The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 3501 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
3501.
(a) As used in this chapter:
(1) “Board” means the Physician Assistant Board.
(2) “Approved program” means a program for the education of physician assistants that has been formally approved by the board.
(3) “Trainee” means a person who is currently enrolled in an approved program.
(4) “Physician assistant” means a person who meets the requirements of this chapter and is licensed by the board.
(5) “Supervising physician” or “supervising physician and surgeon” means a physician and surgeon licensed by the Medical Board of California or by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California who supervises one or more physician assistants, who possesses a current valid license to practice medicine, and who is not currently on disciplinary probation for improper use of a physician assistant.
(6) “Supervision” means that a licensed physician and surgeon oversees the activities of, and accepts responsibility for, the medical services rendered by a physician assistant.
(7) “Regulations” means the rules and regulations as set forth in Chapter 13.8 (commencing with Section 1399.500) of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.
(8) “Routine visual screening” means uninvasive nonpharmacological simple testing for visual acuity, visual field defects, color blindness, and depth perception.
(9) “Program manager” means the staff manager of the diversion program, as designated by the executive officer of the board. The program manager shall have background experience in dealing with substance abuse issues.
(10) “Delegation of services agreement” means the writing that delegates to a physician assistant from a supervising physician the medical services the physician assistant is authorized to perform consistent with subdivision (a) of Section 1399.540 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.
(11) “Other specified medical services” means tests or examinations performed or ordered by a physician assistant practicing in compliance with this chapter or regulations of the Medical Board of California promulgated under this chapter.
(12) “Medical records review meeting” means a meeting between the supervising physician and surgeon and the physician assistant during which medical records are reviewed to ensure adequate supervision of the physician assistant functioning under protocols. Medical records review meetings may occur in person or by electronic communication.
(b) A physician assistant acts as an agent of the supervising physician when performing any activity authorized by this chapter or regulations adopted under this chapter.
SEC. 2.
Section 3502 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
3502.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a physician assistant may perform those medical services as set forth by the regulations adopted under this chapter when the services are rendered under the supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon who is not subject to a disciplinary condition imposed by the Medical Board of California prohibiting that supervision or prohibiting the employment of a physician assistant. The medical record, for each episode of care for a patient, shall identify the physician and surgeon who is responsible for the supervision of the physician assistant.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a physician assistant performing medical services under the supervision of a physician and surgeon may assist a doctor of podiatric medicine who is a partner, shareholder, or employee in the same medical group as the supervising physician and surgeon. A physician assistant who assists a doctor of podiatric medicine pursuant to this subdivision shall do so only according to patient-specific orders from the supervising physician and surgeon.
(2) The supervising physician and surgeon shall be physically available to the physician assistant for consultation when that assistance is rendered. A physician assistant assisting a doctor of podiatric medicine shall be limited to performing those duties included within the scope of practice of a doctor of podiatric medicine.
(c) (1) A physician assistant and his or her supervising physician and surgeon shall establish written guidelines for the adequate supervision of the physician assistant. This requirement may be satisfied by the supervising physician and surgeon adopting protocols for some or all of the tasks performed by the physician assistant. The protocols adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall comply with the following requirements:
(A) A protocol governing diagnosis and management shall, at a minimum, include the presence or absence of symptoms, signs, and other data necessary to establish a diagnosis or assessment, any appropriate tests or studies to order, drugs to recommend to the patient, and education to be provided to the patient.
(B) A protocol governing procedures shall set forth the information to be provided to the patient, the nature of the consent to be obtained from the patient, the preparation and technique of the procedure, and the followup care.
(C) Protocols shall be developed by the supervising physician and surgeon or adopted from, or referenced to, texts or other sources.
(D) Protocols shall be signed and dated by the supervising physician and surgeon and the physician assistant.
(2) (A) The supervising physician and surgeon shall use one or more of the following mechanisms to ensure adequate supervision of the physician assistant functioning under the protocols:
(i) The supervising physician and surgeon shall review, countersign, and date a sample consisting of, at a minimum, 5 percent of the medical records of patients treated by the physician assistant functioning under the protocols within 30 days of the date of treatment by the physician assistant.
(ii) The supervising physician and surgeon and physician assistant shall conduct a medical records review meeting at least once a month during at least 10 months of the year. During any month in which a medical records review meeting occurs, the supervising physician and surgeon and physician assistant shall review an aggregate of at least 10 medical records of patients treated by the physician assistant functioning under protocols. Documentation of medical records reviewed during the month shall be jointly signed and dated by the supervising physician and surgeon and the physician assistant.
(iii) The supervising physician and surgeon shall review a sample of at least 10 medical records per month, at least 10 months during the year, using a combination of the countersignature mechanism described in clause (i) and the medical records review meeting mechanism described in clause (ii). During each month for which a sample is reviewed, at least one of the medical records in the sample shall be reviewed using the mechanism described in clause (i) and at least one of the medical records in the sample shall be reviewed using the mechanism described in clause (ii).
(B) In complying with subparagraph (A), the supervising physician and surgeon shall select for review those cases that by diagnosis, problem, treatment, or procedure represent, in his or her judgment, the most significant risk to the patient.
(3) Notwithstanding any other law, the Medical Board of California or the board may establish other alternative mechanisms for the adequate supervision of the physician assistant.
(d) No medical services may be performed under this chapter in any of the following areas:
(1) The determination of the refractive states of the human eye, or the fitting or adaptation of lenses or frames for the aid thereof.
(2) The prescribing or directing the use of, or using, any optical device in connection with ocular exercises, visual training, or orthoptics.
(3) The prescribing of contact lenses for, or the fitting or adaptation of contact lenses to, the human eye.
(4) The practice of dentistry or dental hygiene or the work of a dental auxiliary as defined in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1600).
(e) This section shall not be construed in a manner that shall preclude the performance of routine visual screening as defined in Section 3501.
(f) Compliance by a physician assistant and supervising physician and surgeon with this section shall be deemed compliance with Section 1399.546 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.
SEC. 3.
Section 3502.1 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
3502.1.
(a) In addition to the services authorized in the regulations adopted by the Medical Board of California, and except as prohibited by Section 3502, while under the supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon or physicians and surgeons authorized by law to supervise a physician assistant, a physician assistant may administer or provide medication to a patient, or transmit orally, or in writing on a patient’s record or in a drug order, an order to a person who may lawfully furnish the medication or medical device pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d).
(1) A supervising physician and surgeon who delegates authority to issue a drug order to a physician assistant may limit this authority by specifying the manner in which the physician assistant may issue delegated prescriptions.
(2) Each supervising physician and surgeon who delegates the authority to issue a drug order to a physician assistant shall first prepare and adopt, or adopt, a written, practice specific, formulary and protocols that specify all criteria for the use of a particular drug or device, and any contraindications for the selection. Protocols for Schedule II controlled substances shall address the diagnosis of illness, injury, or condition for which the Schedule II controlled substance is being administered, provided, or issued. The drugs listed in the protocols shall constitute the formulary and shall include only drugs that are appropriate for use in the type of practice engaged in by the supervising physician and surgeon. When issuing a drug order, the physician assistant is acting on behalf of and as an agent for a supervising physician and surgeon.
