Agriculture and Natural Resources
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California-Only New Labeling Requirements and Increased Litigation. SB 1381 (Evans; D-Santa Rosa) Increases cost of food productions and increases frivolous litigation by forcing farmers and food companies to implement costly new labeling, packaging, distribution and recordkeeping for products sold in California. Latest amendments remove private right of action that would have led to increased litigation on all entities in the supply chain if a product was not properly labeled. “Job killer” tag removed, but CalChamber still opposes. Oppose/Former Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Senate 5/29/14
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California-Only New Labeling Requirements and Increased Litigation. SB 1040 (Evans; D-Santa Rosa) Increases cost of food productions and increases frivolous litigation by forcing farmers and food companies to implement costly new labeling, packaging, distribution and recordkeeping for products sold in California. Oppose.
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Assembly Agriculture 6/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Coastal Commission Enforcement. AB 976 (Atkins; D-South Park/Golden Hill) Inappropriately expands the Coastal Commission’s enforcement authority by allowing the commission to impose administrative civil penalties and incentivizes the imposition of fines and penalties at the expense of due process that occurs in the judicial system. Oppose.
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Assembly Conference Committee 1/7/14; Failed Deadline
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County Planning. AB 1961 (Eggman; D-Stockton) Imposes a new county land use mandate to develop sustainable farmland strategy that includes mapping agricultural lands and mitigation for loss. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Due Process for Agricultural Employers. SB 25 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) Denies due process for agricultural employers by requiring employer to implement collective bargaining contract ordered by the Agricultural Labor Relations Board while appealing the order, unless the employer meets a high standard to win a stay. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Coastal Leases. SB 1096 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Deletes a narrow but important exemption to granting gas and oil leases in the coastal zone, which is necessary for the rare instance when adjacent federal leases are draining state resources. Oppose.
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Senate Floor 8/18/14; Failed Deadline
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Extend Sunset Date. AB 2075 (Alejo; D-Salinas) Fosters economic growth in the retail, fashion and design industries by extending the sunset on imports of certain reptile skins to January 2025. Support.
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To Governor
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Penalties. AB 1722 (Bigelow; R-O’Neals) Deters livestock theft by imposing a $1,000 per head fine and prohibiting a violator from registering a brand. Support.
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Chapter 129
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Livestock. AB 1437 (Mullin; D-South San Francisco) Interferes with business management decisions regarding the health of farm animals. Bans use of antibiotics unless prescribed by a veterinarian. Oppose.
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Assembly Agriculture 4/23/14; Failed Deadline
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New Requirements. SB 1087 (Monning; D-Carmel) Before amendments, expanded the requirements and increased the cost of a farm labor contractor’s license. Unfairly made public the content of a contract for labor between a grower and a farm labor contractor. Opposition removed due to 5/27/14 amendments. Neutral.
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To Governor
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Banking/Finance
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Uniform Commercial Code Amendments. AB 1858 (Perea; D-Fresno) Minimizes current documentation needed to verify the identity of a business borrower by allowing use of an alternative means of identification in a commercial lending transaction that is common practice in 37 other states. Support.
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Chapter 284
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Technology. AB 2209 (Dickinson; D-Sacramento) Accommodates use of new technologies and the movement toward online and mobile apps for the transmittal of funds by updating the Money Transmitters Act. Support.
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To Governor
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Property Titles. AB 1698 (Wagner; R-Irvine) Before amendments, inappropriately punished and stripped the rights of innocent third parties who finance or purchase real property and later discover that the underlying documents are false. Opposition removed due to 5/28/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
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California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
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Substantial Expansion of CEQA. AB 52 (Gatto; D-Los Angeles) Before amendments, created substantially more opportunities for CEQA litigation and gave Native American Tribes veto authority over land use projects by allowing tribes to determine what tribal resources required protection and mitigation under CEQA. Opposition and “job killer” status removed due to 8/22/14 amendments. No Position/Former Job Killer.
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To Governor
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Substantially Reduces Cost and Delay in the CEQA Process. SB 1451 (Hill; D-San Mateo) Significantly limits use of the “document dumping” tactic in CEQA cases, wherein project opponents seek to intentionally delay project approvals by submitting lengthy, detailed comment letters and extensive documentation on the day of the public hearing. Support.
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Senate Judiciary 5/1/14; Failed Deadline
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Expedites and Reduces Cost for Levee Construction Projects. AB 1849 (Logue; R-Marysville) Streamlines infrastructure development by exempting levee maintenance, repair, or replacement projects from CEQA review. Support.
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Assembly Natural Resources 2/27/14; Failed Deadline
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Expedites and Reduces Cost for Infill Development. SB 674 (Corbett; D-San Leandro) Streamlines infill development by expanding the variety of mixed-use developments that may qualify for CEQA’s infill exemption. Support.
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To Governor
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Limits CEQA Litigation. SB 834 (Huff; R-Diamond Bar) Streamlines the CEQA process and provides certainty for employers seeking to expand in California by prohibiting litigation over aspects of a project that meet all existing state, local, and federal environmental standards. Support.
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Senate Environmental Quality 3/20/14; Failed Deadline
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Expedites and Reduces Cost for Recycled Water Pipeline Projects. AB 2417 (Nazarian; D-Sherman Oaks) Streamlines infrastructure development by exempting certain recycled water pipeline installation and maintenance projects from CEQA review. Support.
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Senate Environmental Quality 6/5/14; Failed Deadline
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Clarifies Writ of Mandate Procedure in CEQA Cases. AB 515 (Dickinson; D-Sacramento) Before amendments, taxed already-limited judicial resources by establishing a land-use division in the court system to try and expedite CEQA and other permitting cases. Opposition removed due to 1/6/14 amendments. Now, directs courts to be specific in identifying the issue or activities a lead agency needs to address in order to comply with a court ruling in a CEQA case. No Position.
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Senate Environmental Quality 6/5/14; Failed Deadline
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Costly New CEQA Requirement. AB 543 (Campos; D-San Jose) Before amendments, increased the cost and burden of development, and exposed lead agencies and project proponents to new lawsuits by requiring them to translate CEQA notices into all languages spoken by 25% or more of the individuals located at or near an area of the proposed project. Opposition removed due to 6/18/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
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Climate Change
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Increased Fuel Costs. SB 1156 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) Increases costs for businesses and consumers throughout the state by imposing a carbon tax on gasoline at the pump. Oppose.
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Senate Governance and Finance 3/6/14; Failed Deadline
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AB 32 Extension. SB 1125 (Pavley; D-Agoura Hills) Threatens California businesses with additional regulation and increased costs by directing the California Air Resources Board to develop recommendations and a timetable for greenhouse gas and short-lived climate pollutant reduction strategies beyond 2020 without including a comprehensive economic analysis. Oppose Unless Amended.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Delays Fuel Price Increase. AB 69 (Perea; D-Fresno) Helps to keep costs for California businesses and consumers down by delaying the inclusion of motor vehicle fuels in the cap and trade program for three years. Support.
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Senate Rules 7/3/14; Failed Deadline
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Improves AB 32 Compliance Mechanisms. AB 985 (Cooley; D-Rancho Cordova) Reduces potential for market manipulation and reduces unnecessary burdens to regulated entities by providing necessary adjustments to cap and trade regulations. Support.
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Senate Rules 8/4/14; Failed Deadline
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Reduces Compliance Costs for AB 32. AB 2083 (B. Gaines; R-Rocklin) Reduces the cost of AB 32 compliance and provides greater opportunities to meet compliance obligations by removing geographic restrictions on offsets. Support.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Natural Resources 4/8/14
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Increased Fuel Costs. AB 1992 (Quirk; D-Hayward) Creates an additional burdensome layer to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard by adding a new “very low carbon fuel” mandate. Oppose.
