LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW

The following pages contain a brief description of the major and significant legislation enacted in 2002, classified by issue area:

Third Extraordinary Session:

On January 8, 2002, the Governor issued a Proclamation calling for a Third Extraordinary Session beginning January 10, 2002, to make budget reductions in the current year (2001) General Fund spending to balance the 2001-02 State Budget. The Governor stated, "as a result of a weakened national economy, made worse after the September 11th terrorists, we must take the necessary steps to keep our state operating out of the red." The Proclamation called for the Legislature to act on the following:

1. Enact current-year General Fund spending reductions as specified in the Governor's November 1, 2001 "Proposed Reduction in 2001-02 Spending."

    

2. Enact further General Fund spending reductions identified for 2001-02.

    

3. Make recently enacted unemployment benefit increases retroactive to September 11, 2001; to accelerate the delivery of certain capital outlay projects to stimulate the creation of jobs by shifting the financing for these projects to lease revenue bonds; and authorize general bonds for critically needed infrastructure.

In his "Proposed Reduction in 2001-02 Spending" released in November, Governor Davis suspended allocation of $2 billion in the current budget year. The Governor directed state agencies and departments to freeze all hiring and reduce operating expenses and equipment expenditures.

In response to the Proclamation, the Legislature enacted the following legislation: SB 1XXX (Peace) and SB 5XXX (Peace) concern the budget reductions; SB 2XXX (Alarcon) make the unemployment insurance increases retroactive to September 11th to assist economic victims of the terrorist attacks; and SB 4XXX (Peace) relates to the shifting of general funded capital outlay projects to lease revenue bonds.

State Budget

The number one state issue for 2002 was the enactment of a State Budget. The Governor signed AB 425 (Oropeza), the 2002-03 State Budget Act on September 5, 2002, two months and four days after the budget deadline for his signature. The problem, which created the budget stalemate, was a $24 billion shortfall due to the energy crisis of 2001, and a slow economy.

The budget was a $98.8 billion spending plan. The budget cuts $7.5 billion in state spending and reduces the state government by 7,000 positions. It increases the investment in education by $3.3 billion and provides full growth and COLA to schools. Per-pupil spending amounts to $7,067 and the Proposition 98 guarantee was maintained. It fully funds the Healthy Families Program for children. The Governor item-vetoed a total of $235 million from the budget.

The following list consists of the budget trailer bills, which were enacted:

Crime and Judiciary

Terrorism: In response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., the Legislature enacted the following legislation to enhance the state laws concerning terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and aiding victims of the terrorism: SB 219 (Scott) provides tax relief for victims of terrorism; SB 406 (Ortiz) provides funding for bioterrorism; SB 688 (Burton) extends the statute of limitations in personal injury and wrongful death cases and applies it to victims of September 11; SB 1287 (Alarcon) enhances and expands the California Prevention of Terrorism Act; SB 1312 (Peace) and AB 1768 (Oropeza) provides federal funds given to the state security adviser for public safety communications equipment program; SB 1350 (McPherson) creates the Emergency Response Training Advisory Committee and establishes terrorism training standards for first responders; SB 1643 (Johnson) allows emergency meetings by local agencies under the Ralph Brown Act in the event of a dire emergency and closed sessions under specified conditions; SB 1873 (Escutia) allows California family members of a September 11 terrorist violation to receive lost wages as a result of traveling to memorial services or government special events; AB 74 (Washington) revamps the electronic surveillance law to meet the challenge of criminal acts of terrorists; AB 442 (Assembly Budget Committee) provides funding to enhance local health jurisdictions preparedness to respond to bioterrorism; AB 1759 (Wesson) establishes a memorial license plate to raise funds for scholarships for dependents of September 11 victims and support anti-terrorism efforts; AB 1838 (Hertzberg) expands and enhances the law concerning weapons of mass destruction; AB 2072 (Mountjoy) allows a state body to hold closed sessions to consider matters posing a threat or potential threat of criminal or terrorist activity against the personnel, property, buildings, facilities or equipment controlled by the state; AB 2105 (La Suer) expands the DNA Data Bank to include those convicted of terrorist activity; AB 2106 (Bogh) allows terrorist offenses committed in more than one jurisdiction to be tried in any jurisdiction where one or more of the offenses occurred; AB 2114 (La Suer) requires the State Department of Justice to develop standards and guidelines to be used by public health laboratories for handling of potential evidence arising out of terrorist-related activities; AB 2522 (Dutra) requires the California Highway Patrol to perform a risk assessment of the state's transportation system in response to terrorism threats; and AB 2645 (Aanestad) allows local legislative agencies to hold closed meetings concerning security of essential building services.

Amber Alert System: During 2002, there were a number of incidents where children were being kidnapped by strangers or by parents. In response to this, AB 415 (Runner) was enacted to require the Office of Emergency Services to develop policies and procedures to institute activation of the Emergency Alert System statewide in specified child abduction cases. This is similar to the Amber Alert System, Texas' early warning system to prevent child kidnappings.

Child Abuse: Legislation was enacted expanding child abuse reporting requirements: AB 299 (Rod Pacheco) and AB 2672 (Leonard). Also, AB 2442 (Keeley) was enacted creating a task force to review the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and the Child Abuse Central Index.

Sex Offenders: The following legislation was enacted to increase protections against sex offenders and to assist victims: SB 836 (Scott), SB 1421 (Romero), SB 1656 (Scott), SB 1779 (Burton), SB 1867 (Figueroa), SB 1965 (Alpert), AB 1858 (Hollingsworth), AB 1860 (Migden), AB 1967 (Zettel), AB 2252 (Cohn), AB 2539 (Rod Pacheco), AB 2583 (Chu), AB 2653 (Chu), and AB 2794 (Reyes).

Domestic Violence: In the area of domestic violence the following legislation was enacted to enhance and improve the domestic violence laws to assist victims of this crime: SB 580 (Figueroa), SB 1265 (Alpert), SB 1627 (Kuehl), SB 1745 (Polanco), SB 1807 (Chesbro), SB 1867 (Figueroa), SB 1894 (Escutia), SB 1895 (Escutia), SB 2061 (Morrow), AB 217 (Pavley), AB 797 (Shelley), AB 1909 (Cohn), AB 1915 (Lowenthal), AB 1933 (Reyes), AB 2563 (Vargas), AB 2695 (Oropeza), and AB 2826 (Daucher).

Drunk Driving/Vehicle Code Violations: In the area of drunk driving and Vehicle Code violations the major legislation enacted was SB 1489 (Perata), which allows a peace officer to impound a vehicle for 30 days when the person engages in reckless driving or exhibition of speed (drag racing). Other significant legislation includes SB 1590 (Karnette), which increases the minimum property damage that is required to be reported in a motor vehicle accident from $500 to $750; SB 2069 (Burton), which prohibits the use of arrest quotas by parking enforcement agencies; and SB 2079 (Burton) which strengthens the provisions of the drug testing of motor carrier law enacted last year.

Other Crimes, Sentencing, and Law Enforcement Legislation: Significant Senate legislation concerning other crimes and law enforcement, which was enacted, includes the following: SB 330 (Morrow) revises the composition and terms of the California Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision; SB 510 (Scott) makes it a misdemeanor to possess specified weapons and/or parts, or ammunition within a "sterile area" of an airport; SB 823 (Poochigian) clarifies spending and reporting requirements under the Schiff-Cardenas Act of 2000; SB 900 (Ortiz) consolidates background check criteria for specified agencies for use for employment, licensing, or certification purposes; SB 1242 (Brulte) allows the reasonable use of force to obtain samples for inclusion in the State Department of Justice DNA Data Bank; SB 1254 (Alpert) expands and enhances the law relative to identity theft; SB 1259 (Ackerman) makes possession or use, with the interest to defraud, of a credit card scanning device a misdemeanor; SB 1320 (Kuehl) modifies the definition of stalking; SB 1391 (Burton) creates a process for attorneys in death penalty or life without the possibility of parole cases to obtain access to discovery materials; SB 1399 (Romero) creates a new misdemeanor offense for the willful failure to pay spousal support; SB 1423 (Chesbro) recodifies and recasts various provisions of a Victim of Crime Program for purposes of making the Victims' Code easier to understand and implement; SB 1457 (Johannessen) provides increased funding to sheriffs' departments to enhance law enforcement efforts; SB 1459 (Romero) strengthens the misdemeanor sanctions to those who practice law without a license; SB 1481 (Polanco) clarifies what the Inmate Welfare Fund cannot be used for; SB 1490 (Perata) names the State Department of Justice's DNA laboratory the Jan Barkinshi DNA Laboratory; SB 1516 (Romero) establishes additional rights under the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights; SB 1670 (Scott) prohibits the sale of firearm safety devices that are not listed on the State Department of Justice's roster of approved safety devices; SB 1689 (Margett) makes it a misdemeanor for making or selling any hard plastic knuckles; SB 1690 (Margett) provides for a study on the current process of how persons found guilty by reason of insanity are judicially restored to society; SB 1739 (Morrow) allows local prosecutors to determine eligibility of witnesses for inclusion in the witness protection program; SB 1754 (McPherson) increases to $15 the fee courts assess upon every person who fails to appear in court or fails to comply with a court order; SB 1800 (Johannessen) enacts the Public Safety Officers Medal of Valor Act; and SB 1980 (McPherson) allows a government entity to use a search warrant to obtain the records of a subscriber of an electronic communication service or remote computing service.

