February 22, 2024
Golden State Republican Women
Janet Price, President
Submitted by the GSRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Valerie Evans, Lou Ann Flaherty and Elaine Freeman,
INFORMATION ON VOTING BILLS
AB 544, as amended, (Bryah D) Voting: county jails –
Under existing law, a person is authorized to vote if that person is a United States citizen, a resident of California, at least 18 years of age, and not imprisoned for the conviction of a felony. Existing law further specifies conditions under which a person may register to vote in person, vote by mail, vote a provisional ballot, and receive a replacement ballot.
This bill will require the Secretary of State to, upon appropriation of funds for this purpose, operate a program to provide grants to 3 counties to improve voter participation in jail facilities. This bill requires grantees to establish a new polling location, that permits any eligible incarcerated person to perform specified activities, including registering to vote and voting, returning a vote by mail ballot, voting a provisional ballot, and receiving a replacement ballot. In counties, administering grants under these provision’s, the bill will require the county sheriff or jail facility administrator to designate an employee as a voting coordinator at each facility who will be responsible for ensuring compliance with requirements pertaining to polling locations, for maintaining voter education materials in the jail library, and or posting information flyers regarding voting rights and eligibility to vote, among other duties. The bill requires the Secretary of State to prepare a related training for voting coordinators.
Passed the Assembly on 01/29/2024 and currently in the Senate
AB 1595, as amended, (Bryan D) Elections: eligibility to vote –
The California Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for the disqualification of electors while serving state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony. ACA 4 of the 2023-24 regular session, if approved by the voters, will repeal that requirement, thereby authorizing an otherwise qualified elector serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony to vote.
This bill would remove statutory references to the disqualification of electors while serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, would allow an elector, currently serving in a state or federal prison to vote based on their last voluntary residence in the state, would require an elections official to provide the incarcerated elector with the voting materials required to be sent to a vote by mail vote to the location where the elector is incarcerated, and would make other conforming changes.
THIS CONSITUTIONAL AMENDMENT MUST BE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER IN ORDER FOR AB 1595 TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
Status: (Failed) 2024-02-01 – Died on inactive file.
(We will keep an eye on this for potential reactivity. See ACA 4 updates with strikethroughs below: )
ACA 4 (Bryan D) Elections: eligibility to vote
The California Constitution authorizes a person to vote if the person is a US citizen, at 18 years of age, and a resident of the state. The California Constitution requires the legislature to provide for disqualification of electors while serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony.
This measure would repeal that requirement regarding the disqualification of electors incarcerated for felony convictions, thereby authorizing an otherwise qualified elector serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony.
Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California at its 2023–24 Regular Session commencing on the fifth day of December 2022, two-thirds of the membership of each house concurring, hereby proposes to the people of the State of California that the Constitution of the State be amended as follows:
First—
That Section 2 of Article II thereof is amended to read:
SEC. 2.
(a)A United States citizen who is at least 18 years of age and a resident in this State may vote.
(b)An elector disqualified from voting while serving a state or federal prison term, as described in Section 4, shall have their right to vote restored upon the completion of their prison term.
Second—
That Section 4 of Article II thereof is amended to read:
SEC. 4.
The Legislature shall prohibit improper practices that affect elections and shall provide for the disqualification of electors while mentally incompetent or serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony. incompetent.
Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative
SB 1054 introduced February 8, 2024, by Senator Susan Rubio.
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to prescribe, by regulation, among other things, lighting, insulation, climate control system, and other building design and construction standards, energy and water conservation design standards, and appliance efficiency standards to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy and to manage energy loads to help maintain electrical grid reliability, as specified.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, this bill would establish the Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative, which would require the commission, in consultation with the Department of Community Services and Development, to award grants for local service providers, as defined, nonprofit organizations, and regional collections of local governments to provide financial assistance to low-income households [a person or family with a household income at or below 60 percent of the area median income] for the purchase of zero-carbon-emitting appliances.
The initiative would require the commission to develop guidelines for implementation, as specified, and authorize local service providers, nonprofit organizations, and regional collections of local governments to use those grant moneys for outreach and technical assistance, rebates, loans, installation, educational information, and other support services to assist low-income households.
Background:
- 2006, SB 32 (the original bill) established the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program, authorizing the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to monitor and regulate sources emitting greenhouse gases. The initial target was to reduce emissions to the 1990 level by 2020. An executive order from California’s governor targets an 80% reduction from 1990 levels by 2050
- 2016, The California Global Warming Solutions Act expanded upon AB-32, reauthorizing and extending until 2030 the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction program. The bill established a new GHG target of at least 40% below the 1990 level of emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.
- 2022, Governor Newsom signed the California Climate Commitment, a record
$54 billion plan for climate action that exceeds what most countries are spending. Newsom signed forty new bills to advance this plan.
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.
Legislative Portal links – Express your support or opposition to a bill or directly to the Legislative committee currently reviewing it (as an individual, not as a member of RW or GSRW) – click here, or the bill’s author – click here, enter your bill # and look for tab at top of the bill page labeled “Comments to Author”.