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Failed Passage in Senate Transportation and Housing 6/26/14
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. SB 1122 (Pavley; D-Agoura Hills) Prematurely allocates auction revenues to the Strategic Growth Council for grants and loans to implement the goals of SB 375. Oppose.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. SB 1204 (Lara; D-Bell Gardens) Prematurely allocates auction revenues to fund zero and near-zero emission truck and bus technologies. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. SB 1268 (Beall; D-San Jose) Prematurely allocates auction revenues to fund the Natural Resources Climate Improvement Program in order to develop greenhouse gas reduction or sequestration projects. Oppose.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. SB 64 (Corbett; D-San Leandro) Prematurely spends AB 32 auction revenues to establish the Clean Technology Investment Fund for development, demonstration and deployment of technologies with the intent of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. AB 2348 (Stone; D-Scotts Valley) Prematurely allocates auction revenues to fund the Natural Resources Climate Improvement Program in order to develop greenhouse gas reduction or sequestration projects. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. AB 1970 (Gordon; D-Menlo Park) Prematurely allocates auction revenues for local assistance grants for community-level greenhouse gas emission reduction projects. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. AB 1447 (Waldron; R-Escondido) Prematurely authorizes AB 32 auction revenues to be used to fund the synchronization of traffic lights. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Premature AB 32 Auction Revenue Expenditures. AB 1813 (Quirk; D-Hayward) Prematurely allocates $100 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to establish the Fuel Producers Capital Assistance Fund. Oppose.
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Assembly Natural Resources 2/27/14; Failed Deadline
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Expensive Regulatory Burdens. SB 605 (Lara; D-Huntington Park/Long Beach) Before amendments, created regulatory burdens and increased the cost of doing business in California by directing the California Air Resources Board to create a new program to regulate short-lived climate pollutants. Opposition removed due to 8/29/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
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AB 32 Economic Analysis. AB 2050 (Quirk; D-Hayward) Before amendments, would have required a comprehensive economic impact analysis to be prepared in order to guide the California Air Resources Board and inform on the cost of AB 32 when submitting a proposal to the Legislature for further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Support removed due to 6/30/14 amendments. Neutral.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Corporate Governance
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State Business Climate. AB 2221 (Campos; D-San Jose) Streamlines the business filing process by establishing a council whose purpose is to provide businesses with points of contact for concerns or suggested innovations. Support.
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To Governor
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Provides Flexibility to Businesses. AB 2180 (Brown; D-San Bernardino) Creates more business certainty by coordinating the filing of a corporation’s annual statement with the Secretary of State to fall in the same month as the filing of the corporation’s tax return with the Franchise Tax Board, but not later than May 15 of each year. Support.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Provides Flexibility to Businesses. AB 2086 (I. Calderon; D-Whittier) Reduces burden on businesses by allowing certain limited liability companies to participate in gradual payment plans for purposes of paying their annual taxes, fees, and minimum franchise taxes. Support.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Reduces Filing Costs for California Businesses. SB 1041 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Simplifies and clarifies business and other filing processes with the California Secretary of State. Support.
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To Governor
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Economic Development/Local Government
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Local Economic Development Projects. AB 2280 (Alejo; D-Salinas) Encourages local economic growth by permitting certain local agencies to create a Community Revitalization and Investment Authority for the purpose of developing and financing infrastructure projects, affordable housing and economic revitalization projects. Support.
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To Governor
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Education
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New School Construction and Jobs. AB 2235 (Buchanan; D-Alamo) Continues a successful funding partnership between the state, local governments and developers by placing a new state general obligation bond on the November ballot to help upgrade, modernize and construct school facilities. Support.
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Senate Rules 8/26/14; Failed Deadline
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New Degree Programs. SB 850 (Block; D-San Diego) Establishes a pilot program in the California Community College System allowing the Chancellor to select certain community colleges to each offer a single bachelor’s degree program in a subject area related to an unmet workforce need in its local community that does not overlap with any degree programs offered at nearby postsecondary institutions. Support.
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To Governor
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Cal Grant Funding. AB 1318 (Bonilla; D-Concord) Provides reliable funding for students who choose to attend private colleges and universities, improving the ability of these schools to help meet the demands of California’s workforce, by re-establishing a long-term funding formula for the maximum Cal Grant award available to students attending nonpublic colleges and universities. Support.
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Senate Inactive File 8/22/14
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Expands Career Pathways. AB 1451 (Holden; D-Pasadena) Expands concurrent enrollment programs between high schools and local community college districts to encourage more students to move on to postsecondary coursework and ensure students are developing skills that align with the needs of employers. Support.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Protects High-Quality Teachers. SB 1185 (Huff; R-Diamond Bar) Ensures that teachers with the most expertise in career pathways programs are not terminated simply because another less qualified teacher has a higher seniority ranking by expanding the list of circumstances under which a school district may deviate from the requirement to terminate teachers in order of seniority to include when a school district has a demonstrated need for personnel to staff its career pathways program. Support.
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Failed Passage in Senate Education 4/30/14
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Promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education. SB 1008 (Wyland; R-Escondido) Asks state education policymakers to identify ways to increase the number of students who graduate from college with a degree in science or engineering, and exposes students to science and engineering earlier in their educations by requiring that these subjects be incorporated into the K-12 curriculum when the frameworks are next revised, thereby increasing the odds students will pursue postsecondary training in these subjects. Support.
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Senate Education 8/20/14; Failed Deadline
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Promotes Computer Science Education. AB 1764 (Olsen; R-Modesto) Creates an incentive for more students to take a computer science course in high school by making it possible for a school district to count such a course as a math course that meets one of the student’s graduation requirements. Support.
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To Governor
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Promotes Computer Science Education. SB 1200 (Padilla; D-Pacoima) Creates an incentive for more students to take a computer science course in high school by requesting that the University of California and California State Universities establish guidelines for high school computer science courses that would satisfy the “a-g” subject requirements for the area of mathematics for the purposes of undergraduate admissions at both institutions. Support.
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To Governor
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Promotes Computer Science Education. AB 1539 (Hagman; R-Chino Hills) Ensures that computer science courses will be rigorous by requiring the State Board of Education to adopt content standards to provide guidance for teaching computer science in grades 7-12 to be used by schools that choose to teach this important subject. Support.
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To Governor
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Promotes Computer Science Education. AB 1530 (Chau; D-Monterey Park) Demonstrates the state’s commitment to a growing sector of our economy by requesting that the state Superintendent of Public Instruction develop a model curriculum for computer science to help teachers expose students to this important subject early on, thereby increasing the chances they will develop an interest and continue to study computer science as they progress in their education. Support
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Promotes Computer Science Education. AB 2110 (Ting; D-San Francisco) Helps students understand the importance of computer science and develop coding skills that may be applied to any number of careers in later life by instructing the State Board of Education to incorporate computer science curriculum into the math, science, social studies and language arts frameworks when those frameworks are next revised. Support.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Promotes Computer Science Education. AB 1540 (Hagman; R-Chino Hills) Provides more students with exposure to computer science courses in high school by permitting the governing board of a school district to allow a high school student to take one or more computer science courses at the community college level during any session or term with a recommendation from the community college dean and parental consent. Support.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Civics Education. SB 619 (Yee; D-San Francisco/San Mateo) Promotes civic engagement, which is important to democracy and free enterprise, by requiring the Department of Education, if private funds are secured for this purpose, to develop and make available online a state employee civics orientation on federal and state government. Support.