(b) “Drug order,” for purposes of this section, means an order for medication that is dispensed to or for a patient, issued and signed by a physician assistant acting as an individual practitioner within the meaning of Section 1306.02 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, (1) a drug order issued pursuant to this section shall be treated in the same manner as a prescription or order of the supervising physician, (2) all references to “prescription” in this code and the Health and Safety Code shall include drug orders issued by physician assistants pursuant to authority granted by their supervising physicians and surgeons, and (3) the signature of a physician assistant on a drug order shall be deemed to be the signature of a prescriber for purposes of this code and the Health and Safety Code.
(c) A drug order for any patient cared for by the physician assistant that is issued by the physician assistant shall either be based on the protocols described in subdivision (a) or shall be approved by the supervising physician and surgeon before it is filled or carried out.
(1) A physician assistant shall not administer or provide a drug or issue a drug order for a drug other than for a drug listed in the formulary without advance approval from a supervising physician and surgeon for the particular patient. At the direction and under the supervision of a physician and surgeon, a physician assistant may hand to a patient of the supervising physician and surgeon a properly labeled prescription drug prepackaged by a physician and surgeon, manufacturer as defined in the Pharmacy Law, or a pharmacist.
(2) A physician assistant shall not administer, provide, or issue a drug order to a patient for Schedule II through Schedule V controlled substances without advance approval by a supervising physician and surgeon for that particular patient unless the physician assistant has completed an education course that covers controlled substances and that meets standards, including pharmacological content, approved by the board. The education course shall be provided either by an accredited continuing education provider or by an approved physician assistant training program. If the physician assistant will administer, provide, or issue a drug order for Schedule II controlled substances, the course shall contain a minimum of three hours exclusively on Schedule II controlled substances. Completion of the requirements set forth in this paragraph shall be verified and documented in the manner established by the board prior to the physician assistant’s use of a registration number issued by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to the physician assistant to administer, provide, or issue a drug order to a patient for a controlled substance without advance approval by a supervising physician and surgeon for that particular patient.
(3) Any drug order issued by a physician assistant shall be subject to a reasonable quantitative limitation consistent with customary medical practice in the supervising physician and surgeon’s practice.
(d) A written drug order issued pursuant to subdivision (a), except a written drug order in a patient’s medical record in a health facility or medical practice, shall contain the printed name, address, and telephone number of the supervising physician and surgeon, the printed or stamped name and license number of the physician assistant, and the signature of the physician assistant. Further, a written drug order for a controlled substance, except a written drug order in a patient’s medical record in a health facility or a medical practice, shall include the federal controlled substances registration number of the physician assistant and shall otherwise comply with Section 11162.1 of the Health and Safety Code. Except as otherwise required for written drug orders for controlled substances under Section 11162.1 of the Health and Safety Code, the requirements of this subdivision may be met through stamping or otherwise imprinting on the supervising physician and surgeon’s prescription blank to show the name, license number, and if applicable, the federal controlled substances registration number of the physician assistant, and shall be signed by the physician assistant. When using a drug order, the physician assistant is acting on behalf of and as the agent of a supervising physician and surgeon.
(e) The supervising physician and surgeon shall use either of the following mechanisms to ensure adequate supervision of the administration, provision, or issuance by a physician assistant of a drug order to a patient for Schedule II controlled substances:
(1) The medical record of any patient cared for by a physician assistant for whom the physician assistant’s Schedule II drug order has been issued or carried out shall be reviewed, countersigned, and dated by a supervising physician and surgeon within seven days.
(2) If the physician assistant has documentation evidencing the successful completion of an education course that covers controlled substances, and that controlled substance education course (A) meets the standards, including pharmacological content, established in Sections 1399.610 and 1399.612 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, and (B) is provided either by an accredited continuing education provider or by an approved physician assistant training program, the supervising physician and surgeon shall review, countersign, and date, within seven days, a sample consisting of the medical records of at least 20 percent of the patients cared for by the physician assistant for whom the physician assistant’s Schedule II drug order has been issued or carried out. Completion of the requirements set forth in this paragraph shall be verified and documented in the manner established in Section 1399.612 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. Physician assistants who have a certificate of completion of the course described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) shall be deemed to have met the education course requirement of this subdivision.
(f) All physician assistants who are authorized by their supervising physicians to issue drug orders for controlled substances shall register with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
(g) The board shall consult with the Medical Board of California and report during its sunset review required by Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 9147.7) of Chapter 1.5 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government Code the impacts of exempting Schedule III and Schedule IV drug orders from the requirement for a physician and surgeon to review and countersign the affected medical record of a patient.
SEC. 4.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 7312 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7312.
(a) The board shall do all of the following:
(1) Make rules and regulations in aid or furtherance of this chapter in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
(2) Conduct and administer examinations of applicants for licensure.
(3) Issue licenses to those applicants that may be entitled thereto.
(4) Discipline persons who have been determined to be in violation of this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(5) Adopt rules governing sanitary conditions and precautions to be employed as are reasonably necessary to protect the public health and safety in establishments, schools approved by the board, and in the practice of any profession provided for in this chapter. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall be submitted to the State Department of Public Health and approved by that department prior to filing with the Secretary of State. A written copy of all those rules shall be furnished to each licensee.
(6) Offer and make available all written materials provided to licensees and applicants in English, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
(b) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
SEC. 2.
Section 7314 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7314.
(a) The board shall keep a record of its proceedings relating to its public meetings, meetings of committees, and records relating to the issuance, refusal, renewal, suspension, and revocation of licenses.
(b) The board shall keep a registration record of each licensee containing the name, address, license number, and date issued. This record shall also contain any facts that the applicants may have stated in their application for examination for licensure. The board shall collect, through optional questions on a written application for a license and in an electronic application to renew a license issued pursuant to this chapter, the spoken and written language preference of each applicant.
(c) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
SEC. 3.
Section 7314.3 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7314.3.
(a) The board shall establish a Health and Safety Advisory Committee to provide the board with advice and recommendations on health and safety issues before the board that impact licensees, including how to ensure licensees are aware of basic labor laws. Basic labor laws include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Key differences between the legal rights, benefits, and obligations of an employee and an independent contractor.
(2) Wage and hour rights for hourly employees.
(3) Antidiscrimination laws relating to the use of a particular language in the workplace.
(4) Antiretaliation laws relating to a worker’s right to file complaints with the Department of Industrial Relations.
(5) How to obtain more information about state and federal labor laws.
(b) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
SEC. 4.
Section 7337 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7337.
(a) Every application for admission to examination and licensure shall be in writing, on forms prepared and furnished by the board.
(b) Each application shall be accompanied by the required fee, and shall contain proof of the qualifications of the applicant for examination and licensure. It shall be verified by the oath of the applicant and shall include a signed acknowledgment that the applicant understands his or her rights as a licensee as outlined in informational materials on basic labor laws, as specified in Section 7314.3, that the applicant is provided by the board with the application. Every applicant shall, as a condition of admittance to the examination facility, present satisfactory proof of identification. Satisfactory proof of identification shall be in the form of a valid, unexpired driver’s license or identification card, containing the photograph of the person to whom it was issued, issued by any state, federal, or other government entity.