Significant Assembly legislation enacted includes the following: AB 255 (Zettel) enhances the protection of victims of elder abuse; AB 310 (Goldberg) allows non-violent female parolees who violate parole to participate in intensive training and counseling programs in lieu of revocation of parole; AB 352 (Runner) adds to the criteria in existing law pertaining to undetectable knives; AB 374 (Matthews) extends the sunset date for the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program; AB 670 (Strom-Martin) enhances the reporting of animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect; AB 1155 (Bates) seeks to deter State Department of Motor Vehicles employees from assisting in identity theft; AB 1219 (Simitian) establishes procedures for victims of identity theft to initiate an investigation by a law enforcement agency; AB 1344 (Cox) creates a misdemeanor for a minor to purchase, and for someone to sell, etching cream for the purpose of defacing property; AB 1773 (Wayne) revises venue prosecution of identity theft committed in multiple jurisdictions; AB 1828 (Bill Campbell) creates a new crime for the sale, or offering for sale, food fraudulently described or presented as halal (Islamic) food; AB 1868 (Koretz) enhances the law relative to nuisance, prostitution, and controlled substances abatements; AB 2015 (Corbett) adds chrome or porcelain spark plugs or pieces to the list of tools which may be considered as burglary tools, as specified; AB 2030 (Goldberg) allows fee for service of protective orders for victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault to be waived; AB 2080 (Steinberg) enacts the Firearms Trafficking Prevention Act of 2002; AB 2133 (Goldberg) requires the State Department of Corrections to recognize the value of prison inmate visitation; AB 2140 (Simitian) increases penalties relative to elder abuse; AB 2145 (Chu) expands the scope of the misdemeanor offense of theft of newspaper advertising; AB 2154 (Robert Pacheco) removes the sunset date for the Expedited Youth Accountability Program in Los Angeles County; AB 2173 (Wayne) makes enhancement laws uniform; AB 2203 (Florez) provides protection for personal information of state prison employees; AB 2205 (Koretz) creates an additional penalty for possessing cigarettes for which the cigarette tax has not been paid; AB 2211 (Nation) requires the Judicial Council to study requiring courts to consider community impact statements; AB 2238 (Dickerson) enacts the Public Safety Officials Home Protection Act; AB 2279 (La Suer) specifies a peace officer's authority to take a minor into temporary custody without a warrant; AB 2336 (Negrete McLeod) extends the time when a copy of a family court order is to be sent to a prison in order that a prisoner can be transported to a hearing; AB 2339 (Steinberg) clarifies that a person is entitled to a reward for apprehension of persons for crimes even if the person is not convicted; AB 2359 (La Suer) allows local enforcement to destroy bombs and other destructive devices; AB 2435 (Jackson) requires a study relative to victims of crimes services; AB 2456 (Jackson) expands the list of specifically included types of personal information to which prison and county jail inmates are denied access; AB 2471 (Robert Pacheco) specifies basis for imposing a defendant a 15-year sentence to life for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated where there is a prior conviction; AB 2499 (Frommer) revises discovery of evidence provisions and increases the statute of limitations in misdemeanor child annoying cases; AB 2655 (Matthews) extends the sunset date of the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System; AB 2526 (Dickerson) provides that all ability-to-pay by defendant hearings be consolidated; AB 2580 (Simitian) requires the State Department of Justice to conduct annual inspection of special dangerous weapon permits; AB 2659 (Runner) certifies persons who sell applicant fingerprint impressions; AB 2846 (Frommer) prohibits police and public safety agencies from taking punitive action against employees for wearing American flag pins; AB 2902 (Koretz) allows the Attorney General to annually retest up to five percent of the handgun models determined to be unsafe; and AB 2965 (Wiggins) makes unlawful various acts of cheating in the playing of gambling games.

Courts and Judges: A package of legislation was enacted to improve the quality of private arbitration which includes SB 1707 (Senate Judiciary Committee), AB 2504 (Jackson), AB 2574 (Harman), AB 2656 (Corbett), AB 2915 (Wayne), and AB 3030 (Corbett). Other significant legislation in this area: SB 371 (Escutia) establishes the Trial Court Interpreters Employment and Labor Relations Act; SB 1316 (Senate Judiciary Committee) revises the trial court restructuring law to conform it to prior reform legislation; SB 1396 (Dunn) enacts the Superior Court Law Enforcement Act of 2002; SB 1732 (Escutia) enacts the Trial Court Facilities Act of 2002 revising the provisions governing courthouse construction; SB 2011 (Burton) creates the Judicial Branch Workers' Compensation Fund for the purpose of funding workers' compensation claims for judicial branch employees; SB 2025 (Senate Business and Professions Committee) extends the sunset date for the Court Reporters' Board of California; AB 1698 (Assembly Judiciary Committee) makes registration of legal document assistants law permanent; AB 3027 (Assembly Judiciary Committee) and AB 3028 (Assembly Judiciary Committee) makes revisions in the procedures of small claims courts and superior courts; and ACA 15 (Wayne) makes State Constitutional changes relative to court consolidation.

Legal Profession: The following legislation was enacted making improvements in the State Bar operations and legal profession: SB 1459 (Romero), SB 1897 (Kuehl), AB 1703 (Steinberg), and AB 2055 (Robert Pacheco).

Family Law: In the area of family law the following significant legislation was enacted: SB 97 (Kuehl) clarifies the law regarding interest charges on unpaid support obligations; SB 174 (Kuehl) provides for a genuine confidential mediation for custody and visitation disputes in four large counties; SB 1399 (Romero) creates a new misdemeanor offense for the willful failure to pay spousal support; SB 1512 (Scott) makes revisions in the adoption law to streamline procedures; SB 1658 (Soto) allows the defense of laches to be used in support cases; SB 1677 (Alpert) and AB 886 (Simitian) strengthens the law regarding surrogate parents and responsible adults who make educational decisions for children; SB 1704 (Ortiz) assures that when allegations of child abuse arise in the family courts that a thorough investigation is made; AB 746 (La Suer) permits out-of-state residents to finalize adoption of California children within the California court system; AB 2441 (Bates) enacts the Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act of 2002; AB 2934 (Wayne) makes changes to the Uniform Family Support Act to conform to the National Conference Commission on Uniform Laws recommendations; and AB 3033 (Assembly Judiciary Committee) specifies that domestic violence issues may be considered in an award of temporary support.

Civil Law: Significant civil law legislation enacted includes the following: SB 682 (Perata) and AB 496 (Koretz) repeals the existing Civil Code provisions granting limited statutory immunity to manufacturers and sellers of firearms and ammunition; SB 688 (Burton) provides new procedural protections to consumers by extending the statute of limitations in personal injury and wrongful death actions and makes procedural changes with regard to motions for summary judgment; SB 800 (Burton) specifies the rights and requirements of a homeowner to bring an action for construction defects; SB 994 (Morrow) extends the sunset date to the law protecting public skateboard parks from liability; SB 1301 (Kuehl) enacts the Reproductive Privacy Act which prevents the state from denying or interfering with a woman's right to choose an abortion; SB 1386 (Peace) and AB 700 (Simitian) seeks to help consumers protect their financial security and provides for civil recourse for violations; SB 1403 (Kuehl) makes provisions relative to renewal and termination of a hiring of residential real property applicable statewide and revises termination of a rental or lease agreement in a landlord-tenant relationship; SB 1575 (Sher) adds a registered domestic partner to the list of persons exempted from the prohibited transferee rule relative to wills and estates, and defines cohabitation; SB 1576 (Bowen) requires tenants (current and prospective) be noticed when their dwelling is to be demolished; SB 1878 (Poochigian) clarifies what actions constitute a contest for purposes of giving effect to or invalidity to a no contest clause in a will, trust, or other estate planning document; SB 1887 (McPherson) provides victims of crime with a tort remedy against criminals who commit a serious felony against them and later profit from that crime; SB 2032 (Monteith) prohibits any common interest development from limiting or prohibiting the display of an American flag, as specified; AB 227 (Dutra) extends the deadlines for participating in an amnesty program which provided relief from interest penalties for holders of unclaimed property; AB 1758 (Nakano) extends the statute of limitations until 2010 relative to recovery by Holocaust survivors or heirs of Holocaust artwork; AB 1928 (Jackson) creates a new civil cause for gender violence; AB 2041 (Vargas) broadens the current immunity for the use of an automatic external defibrillator; AB 2216 (Keeley) establishes intestate successor rights of domestic partners; AB 2321 (Hertzberg) clarifies and creates new procedures under which tort claims against judicial branch entities are presented; AB 2524 (Goldberg) requires that parties in special civil rights cases notify the Attorney General when the matter is on appeal; AB 2862 (Migden) makes various clarification revisions to the domestic partnership legislation of 2001 (AB 25); AB 2913 (Firebaugh) seeks to enable bracero workers or their heirs to bring an action out of claims they didn't receive savings funds due them for wages withheld between 1942-50; AB 2972 (Aroner) exempts housing for homeless youth from prohibition against age discrimination; and AB 3036 (Assembly Judiciary Committee) requires guardians to complete annual status reports.

Education

The major piece of legislation in education was AB 16 (Hertzberg), which enacts the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Acts of 2002 and 2004, that authorizes two statewide general obligation bond elections, one in 2002 and one in 2004, in the total amounts of $13.05 billion and $12.3 billion respectively of which the bonds will be used for new construction and modernization of educational facilities.