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Assembly Desk 1/28/14; Failed Deadline
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Promotes Computer Science Education. ACR 108 (Wagner; R-Irvine) Draws attention to the importance of computer science education and demonstrates the state’s commitment to a growing sector of our economy by designating the week of December 8, 2014 as Computer Science Education Week. Support.
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Chapter 42
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Elections and Fair Political Practices
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Initiative Process Barriers. ACA 6 (Gatto; D-Los Angeles) Makes the initiative process more difficult to use by raising the vote threshold to 55% to amend or revise the constitution. Oppose.
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Assembly Elections and Redistricting 8/22/14; Failed Deadline
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Ballot Initiative Reform. SB 1253 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) Improves ballot initiative access and transparency for voters through incremental reforms. Support.
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To Governor
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Energy
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Geothermal Procurement Mandate. SB 1139 (Hueso; D-Logan Heights) Increases the cost of energy by requiring the procurement of 500 MW of new geothermal energy. Oppose.
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Assembly Floor 8/22/14; Failed Deadline
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Prematurely Sets 2030 Greenhouse Gas Goals. SB 1078 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Increases the cost of energy throughout the state by imposing an “anticipated target” for greenhouse gas reductions in the electrical industry by 2030. Oppose.
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Senate Rules 5/1/14; Failed Deadline
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Promotes Energy Policy Synchronization. AB 1763 (Perea; D-Fresno) Promotes the synchronization of energy policies in order to increase reliability and reduce the cost for energy in the state by requiring the California Energy Commission to include a statewide energy plan within the Integrated Energy Policy Report. Support.
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Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications 5/28/14; Failed Deadline
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Creates Electricity Uncertainty. SB 1277 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) Creates uncertainty surrounding the operation of the state electrical grid by prohibiting the California Independent System Operator from submitting proposals for procurement of electricity or capacity products in California unless they first have the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission. Oppose.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Increased Energy Costs. AB 177 (V. M. Pérez; D-Coachella) Before amendments, increased energy costs throughout the state by imposing additional greenhouse gas emission requirements on electric corporations and by adopting a new loading order of preferred resources. Opposition removed due to 1/15/14 amendments. No Position.
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Assembly Inactive File 1/30/14; Failed Deadline
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Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. AB 2565 (Muratsuchi; D-Torrance) Before amendments, created unnecessary operational issues for installing electric vehicle charging stations at commercial and apartment properties. Opposition removed due to 5/27/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
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Environmental Justice
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New Double Penalties. AB 1330 (John A. Pérez; D-Los Angeles) Before amendments, discouraged investment and expansion in some disadvantaged regions of the state by doubling most fines and penalties issued by the Air Resources Board (ARB), Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and Air Quality Management Districts (AQMDs) on facilities located there. “Job killer” status removed due to 8/22/14 amendments, but CalChamber still opposes. Former Job Killer.
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Senate Floor 8/25/14; Failed Deadline
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Environmental Regulation
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Significantly Limits In-State Energy Development. SB 1132 (Mitchell; D-Los Angeles) Places California at a competitive disadvantage, increases fuel costs, impedes job growth and suppresses property, income and excise tax revenues by imposing a statewide moratorium on well stimulation treatments until the completion of a scientific study. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Senate 5/29/14
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Significantly Limits In-State Energy Development. AB 2420 (Nazarian; D-Sherman Oaks) Places California businesses at a disadvantage, increasing fuel costs, impeding job growth and suppressing property, income and excise tax revenues by allowing local governments to impose local moratoriums on well stimulation treatments. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Local Government 4/30/14
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Protects Businesses from Proposition 65 Lawsuits. AB 2361 (Jones; R-Santee) Provides needed relief to small businesses by prohibiting a person from bringing a Proposition 65 lawsuit against a business employing fewer than 25 employees. Support/Job Creator.
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Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials 4/1/14; Failed Deadline
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Dramatically Increases Pollution Penalties. SB 691 (Hancock; D-Berkeley) Dramatically increases existing strict-liability penalties for nuisance-based, non-vehicular air-quality violations without adequately defining what types and levels of pollution would trigger those penalties. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Placed on Assembly Inactive File 9/13/13; Failed Deadline
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Increases Cost of State Infrastructure. SB 1270 (Pavley; D-Agoura Hills) Increases the cost of construction aggregate used to build public transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, railways, and sidewalks, as well as homes, schools, hospitals, and water systems and treatment facilities, by substantially overhauling the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act. Oppose.
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Senate Appropriations 6/11/14; Failed Deadline
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Creates Unworkable Permitting System for Hazardous Waste Facilities. SB 812 (de León; D-Los Angeles) Fundamentally undermines the Department of Toxic Substances Control’s recently proposed plan to issue protective and timely hazardous waste permits by creating extraordinarily aggressive and arbitrary permit processing timelines. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Imposes New Labeling Requirements on Businesses. SB 1019 (Leno; D-San Francisco) Mandates burdensome new product labeling requirements for manufacturers of upholstered furniture, which lack scientific justification, conflict with existing California consumer product and safety laws and regulations, and mislead consumers. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Phases Out Use of Microplastics. AB 1699 (Bloom; D-Santa Monica) Creates a framework that lacks uniformity with other state requirements by prohibiting the sale of cleaning or personal care products containing microplastics. Oppose.
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Senate Inactive File 8/28/14
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Imposes New Labeling Requirements on Businesses. SB 1194 (Hueso; D-Logan Heights) Creates unnecessary reporting mandates by requiring each manufacturer and wholesaler of plastic products to establish an Internet website containing a plethora of information regarding the manufactured or sold plastic product. Oppose.
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Senate Environmental Quality 4/21/14; Failed Deadline
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Creates Government-Mandated Marketplace for Lubricating Oil. SB 916 (Correa; D-Santa Ana) Before amendments, mandated the sale of only biosynthetic-based lubricant oil for both public and private use by 2017. Abruptly places the entire lubricating oil market into the hands of limited companies within an extraordinarily aggressive timeframe, thereby causing supply disruptions at the expense of both consumers and existing companies that currently supply nonbiosynthetic-based lubricant oil. Opposition removed due to 4/21/14 amendments. No Position.
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Failed Passage in Senate Public Safety 4/29/14
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Gaming/Alcohol
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Discounts/Coupons. AB 1928 (Bocanegra; D-Pacoima) Reduces fraud by limiting certain instant coupons offered by a beer manufacturer or beer and wine wholesaler. Support.
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Chapter 145
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Health
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Unnecessary New Regulatory Scheme. SB 747 (DeSaulnier; D-Concord) Establishes an unworkable, costly, duplicative, and burdensome new program by allowing the Department of Public Health to request information from selected manufacturers of consumer products the Department determines contribute to a significant public health epidemic (i.e., obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease), and allows the Department to impose a fee of up to $20,000 per manufacturer to cover its costs. “Job killer” status removed due to 1/6/14 amendments, but CalChamber remains opposed. Oppose/Former 2013 Job Killer.
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Held in Senate Appropriations 1/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Publicly Shames Employers. AB 1792 (Gomez; D-Los Angeles) Unfairly targets the largest employers in California who have more than 100 employees enrolled in Medi-Cal for inclusion in an online list, exposing them to liability, public protests and media attacks, without regard to the rising cost of health care and other factors that often make health care coverage prohibitively expensive for employers. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Review of Health Care Mandates. AB 1578 (Pan; D-Sacramento) Protects employers from increased health care premiums by extending authorization of the California Health Benefits Review Program to provide the Legislature valuable independent analyses of the medical, financial, and public health impacts of proposed health insurance benefit mandates and repeals. Support.