(c) Every electronic application to renew a license shall include a signed acknowledgment that the renewal applicant understands his or her rights as a licensee as outlined in informational materials on basic labor laws, as specified in Section 7314.3, that the renewal applicant is provided by the board with the renewal application.
(d) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
SEC. 5.
Section 7347 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7347.
(a) Any person, firm, or corporation desiring to operate an establishment shall make an application to the bureau for a license accompanied by the fee prescribed by this chapter. The application shall be required whether the person, firm, or corporation is operating a new establishment or obtaining ownership of an existing establishment. The application shall include a signed acknowledgment that the applicant understands that establishments are responsible for compliance with any applicable labor laws of the state and that the applicant understands the informational materials on basic labor laws, as specified in Section 7314.3, the applicant is provided by the board with the application. Every electronic application to renew a license shall include a signed acknowledgment that the renewal applicant understands that establishments are responsible for compliance with any applicable labor laws of the state and that the applicant understands the informational materials on basic labor laws, as specified in Section 7314.3, that the renewal applicant is provided by the board with the renewal application. If the applicant is obtaining ownership of an existing establishment, the board may establish the fee in an amount less than the fee prescribed by this chapter. The applicant, if an individual, or each officer, director, and partner, if the applicant is other than an individual, shall not have committed acts or crimes which are grounds for denial of licensure in effect at the time the new application is submitted pursuant to Section 480. A license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize the operation of the establishment only at the location for which the license is issued. Operation of the establishment at any other location shall be unlawful unless a license for the new location has been obtained upon compliance with this section, applicable to the issuance of a license in the first instance.
(b) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
SEC. 6.
Section 7389 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7389.
(a) The board shall develop or adopt a health and safety course on hazardous substances and basic labor laws, as specified in Section 7314.3, which shall be taught in schools approved by the board. Course development shall include pilot testing of the course and training classes to prepare instructors to effectively use the course.
(b) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 17053.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
17053.5.
(a) (1) For a qualified renter, there shall be allowed a credit against his or her “net tax,” as defined in Section 17039. The amount of the credit shall be as follows:
(A) For married couples filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses, as defined in Section 17046, the credit shall be equal to one hundred twenty dollars ($120)
for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2016, and two hundred dollars ($200) for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016,
if adjusted gross income is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less.
(B) For other individuals, the credit shall be equal to sixty dollars ($60)
for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2016, and one hundred dollars ($100) for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016,
if adjusted gross income is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a husband and wife shall receive but one credit under this section. If the husband and wife file separate returns, the credit may be taken by either or equally divided between them, except as follows:
(A) If one spouse was a resident for the entire taxable year and the other spouse was a nonresident for part or all of the taxable year, the resident spouse shall be allowed one-half the credit allowed to married persons and the nonresident spouse shall be permitted one-half the credit allowed to married persons, prorated as provided in subdivision (e).
(B) If both spouses were nonresidents for part of the taxable year, the credit allowed to married persons shall be divided equally between them subject to the proration provided in subdivision (e).
(b) For a husband and wife, if each spouse maintained a separate place of residence and resided in this state during the entire taxable year, each spouse will be allowed one-half the full credit allowed to married persons provided in subdivision (a).
(c) For purposes of this section, a “qualified renter” means an individual who satisfies both of the following:
(1) Was a resident of this state, as defined in Section 17014.
(2) Rented and occupied premises in this state which constituted his or her principal place of residence during at least 50 percent of the taxable year.
(d) “Qualified renter” does not include any of the following:
(1) An individual who for more than 50 percent of the taxable year rented and occupied premises that were exempt from property taxes, except that an individual, otherwise qualified, is deemed a qualified renter if he or she or his or her landlord pays possessory interest taxes, or the owner of those premises makes payments in lieu of property taxes that are substantially equivalent to property taxes paid on properties of comparable market value.
(2) An individual whose principal place of residence for more than 50 percent of the taxable year is with another person who claimed that individual as a dependent for income tax purposes.
(3) An individual who has been granted or whose spouse has been granted the homeowners’ property tax exemption during the taxable year. This paragraph does not apply to an individual whose spouse has been granted the homeowners’ property tax exemption if each spouse maintained a separate residence for the entire taxable year.
(e) An otherwise qualified renter who is a nonresident for any portion of the taxable year shall claim the credits set forth in subdivision (a) at the rate of one-twelfth of those credits for each full month that individual resided within this state during the taxable year.
(f) A person claiming the credit provided in this section shall, as part of that claim, and under penalty of perjury, furnish that information as the Franchise Tax Board prescribes on a form supplied by the board.
(g) The credit provided in this section shall be claimed on returns in the form as the Franchise Tax Board may from time to time prescribe.
(h) For purposes of this section, “premises” means a house or a dwelling unit used to provide living accommodations in a building or structure and the land incidental thereto, but does not include land only, unless the dwelling unit is a mobilehome. The credit is not allowed for any taxable year for the rental of land upon which a mobilehome is located if the mobilehome has been granted a homeowners’ exemption under Section 218 in that year.
(i) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1998, and applies to any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1998.
(j) For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1999, the Franchise Tax Board shall recompute the adjusted gross income amounts set forth in subdivision (a). The computation shall be made as follows:
(1) The Department of Industrial Relations shall transmit annually to the Franchise Tax Board the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index for all items from June of the prior calendar year to June of the current year, no later than August 1 of the current calendar year.
(2) The Franchise Tax Board shall compute an inflation adjustment factor by adding 100 percent to the portion of the percentage change figure which is furnished pursuant to paragraph (1) and dividing the result by 100.
(3) The Franchise Tax Board shall multiply the amount in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) for the preceding taxable year by the inflation adjustment factor determined in paragraph (2), and round off the resulting products to the nearest one dollar ($1).
(4) In computing the amounts pursuant to this subdivision, the amounts provided in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be twice the amount provided in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
SECTION 1.
Section 17053.5 of the
Revenue and Taxation Code
is amended to read:
17053.5.
(a)(1)For a qualified renter, there shall be allowed a credit against his or her “net tax,” as defined in Section 17039. The amount of the credit shall be as follows:
(A)For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2017:
(i)
For married couples filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses, as defined in Section 17046, the credit shall be equal to one hundred twenty dollars ($120) if adjusted gross income is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less.
(ii)
For other individuals, the credit shall be equal to sixty dollars ($60) if adjusted gross income is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(B)For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2017:
(i)For married couples filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses, as defined in Section 17046, the credit shall be equal to one hundred eighty-four dollars ($184) if adjusted gross income is one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or less.
(ii)For other individuals, the credit shall be equal to ninety-two dollars ($92) if adjusted gross income is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less.
(2)Except as provided in subdivision (b), a husband and wife shall receive one credit under this section. If the husband and wife file separate returns, the credit may be taken by either or equally divided between them, except as follows:
(A)If one spouse was a resident for the entire taxable year and the other spouse was a nonresident for part or all of the taxable year, the resident spouse shall be allowed one-half the credit allowed to married persons and the nonresident spouse shall be permitted one-half the credit allowed to married persons, prorated as provided in subdivision (e).
