necessary to restore a posterior tooth back to normal function based on the criteria specified in the Medi-Cal Dental Manual of Criteria.
This bill would instead provide Medi-Cal coverage, for persons 13 years of age or older, for laboratory-processed crowns on teeth when a lesser service would not suffice because of extensive coronal destruction and a crown is medically necessary to restore the tooth back to normal function based on the criteria specified in the Medi-Cal Dental Manual of Criteria.
The bill would also add, as a covered Medi-Cal benefit for persons of any age, a dental implant if tooth extraction or removal is medically necessary or if the corresponding tooth is missing.
Hearing: Mar 20 @ 1:30 pm in 1021 O Street, Room 1200
SB 953, as introduced, Menjivar. Medi-Cal: menstrual products.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes a schedule of covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program.
This bill would add menstrual products, as defined, to that schedule of covered benefits. The bill would require the department to seek any necessary federal approvals to implement this coverage. The bill would require the department to seek, and would authorize the department to use, any and all available federal funding, as specified, to implement this coverage.
Hearing: Mar 20 @ 1:30 pm in 1021 O Street, Room 1200
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