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Assembly 9/2/14; Failed Deadline
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New Health Care Costs. AB 1771 (V. M. Pérez; D-Coachella) Increases the cost of health care for employers and enrollees by imposing a new mandate on health plans, requiring that they reimburse phone communications between doctors and their patients. Oppose.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Undermines Health Care Affordability. AB 1917 (Gordon; D-Menlo Park) Complicates cost-sharing calculations for plans and pharmacies, and jeopardizes affordability and utilization of nonprescription-based health care products and services by lowering the maximum monthly co-payments for prescription drugs at 1/12 of the annual out-of-pocket maximum for individuals. Oppose.
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Senate Inactive File 8/28/14
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Interference with Health Care Contracts. AB 2400 (Ridley-Thomas; D-Los Angeles) Increases leverage for providers in contract negotiations with health plans and insurers, allowing them to demand higher reimbursement rates and/or refuse to participate in some product lines, driving up health care costs for employers and creating unstable networks for their employees. Oppose.
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Senate Health 6/11/14; Failed Deadline
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Undermines Managed Care. AB 2533 (Ammiano; D-San Francisco) Significantly increases health care costs and makes premiums less affordable for employers by requiring health care service plans, in some cases, to arrange out-of-network care with noncontracting providers regardless of their rates. Oppose.
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Senate Floor 8/19/14; Failed Deadline
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Interference with Private Contracts. SB 1094 (Lara; D-Huntington Park/Long Beach) Inappropriately interferes with the ability of successful health facilities operators to purchase or merge with struggling hospitals, increasing the risk and cost of financing for these transactions, by allowing the California Attorney General to retroactively amend the terms of the transfer agreement for up to five years rather than resorting to traditional remedies when she unilaterally determined that one of the parties has breached the contract or made material misrepresentations. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Small Employer Coverage. SB 1446 (DeSaulnier; D-Concord) Helps small employers control their health care costs by allowing them to extend their pre-Affordable Care Act health care policies through December 31, 2015. Support.
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Chapter 84 (Urgency)
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Health Care Clarification for Employers. SB 1034 (Monning; D-Carmel) Eliminates confusion for employers by deleting certain provisions of California law related to waiting period limitations for health care coverage and clarifying that employer-imposed waiting periods are governed by federal law. Support.
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Chapter 195
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Hospital Mandate. AB 1952 (Pan; D-Sacramento) Reduces resources that hospitals can use for partnerships with community-based health organizations by mandating that all hospitals provide charity care equal in value to 5% of each hospital’s net patient revenue and imposing a severe penalty on those hospitals that do not fulfill their mandate. Oppose.
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Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 4/30/14; Failed Deadline
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Better Transparency in Health Care. SB 1322 (R. Hernández; D-West Covina) Before amendments, helped improve the effectiveness and cost of California’s health care system by requiring that the Health and Human Services Agency contract with an independent, nonprofit organization to create a database with information about utilization and pricing information from health plans’ and insurers’ medical, dental and pharmacy claims. Support. No action taken after 6/17/14 amendments.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Dental Coverage. AB 1962 (Skinner; D-Berkeley) Inappropriately assumes the outcome of the examination of dental plan premiums it requires, which could lead to unnecessary and detrimental regulation of the most affordable plans. Oppose Unless Amended.
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To Governor
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Health Care Expenses Tax Deductions. AB 2576 (Harkey; R-Dana Point) Encourages job growth by freeing small businesses to invest in business growth instead of spending limited resources on health care expenses, by entitling individuals, including the self-employed, to a state tax deduction for contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) in conformity with federal tax law. Support.
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Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/21/14;
Held Under Submission
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Health Care Expenses Tax Deductions. SB 1035 (Huff; R-Diamond Bar) Encourages job growth by freeing small businesses to invest in business growth instead of spending limited resources on health care expenses, by entitling individuals, including the self-employed, to a state tax deduction for contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) in conformity with federal tax law. Support.
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Failed Passage in Senate Governance and Finance 4/24/14
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Increased Health Insurance Premiums. SB 780 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Increases costs for health plans which will be passed on to employers in the form of higher premiums and drive affordable preferred provider organization (PPO) products out of the market by imposing new reporting and disclosure requirements not appropriate to PPO products. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
|
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Increases Health Insurance Premiums. AB 503 (Wieckowski; D-Fremont) Increases costs and limits the ability of California’s nonprofit hospitals to invest in community prevention efforts that meet the needs of the local community by creating an unnecessary new definition of charity care and mandating a rigid process for developing a community needs assessment and community benefit plans. Oppose.
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Held in Senate Appropriations File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Health Care Mandate. SB 1053 (Mitchell; D-Los Angeles) Before amendments, drove health care premiums up by requiring health plans to cover all Food and Drug Administration-approved female contraceptive drugs, devices and procedures, without a co-pay, and limited the ability of health plans to use medical management strategies to control costs. Opposition removed due to 8/18/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
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Unnecessary Oversight of Health Plans. SB 1182 (Leno; D-San Francisco) Before amendments, imposed unnecessary new administrative burdens on health plans and insurers by requiring them to file rate information about proposed large group rate increases exceeding 5% with their departments 60 days prior to any rate increase, and to annually disclose aggregate data about all large group rate filings and make that information available to certain purchasers for free upon request. Opposition removed due to 8/27/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
Housing and Land Use
|
|
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Increases Litigation for Ellis Act Proceedings. AB 2405 (Ammiano; D-San Francisco) Substantially increases litigation and makes it extraordinarily difficult for property owners to exit the rental market by requiring a full civil trial when a property owner wants to exit the rental market through the Ellis Act. Oppose.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Judiciary 4/29/14
|
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Restricts Property Owners from Exiting the Rental Business. SB 1439 (Leno; D-San Francisco) Potentially forces property owners into bankruptcy, prevents families from moving into their own apartment complexes, and makes it extraordinarily difficult for property owners to exit the rental market by authorizing the County of San Francisco to prohibit an owner of a residential rental building from exiting the rental business under the Ellis Act until it has owned the building for five years or longer. Oppose.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Judiciary 6/18/14
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Creates Significant New Costs to Businesses. AB 2644 (Nazarian; D-Sherman Oaks) Imposes new financial burdens on businesses of all sizes and further complicates code compliance issues by requiring that food facilities and other privately owned facilities install waste receptacles in every restroom stall. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
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Creates Significant New Costs to Businesses. SB 1042 (R. Calderon; D-Montebello) Imposes new financial burdens on businesses of all sizes and further complicates code compliance issues by requiring all food facilities to install a baby changing table within or adjacent to all restrooms located within the facility. Oppose.
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Senate Rules 3/17/14; Failed Deadline
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Immigration
|
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Provides Employer Certainty. AB 1660 (Alejo; D-Salinas) Clarifies that employers do not violate California law regarding discrimination against employees with driver licenses that note they are not documented citizens, if an employer must take action in compliance with federal immigration law. Support.
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To Governor
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Industrial Safety and Health
|
|
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Email Reporting. AB 326 (Morrell; R-Rancho Cucamonga) Facilitates ease of compliance for employers by allowing email or telephone reporting when a work-related hospitalization or fatality has occurred that is subject to immediate reporting to Cal/OSHA. Support.