(B)If both spouses were nonresidents for part of the taxable year, the credit allowed to married persons shall be divided equally between them subject to the proration provided in subdivision (e).
(b)For a husband and wife, if each spouse maintained a separate place of residence and resided in this state during the entire taxable year, each spouse will be allowed one-half the full credit allowed to married persons provided in subdivision (a).
(c)For purposes of this section, a “qualified renter” means an individual who satisfies both of the following:
(1)Was a resident of this state, as defined in Section 17014.
(2)Rented and occupied premises in this state which constituted his or her principal place of residence during at least 50 percent of the taxable year.
(d)“Qualified renter” does not include any of the following:
(1)An individual who for more than 50 percent of the taxable year rented and occupied premises that were exempt from property taxes, except that an individual, otherwise qualified, is deemed a qualified renter if he or she or his or her landlord pays possessory interest taxes, or the owner of those premises makes payments in lieu of property taxes that are substantially equivalent to property taxes paid on properties of comparable market value.
(2)An individual whose principal place of residence for more than 50 percent of the taxable year is with any other person who claimed that individual as a dependent for income tax purposes.
(3)An individual who has been granted or whose spouse has been granted the homeowners’ property tax exemption during the taxable year. This paragraph does not apply to an individual whose spouse has been granted the homeowners’ property tax exemption if each spouse maintained a separate residence for the entire taxable year.
(e)An otherwise qualified renter who is a nonresident for any portion of the taxable year shall claim the credits set forth in subdivision (a) at the rate of one-twelfth of those credits for each full month that individual resided within this state during the taxable year.
(f)A person claiming the credit provided in this section shall, as part of that claim, and under penalty of perjury, furnish that information as the Franchise Tax Board prescribes on a form supplied by the board.
(g)The credit provided in this section shall be claimed on returns in the form as the Franchise Tax Board may from time to time prescribe.
(h)For purposes of this section, “premises” means a house or a dwelling unit used to provide living accommodations in a building or structure and the land incidental thereto, but does not include land only, unless the dwelling unit is a mobilehome. The credit is not allowed for any taxable year for the rental of land upon which a mobilehome is located if the mobilehome has been granted a homeowners’ exemption under Section 218 in that year.
(i)This section shall become operative on January 1, 1998, and applies to any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1998.
(j)For each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1999, and before January 1, 2017, and for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2018, the Franchise Tax Board shall recompute the adjusted gross income amounts set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). The computation shall be made as follows:
(1)The Department of Industrial Relations shall transmit annually to the Franchise Tax Board the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index for all items from June of the prior calendar year to June of the current year, no later than August 1 of the current calendar year.
(2)The Franchise Tax Board shall compute an inflation adjustment factor by adding 100 percent to that portion of the percentage change figure furnished pursuant to paragraph (1) and dividing the result by 100.
(3)The Franchise Tax Board shall multiply the amounts in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) for the preceding taxable year by the inflation adjustment factor determined in paragraph (2), and round off the resulting products to the nearest one dollar ($1).
(4)(A)In computing the amounts pursuant to this subdivision, the amounts provided in clause (i) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be twice the amount provided in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(B)In computing the amounts pursuant to this subdivision, the amounts provided in clause (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall be twice the amount provided in clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
SEC. 2.
This act provides for a tax levy within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Section 149.9 of the Streets and Highways Code, the statute authorizing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) and the Department of Transportation to pursue the implementation of high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on State Highway Routes 10 and 110, requires LACMTA to develop a program to offset the impact on tolls on certain income groups in Los Angeles County.
(b) LACMTA has implemented a low-income assistance program in this regard and has developed other ways to respond to this requirement.
(c) LACMTA’s report to the Legislature and subsequent information provided by LACMTA identified the progress of the HOT lanes overall and the level of participation in the low-income assistance program.
(d) While the HOT lanes have met their stated objectives, and while participation in the low-income assistance program has grown over time, improvements can be made.
(e) LACMTA and the department should continue to improve the overall performance of the HOT lanes, including identifying ways to improve travel speeds in both corridors.
(f) LACMTA and the department should continue to work to improve awareness of the low-income assistance program through advertising and working with local community groups and social service agencies to distribute information about the program.
(g) LACMTA should consider offering greater incentives in the low-income assistance program in order to incentivize participation in the program.
SEC. 2.
Section 149.9 of the Streets and Highways Code is amended to read:
149.9.
(a) Notwithstanding Sections 149 and 30800 of this code, and Section 21655.5 of the Vehicle Code, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) may conduct, administer, and operate a value-pricing and transit development program involving high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on State Highway Routes 10 and 110 in the County of Los Angeles. LACMTA, with the consent of the department, may direct and authorize the entry and use of the State Highway Routes 10 and 110 high-occupancy vehicle lanes by single-occupant vehicles and those vehicles that do not meet minimum occupancy requirements, as defined by LACMTA, for a fee. The amount of the fee shall be established by, and collected in a manner to be determined by, LACMTA. LACMTA may continue to require high-occupancy vehicles to have an electronic transponder or other electronic device for enforcement purposes.
(b) LACMTA shall implement the program in cooperation with the department, and with the active participation of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, pursuant to an agreement that addresses all matters related to design, construction, maintenance, and operation of state highway system facilities in connection with the program. With the consent of the department, LACMTA shall establish appropriate performance measures, such as speed or travel times, for the purpose of ensuring optimal use of the HOT lanes by high-occupancy vehicles without adversely affecting other traffic on the state highway system.
(1) Agreements between LACMTA, the department, and the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall identify the respective obligations and liabilities of each party to the agreement and assign them responsibilities relating to the program. The agreements entered into pursuant to this section shall be consistent with agreements between the department and the United States Department of Transportation relating to programs of this nature. The agreements entered into pursuant to this section shall include clear and concise procedures for enforcement by the Department of the California Highway Patrol of laws prohibiting the unauthorized use of the HOT lanes. The agreements shall provide for reimbursement of state agencies, from revenues generated by the program or other funding sources that are not otherwise available to state agencies for transportation-related projects, for costs incurred in connection with the implementation or operation of the program, as well as maintenance of state highway system facilities in connection with the program.
(2) All remaining revenue generated by the program shall be used in the corridor from which the revenue was generated exclusively for preconstruction, construction, and other related costs of high-occupancy vehicle facilities, transportation corridor improvements, and the improvement of transit service in the corridor, including, but not limited to, support for transit operations pursuant to an expenditure plan adopted by LACMTA. LACMTA’s administrative expenses related to the operation of the program shall not exceed 3 percent of the revenues.
(c) Single-occupant vehicles and those vehicles that do not meet minimum occupancy requirements that are certified or authorized by LACMTA for entry into, and use of, the State Highway Routes 10 and 110 high-occupancy vehicle lanes are exempt from Section 21655.5 of the Vehicle Code, and the driver shall not be in violation of the Vehicle Code because of that entry and use.