Other significant Senate education legislation includes the following: SB 21 (Escutia) expands school districts options for funding activities to identify and abate potential health risks from lead exposure at school facilities; SB 192 (O'Connell) establishes the Education Technology Grant Act of 2002; SB 284 (Polanco) requires the California Energy Commission to recommend energy efficiency standards and measures for all new public schools; SB 319 (Alarcon) changes the eligibility requirement outlined in the Teaching As A Priority Block Grant; SB 1253 (Figueroa) allows the governing board of each school district to regulate the possession or use of any electronic signaling device by pupils, as specified; SB 1310 (Alpert) seeks to implement the intervention/sanction provisions of the Public Schools Accountability Act; SB 1339 (Vasconcellos) requests the office of the President of the University of California to assist high schools in maintaining accurate University of California approval course lists; SB 1419 (Alpert) establishes standards for the use of personal service contracts in California school districts and community college districts; SB 1453 (Alpert) creates the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System; SB 1476 (O'Connell) allows waivers from the requirements to pass the high school exit test for pupils with disabilities; SB 1566 (Polanco) re-authorizes the California Community Colleges Economic Development Program; SB 1595 (Escutia) entitles parents and guardians of English learners to participate in the education of their children by informal writing of specified provisions; SB 1624 (Romero) allows the California Educational Facilities Authority to finance the cost of building faculty housing; SB 1632 (Perata) requires every school site to allow pupils to use sunscreen during the school day without a doctor's note or prescription; SB 1655 (Scott) allows the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue administrative services credentials in an alternative expedited manner; SB 1656 (Scott) requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to suspend the credential of any holder who is required to register as a sex offender; SB 1667 (Vasconcellos) establishes the California Double Your Cash Program to guide the development of school safety plans; SB 1677 (Alpert) and AB 886 (Simitian) strengthens the law relative to surrogate parents and responsible adults who make educational decisions for children; SB 1770 (Burton) encourages school districts to comply with specified strategies on cursive handwriting standards whereby pupils write fluidly and legibly; SB 1771 (Alarcon) requests the Regents of the University of California to identify resources and efforts that currently exist, at a statewide level, within the university for the development and coordination of curriculum and research on diversity; SB 1868 (Torlakson) requires the State Department of Education to encourage school districts offering instruction to provide quality physical education; SB 1915 (Alarcon) revises the statutory formula for calculation of school districts for deferred maintenance apportionments and requires local matching funds; SB 1934 (McPherson) requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a curriculum framework for career technical education; SB 1937 (Costa) establishes the Digital Arts Studio Partnership Demonstration Program; SB 2012 (Margett) conforms state law concerning special education with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in the area of interagency agreements; SB 2028 (Vasconcellos) creates the Equal Employment Opportunity Fund for purposes of promoting equal employment opportunity in hiring and promotion within the California Community Colleges; SB 2039 (O'Connell) expands eligibility for participation in the Charter Schools Facility Grant Program; and SB 2083 (Polanco) establishes the English Learner and Immigration Federal Conformity Act.

Significant Assembly education legislation includes: AB 65 (Strom-Martin), which establishes the Reading First Plan to provide reading instruction to students in K-3 and to special education students in K-3; AB 312 ( Strom-Martin) establishes the School System of School Support for purposes of school sanction issues related to the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming School Program and federal law and establishes the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Liaison Team; AB 355 (Havice) allows school districts to use the School Community Policing Partnership Grant Program for funding the school resources office positions; AB 1000 (Simitian) allows certain community colleges' district boards to enter into design-build contract of building facilities costing in excess of $10 million; AB 1342 (Alquist) encourages the higher education community to promote international education; AB 1381 (Florez) seeks to assist migrant students to receive Governor's Scholars awards and Governor's Distinguished Math and Science awards; AB 1412 (Wright) seeks to improve vocational education; AB 1634 (Cohn) requires the State Department of Education to incorporate nutrition education curriculum content into the health curriculum framework; AB 1746 (Liu) prohibits public higher education institutions from charging undergraduate mandatory student fees to surviving dependents of any California resident killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack; AB 1759 (Wesson) establishes a California memorial license plate to raise funds for the scholarships for dependents of September 11 victims; AB 1781 (Hertzberg) establishes the Instructional Materials Funding Development Program; AB 1793 (Migden) seeks to expand and improve the instruction standards for physical education in grades 1-12; AB 1859 (Papan) conforms state law concerning special education to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; AB 1900 (Nakano) designates the first week of April as Labor History Week and encourages schools to make pupils aware of the role the labor movement played in United States history; AB 1901 (Cohn) expands the activities for which a pupil may be suspended or recommended for expulsion; AB 1965 (Bogh) prohibits the public higher education community from charging mandatory student fees to any undergraduate who is a recipient or a child of a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor; AB 1984 (Steinberg) establishes the 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program; AB 1994 (Reyes) makes a number of changes to the charter school law to improve administration; AB 2003 (Koretz) establishes the Holocaust, Genocide, Human Rights, and Tolerance Education Act of 2002; AB 2024 (Nakano) allows nutrition education to be provided as part of the educational enrichment in after school programs; AB 2065 (Oropeza) suspends the Teachers Income tax credit for one year; AB 2217 (Strom-Martin) establishes the California Quality Education Commission to aid in providing opportunity for a quality education to every pupil; AB 2264 (Wyland) extends the sunset date for the Home Economics Career and Technology Technical Education Incentive Program; AB 2295 (Oropeza) requires a report to be done on interscholastic athletics in this state; AB 2326 (Frommer) requires a task force to be formed to develop reading standards for Braille; AB 2425 (Richman) expands the Los Angeles Unified School District Inspector General's Authority; AB 2531 (Steinberg) establishes the High School Pupil Success Act; AB 2532 (Rod Pacheco) requires the State Department of Education to adopt maximum weight standards for textbooks; AB 2541 (Negrete McLeod) requires a grant applicant for the school-to-career program to demonstrate its ability to offer instruction on the topic of employees' rights and obligations in the workplace; AB 2555 (Leach) allows the State Department of Education to immediately suspend or terminate a contract for child care and development services if an agency has placed a person convicted of various crimes; AB 2583 (Chu) establishes the California Campus Sexual Assault Task Force; AB 2593 (Rod Pacheco) strengthens the law relative to unauthorized persons on school campuses; AB 2657 (Bogh) clarifies that new provisions of law dealing with calculation of a student's grade point average take effect with the 2005-06 school year; AB 2668 (Zettel) provides for a brain and spinal cord injury curricula to be used on a voluntary basis in the schools; AB 2709 (Wyland) requires that instruction in the social sciences include instruction on World War II and the American role in that war; AB 2781 (Oropeza) contains statutory implementation for education-related State Budget items; AB 2785 (Oropeza) contains statutory implementation for education-related State Budget items; AB 2800 (Chan) makes explicit the California Children and Families Commission to support school readiness activities; AB 2807 (Firebaugh) extends the sunset date for the Local Arts Education Partnership Program; AB 2811 (Migden) makes the Child Development Teacher and Supervisor Grant Program permanent and repeals the Child Development Teacher Loan Assumption Program; AB 2817 (Maddox) requires that instruction for sex education courses must advise pupils of the Safe Arms for Newborn Law; AB 2834 (Migden) seeks to improve school audits; AB 2950 (Strom-Martin) extends the sunset date for the University of California administered California Subject Matter Project; AB 3005 (Assembly Budget Committee) is an education-related trailer bill to the State Budget; AB 3008 (Assembly Budget Committee) is an education-related trailer bill to the State Budget; and AB 3045 (Assembly Higher Education Committee) conforms state law to federal law relative to the Golden State Scholarshare Grant Act.

Health and Public Social Services

One of the major pieces of legislation enacted into law was SB 253 (Ortiz), which enhances stem cell research in California for the purpose of developing medical therapies and finding cures for major diseases. Another significant piece of legislation enacted into law was SB 1230 (Alpert) which makes permanent the temporary ban on human cloning and extends the ban to human reproductive cloning. SB 1301 (Kuehl), enacted a new Reproductive Privacy Act providing that every individual possesses a fundamental right to privacy with respect to reproductive decisions and prohibits the state from interfering with a woman's right to choose an abortion prior to viability of the fetus.

Health Insurance and Coverage: In the area of health insurance coverage the following significant legislation was enacted: SB 59 (Escutia) requires a report regarding new uses of federal State Children's' Health Insurance Program funding for the provision of health coverage to children in vulnerable populations; SB 283 (Speier) expands the role of health plans in providing application assistance to Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Program applicants; SB 398 (Chesbro) provides health care service plans to meet with the State Department of Managed Health Care prior to filing for bankruptcy; SB 686 (Ortiz) revises the way the State Department of Managed Health Care calculates administrative assessments on health care service plans; SB 842 (Speier) clarifies the State Department of Managed Health Care's authority regarding regulation of which prescription drugs a health care service plan must provide if the plan provides coverage; SB 1092 (Sher) establishes the Consumer Participation Program with regard to health care service plans; SB 1278 (Speier) enhances the law relative to prescription discounts; SB 1411 (Speier) enacts the Maternity Paternity Act prohibiting health care service plans from imposing copayments or deductibles for hospital maternity services; SB 1531 (Speier) increases medical guarantees for individuals who would otherwise suffer from the loss of reduction in their medical coverage; SB 1633 (Soto) requires that Medi-Cal aged and disabled applicants be given a statement how they can transfer home ownership for less than fair market value without affecting Medi-Cal eligibility; SB 1913 (Senate Insurance Committee) requires the State Department of Insurance and the State Department of Managed Health Care to provide for a working group to ensure clarity for health care consumers about who enforces their patient's rights; SB 1914 (Senate Insurance Committee) provides a framework to guide the Legislature to proceed when state privacy laws are stronger or weaker than the privacy requirements of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act; AB 915 (Frommer) clarifies Medi-Cal reimbursement for hospital outpatient services and adult day health services; AB 1282 (Cardoza) seeks to establish an extended geographic accessibility standards for access to health care providers served by a health care service plan in small counties; AB 1401 (Thomson) and AB 424 (Thomson) create a four-year pilot project program to provide health coverage to the medically uninsurable; AB 1914 (Kehoe) provides one hearing aid assessment within a 12-month period as a Medi-Cal benefit; AB 2052 (Goldberg) prohibits insurers and health care service plans from changing premium rates after acceptance of a contract or after the annual enrollment period; AB 2085 (Corbett) allows the on-line filing of grievances through the use of a secure on-line form on each health plans' Web site; AB 2197 (Koretz) establishes the Medi-Cal Managed Care Benefit Program for non-disabled persons with HIV to become eligible for Medi-Cal benefits; AB 2364 (Negrete McLeod) requires a study to be done to simplify the administration of the Medi-Cal program; AB 2178 (Goldberg) seeks to make health insurance affordable and accessible to employees covered by living wage ordinances by making them eligible to purchase health insurance in the small group market; AB 2179 (Cohn) requires the State Department of Managed Health Care to develop and adopt regulations to ensure that enrollees in health care service plans have access to needed care in a timely manner; AB 2420 (Richman) prohibits a health care service plan from requiring a health care provider to be at financial risk for injectable medications; AB 2674 (Chu) specifies that federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics are capable and eligible for receiving Medi-Cal enrollee assignments and referrals; and AB 2907 (Cohn) creates a Health Care Providers Bill of Rights assuring that providers are treated fairly in their contractual relationship with HMOs and insurers.

