Legislation 2013

Details

Created on Tuesday, 27 November 2012 13:39

AB 158 "Plastic Bag Ban"

AB 158 would prohibit a store with more than $2 million in annual sales or retailers with more than 10,000 square feet of floor space that also have a pharmacy from providing a single-use plastic bag to a customer. The negative impact of single-use plastic bags is well-documented. Plastic bags and plastic film together represent 2.2% of the waste stream and these bags take more than 1,000 years to breakdown. By banning single-use plastic bags, AB 158 will reduce the environmental and economic impacts of single-use bag pollution for inland and coastal communities throughout the state.

AB 253 "Allows Owners of Floating Homes to Purchase Marina"

Generally, floating home marinas are privately owned and charge homeowners monthly berthage fees. Should a marina owner want to sell the marina, AB 253 would simply allow for a homeowners group to purchase the marina. This legislation would also benefit marina owners who want to sell their marina by providing them with a potential buyer that has a vested interest in the marina.

AB 288 "Strict Fracking Safety Standard"

State law currently requires vigorous environmental review for virtually any project that may have an effect on the environment. However, with fracking, oil companies are allowed to pump secret mixes of chemicals into the ground with no regulatory review. AB 288 would change this by requiring oil companies to submit a supplemental fracking permit that demonstrates that the use of the permit would present no threat to public health and safety. Under this bill, thorough review of the activities at a well will be conducted and active approval or denial of each permit would be required.

AB 386 "CSU System Wide Online Access for all CSU students"

AB 386 would integrate individual campus enrollment procedures allowing students to register for classes at their home campus and to simultaneously enroll in online courses offered at other CSU campuses. This legislation would also protect students from paying additional fees to cross-enroll in online courses. Students would receive credit from the online course at their home campus.

AB 387 "CSU Online Accountability Measure"

In concurrence with AB 386, this bill would establish a uniform series of system-wide definitions for online course offerings. It would also require the CSU to adopt a common course numbering system for courses that are provided entirely online. This bill would also record the completion rates, enrollment, and the number of students cross-enrolling, among other things related to accountability measuring.

AB 745 "Allows Cities and Counties to Appeal Housing Designations"

AB 745 would allow cities and counties to appeal their housing density designation. This will allow a more collaborative conversation about how to create a housing plan that better reflects the character of a community.

AB 746 "Protecting Tenants from Secondhand Smoke"

While 80 to 90 percent of Californians choose not to allow smoking inside their homes, those living in apartments and condominiums are still exposed to toxic drifting secondhand smoke. AB 746 would protect the estimated 4.6-4.9 million California men, women, and children living in multi-unit housing who are currently exposed to secondhand smoke against their wishes.

AB 747 "The Option for Tiburon to Manage Part of Hwy 131"

Initiates the process by which the Town of Tiburon can assume ownership of the portion of Hwy 131 better known as Tiburon Boulevard. Local control of the road will allow for more speedy resolution of roadway concerns and for decision making that best supports the community. AB 747 does not require that Tiburon assume responsibility for Tiburon Boulevard it will allow the process by which the Town can take over to begin.

AB 767 "Helping Law Enforcement Fight Vehicle Theft"

Current law permits every county to fund vehicle theft abatement activities through a $1 vehicle registration surcharge. To date, 47 of California's 58 counties collect a vehicle theft surcharge. Last year, activities funded by the surcharge led to the recovery of more than $150 million dollars in vehicle assets. Based on the success of county programs, AB 767 will authorize counties to increase their surcharge by $1.

AB 961 "Health Facilities Subject to Public Disclosure Investigations"

AB 961 would require the State Department of Health Care Services to complete its investigation and issue a citation within specified time periods. It would also allow for an extension of these periods for up to 30 days if the department is unable to complete its investigation due to extenuating circumstances beyond its control. It would require that citations to be made public while protecting the identity and any identifying information about the patient/resident. The department would also have to document these circumstances in its final determination.

AB 963 "State Contracts Seeking Environmentally Friendly Business"

AB 963 protects the environment by encouraging environmentally friendly business practices in California. The legislation provides companies with a proven environmentally friendly record with a bid preference when they are seeking contracts with the state.

AB 1092 "Implementing Electric Charge Stations in New Construction Projects"

In March 2012, Governor Brown issued an executive order directing state government to help accelerate the market for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), including plug-in electric vehicles. The executive order specifically called for 1.5 million ZEVs in California by the year 2025. The widespread use of ZEV's is coming and the rapid evolution of this market will require new infrastructure for these vehicles. For plug-in electric vehicles, this means enabling electric vehicle chargers in homes, workplaces, and public space. AB 1092 will help provide sufficient infrastructure by requiring new developments, both commercial and residential, with four or more off street parking spaces to include one electric vehicle charge station.

AB 1100 "Expanding the Communication Allotment for Community Colleges"

The California Teleconnect Fund (CTF) was established in 1996 to provide a 50% discount on communication services for K-12 schools, and other community based non-profit organizations such as libraries or hospitals. In 2008, legislation extended the discount to community colleges. However, other CTF reimbursable parties expressed concern that the community colleges would use too much funding by being added to the program. To address these concerns, the community colleges agreed to cap their reimbursements. AB 1100 would remove this cap and state that the community colleges would not have an annual limit in the California Teleconnect fund. With a recent increase in distance and online education, this bill would help provide necessary telecommunication services.