(d) (1) In implementing the program, LACMTA shall continue to work with the affected communities in the respective corridors and provide mitigation measures for commuters of low income, including reduced toll charges and toll credits for transit users. Eligible commuters for reduced toll charges or toll credits for transit users shall meet the eligibility requirements for assistance programs under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) or Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3 of, Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000) of, or Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900), Chapter 10.1 (commencing with Section 18930), or Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 18937) of Part 6 of, Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(2) Beyond the measures already implemented to create a low-income assistance program, LACMTA shall take additional steps to increase enrollment and participation in the low-income assistance program. LACMTA, in that regard, shall improve awareness of the low-income assistance program through advertising and by working with local community groups and social service agencies to distribute information about the low-income assistance program. In addition, LACMTA shall consider offering greater incentives to encourage participation in the low-income assistance program.
(e) (1) LACMTA and the department shall report to the Legislature by January 31, 2015. The report shall include, but not be limited to, a summary of the program, a survey of its users, the impact on carpoolers, revenues generated, how transit service or alternative modes of transportation were impacted, any potential effect on traffic congestion in the high-occupancy vehicle lanes and in the neighboring lanes, the number of toll-paying vehicles that utilized the HOT lanes, any potential reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions that are attributable to congestion reduction resulting from the HOT lane program, any comments submitted by the Department of the California Highway Patrol regarding operation of the lanes, and a description of the mitigation measures on the affected communities and commuters in the program. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 31, 2019, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(2) LACMTA and the department shall report to the policy committees of the Legislature with responsibility for transportation matters by December 31, 2018, on the efforts to improve the program authorized by this section. The report shall address efforts by LACMTA to increase participation in the low-income participation program, any additional incentives that have been developed to encourage participation in the low-income participation program, and the performance of the HOT lanes overall in improving congestion in the affected corridors and offsetting the impact to low-income commuters. This paragraph shall become inoperative on January 1, 2021, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(f) Toll paying commuters shall have the option to purchase any necessary toll paying equipment, prepay tolls, and renew toll payments by cash or by using a credit card.
(g) This section shall not prevent the department or any local agency from constructing facilities that compete with a HOT lane program, and LACMTA shall not be entitled to compensation for adverse effects on toll revenue due to those facilities.
(h) LACMTA may issue bonds, as set forth in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 130500) of Division 12 of the Public Utilities Code, at any time to finance any costs necessary to implement a value-pricing and transit development program established in accordance with this section and to finance any expenditures payable from the revenues generated from the program.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 1942.5 of the Civil Code is amended to read:
1942.5.
(a) If the lessor retaliates against the lessee because of the exercise by the lessee of his or her rights under this chapter or because of his or her complaint to an appropriate agency as to tenantability of a dwelling, and if the lessee of a dwelling is not in default as to the payment of his or her rent, the lessor may not recover possession of a dwelling in any action or proceeding, cause the lessee to quit involuntarily, increase the rent, or decrease any services within 180 days of any of the following:
(1) After the date upon which the lessee, in good faith, has given notice pursuant to Section 1942, has provided notice of a suspected bed bug infestation, or has made an oral complaint to the lessor regarding tenantability.
(2) After the date upon which the lessee, in good faith, has filed a written complaint, or an oral complaint which is registered or otherwise recorded in writing, with an appropriate agency, of which the lessor has notice, for the purpose of obtaining correction of a condition relating to tenantability.
(3) After the date of an inspection or issuance of a citation, resulting from a complaint described in paragraph (2) of which the lessor did not have notice.
(4) After the filing of appropriate documents commencing a judicial or arbitration proceeding involving the issue of tenantability.
(5) After entry of judgment or the signing of an arbitration award, if any, when in the judicial proceeding or arbitration the issue of tenantability is determined adversely to the lessor.
In each instance, the 180-day period shall run from the latest applicable date referred to in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive.
(b) A lessee may not invoke subdivision (a) more than once in any 12-month period.
(c) It is unlawful for a lessor to increase rent, decrease services, cause a lessee to quit involuntarily, bring an action to recover possession, or threaten to do any of those acts, for the purpose of retaliating against the lessee because he or she has lawfully organized or participated in a lessees’ association or an organization advocating lessees’ rights or has lawfully and peaceably exercised any rights under the law. In an action brought by or against the lessee pursuant to this subdivision, the lessee shall bear the burden of producing evidence that the lessor’s conduct was, in fact, retaliatory.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting in any way the exercise by the lessor of his or her rights under any lease or agreement or any law pertaining to the hiring of property or his or her right to do any of the acts described in subdivision (a) or (c) for any lawful cause. Any waiver by a lessee of his or her rights under this section is void as contrary to public policy.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, a lessor may recover possession of a dwelling and do any of the other acts described in subdivision (a) within the period or periods prescribed therein, or within subdivision (c), if the notice of termination, rent increase, or other act, and any pleading or statement of issues in an arbitration, if any, states the ground upon which the lessor, in good faith, seeks to recover possession, increase rent, or do any of the other acts described in subdivision (a) or (c). If the statement is controverted, the lessor shall establish its truth at the trial or other hearing.
(f) Any lessor or agent of a lessor who violates this section shall be liable to the lessee in a civil action for all of the following:
(1) The actual damages sustained by the lessee.
(2) Punitive damages in an amount of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each retaliatory act where the lessor or agent has been guilty of fraud, oppression, or malice with respect to that act.
(g) In any action brought for damages for retaliatory eviction, the court shall award reasonable attorney’s fees to the prevailing party if either party requests attorney’s fees upon the initiation of the action.
(h) The remedies provided by this section shall be in addition to any other remedies provided by statutory or decisional law.
SEC. 1.5.
Section 1942.5 of the Civil Code is amended to read:
1942.5.
(a) If the lessor retaliates against the lessee because of the exercise by the lessee of his or her rights under this chapter or because of his or her complaint to an appropriate agency as to tenantability of a dwelling, and if the lessee of a dwelling is not in default as to the payment of his or her rent, the lessor may not recover possession of a dwelling in any action or proceeding, cause the lessee to quit involuntarily, increase the rent, or decrease any services within 180 days of any of the following:
(1) After the date upon which the lessee, in good faith, has given notice pursuant to Section 1942, has provided notice of a suspected bed bug infestation, or has made an oral complaint to the lessor regarding tenantability.
(2) After the date upon which the lessee, in good faith, has filed a written complaint, or an oral complaint which is registered or otherwise recorded in writing, with an appropriate agency, of which the lessor has notice, for the purpose of obtaining correction of a condition relating to tenantability.
(3) After the date of an inspection or issuance of a citation, resulting from a complaint described in paragraph (2) of which the lessor did not have notice.
(4) After the filing of appropriate documents commencing a judicial or arbitration proceeding involving the issue of tenantability.
(5) After entry of judgment or the signing of an arbitration award, if any, when in the judicial proceeding or arbitration the issue of tenantability is determined adversely to the lessor.
In each instance, the 180-day period shall run from the latest applicable date referred to in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive.