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Chapter 91
|
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Increased Costs for Citation Appeal Process. AB 1634 (Skinner; D-Berkeley) Before amendments, proposed a costly double-appeal process that presumed guilt for employers, undermined due process with regards to citations for workplace safety violations, and was unnecessary in light of recently adopted regulations for an expedited appeals process for these situations. Opposition removed due to 8/21/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
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Unjustified Disclosure of Customer Information. SB 193 (Monning; D-Carmel) Before amendments, increased administrative burdens on business and jeopardized confidentiality of sensitive customer information by allowing Cal/OSHA and its sister agency Hazard Evaluation System and Information Service to obtain customer lists of certain chemicals from manufacturers, formulators, suppliers, and distributors. Opposition removed due to 8/14/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
International Relations/Trade
|
|
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Terrorism Risk Insurance (TRIA) Extension. AJR 34 (Cooley; D-Rancho Cordova) Urges Congress to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program for U.S. economic stability and continuity following a terrorist attack. Support.
|
Resolution Chapter 28
|
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Enables U.S. Exports. AJR 37 (Muratsuchi; D-Torrance) Urges Congressional reauthorization of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, thereby enabling U.S. companies — large and small — to turn export opportunities into real sales that help to maintain and create U.S. jobs and contribute to a stronger national economy. Support.
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Resolution Chapter 72
|
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* Export-Import Bank. Reauthorizes Ex-Im Bank funding, which expires September 30, 2014. Ex-Im is the official U.S. export credit agency and assists in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets. Support.
|
Pending in Congress
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Labor and Employment
|
|
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Unproven Wage Liens. AB 2416 (Stone; D-Scotts Valley) Creates a dangerous and unfair precedent in the wage and hour arena by allowing employees to file liens on an employer’s real or personal property, or property where work was performed, based upon alleged yet unproven wage claims. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Senate 8/28/14
|
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Contractor Liability. AB 1897 (R. Hernández; D-West Covina) Unfairly imposes liability on a contracting entity for the contractor’s wage and hour violations and lack of workers’ compensation coverage despite the lack of any evidence that the contracting entity controlled the working conditions or wages of the contractor’s employees. Oppose/Job Killer.
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To Governor
|
|
Paid Sick Leave. AB 1522 (Gonzalez; D-San Diego) Increases employer mandates by requiring all employers, large and small, to provide all employees in California with paid sick leave. “Job killer” tag removed due to 8/29/14 amendments, but CalChamber remains opposed. Former Job Killer.
|
Chapter 317
(signed 9/10/14)
|
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Minimum Wage. SB 935 (Leno; D-San Francisco) Unfairly increases employer costs by increasing the minimum wage to $13 by 2017 and then increased thereafter according to the Consumer Price Index. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Labor and Employment 6/25/14
|
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Unproven Wage Liens. AB 1164 (Lowenthal; D-Long Beach) Creates a dangerous and unfair precedent in the wage and hour arena by allowing employees to file liens on an employer’s real or personal property, or property where work was performed, based upon alleged yet unproven wage claims. Oppose/2013 Job Killer.
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Assembly Inactive File 1/30/14; Failed Deadline
|
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Expansion of Discrimination Litigation. SB 404 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Makes it virtually impossible for employers to manage their employees and exposes them to a higher risk of litigation by expanding the Fair Employment and Housing Act to include a protected classification for any person who is, perceived to be, or associated with an individual who provides medical or supervisory care to a listed family member. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 8/30/13; Failed Deadline
|
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Bad Faith Litigation. AB 2095 (Wagner; R-Irvine) Seeks to limit frivolous litigation regarding itemized wage statements for alleged technical violations, that have not injured the employee, by awarding attorneys fees to an employer who can prove the litigation was filed in bad faith. Sponsor/ Co-Sponsor/Job Creator.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Judiciary 5/6/14
|
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Flexible Workweek Schedules. AB 2448 (Jones; R-Santee) Allows an employer and employee to voluntarily agree to individual flexible work schedules, that accommodate both the needs of the employee and reduce overtime costs for employers. Support/Job Creator.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Labor and Employment 4/23/14
|
|
Reduces Frivolous Litigation. AB 2079 (Grove; R-Bakersfield) Seeks to limit frivolous litigation against employers regarding unintentional errors on wage statements, by allowing an employer 33 days to cure any violation before a civil action is filed. Support/Job Creator.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Labor and Employment 4/23/14
|
|
Good Faith Reliance. AB 2688 (Brown; D-San Bernardino) Before proposed committee amendments, created certainty for employers that they can rely upon and follow the advice received from the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement regarding how to comply with labor and employment law. No Position/Former Job Creator.
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Assembly Labor and Employment 4/29/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Labor Commissioner Investigation. AB 1723 (Nazarian; D-Sherman Oaks) Expands the authority of the labor commissioner to issue waiting time penalties during the citation process instead of just the administrative hearing, without setting forth the basis of the penalty in a written citation. Oppose Unless Amended.
|
To Governor
|
|
Employee Personal Information. AB 2751 (R. Hernández; D-West Covina) Clarifies that existing protections for employees that update their personal information applies only to information regarding federal work authorization documents. Support.
|
Chapter 79
|
|
Paid Leave of Absence. AB 2030 (Campos; D-San Jose) Increases employer costs by turning the current school activities leave of absence into a paid leave of absence. Oppose.
|
Assembly Labor and Employment 3/3/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Settlement Agreements. SB 1407 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Before amendments, significantly interfered with negotiated settlement agreements under the Fair Employment and Housing Act by creating a lack of certainty regarding the finality of such agreements. Opposition removed due to 5/27/14 amendments. No Position.
|
Assembly Inactive File 8/22/14
|
|
Employer Mandates. AB 1650 (Jones-Sawyer; D-South Los Angeles) Before amendments, unfairly prohibited a state contractor from inquiring into an applicant’s criminal history. Opposition removed due to 4/1/14 amendments. No Position.
|
To Governor
|
|
Hiring Mandate. AB 1586 (Holden; D-Pasadena) Before amendments, unfairly mandated state contractors to hire applicants who have been previously convicted of a crime, are a veteran, recipient of unemployment benefits, or recipient of CalWorks, thereby subjecting such contractors to potential discrimination and negligent hiring/retention litigation. Opposition removed due to 5/7/14 amendments. No Position.
|
To Governor
|
Legal Reform and Protection
|
|
|
Unwarranted Expansion of Product Defect Litigation. SB 1188 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Significantly increases product defect litigation and associated claims by allowing consumers to pursue claims after the warranty has expired for “material” omissions regarding the product that are unrelated to any health and safety concerns. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Assembly Judiciary 6/5/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Interference with Arbitration Agreements and Settlement Agreements. AB 2617 (Weber; D-San Diego) Unfairly prohibits the enforcement of arbitration agreements or pre-litigation settlement agreements that require the individual to waive their right to pursue a civil action for the alleged violation of civil rights. Oppose/Job Killer.
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To Governor
|
|
Safety Recalls. SB 686 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Exposes car dealers to significant liability and precludes them from selling a car despite the lack of actual knowledge that the car was subject to a recall, that may or may not pose any imminent harm to the consumer or renter. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection 6/17/14
|
|
Expansion of Litigation for Franchisors. SB 610 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Unfairly limits a franchisor’s ability to terminate a franchisee agreement with a poor-performing franchise and substantially increases litigation by limiting the termination of a contract to a “substantial, material breach” which is undefined, and can only be pursued after the franchise has been provided a 30-day right to cure. Oppose.