Health Professionals: In the area of health professionals, significant Senate enacted legislation included the following: SB 564 (Speier) requires 15 hours of coursework in spousal or partner abuse assessments for marriage, family, and child counselors; SB 577 (Burton) strengthens the law regarding complimentary and alternative heath care practitioners; SB 580 (Figueroa) requires the creation of a uniform document for health practitioners to use in reporting child abuse as mandated by current law; SB 843 (Perata) provides for certification of tuberculosis skin test technicians; SB 1324 (Ortiz) provides for one, instead of two, hospital-based center for training medical personnel concerning medical evidentiary tests of victims of abuse; SB 1379 (O'Connell) allows licensed speech-language pathologists to perform endoscopic procedures as specified; SB 1402 (Murray) revises the definition of hand therapy which a licensed occupational therapist may perform; SB 1558 (Figueroa) restores to certified nurse midwives, a nurse practitioner, or a physician's assistant, their ability to obtain complimentary prescription samples from drug company salespersons; SB 1629 (Soto) creates a grant program for firefighters to receive Emergency Medical Technical Paramedic training; SB 1950 (Figueroa) requires the public disclosure of physician settlements involving more than $30,000, as specified, makes changes to the California Medical Board, and establishes the Health Care Professional Disaster Response Act; SB 1951 (Figueroa) extends the sunset date on the California Acupuncture Board and seeks to improve its operations; SB 1954 (Figueroa) adds two public members to the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners; SB 1955 (Figueroa) seeks to improve the operation of the Board of Podiatric Medicine, the Physical Therapy Board of California, the Respiratory Care Board of California, and the State Board of Optometry; SB 2019 (Speier) enhances a licensing agency's ability to punish health care practitioners who are in default on any specified education loan; SB 2021 (Senate Business and Professions Committee) makes changes in the provisions of law relating to the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Licensure Act, the Occupational Therapy Practice Act, the Nursing Practice Act, the Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau, and the Dental Board of California; SB 2022 (Figueroa) changes the number of members of the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians and defines the scope of practice for registered dental hygienists; SB 2025 (Figueroa) extends the sunset date on the Board of Psychology, Veterinary Medical Board, and the Board of Behavioral Sciences; and makes changes in the law concerning the Medical Board of California and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California; AB 982 (Firebaugh) establishes the Dental Loan Repayment Program of 2002; AB 1026 (Oropeza) restricts the conditions under which a licensed dentist may advertise himself/herself as a specialist; AB 1045 (Firebaugh) creates the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program; AB 1140 (Thomson) requires a study concerning the nursing work force planning; AB 2020 (Correa) requires optometrists and ophthalmologists to provide contact lens patients with a prescription for their lenses; AB 2314 (Thomson) seeks to streamline all nursing program prerequisites on a statewide basis for the community colleges and California State University systems; AB 2459 (Diaz) makes information regarding alternatives to prostrate cancer treatment available to patients through their physicians and surgeons; AB 2753 (Aanestad) simplifies the requirements for a doctor to obtain the necessary certification to use or supervise the use of a bone densitometer; and AB 2935 (Strom-Martin) establishes the California Pharmacist Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program.

Other public health and safety legislation: Other significant Senate public health and safety legislation enacted includes: SB 107 (Burton) establishes the Bureau of Services for the Blind and Visibly Impaired and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; SB 247 (Speier) sets forth guidelines to be followed relative to the release and access to birth and death records; SB 309 (Ortiz) provides residents with enhanced access to information and gives them the opportunity to be active in their continuing care retirement communities; SB 339 (Ortiz) provides additional protections for residents of nursing facilities that are planning to transfer due to a change in the status of the license or operation of the facility; SB 406 (Ortiz) establishes procedures for implementing bioterrorism preparedness; SB 460 (Ortiz) enhances the enforcement of lead abatement; SB 646 (Ortiz) allows the State Department of Social Services to operate a substitute child care employee registry pilot program; SB 801 (Speier) specifies elements that must be included in a hospital's plan to reduce medication-related errors; SB 953 (Vasconcellos) seeks to create an Elder Corps master plan to expand opportunities for seniors; SB 1135 (Polanco) provides for regulations to be adopted concerning licensed tissue banks engaged in collection of human musculorskeletal tissue, skin, and veins for transportation in humans; SB 1298 (Ortiz) improves and strengthens the role of local health jurisdictions in protecting the public from the spread of disease from both natural and intentional (terrorist) health threats; SB 1315 (Sher) streamlines pharmaceutical purchases across several state agencies to maximize bulk purchasing savings and cut administrative costs; SB 1404 (Chesbro) provides for more accounting for state-hospital managed entertainment and education funds drawn from patients' personal assets and enhances patient access to self-help groups; SB 1448 (Chesbro) seeks to create the most complete records possible of persons who died while in a state hospital or developmental center; SB 1505 (Kuehl) ensures that child protection services social workers can recognize signs and symptoms of teen dating violence; SB 1614 (Speier) seeks to permit necessary public access to vital records while also protecting the confidentiality and personal privacy of the individuals to whom the information pertains; SB 1630 (Chesbro) eliminates the Organization of Area Boards and reconstitutes the State Council on Developmental Disabilities; SB 1695 (Escutia) seeks to prevent drug overdoses and to provide information concerning the trend in drug overdose deaths; SB 1822 (Sher) sets a firm deadline for the adoption of a public health goal and primary drinking water standard for perchlorate; SB 1884 (Speier) prohibits the sale or distribution of any dietary supplement product containing ephedrine group alkaloids or steroid hormone precurers, unless a product label contains warning statement; SB 1898 (Soto) limits application fees and regulates rate increases charged by residential care facilities for the elderly; SB 1911 (Ortiz) seeks to provide cost savings to the state in the children's mental health care needs; SB 1948 (Figueroa) requires that warning labels included on dietary supplements manufactured or sold in California be clear and conspicuous; and SB 2065 (Kuehl) requires the State Department of Health Services to establish reporting procedures through a public hearing process for low-level radioactive waste.

Significant Assembly legislation enacted concerning other health and public social services includes: AB 364 (Aroner) seeks to reduce county child welfare service worker caseloads; AB 442 (Assembly Budget Committee) contains the statutory provisions for the health related State Budget items; AB 444 (Assembly Budget Committee) contains the statutory provisions for social services related State Budget items; AB 692 (Aroner) establishes individual development accounts program to be known as the California Savings and Asset Project; AB 890 (Cedillo) subjects health facilities owned by religious corporations to the same requirements as other nonprofit hospitals with regard to obtaining the consent of the Office of Attorney General before transferring hospital ownership; AB 925 (Aroner) expands programs for working persons with disabilities; AB 1139 (Thomson) requires the death certificate to indicate whether the decedent was pregnant; AB 1358 (Pescetti) requires licensing inspection of child care facilities to take place when the facility is in operation; AB 1379 (Thomson) changes four teenage pregnancy prevention programs from a contract process to a grant process for final disbursement; AB 1421 (Thomson) strengthens the law concerning court ordered outpatient treatment services for people with serious mental illnesses; AB 1425 (Thomson) expands community living opportunities for persons with disabilities; AB 1454 (Thomson) provides for criminal record checks of any direct care staff of mental health facilities; AB 1830 (Frommer) prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors through the United States Postal Service or other private postal delivery service; AB 1867 (Vargas) prohibits smoking or disposal of tobacco-related waste within 25 feet of a playground or a tot lot sandbox area; AB 1872 (Canciamilla) establishes an expedited process for obtaining death certificates for victims in the event of a mass fatality incident; AB 1946 (Corbett) requires specified printed materials provided to patients by long-term care facilities to be printed in 12-point type; AB 1988 (Diaz) requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to convene a task force to study the delivery and provision of emergency medical services; AB 1989 (Liu) provides family members with better information on the health conditions of their relatives living in residential facilities; AB 2036 (Liu) extends the sunset date for the State Children's Trust Fund tax check-off; AB 2057 (Steinberg) requires the State Department of Mental Health to include in its annual evaluation report the effectiveness of the Integrated Services for Homeless Adults; AB 2064 (Cedillo) allows the establishment of training programs for counselors for publicly funded HIV testing programs; AB 2067 (Nakano) seeks to protect residents who live in close proximity to an active nuclear power plant from an accidental radiation exposure; AB 2127 (Matthews) reinstates a personal income tax check-off to fund asthma and lung disease research; AB 2191 (Migden) prohibits pharmaceutical companies or their agents from disclosing medical information about a patient without first obtaining valid authorization, as specified; AB 2202 (Alquist) requires the California State University to provide courses and training in gerontology for professional service delivery personnel providing services to seniors; AB 2219 (Keeley) requires all food establishments built after January 1, 2004, to provide clean toilet facilities; AB 2235 (Vargas) provides an enforcement mechanism of record provisions of current law for the In-Home Supportive Services employer; AB 2294 (Liu) expands the terms of office for and responsibilities of the State Foster Care Ombudsman; AB 2328 (Wayne) permits provisions of informed consent required for medical experimentation by specified surrogate decision makers for persons unable to give such consent; AB 2352 (Cedillo) extends the California Health Facilities Financing Authority's (CHFFA's) ability to provide grants for capital projects to all health facilities currently eligible under CHFFA's statute; AB 2404 (Reyes) specifies that licensing approval is not needed for mobile health care units for each site at which a unit operates; AB 2423 (Cardenas) allows for blood samples to be tested for any communicable diseases that could have been transferred to a health care provider or other emergency responder exposed to blood in the course of caring for an individual; AB 2550 (Nation) requires the State Department of Health Services to implement an Internet-based electronic death certificate system; AB 2798 (Aroner) includes the transportation of food within the provisions of law regulating food safety; AB 2823 (Strom-Martin) enacts the California Organic Product Act of 2003; and AB 2994 (Wright) seeks to have the state's reporting HIV system to comply with federal standards to ensure continued federal funding.