(b) A lessee may not invoke subdivision (a) more than once in any 12-month period.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), it is unlawful for a lessor to increase rent, decrease services, cause a lessee to quit involuntarily, bring an action to recover possession, or threaten to do any of those acts, for the purpose of retaliating against the lessee because he or she has lawfully organized or participated in a lessees’ association or an organization advocating lessees’ rights or has lawfully and peaceably exercised any rights under the law. In an action brought by or against the lessee pursuant to this subdivision, the lessee shall bear the burden of producing evidence that the lessor’s conduct was, in fact, retaliatory.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting in any way the exercise by the lessor of his or her rights under any lease or agreement or any law pertaining to the hiring of property or his or her right to do any of the acts described in subdivision (a) or (c) for any lawful cause. Any waiver by a lessee of his or her rights under this section is void as contrary to public policy.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, a lessor may recover possession of a dwelling and do any of the other acts described in subdivision (a) within the period or periods prescribed therein, or within subdivision (c), if the notice of termination, rent increase, or other act, and any pleading or statement of issues in an arbitration, if any, states the ground upon which the lessor, in good faith, seeks to recover possession, increase rent, or do any of the other acts described in subdivision (a) or (c). If the statement is controverted, the lessor shall establish its truth at the trial or other hearing.
(f) Any lessor or agent of a lessor who violates this section shall be liable to the lessee in a civil action for all of the following:
(1) The actual damages sustained by the lessee.
(2) Punitive damages in an amount of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each retaliatory act where the lessor or agent has been guilty of fraud, oppression, or malice with respect to that act.
(g) In any action brought for damages for retaliatory eviction, the court shall award reasonable attorney’s fees to the prevailing party if either party requests attorney’s fees upon the initiation of the action.
(h) The remedies provided by this section shall be in addition to any other remedies provided by statutory or decisional law.
SEC. 2.
Section 1954.1 of the Civil Code is amended and renumbered to read:
1954.05.
In any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, as defined in Section 493.010 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the assignee shall have the right to occupy, for a period of up to 90 days after the date of the assignment, any business premises held under a lease by the assignor upon payment when due of the monthly rental reserved in the lease for the period of such occupancy, notwithstanding any provision in the lease, whether heretofore or hereafter entered into, for the termination thereof upon the making of the assignment or the insolvency of the lessee or other condition relating to the financial condition of the lessee. This section shall be construed as establishing the reasonable rental value of the premises recoverable by a landlord upon a holding-over by the tenant upon the termination of a lease under the circumstances specified herein.
SEC. 3.
Chapter 2.8 (commencing with Section 1954.600) is added to Title 5 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, to read:
CHAPTER  2.8 Bed Bug Infestations
1954.600.
The Legislature finds and declares:
(a) Controlling bed bugs is uniquely challenging, as bed bug resistance to existing insecticidal control measures is significant. Cooperation among landlords, tenants, and pest control operators is required for successful control. With cooperation among landlords, tenants, and pest control operators, most bed bug infestations can be successfully controlled.
(b) Effective control is more likely to occur when landlords and tenants are informed of the best practices for bed bug control.
(c) Early detection and reporting of bed bugs is an important component required for preventing bed bug infestations. Tenants should not face retaliation for reporting a problem.
(d) Lack of cooperation by landlords and tenants can undermine pest control operator efforts to identify the presence of bed bugs and control an infestation. Depending on the treatment strategy, it is often critical that tenants cooperate with pest control operators by reducing clutter, washing clothes, or performing other activities. Likewise, inadequate or untimely response or planning by landlords may exacerbate an infestation.
(e) Pest control operators with knowledge and education in current best practices for bed bug management, such as those created by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), are best equipped to help property owners and tenants eradicate bed bugs from their home.
(f) The Structural Pest Control Board should incorporate training in bed bug management based on the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) best practices for the issuance or renewal of a Branch 2 operator, field representative, or applicator license.
1954.601.
For purposes of this chapter, the term “pest control operator” means an individual holding a Branch 2 operator, field representative, or applicator license from the Structural Pest Control Board.
1954.602
(a) A landlord shall not show, rent, or lease to a prospective tenant any vacant dwelling unit that the landlord knows has a current bed bug infestation.
(b) This section does not impose a duty on a landlord to inspect a dwelling unit or the common areas of the premises for bed bugs if the landlord has no notice of a suspected or actual bed bug infestation. If a bed bug infestation is evident on visual inspection, the landlord shall be considered to have notice pursuant to this section.
1954.603.
On and after July 1, 2017, prior to creating a new tenancy for a dwelling unit, a landlord shall provide a written notice to the prospective tenant as provided in this section. This notice shall be provided to all other tenants by January 1, 2018. The notice shall be in at least 10-point type and shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) General information about bed bug identification, behavior and biology, the importance of cooperation for prevention and treatment, and the importance of and for prompt written reporting of suspected infestations to the landlord. The information shall be in substantially the following form:

Information about Bed Bugs
Bed bug Appearance: Bed bugs have six legs. Adult bed bugs have flat bodies about
1/4
of an inch in length. Their color can vary from red and brown to copper colored. Young bed bugs are very small. Their bodies are about
1/16
of an inch in length. They have almost no color. When a bed bug feeds, its body swells, may lengthen, and becomes bright red, sometimes making it appear to be a different insect. Bed bugs do not fly. They can either crawl or be carried from place to place on objects, people, or animals. Bed bugs can be hard to find and identify because they are tiny and try to stay hidden.
Life Cycle and Reproduction: An average bed bug lives for about 10 months. Female bed bugs lay one to five eggs per day. Bed bugs grow to full adulthood in about 21 days.
Bed bugs can survive for months without feeding.
Bed bug Bites: Because bed bugs usually feed at night, most people are bitten in their sleep and do not realize they were bitten. A person’s reaction to insect bites is an immune response and so varies from person to person. Sometimes the red welts caused by the bites will not be noticed until many days after a person was bitten, if at all.
Common signs and symptoms of a possible bed bug infestation:
• Small red to reddish brown fecal spots on mattresses, box springs, bed frames, mattresses, linens, upholstery, or walls.
• Molted bed bug skins, white, sticky eggs, or empty eggshells.
• Very heavily infested areas may have a characteristically sweet odor.
• Red, itchy bite marks, especially on the legs, arms, and other body parts exposed while sleeping. However, some people do not show bed bug lesions on their bodies even though bed bugs may have fed on them.
For more information, see the Internet Web sites of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the National Pest Management Association.

(b) The procedure to report suspected infestations to the landlord.
1954.604.
Entry to inspect a tenant’s dwelling unit shall comply with Section 1954. Entry to inspect any unit selected by the pest control operator and to conduct followup inspections of surrounding units until bed bugs are eliminated is a necessary service for the purpose of Section 1954. Tenants shall cooperate with the inspection to facilitate the detection and treatment of bed bugs, including providing requested information that is necessary to facilitate the detection and treatment of bed bugs to the pest control operator.
1954.605.
The landlord shall notify the tenants of those units inspected by the pest control operator pursuant to Section 1954.604 of the pest control operator’s findings. The notification shall be in writing and made within two business days of receipt of the pest control operator’s findings. For confirmed infestations in common areas, all tenants shall be provided notice of the pest control operator’s findings.