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To Governor
|
|
Unnecessary Restrictions on Trial Courts. AB 2332 (Wieckowski; D-Fremont) Unfairly limits the trial courts’ ability to minimize costs in light of the budget reductions they have faced by placing severe restrictions on their ability to contract for services. Oppose Unless Amended.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Court Interpreters. AB 1657 (Gomez; D-Los Angeles) Provides access to the judicial branch to all litigants by giving the court discretion to have a court interpreter, at no cost to the parties involved, regardless of their income. Support.
|
To Governor
|
|
Appellate Decisions. AB 1932 (Jones; R-Santee) Provides greater clarity and confidence to litigants by requiring a judgment from the Court of Appeal to include a brief statement of the reasons for the judgment. Support.
|
Chapter 58
|
|
Bad Faith Litigation. AB 2494 (Cooley; D-Rancho Cordova) Deters costly and unnecessary legal behaviors by re-enacting a prior statute that authorizes the award of attorneys fees for bad faith actions that are frivolous and solely intended to cause unnecessary delay. Support.
|
To Governor
|
|
Judge Increases. SB 1190 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Increases the number of judges for the Fourth Appellate District in San Bernandino/Riverside to nine judges. Support.
|
Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/13/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Department of Consumer Affairs. AB 2165 (Patterson; R-Fresno) Expedites the approval process for individuals seeking to engage in professional vocations by requiring each Board within the Department to review and complete all license applications within 45 days after it was filed and to issue a license within 45 days after determining the applicant has successfully satisfied the licensure requirements. Support.
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Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection 4/21/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Burden on Arbitration Providers. AB 802 (Wieckowski; D-Fremont) Before amendments, imposed burdensome data collection requirements, some of which are confidential, on arbitration providers and subjected them to private litigation for failure to accurately report such data, which will ultimately discourage such providers from offering arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution in California. Opposition removed due to 1/27/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
|
Unfair Restrictions on State-Funded Research. AB 609 (Nestande; R-Palm Desert) Before amendments, interfered with publishers’ ability to regain costs for value-added research if such research is funded in any way through state grants. Opposition removed due to 6/11/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
|
Residential Care Facilities. AB 2171 (Wieckowski; D-Fremont) Before amendments, increased the threat of frivolous litigation, attorneys fees and damages regarding the technical violation of new expansive rights for residents that are unrelated to the health or safety of the resident. Opposition removed due to 8/22/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
Other/Miscellaneous
|
|
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Labeling. SB 1000 (Monning; D-Carmel) Imposes an economic burden on some beverage manufacturers and food outlets by requiring specific state-only labels on some sweetened beverages. Oppose.
|
Failed Passage in Assembly Health 6/17/14
|
|
Inspection Fees. AB 2589 (Bloom; D-Santa Monica) Increases business costs and requirements by allowing counties to impose annual registration fees to ensure products contain the proper quantity. Oppose.
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Assembly Inactive File 5/28/14; Failed Deadline
|
Privacy and Confidentiality
|
|
|
Credit Verification. SB 383 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Interferes with fraud efforts by restricting Internet retailers of downloadable products from obtaining necessary credit card information. Oppose.
|
Assembly Judiciary 6/15/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Chip Cards. SB 1351 (Hill; D-San Mateo) Burdens credit/debit card systems by forcing microchip technology that they are not technologically prepared to comply with and jeopardizes consumer security by locking in statute a technology that could be obsolete in a very short timeframe. Oppose.
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Senate Inactive File 6/2/14
|
|
Chills Critical Information Sharing. SB 1348 (DeSaulnier; D-Concord) Limits critical information sharing and encourages extensive litigation by creating technologically infeasible requirements for online businesses. Oppose.
|
Held in Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media 6/26/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Imposes Unnecessary Costs on Businesses. AB 242 (Chau; D-Monterey Park) Invites frivolous litigation and increases costs to business by requiring every business to revamp its privacy policy and hire experts to ensure that it is written at an 8th grade reading level. Oppose.
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Assembly Judiciary 1/7/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Breach Notices. AB 1710 (Dickinson; D-Sacramento) Before amendments, imposed additional, onerous, confusing and unworkable notice requirements on the business community, while excluding government entities from the same provisions, resulting in customers receiving duplicative notices for the same breach and potentially damaging business’s reputation. Opposition removed due to 8/19/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
Procurement
|
|
|
Prohibits Outsourcing. HR 29 (Gomez; D-Los Angeles) Seeks to severely limit options for government agencies to determine the most appropriate solution to providing efficient and effective public service. Oppose.
|
Adopted 4/3/14
|
|
Punitive State Contract Provision. SB 975 (Lieu; D-Torrance) Before amendments, imposed a new requirement on all bidders for state personal services contracts that could discourage bidders by allowing overly punitive and unfair termination of contracts and suspension of payments. Opposition removed due to rescission of 8/25/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
|
Recycling
|
|
|
Cigarette Filter Ban. AB 1504 (Stone; D-Scotts Valley) Increases cost to manufacturers and puts California at a disadvantage by banning single-use filtered cigarettes in the state. Oppose.
|
Failed Passage in Assembly Governmental Organization 5/7/14
|
|
E-Waste Definition Clarification. AB 2666 (Daly; D-Anaheim) Protects California retailers and vendors that are subject to the state’s e-waste charge from liabilities and penalties resulting from the federal government’s refusal to pay the charge. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Pharmaceutical Waste. SB 1014 (Jackson, D-Santa Barbara) Before amendments would have created a costly pharmaceutical statewide product stewardship program. Now authorizes CalRecycle to create a voluntary pharmaceutical drug take back program. No Position.
|
Assembly Appropriations 8/6/14; Failed Deadline
|
Regulatory Reform
|
|
|
Regulatory Reform. AB 2723 (Medina; D-Riverside) Takes an important step to encourage a more favorable regulatory climate for small businesses by requiring state agencies to consider the effect of major regulations on small businesses and sole proprietorships. Support.
|
To Governor
|
|
Regulatory Reform. SB 981 (Huff; R-Diamond Bar) Takes an important step to encourage a more favorable regulatory climate for California businesses by requiring agencies to regularly review regulations and to report to the Legislature about the relevance, direct cost, and need for updating of each regulation in order to become less burdensome or more effective. Support.
|
Failed Passage in Senate Governmental Organization 4/22/14
|
|
Regulatory Notice Posting. SB 1091 (Galgiani; D-Stockton) Simplifies the state’s regulatory notice procedures, thereby encouraging citizen participation by providing a central repository of information to state agencies’ pre-rulemaking notice process when developing regulations. Support.
|
Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
Taxation
|
|
|
Split Roll. SB 1021 (Wolk; D-Davis) Discriminates against commercial property through split roll by allowing a school district to impose a higher parcel tax against commercial property as opposed to residential property. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Failed Passage in Assembly Revenue and Taxation 6/25/14
|
|
Oil and Gas Severance Tax. SB 1017 (Evans; D-Santa Rosa) Unfairly targets the oil and gas industry with the burden of a severance tax on the extraction of oil and gas in order to fund higher education, health and human services, as well as the state parks and recreation. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Increased Tax Rate. SB 1372 (DeSaulnier; D-Concord) Threatens to significantly increase the corporate tax rate on publicly held corporations and financial institutions up to 15% according to the wages paid to employees in the United States, and threatens to increase that rate by 50% thereafter, if the corporation or institution reduces its workforce in the United States and simultaneously increases its contractors. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Failed Passage in Senate 8/28/14
|
|
Split Roll Change of Ownership. AB 2372 (Ammiano; D-San Francisco) Before amendments, unfairly targeted commercial property by redefining “change of ownership” so that such property is more frequently reassessed, which will ultimately lead to higher property taxes that will be passed on to tenants, consumers and potentially employees. With May 19, 2014 amendments, now provides clarity regarding change of ownership of commercial property for purposes of reassessment in accordance with Proposition 13. “Job killer” status and opposition removed due to 5/19/14 amendments. CalChamber now Supports. Support/Former Job Killer.