Business and Labor Relations

Business and Economic Development: In response to major audit problems connected with several large corporations (notably Enron) and various illicit acts by accounting firms (most notably Arthur Anderson) responsible for providing these audits, the Legislature enacted the following legislation to strengthen state laws concerning accounting: AB 270 (Correa), AB 2873 (Frommer), and AB 2970 (Wayne). In a related issue, AB 55 (Shelley) was enacted establishing the California Corporate Disclosure Act, which increases corporate disclosures and creates a restitution fund for victims of corporate fraud.

Other significant Senate legislation enacted: SB 17 (Figueroa) and SB 1952 (Figueroa) strengthen laws regarding cemeteries and crematories to provide for oversight of the industry in light of disposal of remains problems that occurred in Georgia; SB 170 (Escutia) establishes civil penalties for failure to comply with specified data calls (requests for data from insurers) required by the State Department of Insurance; SB 399 (Ackerman) establishes a process by which a California corporation may convert into another form of California business entity; SB 682 (Perata) and AB 496 (Koretz) repeal the existing code provision granting limited statutory immunity to manufacturers and sellers of firearms and ammunition; SB 898 (Perata) transfers regulation of deferred deposit transactions (payday advances) from the State Department of Justice to the State Department of Corporations and strengthens law licensing these businesses; SB 1311 (Kuehl) allows voluntary agreements between cellular carriers and public safety agencies to give priority telephone services; SB 1356 (Murray) expands eligible costs for which film productions can receive reimbursement under the Film California First Program; SB 1472 (Romero) revises conditions for an exception to the supermajority vote limitations for corporations; SB 1657 (Scott) requires the establishment of an international trade and investment office in the Republic of Armenia; SB 1919 (Figueroa) increases the contractor's license bond incrementally, as specified, in 2004 and 2007; SB 1953 (Figueroa) enhances and strengthens the Contractor State Licensing Bond Act; and SB 2093 (Speier) requires underwriters of defunct title companies to pay their pro rata share of State Department of Insurance expenses.

Other significant Assembly legislation enacted includes: AB 551 (Papan) prohibits any person from acquiring control of an industrial bank unless the person is engaged only in activities permitted for financial holding companies as provided in federal law; AB 601 (Leach) allows limited liability companies and partnerships to enter into noncompetitive contracts; AB 625 (Oropeza) requires a new international trade and investment office to submit a proposed business plan; AB 690 (Wiggins) provides that the State Assistance Fund for Enterprise, Business, and Industrial Development Corporation meets the definition of community development institutions; AB 1875 (Nakano) streamlines the process for dissolving a corporation that has not issued shares or started doing business; AB 1999 (Correa) allows state and local law enforcement officials to seek civil penalties under the Immigration Consultants Act; AB 2009 (Nakano) redefines the term swap meet to include open air markets and flea markets; AB 2157 (Papan) establishes requirements for the organization, regulation, and imposition of sanctions for violation of the credit union law; AB 2219 (Pavley) expands the law concerning food establishments providing toilet facilities; AB 2354 (Dutra) provides a state-of-the-art framework for derivative use and regulation in California's insurance industry; and AB 2544 (Bill Campbell) requires the Contractors' State License Board to post specified information on its Web site each week regarding home improvement salesperson registration applications.

Labor Relations: Major labor relations legislation enacted this year is SB 1156 (Burton) and AB 2596 (Wesson), which establish protocols for resolution of agricultural labor contract disputes through mediation, conciliation, and adjudication.

Other significant Senate legislation enacted includes: SB 278 (Machado), which requires the body awarding a contract for a public works project financed in any part with funds made available under the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002 to adopt and enforce a labor compliance program; SB 467 (Scott) seeks to ensure prompt payment of disability insurance benefits to injured workers; SB 1236 (Alarcon) implements the Governor's Reorganization Plan #1 which creates the Labor and Workforce Development Agency; SB 1407 (Burton) seeks to collect additional information regarding potential underreporting of workers' compensation exposure in the taxicab industry; SB 1422 (Burton) exempts joint-labor management committees and their employees from the Private Investigators Act; SB 1471 (Romero) prohibits employers from adopting an absence control policy that disciplines employees for use of sick leave to attend to an illness of an employee's child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner; SB 1591 (Burton) requires the State Employment Development Department to establish standards and criteria regarding construction industry jobs under the Workforce Investment Act; SB 1661 (Kuehl) creates within the state disability insurance program a family temporary disability insurance program to provide up to six weeks of age replacement benefits to workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, domestic partner, or to bond with a new child; SB 1818 (Romero) provides legislative findings and declarations regarding the protection, rights and remedies of employees, regardless of immigration status, under state law; SB 1886 (Torlakson) establishes a comprehensive statutory framework to regulate elevator safety; and SB 2XXX (Alarcon) applies the increases in unemployment benefits that were enacted in 2001, and became effective January 1, 2002 retroactively, to any claim for the period covering September 1, 2001 and thereafter.

Other significant Assembly labor relations legislation enacted includes: AB 486 (Calderon) and AB 749 (Calderon), which increase workers' compensation benefits and make revisions in the administration of the workers' compensation system; AB 1448 (Maddox) ensures that subcontractors maintain the high professional standards as contractors in terms of obeying state labor laws; AB 1599 (Negrete McLeod) broadens legal prohibitions on employment discrimination based upon age; AB 1900 (Nakano) deems the first week of April to be Labor History Week; AB 1932 (Horton) extends the period during which the state can reconsider a determination made with respect to disability insurance benefits; AB 1985 (Calderon) clarifies authority of the Insurance Commissioner to regulate workers' compensation insurers solvency; AB 2125 (Negrete McLeod) creates a rebuttable presumption under workers' compensation that Lyme disease which develops or manifests itself with respect to state peace officers and members of the California Conservation Corps arises out of and in the course of employment; AB 2149 (Chu) allows employees of the State of California and the California State University to be covered by the State Disability Insurance Program; AB 2192 (Chavez) seeks to maintain a competitive market in the business of providing access to workers' compensation insurance on behalf of their employer clients; AB 2195 (Corbett) extends existing protections for victims of domestic violence who take time off work to victims of sexual assault; AB 2384 (Assembly Governmental Organization Committee) allows harness racing associations the ability to provide funding for increased workers' compensation insurance; AB 2410 (Frommer) requires the State Employment Development Department to research and maintain data on film industry employment; AB 2412 (Diaz) enhances worker's ability to inspect his/her payroll records; AB 2509 (Goldberg) provides local government agencies to impose labor standards more stringent than those required by state law on local projects which receive state funding; AB 2816 (Steinberg) clarifies responsibility of temporary agencies relative to workers' compensation premiums; AB 2837 (Koretz) revises reporting and investigation procedures of workforce accidents resulting in serious injury or death; AB 2856 (Chavez) creates a limited insurance license for the offer and sale of insurance in connection with, and incidental to the sale or lease of communications equipment; AB 2895 (Shelley) prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to refrain from disclosing information about the employee's working conditions; AB 2929 (Kehoe) allows the State Employment Development Department to serve earnings withholding orders on employers directly by mail; AB 2957 (Koretz) enacts a uniform state standard of notification for mass layoffs, relocations, and terminations; and AB 2985 (Assembly Labor and Employment Committee) requires an independent study of the most effective and efficient means of enforcing wage and labor laws by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

Consumerism

Significant Senate legislation enacted in the field of consumerism included: SB 500 (Torlakson) brings specified retail, cable television, and utility companies up to the same standards of consumer protection in providing timely and reliable home delivery or connection services; SB 772 (Bowen) requires 30 day notice be given customers by electronic mail service providers before service is terminated; SB 1239 (Figueroa) requires any consumer credit reporting agency to provide a consumer with up to 12 free copies of his/her credit file per year, as specified; SB 1240 (Figueroa) prohibits the use of government related logos, words, or symbols in solicitations by e-mail and over the Internet by a Web site that might create the misimpression that the individual or business is connected with the government; SB 1259 (Ackerman) makes possession, or the use with intent to defraud, of a credit card scanning device, a misdemeanor; SB 1331 (Speier) provides for additional requirements concerning registration of total loss salvage; SB 1357 (Vincent) requires a retail business that sells pet animals to provide written recommendations regarding care and feeding of that animal; SB 1560 (Figueroa) clarifies which businesses may obtain the Do Not Call List free of charge and that businesses may not become Do Not Call List brokers; SB 1386 (Peace) seeks to help consumers protect their financial security; SB 1617 (Karnette) modifies the authorization for credit card companies to issue a substitute card to replace an accepted credit card; SB 1730 (Bowen) modifies provisions relating to security freezes and permissible publication of social security numbers; SB 1765 (Bowen) seeks to help consumers take control of their personal data by requiring manufacturers to clearly state on warranty cards that the consumer is not required to return the card in order for the warranty to be effective; SB 1872 (Bowen) gives buyers with a right to receive a refund or credit, the right to get that refund or credit within a definite reasonable time frame; SB 1903 (O'Connell) requires cellular telephone service providers to establish a means by which customers can obtain current information on their calling plans and usage; and SB 1926 (Costa) adds protections in the law to the use of a live check or instant loan check.