SEC. 4.
Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 1942.5 of the Civil Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 2881. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2017, (2) each bill amends Section 1942.5 of the Civil Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 2881, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 3513 of the Government Code is amended to read:
3513.
As used in this chapter:
(a) “Employee organization” means any organization that includes employees of the state and that has as one of its primary purposes representing these employees in their relations with the state.
(b) “Recognized employee organization” means an employee organization that has been recognized by the state as the exclusive representative of the employees in an appropriate unit.
(c) (1) “State employee” means any civil service employee of the state, and the teaching staff of schools under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Education or the Superintendent of Public Instruction, except managerial employees, confidential employees, supervisory employees, employees of the Department of Human Resources, professional employees of the Department of Finance engaged in technical or analytical state budget preparation other than the auditing staff, professional employees in the Personnel/Payroll Services Division of the Controller’s office engaged in technical or analytical duties in support of the state’s personnel and payroll systems other than the training staff, employees of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, employees of the Bureau of State Audits, employees of the office of the Inspector General, employees of the board, conciliators employed by the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service, employees of the Office of the State Chief Information Officer except as otherwise provided in Section 11546.5, and intermittent athletic inspectors who are employees of the State Athletic Commission.
(2) “State employee” also has the meaning provided by Section 3522.5.
(d) “Mediation” means effort by an impartial third party to assist in reconciling a dispute regarding wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment between representatives of the public agency and the recognized employee organization or recognized employee organizations through interpretation, suggestion, and advice.
(e) “Managerial employee” means any employee having significant responsibilities for formulating or administering agency or departmental policies and programs or administering an agency or department.
(f) “Confidential employee” means any employee who is required to develop or present management positions with respect to employer-employee relations or whose duties normally require access to confidential information contributing significantly to the development of management positions.
(g) “Supervisory employee” means any individual, regardless of the job description or title, having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or responsibility to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend this action, if, in connection with the foregoing, the exercise of this authority is not of a merely routine or clerical nature, but requires the use of independent judgment. Employees whose duties are substantially similar to those of their subordinates shall not be considered to be supervisory employees.
(h) “Board” means the Public Employment Relations Board. The Educational Employment Relations Board shall be renamed the Public Employment Relations Board as provided in Section 3540. The powers and duties of the board described in Section 3541.3 shall also apply, as appropriate, to this chapter.
(i) “Maintenance of membership” means that all employees who voluntarily are, or who voluntarily become, members of a recognized employee organization shall remain members of that employee organization in good standing for a period as agreed to by the parties pursuant to a memorandum of understanding, commencing with the effective date of the memorandum of understanding. A maintenance of membership provision shall not apply to any employee who within 30 days prior to the expiration of the memorandum of understanding withdraws from the employee organization by sending a signed withdrawal letter to the employee organization and a copy to the Controller’s office.
(j) (1) “State employer,” or “employer,” for the purposes of bargaining or meeting and conferring in good faith, means the Governor or his or her designated representatives.
(2) “State employer,” or “employer,” also has the meaning provided by Section 3522.5.
(k) “Fair share fee” means the fee deducted by the state employer from the salary or wages of a state employee in an appropriate unit who does not become a member of and financially support the recognized employee organization. The fair share fee shall be used to defray the costs incurred by the recognized employee organization in fulfilling its duty to represent the employees in their employment relations with the state, and shall not exceed the standard initiation fee, membership dues, and general assessments of the recognized employee organization.
SEC. 2.
Section 3522.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:
3522.5.
(a) This chapter shall apply to the Judicial Council and its employees subject to the provisions of this section.
(b) For the purpose of applying this chapter to the Judicial Council and its employees:
(1) “State employee” means an employee of the Judicial Council, except a managerial, supervisory, or confidential employee, or an excluded employee designated pursuant to subdivision (e). “State employee” does not include a judicial officer or employee of the Supreme Court, the courts of appeal, or the Habeas Corpus Resource Center.
(2) “State employer” or “employer,” for purposes of bargaining or meeting and conferring in good faith, means the Administrative Director of the Courts, or his or her designated representatives, acting with the authorization of the chairperson of the Judicial Council.
(3) References to actions or decisions by the Governor, or his or her designated representative, shall mean actions or decisions by the Administrative Director of the Courts, or his or her designated representative, acting with the authorization of the Chairperson of the Judicial Council.
(c) Sections 3517.5, 3517.6, 3517.63, and 3517.7 shall not apply to the Judicial Council and its employees.
(d) The board, as it determines appropriate bargaining units, shall not include Judicial Council employees in a bargaining unit that includes employees other than those of Judicial Council.
(e) The Judicial Council has the sole authority and discretion to designate state employee positions as excluded positions, provided that managerial, supervisory, confidential, and excluded positions not included in bargaining units under this provision shall not exceed one third of the total authorized Judicial Council positions as stated in the Department of Finance Salaries and Wages Supplement. Designation of the excluded positions under this section shall not be subject to review by the board.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 69800 of the Education Code is amended to read:
69800.
A public, private, or independent postsecondary educational institution, except the California Community Colleges, shall do all of the following:
(a) (1) State both of the following in all printed and online financial aid materials issued or distributed by the institution to applicants for admission or matriculated students and with private loan applications provided or made available by the institution:
(A) Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options, including, but not limited to, income-based repayment and income-contingent repayment plans, and loan forgiveness benefits, which other student loans are not required to provide.
(B) Federal direct loans are available to students regardless of income.
(2) The institution may continue to use financial aid materials that are printed before January 1, 2013, if the institution includes an insert with the printed material that provides the information required in paragraph (1). All financial aid materials printed on or after January 1, 2013, shall include the information required in paragraph (1).
(b) Clearly distinguish private loans from federal loans in individual financial aid awards by stating, for any private loans included by the institution as part of the institution’s award package, all of the following:
(1) Whether the rate is fixed or variable.
(2) An explanation that private student loan lenders can offer variable interest rates that can increase or decrease over time, depending on market conditions.
(3) An explanation that private student loans have a range of interest rates and fees and students should determine the interest rate of, and any fees associated with, the private student loan included in their financial aid award package before accepting the loan.
(4) An explanation that students should contact the lender of the private student loan or their postsecondary educational institution’s financial aid office if they have any questions about a private student loan.
(5) An explanation that the interest rate on a private loan may depend on the borrower’s credit rating.
(c) If the institution provides a private loan lender list, it also shall provide general information about the loans available through the lender and disclose the basis for each lender’s inclusion on the list. The institution shall also disclose with the list that the student has the ability to choose any lender.
(d) (1) Make available to the public upon request and in a prominent location on its Internet Web site within 12 months of a completed academic year the following information concerning graduates and student loan debt:
(A) The number of students who started as first-time postsecondary students at the institution and received a certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree during that academic year. For purposes of this section, “academic year” means the most recently completed federal award year of July 1 to June 30.
(B) (i) For each type of credential specified in subparagraph (A), the number and percentage of the students identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) who borrowed at any time while enrolled at the institution through any student loan program, including, but not necessarily limited to, institutional loans, state loans, federal Perkins loans, federal Stafford subsidized and unsubsidized loans, and private loans that were certified by the institution, including both federal direct student loans and federal family education loans.