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Held in Senate
Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. ACA 8 (Blumenfield; D-San Fernando Valley) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners to finance local public safety, transportation, water and recreation infrastructure by lowering the vote threshold for bonded debt supported by property taxes from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Senate Governance and Finance 6/27/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. SCA 9 (Corbett; D-San Leandro) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners by giving local governments new authority to enact special taxes, including parcel taxes, by lowering the vote threshold from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Senate Appropriations 6/27/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. SCA 8 (Corbett; D-San Leandro) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners by giving local governments new authority to enact special taxes, including parcel taxes, by lowering the vote threshold from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Senate Appropriations 8/29/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. SCA 7 (Wolk; D-Davis) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners by giving local governments new authority to enact special taxes, including parcel taxes, by lowering the vote threshold from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Senate Appropriations 6/27/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. SCA 4 (Liu; D-La Cañada Flintridge) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners by giving local governments new authority to enact special taxes, including parcel taxes, by lowering the vote threshold from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Senate Appropriations 8/29/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. ACA 3 (Campos; D-San Jose) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners by giving local governments new authority to enact special taxes, including parcel taxes, by lowering the vote threshold from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Assembly Local Government 4/4/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Lowers Vote Requirement for Tax Increases. SCA 11 (Hancock; D-Berkeley) Adds complexity and uncertainty to the current tax structure and pressure to increase taxes on commercial, industrial and residential property owners by giving local governments new authority to enact special taxes, including parcel taxes, by lowering the vote threshold from two-thirds to 55%. Oppose/Job Killer.
|
Senate Appropriations 6/27/13; Failed Deadline
|
|
Creates Competitive Tax Environment. AB 1839 (Gatto; D-Los Angeles) Encourages film and television productions to locate or remain in California by extending and expanding the film and television tax credit. Support/Job Creator.
|
To Governor
|
|
Targeted Tax. SB 622 (Monning; D-Carmel) Threatens jobs in beverage, retail and restaurant industries by arbitrarily and unfairly targeting certain beverages for a new tax in order to fund children’s health programs. Oppose/2013 Job Killer.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 1/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Creates a Competitive Tax Environment. AB 777 (Muratsuchi; D-Torrance) Ensures that California remains a competitive environment for an emerging multi-billion dollar industry by updating the California tax code to include certain equipment used for spaceflight transportation within the business inventory exemption. Support/Job Creator.
|
Chapter 13
|
|
Creates a More Competitive Tax Environment. AB 2389 (Fox; D-Palmdale) Encourages new aerospace projects to locate in California by creating a targeted tax incentive tied to the creation of new aerospace manufacturing jobs in the state. Support/Job Creator.
|
Chapter 116 (Urgency)
|
|
Creates a More Competitive Tax Environment. SB 718 (Roth; D-Riverside) Encourages new aerospace projects to locate in California by creating a targeted tax incentive tied to the creation of new aerospace manufacturing jobs in the state. Support/Job Creator.
|
Chapter 189 (Urgency)
|
|
Fully Restores Tax Incentive Program. AB 1560 (Quirk-Silva; D-Fullerton) Ensures California is a competitive environment for employer investment by restoring full funding to the California Competes Tax Credit Program. Support/Job Creator.
|
To Governor
|
|
Documentary Transfer Tax. AB 561 (Ting; D-San Francisco) Significantly expands the imposition of the documentary transfer tax to the transfer of property upon the termination of a partnership as well as expanding the definition of “realty sold” to include any change of ownership in a legal entity, despite the fact that no real property has been transferred. Oppose.
|
Assembly Revenue and Taxation 1/7/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Creates a Competitive Tax Environment. SB 998 (Knight; R-Palmdale) Encourages the aerospace industry to locate and expand projects in the state by increasing the cap on the sales and use tax exemption for manufacturing equipment used in new aerospace projects. Support/Job Creator.
|
Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Simplifies Research Tax Credit. AB 2330 (Mullin; D-South San Francisco) Simplifies the research tax credit by eliminating outdated and complicated calculation methods and harmonizing the state research credit with the federal research credit. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Federal Tax Law Conformity. AB 1984 (Harkey; R-Dana Point) Reduces administrative burden and complexity for taxpayers by conforming state and federal tax law relating to net operating loss carrybacks. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Minimum Franchise Tax. AB 1645 (Alejo; D-Salinas) Encourages economic growth by eliminating the minimum franchise tax for the first two years of companies that incorporate or do business in California. Support/Job Creator.
|
Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Minimum Franchise Tax. AB 2495 (Melendez; R-Lake Elsinore) Encourages economic growth by exempting “qualified businesses” from the minimum franchise tax for the first five years. Support/Job Creator.
|
Held in Assembly Revenue and Taxation 5/14/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Minimum Franchise Tax. AB 1769 (Dababneh; D-Encino) Encourages economic growth by exempting newly formed limited liability companies that reasonably estimate they will make $5,000 or less in gross receipts from the $800 minimum franchise tax for the first two years of business. Support.
|
Assembly Revenue and Taxation 2/27/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Minimum Franchise Tax. AB 1889 (Hagman; R-Chino Hills) Encourages economic growth by reducing the minimum franchise tax from $800 to $400 for limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, corporations, that reasonably estimate $5,000 or less in gross receipts for first taxable year only. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Revenue and Taxation 5/14/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Minimum Franchise Tax. AB 2244 (Chau; D-Monterey Park) Encourages economic growth by reducing the minimum franchise tax to $200 for dormant businesses up to five years, and to $50 for inactive business, other than LLC or LLP, that does not reasonably believe it will be doing business in the state. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Tax Abatement. AB 1777 (Quirk-Silva; D-Fullerton) Bolsters voluntary compliance and does not penalize historically compliant taxpayers by allowing a taxpayer to request abatement of a timeliness penalty if the taxpayer meets certain conditions. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 5/23/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Enterprise Zone Tax Credits. AB 2517 (Daly; D-Anaheim) Ensures employers who hired disadvantaged individuals prior to the elimination of the enterprise zone program are able to claim earned tax credits. Support.
|
Senate Governance and Finance 5/28/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Tax Administration. AB 2429 (Patterson; R-Fresno) Creates fairness in the tax system by imposing the same rate of interest for overpayments to the state as underpayments to the state. Support.
|
Held in Assembly Revenue and Taxation Suspense File 4/28/14; Failed Deadline
|
|
Joint Powers Authority. AB 2170 (Mullin; D-South San Francisco) Unnecessarily authorizes a joint powers authority to impose taxes and levies. Oppose.
|
To Governor
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Local Tax Refund. AB 59 (Bonta; D-Alameda) Denies valid claims against local entities by banning all class actions for the refund of improperly assessed local taxes, rather than reform class action procedures so that it is a fair and efficient mechanism for pursuing meritorious claims that impact a broad range of residents. Oppose Unless Amended.
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Assembly Local Government 1/6/14; Failed Deadline
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Managed Audit Program. AB 2009 (Weber; D-San Diego) Promotes compliance with the tax law by expanding the existing sales and use tax managed audit program, to the other tax areas under the Board of Equalization (BOE), thereby creating voluntary managed audit programs that allow the BOE to audit the taxpayer’s accounts for a specified period, and reduce the interest on any unpaid liability to one-half of the existing rate. Support.
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Chapter 105
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Illegally Levied Taxes. AB 2510 (Wagner; R-Irvine) Adds fairness to the tax system by allowing a taxpayer to seek a refund of taxes, including interest, of taxes that a court has deemed as illegal. Support.