Assembly consumer significant legislation enacted includes: AB 1068 (Wright) and AB 2868 (Wright) seeks to improve implementation of legislation in 2001 which makes major revisions to the Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act; AB 1336 (Koretz) requires pet dealers to provide purchasers of dogs and cats with written materials relative to spaying and neutering of their animals as well as useful information on veterinarians and licensing of their dog; AB 1956 (Vargas) seeks to heighten consumer awareness of the existence of the industry rating system for video arcade game content; AB 2244 (Wayne) provides additional disclosures of charges and other protections related to prepaid calling cards; AB 2293 (Liu) establishes new regulatory provisions exempting nonprofit consumer credit counseling organizations that engage in prorating activities; AB 2397 (Correa) enhances statutes governing advertising by motor vehicle dealers; AB 2473 (Simitian) requires the issuer of a gift certificate to honor that certificate if the issuer files for bankruptcy; AB 2544 (Bill Campbell) requires the Contractors' State License Board to post, on a weekly basis, information about home improvement salespersons registration applications on its Web site; AB 2732 (Washington) requires any business establishment to use a system that conspicuously displays the price to be paid by the consumer; and AB 2944 (Kehoe) deletes state law prohibiting unsolicited fax advertisements, making federal law prevail relative to this issue.

Environment

Air Pollution: The following significant legislation was enacted in the field of air pollution: SB 433 (Machado) repeals the sunset date for penalty provisions regarding the violations of fuel standards and requirements; SB 812 (Sher) expands responsibilities of the California Climate Action Registry; SB 2053 (Sher) requires hazardous air pollutants listed under the federal Clean Air Act be included in the State Air Resources Board list; AB 1173 (Keeley) requires a report on the most recent empirical data on indoor air pollution and potential adverse effects of pollution on public health in the state; AB 1493 (Pavley) requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt regulations to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by motor vehicles; AB 2637 (Cardoza) extends Smog Check II to the San Francisco Bay Area; and AB 2650 (Lowenthal) establishes fines for marine terminals that cause diesel trucks to idle more than 30 minutes.

Hazardous Waste: In the field of hazardous waste the following significant legislation was enacted: SB 489 (Romero) creates the Hazardous Waste of Concern and Public Safety Act to tighten wastes that might be misused as weapons of mass destruction; SB 1011 (Sher) seeks to improve local curbside household hazardous waste collection programs; SB 1257 (Murray) strengthens and improves requirements to the transportation of hazardous materials; SB 1374 (Kuehl) seeks to improve diversion of construction and demolition waste materials from landfills; SB 1922 (Romero) increases the amount of waste mineral oil which can be transported from remote sites to a consolidation site; AB 2214 (Keeley) specifies requirements for operation and design of facilities for disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), and prohibits Ward Valley from being the site for a new LLRW facility; AB 2436 (Frommer) improves the amount and quality of information regarding contaminated sites, such as brownfields; and AB 2481 (Frommer) seeks to strengthen and reorganize the laws relating to underground storage tanks.

Solid Waste: Significant legislation enacted in the area of solid waste includes: SB 1328 (Chesbro), which expands the farm and ranch solid waste and abatement grant program; SB 1346 (Kuehl) allows the tire recycling program to include grants to local agencies for funding of public work projects that use rubberized asphalt concrete; SB 1542 (Escutia) requires the California Integrated Waste Management Board to provide local jurisdictions and businesses with information to assist with consideration of environmental justice concerns regarding siting elements for solid waste disposal facilities; AB 467 (Strom-Martin) establishes the Landfill Closure Loan Program; AB 709 (Wayne) establishes a third category of solid waste site -- the "burn dump" site; AB 1482 (Richman) allows regional solid waste agencies to apportion penalties imposed on them; AB 2308 (Chavez) provides procedures requiring jurisdictions to deduct inert waste from separated disposal tonnage; and AB 2356 (Keeley) addresses the problem resulting from the presence of the long-lived herbicide clopycalid and other herbicides in compost of yard waste.

Coastal Resources: In the field of the coastal resources, enacted legislation includes: SB 1164 (Sher) assists several small cities having difficulties in implementing their local coastal plans due to associated costs of litigation; SB 1962 (Polanco) enhances the State Coastal Conservancy to accept all outstanding offers to dedicate public accessways; AB 1913 (Lowenthal) enhances notice requirements for real property that has been developed in violation of the California Coastal Act; AB 2387 (Bates) clarifies that the State Coastal Conservancy educational programs may not include grants from the General Fund to local public educational agencies; and AB 2727 (Keeley) revises the State Coastal Conservancy's authority to provide grants, land acquisitions, and provides consistency across various Coastal Conservancy programs.

Other significant enacted Senate legislation affecting the environment includes: SB 199 (Torlakson), which increases the grant and loan amounts which local government may receive to assist neighborhoods suffering from high poverty or unemployment levels, reduce pollution hazards, and degradation of the environment; SB 482 (Kuehl) relates to the implementation of the Quantification Settlement Agreement in connection to restoration of the Salton Sea; SB 483 (Sher) provides funding and time extensions for remediation of abandoned mines in California; SB 540 (Sher) enhances the prosecutions of forest practices violations; SB 550 (Costa) extends the sunset date on the agricultural accidental take provisions of the California Endangered Species Act; SB 849 (Torlakson) increases fee for each barrel of crude oil, and a spill prevention and administration fee to finance the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act program; SB 984 (Costa) establishes a program to protect the state's rangeland, grazing land, and grasslands through conservation easements; SB 1381 (Kuehl) establishes the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission; SB 1385 (Brulte) encourages local and regional park agencies to incorporate water conservation measures when developing projects eligible for Proposition 40 bond funding; SB 1393 (Kuehl) provides for development of protocols for reviewing the prospective application of a certified regulatory program; SB 1573 (Karnette) establishes an interagency invasive species council to develop a comprehensive approach to aquatic invasive species; SB 1645 (Sher) requires persons trapping animals on a for-profit basis to be licensed; SB 1777 (Sher) expands the category of projects funded from the Salmon and Steelhead Trout Restoration Account to include acquisition and installation of fish screens; SB 1808 (McPherson) requires the Governor's Office of Planning and Research to report annually on the implementation of the Environmental Goals and Policy Report; SB 1816 (Chesbro) establishes the Native American Historic Resource Protection Act; and SB 2063 (Brulte) establishes the California Indian Cultural Center and Museum Task Force to assist in developing a museum.

Significant Assembly legislation enacted affecting the environment includes: AB 1108 (Pavley), which seeks to avoid holding a scoping meeting under the California Environmental Quality Act in certain circumstances, when such a meeting was already held under the National Environmental Policy Act; AB 2013 (Harman) identifies which trout are considered native California trout and allows the State Department of Fish and Game to designate certain waters as Heritage Trout Waters; AB 2083 (Jackson) requires the State Lands Commission to develop a form oil shippers must file to track the amount and type of oil transported; AB 2156 (Kehoe) establishes the San Diego River Conservancy; AB 2251 (Nation) enacts the Sudden Oak Death Management Act of 2002; AB 2312 (Chu) establishes the Environmental Justice Small Grant Program; AB 2486 (Keeley) enacts the Environmental Enforcement and Training Act of 2002; AB 2534 (Pavley) enacts the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act; AB 2783 (Strom-Martin) extends the Steelhead Trout Catch Report-Restoration Card Program for five years; and AB 2993 (Firebaugh) seeks to provide incentives for landowners to implement prefire activities in state responsibility areas and urban wildlands interface communities.

Housing

Major legislation enacted in the housing area includes: SB 1227 (Burton) which provides for the Housing Bond and Energy Shelter Trust Fund Act allowing for the issuance of a $12.1 billion general obligation bond for state housing programs to be voted on by the voters at the November 2002 General Election and SB 800 (Burton) which specifies the rights and requirements of a homeowner to bring an action for construction defects.

Other significant housing legislation enacted is as follows: SB 369 (Dunn), which reenacts the law sunsetted January 1, 2002 allowing cities and counties to issue revenue bonds to provide financing for multifamily rental housing; SB 372 (Dunn) establishes the Preservation Opportunity Program and the Interim Repositioning Program to provide loans to preserve assisted housing developments; SB 423 (Torlakson) creates the Workforce Housing Reward Program; SB 1403 (Kuehl) modifies landlord-tenant law which includes making renewal and termination of a hiring residential real property applicable statewide; SB 1410 (Chesbro) allows a mobilehome owner under special circumstances to rent their mobilehome and sublet their mobilehome space; SB 1576 (Bowen) specifies that landlords give notice to a current tenant and prospective tenants concerning demolition of a residential dwelling; SB 1721 (Soto) applies the current anti-NIMBY statutes to the use of design review standards to block a proposed housing development, including farmworker housing; SB 1726 (Vasconcellos) provides for requirements in the construction of public and private swimming pools and spas to prevent serious injuries or death that can result from entrapment in drains; SB 1778 (Dunn) expands the list of violations for which the State Department of Housing and Community Development may issue a citation to a manufactured home dealer or licensee; SB 1821 (Dunn) clarifies that tax credit financed housing units are subject to notice and sale requirements; SB 1879 (Poochigian) revises disclosure requirements applicable when real property is sold; SB 1992 (Perata) requires the State Department of Housing and Community Development determine the need to require installation of gas shutoff valves; AB 337 (Correa) specifies the information required to be included by private research companies that produce compliance documents for special property tax assessments; AB 643 (Lowenthal) requires common interest developments to submit specified information to the Secretary of State regarding the developments; AB 930 (Keeley) clarifies how rent is governed as relates to the formula in current law for mitigating displacement of non-purchasing residents when a mobilehome converts to resident ownership; AB 1008 (Lowenthal) requires the University of California to make a study regarding tax-delinquent properties; AB 1170 (Firebaugh) establishes the Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods Program; AB 1926 (Horton) allows any person holding a recorded property interest in property containing an unlawfully discriminatory restrictive covenant to strike the covenant upon application to the county recorders office; AB 2330 (Migden) assists tenants to recover their security deposits from landlords; AB 2382 (Corbett) expands the list of prosecutorial agencies allowed to bring civil actions to abate nuisances in mobilehome parks; AB 2495 (Correa) allows a mobilehome or manufactured home located in a mobilehome park to exceed four dwelling units; AB 2546 (Nation) limits the requirements that a homeowners' association may place on an owner needing to sell a unit in a common interest development; and AB 2787 (Aroner) requires the State Department of Housing and Community Development to develop guidelines and ordinances that advance the use of universal design in houses.