AB 1122 "Motor Voter Revamp at DMV"

Currently, the California Department of Motor Vehicles gives the option to Californians to register to vote when they fill out an application to obtain a driver's license. This bill would make the current application, which has the voter registration attached to the back as a separate form to fill out, and make it one single document; this would eliminate the time spent filling out a duplicate form asking for all the same information a second time. This bill would bring California into compliance with the standards of The National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

AB 1136 "Impaired Driving Notice on Prescription Labels"

AB 1136 establishes a basic consumer protection for Californians using prescription medication. The legislation requires pharmacists to include a label on certain prescription drug containers, clearly indicating that the prescription may impair the consumer's ability to drive. With an aging population in Marin and California it is imperative that the state ensures that people are properly notified of possible side effects that could jeopardize consumers.

AB 1163 "Adding Expertise to the Calpers Retirement Board"

AB 1163 would bring greater expertise to CalPERS by adding two independent members with financial expertise. This legislation would bring greater certainty in the eyes of the financial community to CalPERS funding projections. Additionally the bill would replace the State Personnel Board Representative with the Director of the Department of Finance. This will bring a broader view of the state's overall finances to the decisions made by the Board.

AB 1171 "Foster Child Electronic Medical Records Access Program"

Currently, health and education records for foster children are captured in a Health and Education Passport. However, this record is generally shared only in paper form. As such, it is a challenge to ensure that it contains the most current information and is readily available when care providers need it to help make informed care decisions. AB 1171 seeks to address this problem by allowing a social worker to assist a foster child, who is 16 years of age or older, in obtaining electronic copies of specified records. These records include, but are not limited to, medical records, a certified copy of a birth certificate or a social security card. This bill would be a pilot program designated for three counties that agree to participate.

AB 1200 "Recycled Water"

AB 1200 will encourage the use of recycled water by exploring ways in which it current uses can be expanded.

AB 1212 "Enhancing the "or equal" Public Bidding Process"

This bill encourages the use of cost-saving and innovative bids in local government contracts by treating or-equal bids the same as all other bids. Or-equal bids are those bids where a contractor has found a way of providing the service in a way that is different from the request for proposal but still accomplishes the desired outcome of the RFP.

AB 1234 "Long Term Health Coverage Insurer Partnership Information"

If an insurer is selling long term care health coverage, this bill would require they make the public aware of the Long Term Care Partnership. The Partnership is a collaboration between the Department of Health Care Services and private insurance to provide higher quality Long Term Care policies. AB 1234 would require an insurer to clearly post on its Internet Web site, and include on its policy application, information about the website www.rureadyca.org provided by the Department of Health Care Services.

AB 1352 "Court Records Technology Preservation"

In California, a large amount of storage space is being occupied by the maintenance and preservation of court records. A recent report found that the state spends $22 million on storage annually. The courts have moved toward using electronic record keeping to cut on costs. AB 1352 would generate further savings by authorizing the destruction of select court records earlier than the existing law permits. AB 1352 will also allow the clerk of the court to use technology to generate certified copies of court records.

Resolutions:

HR 7 "Rare Disease Day in California"

This Resolution has declared February 28th, 2013 to be Rare Disease Day in California. World Rare Disease Day was launched in Europe four years ago and last year was observed by more than 60 nations. HR 7 also seeks to raise awareness that continued research into rare diseases, building greater understanding of the nature of these diseases and serves as a foundation for innovation in California.

Co-Authored Legislation:

SB 43 "Shared Renewable Energy Self-Generation Program" Author: Wolk

SB 43 would establish a program that would allow all utility customers to access affordable renewable energy. Additionally, SB 43 will make it easier for schools and local governments to purchase up to 100% renewable power with no state subsidies.

AB 65 "Impersonation Rape Loophole" Author: Achadjian

Under current law only a married person that was misled into having sex with someone he/she thought was his/her spouse, could that impersonator be prosecuted for rape. AB 65 would close this loophole and expand the definition of rape to include cases where a perpetrator deceives a victim into sexual activity through impersonation.

AB 179 "Electronic Toll Personal Privacy" Author: Bocanegra - Levine

Electronic toll collection systems such as Fas-Trak and Clipper-Card collect personally identifiable data from consumers every time they traverse the system. This collected data can reveal the private travel patterns of law-abiding citizens. AB 179 places basic privacy protections on how public agencies can utilize the data and ensures that consumer travel patterns are not commercialized.

AB 1194 "Safe Routes to School" Author: Ammiano

AB 1194 would ensure that the safe routes to school program be maintained at it's currently level of funding. The safe routes to school program has been extremely successful at both increase the number of students who bike and walk to school as well as dramatically decreasing the percentage of students who are in pedestrian and bicycle accidents.

AB 1322 "Property Tax Deferral Program for Senior Citizens" Author: Patterson

Prior to 2009 low income seniors and people of disabilities could apply to have property taxes deferred. With budget cuts that option was taken off the table. This bill would restore that option.