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Held in Assembly Revenue and Taxation Suspense File 4/28/14; Failed Deadline
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Illegally Levied Taxes. SB 1327 (Knight; R-Palmdale) Adds fairness to the tax system by allowing a taxpayer to seek a refund of taxes, including interest, of taxes that a court has deemed as illegal. Support.
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Failed Passage in Senate Governance and Finance 4/24/14
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Tax Relief for Disasters and Emergencies. SB 560 (Anderson; R-Alpine) Incentivizes out-of-state businesses and employees to assist California during a declared state of emergency or disaster by temporarily exempting them from the sales and use tax and personal income tax. Support.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 1/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Creates Transparency. AB 2109 (Daly; D-Anaheim) Creates transparency regarding the manner in which parcel taxes are assessed, including the rates and the revenue received. Support.
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To Governor
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Reduction of Minimum Franchise Tax. SB 641 (Anderson; R-Alpine) Encourages economic growth by eliminating the minimum franchise tax for the first four years of any new corporation that has gross receipts of $10,000 or less. Support.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 1/23/14; Failed Deadline
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Tax Abatement. AB 2065 (Melendez; R-Lake Elsinore) Before amendments, allowed a taxpayer to request abatement of a timeliness penalty if the taxpayer meets certain conditions. Support removed due to 4/8/14 amendments. No Position.
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Held in Senate Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Registration Requirement. AB 2415 (Ting; D-San Francisco) Before amendments, unnecessarily required professionals that advocate on behalf of their clients regarding tax-related matters before a county assessor to register with the Secretary of State and pay a fee, even though such professionals are already registered and regulated by other state agencies. Opposition removed due to 8/5/14 amendments. No Position.
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To Governor
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Telecommunications
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Kill Switches. SB 962 (Leno; D-San Francisco) Stifles innovation of new technologies by requiring specific kill switches embedded in smartphones at the point of sale rather than allowing consumer selection from a variety of technologies on the market. Oppose.
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Chapter 275
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Tourism
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Harms Economy. AB 2140 (Bloom; D-Santa Monica) Eliminates jobs and chills tourism in the San Diego region by eliminating performances of Orca at SeaWorld San Diego. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Assembly Rules 4/9/14; Failed Deadline
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Ski Resorts Liability. SB 564 (Monning; D-Carmel) Exposes California ski resorts to increased liability by imposing burdensome and unnecessary new reporting requirements regarding accidents. Oppose.
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Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 8/14/14; Failed Deadline
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Transportation
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Enhanced Driver License. SB 1213 (Hueso; D-Logan Heights) Encourages international trade and tourism by authorizing the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue enhanced driver licenses to U.S. citizens to expedite legal traffic at the border. Support/Job Creator.
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Senate Transportation and Housing 3/6/14; Failed Deadline
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Unemployment Insurance
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Unemployment Insurance Tax Increase Risk. AB 1556 (Perea; D-Fresno) Prematurely adopts new statutes while rules and decisions from the federal Department of Labor regarding state requirements for waivers of looming unemployment insurance tax hikes are pending. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Unemployment Insurance Fraud. AB 2362 (Grove; R-Bakersfield) Closes a loophole that allows some individuals convicted of unemployment insurance benefit fraud under the Penal Code to escape forfeiture of unemployment insurance benefits. Support.
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Failed Passage in Senate Labor and Industrial Relations 6/11/14
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Water Supply and Quality
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Water Bond. AB 1471 (Rendon; D-Lakewood) $7.5 billion water bond that contains funding for water quality, supply and infrastructure improvements. Contains $2.7 billion for water storage projects necessary for a long-term adequate supply for water for all Californians. Support.
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Chapter 188 (Urgency)
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Water Bond. SB 866 (Wolk; D-Davis) $7.5 billion water bond that contains funding for water quality, supply and infrastructure improvements. Contains $2.7 billion for water storage projects necessary for a long-term adequate supply for water for all Californians. Support.
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Vetoed
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Water Bond. SB 848 (Wolk; D-Davis) Stymies business long-term planning in California. Creates a water bond that has problematic policy provisions and inadequate oversight in its funding provisions. Oppose.
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Senate Inactive File 8/18/14
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Water Bond. AB 2686 (Perea; D-Fresno) Promotes agricultural and business growth in California. Creates a water bond that provides sufficient funding for storage, Delta sustainability, local projects, conservation and recycling, which taken together provide for long-term stable water supply that is necessary for economic growth. Support.
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Assembly Appropriations Suspense File 8/7/14; Failed Deadline
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Water Bond. SB 1250 (Hueso; D-Logan Heights) Promotes business and agricultural growth. Proposes a new bond that includes fund for storage that is necessary for business growth and meets the co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration. Support.
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Senate Natural Resources and Water 5/7/14; Failed Deadline
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Regulations. AB 1739 (Dickinson; D-Sacramento) Potentially devalues land prices of commercial and agricultural properties by limiting groundwater rights on which credit worthiness is based by requiring groundwater management plans without careful and thoughtful review of all monitoring data and without clear definitions or directions. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Premature Regulations. SB 1168 (Pavley; D-Agoura Hills) Potentially devalues land prices of commercial and agricultural properties by limiting groundwater rights on which credit worthiness is based by requiring groundwater management plans without careful and thoughtful review of all monitoring data and without clear definitions or directions. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Groundwater. SB 1319 (Pavley; D-Agoura Hills) Delays for 3 years the State Water Board’s authority to intervene in a basin or sub-basin that is not in overdraft but is causing significant depletions of interconnected surface waters. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Overdrafted Basins. SB 757 (Berryhill; R-Twain Harte) Properly prioritizes groundwater management basin plans to address high and medium basins in long-term overdraft. Support.
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Assembly Rules 8/25/14; Failed Deadline
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Water Cleanup. AB 2712 (Daly; D-Anaheim) Prevents scarce resources intended for cleaning up contaminated water supplies from being wasted on needless litigation. Clean and reliable water supplies are necessary for business growth. Support.
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Senate Floor 8/25/14; Failed Deadline
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Conveyance. AB 1671 (Frazier; D-Oakley) Damages business stability and slows growth by delaying water conveyance needed to assure that a reliable water supply is available which is necessary for long-term planning and economic vitality. Oppose.
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Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife 2/20/14; Failed Deadline
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Workers’ Compensation
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Massive Workers’ Compensation Cost Increase. SB 626 (Beall; D-San Jose) Unravels many of the employer cost-saving provisions in the 2012 workers’ compensation reform package and results in employers paying nearly $1 billion in benefit increases to injured workers without an expectation that the increases will be fully offset by system savings. Oppose/2013 Job Killer.
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Senate Labor and Industrial Relations 1/8/14; Failed Deadline
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Exposes Employers to Disproportionate Workers’ Compensation Penalties. AB 2604 (Brown; D-San Bernardino) Dramatically increases penalties and costs for delayed payments and will result in disproportionate penalty awards that are significantly greater than the amount of the delayed payment. Oppose/Job Killer.
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Assembly Insurance 3/13/14; Failed Deadline
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Expands Costly Presumptions. AB 2616 (Skinner; D-Berkeley) Increases workers’ compensation costs for public and private hospitals by presuming certain diseases and injuries are caused by the workplace. Oppose.
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To Governor
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Assists Victims of Underground Economy. AB 1746 (Alejo; D-Salinas) Expedites hearings for injured employees of illegally uninsured employers to quickly resolve issues and ensure the injured employees receive access to appropriate benefits and care. Support.
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Chapter 156
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Pain Management Guidelines. SB 500 (Lieu; D-Torrance) If amended, ensures collaboration between the Medical Board of California and the Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Medical Director when revising the pain management guidelines. Support If Amended.
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Assembly Rules 8/25/14; Failed Deadline
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