Transportation

Significant Senate transportation legislation enacted includes: SB 18 (Alarcon), which requests the University of California to conduct a study on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; SB 510 (Scott) closes loopholes regarding possession of weaponry in airports; SB 796 (Costa) makes the High-Speed Rail Authority permanent; SB 873 (Torlakson) sets forth the Regional Transit Expansion Program for the San Francisco Bay Area; SB 1257 (Murray) strengthens law pertaining to the transportation of hazardous materials; SB 1489 (Perata) allows for the impoundment of vehicles used in reckless driving or exhibition of speed violations; SB 1636 (Figueroa) defines an infill opportunity zone for local development and congestion management program purposes; SB 1703 (Peace) creates a consolidated transportation agency for San Diego County; SB 1740 (Murray) imposes record keeping ability of service authorities for freeway emergencies; SB 1768 (Murray) allows the State Department of Transportation to nominate transportation projects for inclusion in regional transportation improvement programs; SB 1834 (Senate Budget Committee) contains statutory provisions for transportation-related State Budget items; SB 1856 (Costa) enacts the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Train Bond Act for the 21st Century placing a $9 billion general obligation bond to be voted on at the 2004 General Election; SB 1918 (Torlakson) establishes regulations regarding the use of electric personal assistance mobility devices; and SB 1924 (O'Connell) requires children under 18 to wear a helmet while wearing in-line or roller skates, a nonmotorized scooter, a skateboard, or riding as a passenger.

Significant Assembly legislation enacted relative to transportation includes: AB 381 (Salinas), which provides an analysis to be done relative to changes in operating costs experienced by transit operators and providers; AB 629 (Oropeza) requires transit buses operated by a motor carrier to be equipped with a two-way communication device; AB 666 (Dutra) establishes a coordinated environmental review process for three rail passenger capacity enhancement demonstration projects; AB 1493 (Pavley) requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt regulations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by motor vehicles; AB 1759 (Wesson) establishes a California memorial license plate to raise revenues for scholarships for the dependents of September 11, 2001 victims and to support anti-terrorism efforts; AB 1915 (Lowenthal) requires the issuance of new license plates by the State Department of Motor Vehicles when requested by a victim of domestic violence; AB 2148 (Chu) allows the State Department of Transportation to enter into storm damage mitigation contracts when doing storm damage repairs on state highways; AB 2224 (Nation) creates the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District; AB 2303 (Runner) extends the valid period of a smog check certificate from 60 days to 90 days for purposes of transferring a vehicle's ownership; AB 2360 (Dutra) establishes a competitive grant program for new or expanded Freeway Service Patrol services; AB 2522 (Dutra) requires the California Highway Patrol to perform a risk assessment of the state's transportation system; AB 2535 (Diaz) improves information reporting regarding transportation congestion data; AB 2582 (Chu) allows the operation of a paratransit vehicle on high-occupancy highway lanes without the required number of passengers; AB 2630 (Cogdill) improves funding to support a security project at small airports; AB 2637 (Cardoza) extends the Smog Check II Program to the San Francisco Bay Area; AB 2751 (Pavley) requires the State Department of Transportation to conduct a demonstration project to evaluate the feasibility of using rice straw for freeway soundwall construction; AB 2776 (Simitian) increases the notice required to be given prospective homeowners when the homes they intend to buy are located near an airport; and AB 2996 (Assembly Budget Committee) contains statutory provisions to implement the State Budget.

Energy

The major activity in the energy area was the holding of investigative hearings by the Senate Select Committee on Investigative Price Manipulation of the Wholesale Energy Market, chaired by Senator Joseph Dunn, concerning what role energy corporations, notably Enron, had in manipulating energy wholesale prices during the 2001 California energy crisis.

Significant legislation enacted in the energy field includes: SB 1038 (Sher) and SB 1078 (Sher), which enhance and improve provisions of laws and programs relative to energy renewable resources; SB 1269 (Peace) expands conditions under which the California Energy Commission may revoke its certification for a new power plant construction project; SB 1534 (Bowen) requires that solar energy systems installed by property owners meet current standards for safety and performance; SB 1753 (Bowen) requires the Independent System Operator to abide by certain public interest principles managing the transmission grid; SB 1755 (Soto) allows municipal water districts and county water districts to own and operate electric power plants, whether hydroelectric or otherwise; SB 1790 (Bowen) requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop a program for residential and commercial customer air condition load control; SB 1976 (Torlakson) requires the Energy Commission to prepare a report on the feasibility of implementing dynamic pricing tariffs for electricity as a way to reduce or shift peak demand; AB 57 (Wright) establishes a process under which an investor-owner utility may be assured that its electricity procurement expenses will be recoverable; AB 58 (Keeley) enhances law concerning net energy metering; AB 80 (Havice) allows cities participating in the Magnolia Power Project to aggregate their electricity loads and provide direct electricity access to their residents; AB 117 (Migden) allows cities and counties to aggregate their electric loads and provide service directly to their residents, as specified; AB 1561 (Kelley) requires the California Energy Commission to establish a water efficiency standard for residential washing machines that is at least as water efficient as commercial clothes washers; AB 1881 (Pescetti) makes solar thermal and heating technologies eligible for installation on, or adjacent to, new state buildings and parking facilities; and AB 2706 (Cardoza) grants irrigation districts powers to help stabilize stable electrical rates.

Agriculture

In the field of agriculture, major farm labor legislation enacted is as follows: SB 1156 (Burton) and AB 2596 (Wesson) establish protocols for resolution of agricultural labor contract disputes through mediation, conciliation, and adjudication; SB 1227 (Burton) provides for a general obligation bond for various housing issues, including $200 million for farmworker housing assistance; SB 1721 (Soto) applies the current anit-NIMBY statutes to the use of design review standards to block a proposed housing development, including farm worker housing; AB 2043 (Salinas) clarifies that the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program may make grants or loans to directly rent or lease short-term housing for migrant farmworkers if the State Department of Housing and Community Development finds the existence of extraordinary or emergency circumstances; AB 2913 (Firebaugh) protects braceros' rights, who worked in California between 1942-50, to belated wage payments.

Another major issue, improving the Williamson Act and the California Farmland Conservancy Act, establishes the Coastal Farmland Preservation Program with the passage of the following legislation: SB 1864 (Costa), AB 52 (Wiggins), AB 137 (Wiggins), and AB 1997 (Thomson). Legislation was also enacted to enhance the program in eradicating and compensating grape growers for losses resulting from Pierce's disease: AB 1242 (Wiggins), AB 2890 (Wiggins), and AB 1408 (Hollingsworth).

Lastly, other significant legislation in the agricultural field includes: SB 1328 (Chesbro), which expands the farm and ranch solid waste and abatement grant program to include Native American tribes and all public entities, and increases the grant amounts; SB 1345 (Kuehl) establishes additional protocols for commercial blood banks for animals licensed by the State Department of Food and Agriculture; SB 1540 (Alpert) creates the California Sea Urchin Commission; AB 2155 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) conforms California horse show and event medication rules to the standards established by the United States Food and Drug Administration; AB 2587 (Matthews) requires the State Department of Food and Agriculture to provide the State Department of Water Resources and the Legislature with an annual report on estimated water usage for production of agricultural commodities; and AB 2923 (Pescetti) designates the first day of spring in each year as California Agriculture Day.

Water Resources

The major issue in water resources was creation of the California Bay-Delta Authority to oversee implementation of the California Bay-Delta Program with the enactment of SB 1653 (Costa) and AB 2683 (Canciamilla).

Other significant water resources legislation enacted includes: SB 469 (Alpert) enhances water quality laws concerning total maximum daily loads; SB 482 (Kuehl) addresses concerns about the Salton Sea and a Quantification Settlement Agreement; SB 1348 (Brulte) promotes and enhances the California Urban Water Management Planning Act; SB 1372 (Machado) seeks to improve agricultural drainage management systems; SB 1385 (Brulte) encourages local and regional park agencies to incorporate water conservation measures; SB 1473 (Machado) provides implementation guidelines for the water bond initiative on the November 2002 ballot (Proposition 50); SB 1599 (Poochigian) expands opportunities for the issuance of stays regarding reviews of regional water board actions related to waste discharge requirements; SB 1711 (Costa) exempts construction or location of water treatment facilities from local building and zoning ordinances under specified conditions; SB 1949 (Soto) requires the State Water Resources Control Board to review the regional board's public participation procedures; AB 2267 (Kelley) expands the State Water Resources Control Board's enforcement authority by allowing the board to issue cease and desist orders; AB 2704 (Aroner) renames the "flood damage reduction control and urban creek restoration" program to the Urban Streams Restoration Program and provides for a competitive grant program; AB 2706 (Cardoza) improves irrigation district powers relative to supplying electricity to their customers; AB 2717 (Hertzberg) seeks to improve water desalination opportunities; AB 2838 (Canciamilla) permits the California Public Utilities Commission to impose interim rate increases for water utilities; and AB 2971 (Strom-Martin) allows the State Water Resources Control Board to certify operation of private wastewater treatment facilities.

Elections and Political Reform

Significant enacted legislation in the elections and political reform area includes: SB 585 (Perata), requires county officials to record which party's ballot is requested by a decline-to-state voter in a primary election; SB 879 (Brulte) extends the life of the Bipartisan California Commission on Internet Political Practices; SB 1741 (Johnson) and SB 1742 (Johnson) improve laws relative to late contributions and return contributions; SB 1859 (Costa) requires a proportionate funding of each project within a bond measure in the ballot pamphlet where the state's current bonded indebtedness is discussed; SB 2095 (Johnson) improves the tracking of independent expenditures spent in a campaign; AB 2277 (Keeley) provides local election officials with a uniform elections application format for absentee ballots; AB 2525 (Jackson) requires each polling place to have at least one voting machine that is fully accessible to blind and visually impaired voters; AB 2760 (Simitian) provides procedures for an expedited special election to fill vacancies in congressional offices caused by a natural or man-made disaster; AB 2832 (Shelley) seeks to improve and enhance laws relative to privacy of voters' personal information; and AB 3059 (Cardoza) requires the Secretary of State to provide notification to newly registered voters on how a voter's party affiliation has been recorded.

Government

A number of memorandum of understanding (MOU) were adopted with the state and state bargaining units through the enactment of the following legislation: SB 65 (Burton) ratifies the MOU with State Bargaining Unit 6 (California Correctional Peace Officers Association); SB 183 (Burton) ratifies the MOU with State Bargaining Unit 7 (Protective Services and Public Services), represented by the California State Employees Association; SB 222 (Torlakson) ratifies the MOU with State Bargaining Unit 9 (Professional Engineers in California Government); SB 728 (Machado) ratifies the MOU with State Bargaining Units 1 (Administrative, Financial, and Staff Services), 3 (Education and Library), 4 (Office and Allied), 11 (Engineering and Scientific Technicians), 15 (Allied Services), and 21 (Educational Consultants, Library, and Maritime) represented by the California State Employees Association); AB 1330 (Steinberg) ratifies the MOU with State Bargaining Units 14 (Printing Trade), 17 (Registered Nurses), and 20 (Medical and Social Services) all represented by California State Employees Association; and AB 1684 (Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee) ratifies the MOU with State Bargaining Unit 2 (Attorneys and Administrative Law Judges) represented by the California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers in State Employment.

Other significant Senate general government legislation enacted includes: SB 711 (Dunn), which provides specified salary and benefit compensation for various state employees who are called to active military services as a result of the war on terrorism; SB 1045 (Polanco) reaffirms diversity as a public goal in public contracting and employment; SB 1236 (Alarcon) implements Governor Reorganization Plan #1 of 2002 which created the Labor and Workforce Development Agency; SB 1359 (Haynes) preserves the right of local government employees to display the American flag; SB 1467 (Bowen) applies standards of the Public Contract Code's conflict of interest and penalty provisions to the state's procurement of information technology goods and services; SB 1468 (Knight) requires cites and counties to include in their general plans impacts of civilian development on military installations; SB 1470 (Johannessen) requires the Adjutant General to establish a California State Military Museum and Resources Center; SB 1580 (Burton) revises composition of the membership of the Teachers Retirement Board; SB 1588 (Senate Local Government Committee) enacts the Mosquito Abatement and Vector Control District Law; SB 1614 (Speier) seeks to permit necessary public access to vital records while also protecting confidentiality and personal privacy of individuals to whom the information pertains; SB 1620 (Knight) requires members of a board or commission of a newly created agency to file statements of economic interest according to the Political Reform Act requirements until the agency adopts an approved conflict of interest code; SB 1687 (Margett) allows public entities to adopt methods and protections to receive bids on public works or other contracts over the Internet; SB 1831 (Peace) allows the Infrastructure Bank to sell all or any part of the state's tobacco settlement assets to provide up to $4.8 billion of proceeds for the General Fund; SB 1961 (Polanco) requires the State Department of General Services to develop compliance standards in the State Administrative Manual to inform owners of state property of their duties and responsibilities pursuant to the California Constitution; and SB 1987 (Burton) allows the Governor to enter into an agreement with the United States Olympic Committee in connection with the City of San Francisco's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Other significant Assembly general government legislation enacted includes: AB 116 (Nakano), which creates the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders American Affairs; AB 410 (Salinas) extends the operation the California Rural Policy Task Force; AB 669 (Simitian) allows local public agencies to establish a 311 non-emergency telephone system; AB 700 (Simitian) requires a state agency that conducts business in California to notify an individual resident of California whose personal information has been acquired by an unauthorized person due to a breach of security of that agency's computer system; AB 716 (Firebaugh) creates a new California Cultural and Historical Endowment in the State Library; AB 857 (Wiggins) seeks to improve state environmental goals and policy infrastructure and requires the Governor to develop a conflict resolution process; AB 1243 (Wiggins) clarifies that public agencies may establish wage deduction programs for specified purposes; AB 1749 (Longville) requires the Governor to proclaim the 3rd Saturday in June of each year as Juneteenth National Freedom Day; AB 1757 (Leslie) designates the town of Bodie as the official state gold rush ghost town; AB 1768 (Oropeza) contains the State Budget statutory provisions concerning reductions of employees in state government; AB 1950 (Wright) grants state agencies authority to extend the probationary period of new employees for a period not to exceed six months in order to address disability accommodation issues; AB 2002 (Alquist) requires the Seismic Safety Commission to establish an urban and rescue emergency advisory committee; AB 2018 (Nakano) establishes the Public Safety Communications Act of 2002 for the purposes of developing and implementing a statewide integrated public safety communications system; AB 2182 (John Campbell) permits local agencies to invest in money market funds; AB 2409 (Jackson) requires the Office of Emergency Services to study the ability of California television and radio stations to notify the public of an emergency 24 hours a day; AB 2472 (Simitian) calls on the State Department of General Services to provide a project demonstrating alternatives to hazardous pest management practices on the grounds of the Capitol; AB 2477 (Steinberg) establishes a State Excluded and Exempt Employees Salary-Setting Task Force; AB 2578 (Shelley) creates enhanced penalties available against government contractors who intentionally disclose proprietary information gained through their contracts with state agencies; AB 3000 (Assembly Budget Committee) contains statutory provisions relating to State Budget general government issues; and AB 3022 (Special Committee on Assembly Legislative Ethics) expands the ethics training given to members of the Legislature and their staffs and legislative advocates to all state agency employees who are required to file Statements of Economic Interest.

Veterans

Major legislation in the area of veterans' issues was the financing of new veterans' homes and renovation and expansion of those veterans' homes in existence. Legislation enacted relative to this issue includes: SB 1234 (Johannessen), which provides for $62 million in lease-revenue bonds for these homes; SB 1773 (Chesbro) and AB 2953 (Wiggins) appropriates funds for renovation of the veterans' home at Yountville in Napa County; AB 34 (Runner) appropriates monies in the Veterans' Home Fund subject to approval of the State Department of Finance and continuously appropriates certain federal matching funds; AB 2559 (Wesson) appropriates $31 million from the Veterans' Home Fund to meet state funding requirements for the building of new homes in Lancaster, Saticoy, and West Los Angeles.

Other significant legislation enacted includes: SB 1281 (Haynes), which requires the veterans' home administrators to give an accounting to members of the home on a regular basis of costs of care that may be incurred in excess of the member's contribution fee; SB 1455 (Johannessen) increases the cap on federal grant money to the new veteran cemetery in Shasta County by $1 million; and AB 2508 (Dickerson) recognizes the existing Korean War Memorial in San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery as the official state memorial for veterans of the Korean War.

Taxation

Significant tax legislation enacted includes the following: SB 219 (Scott) conforms state law with federal law relative to tax relief for victims of terrorism; SB 657 (Scott) and AB 1122 (Corbett) conforms state law with federal law relative to qualified tuition plans, IRA provisions, pension provisions, lobbying expenses, and club dues; SB 1724 (Speier) conforms state law with federal law relative to the child and dependent care tax credit; SB 2051 (Bowen) conforms state law to federal law by precluding taxpayers from using the Information Practices Act to determine the existence or amount of a tax liability; AB 81 (Migden) transfers the assessment responsibility for non-utility-owned electric generating facilities from local assessors to the State Board of Equalization; AB 131 (Corbett) provides a partial conformity to federal law changes impacting retirement savings accounts and pension plans; AB 1968 (Nation) excludes from income or corporation tax any rebates or other financial incentives provided by the Energy Commission, Public Utility Commission, or publicly-owned utility for purchase of various energy-producing systems; AB 2036 (Liu) extends the sunset date for the State Children's Trust Fund tax check-off; AB 2065 (Oropeza) enacts the taxation omnibus revenue and taxation budget trailer bill; AB 2127 (Matthews) reinstates a personal income tax check-off to fund asthma and lung disease research; AB 2461 (Keeley) extends the sunset date of the existing vehicle license fee exemption on the incremental cost of alternative-fueled vehicles; AB 2670 (Wyman) provides a tax exemption for any individual who dies while on active duty with any branch of the armed forces of the United States during the taxable year in which the death occurs; AB 2701 (Wyman) excludes from the measure for sale and use tax on the sale of tangible personal property, tax imposed by any Indian tribe; AB 2963 (Aroner) provides that the custodial parent in a couple that never married and that no longer live together qualifies for the child and dependent care tax credit; and AB 3009 (Assembly Budget Committee) enacts a tax State Budget trailer bill which suspends for two years the natural heritage preservation tax credit and increases the Energy Consumption Surcharge.