(ii) The total principal borrowed for each type of credential in those loans described in clause (i).
(C) (i) For each type of credential specified in subparagraph (A), the number and percentage of the students identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) who borrowed at any time while enrolled at the institution through a federal student loan program, including, but not necessarily limited to, federal Perkins loans, federal Stafford subsidized and unsubsidized loans, federal direct student loans, and federal family education loans, but excluding institutional loans, state loans, and private loans.
(ii) The total principal borrowed for each type of credential in those loans described in clause (i).
(D) The average cumulative principal borrowed by those students counted for purposes of the calculations required by subparagraphs (B) and (C) by credential type, calculated by dividing the sum identified in clause (ii) of each of those subparagraphs for each type of credential by the number of that type of credential issued for students receiving the loans described in the respective subparagraph.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “loans” shall include cosigned loans that financed a student’s own enrollment or attendance, but shall not include parental loans.
SEC. 2.
Section 69800.2 is added to the Education Code, to read:
69800.2.
(a) Before certifying a borrower’s eligibility for a private student loan, a public, private, or independent postsecondary educational institution shall provide to the student information concerning all unused state and federal financial assistance, including unused federal student loan moneys available to that student.
(b) An institution that does not participate in federal student loan programs shall inform students that the institution does not participate in federal loan programs and that students may be eligible for federal loans at a participating institution. The institution shall provide the student with information regarding the Cal Grants Web link on the California Student Aid Commission’s Web site and the Federal Student Aid Web link on the United States Department of Education’s Web site.
SEC. 3.
Section 69800.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:
69800.5.
The California Community Colleges may, and are requested to, comply with the provisions of Section 69800.


The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as amended by Section 2 of Chapter 401 of the Statutes of 2012, is repealed.
972.1.
(a)The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989–90 fiscal year, for purposes of funding the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
(b)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than the amount allocated in the 1988–89 fiscal year.
(c)The department shall annually determine the amount of new or increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal government attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the department’s determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.
(d)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the amount annually budgeted for county veterans service officers is approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the state’s veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
(2)It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the department’s determination in subdivision (c), to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the monetary benefits to the state’s veterans attributable to the assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase in the budget.
(e)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.
SEC. 2.
Section 972.1 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:
972.1.
(a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall, no later than July 1, 2016, develop an allocation formula based upon performance standards that encourage innovation and reward outstanding service by county veterans service officers. Upon appropriation by the Legislature of moneys for this purpose, the moneys shall be allocated each fiscal year in accordance with that formula among only those counties that, in the discretion of the secretary, comply with the following requirements:
(1) Establish and maintain a county veterans service officer, pursuant to Section 970.
(2) Collect and report all information required by the department in accordance with departmental regulations.
(3) Comply with the training and accreditation standards for county veterans service officers and veteran service representatives as may be set by the department.
(4) Require county veterans service officers and veteran service representatives to become accredited with the department for the purpose of providing representation services to claimants before the United States Department of Veterans Affairs within 18 months of the commencement of his or her employment, or on or before June 1, 2017, whichever date is later.
(b) The department shall annually report to the Legislature the efficacy, return on investment, work volume, and regional impact of the subvention funds on each county that receives those funds. The department shall, in addition to the requirements of Section 974, annually determine information including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) The amount of new or increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal government attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers and the basis for that determination.
(2) The amount paid to each county, including the amounts paid to each county for each category of workload unit included in the allocation formula.
(3) An evaluation as to each county’s use of subvention funds, including recommendations for improvement of each county’s use of subvention funds.
(c) The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the department’s determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year. The department may combine this report with the report required by Section 974.
(d) For the purposes of this section, “workload unit” means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department revise the allocation formula pursuant to this section on a regular basis to adjust for changes in veteran demographics and veteran needs.
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are creating an entirely new generation of veterans who may be eligible for federal veterans benefits because of their war service and their physical and mental conditions.
(b)Californians make up to 10 percent of the federal military forces used in these conflicts. Furthermore, the California National Guard and California-based reserve units have contributed significantly to these current conflicts.
(c)Many of these returning California veterans are not aware of the federal and state benefits that are available to them.
(d)Additionally, it is estimated that in California there may be over two million veterans, and their widows or widowers, who are unaware that they may be eligible for pensions from the federal government based upon their, or their spouses’, past military service in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, or the Gulf War.
(e)California’s county veterans service officers are the initial local point of contact for claimants accessing the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(f)The costs of maintaining county veterans service officers are shared from county general funds and state reimbursement to the counties. In 1997, in order to track performance, the Legislature enacted and the Governor signed into law Senate Bill 608, enacted as Chapter 318 of the Statutes of 1997, which required the California Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report the amount of monetary benefits paid to veterans by the federal government that were attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. Senate Bill 608 also required the Department of Finance to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers of up to $5 million, if approved in the annual budget process. In 2009, the Legislature enacted and the Governor signed into law Senate Bill 419 enacted as Chapter 183 of the Statutes of 2009, which raised this amount to $11 million, if approved in the annual budget process.
(g)As a result of this annual reporting, by the end of 2013, it had been determined that from 1995 to 2013, inclusive, the state had cumulatively budgeted $41.4 million for its share of the cost of the county veterans service officers. As a result of this investment, county veteran service officers were able to assist local veterans in obtaining $4.1 billion, in new federal moneys. This is a return of about $98 for every $1 the state allocates to county veterans service officers. Furthermore, the $4.1 billion only reflects the actual monetary benefits qualified for in a given year. The monetary benefits qualified for in prior years are not tracked, yet the veterans and their dependents may continue to receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. Added to this stellar return on the state’s investment, but not counted in the annual reporting, are the Medi-Cal cost avoidance savings incurred as a result of county veterans service officers qualifying and shifting veterans away from Medi-Cal and into the appropriate federal veterans program.
(h)The county veterans service officers had accomplished all of this without ever reaching the allowable state budget allocation of $11 million, set in 2009. To date, the county veterans service officers have not received more than $5.6 million per year from the state.
(i)It is critical that the county veterans service officers receive a steady stream of funding because there continues to be a large number of underserved veterans and their dependents who are not aware of the federal benefits available to them as a result of their military service. Studies from other states have shown that increases in county veterans service officers have resulted in larger amounts of federal moneys to veterans. These new federal moneys and benefits are paid directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to the qualifying veteran or their dependent and are used in the local economy.
SEC. 2.
Section 972.1 of the
Military and Veterans Code
, as amended by Section 3 of Chapter 401 of the Statutes of 2012, is amended to read:
972.1.
(a)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.
(1)For the purposes of this section, “workload unit” means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.
(2)For the purposes of this subdivision, the department, by June 30, 2013, shall develop a performance-based formula that will incentivize county veterans service officers to perform workload units that help veterans access federal compensation and pension benefits and other benefits, in order to maximize the amount of federal money received by California veterans.
(b)The department shall annually determine the amount of new or increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal government attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the department’s determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.
(c)The department shall conduct a review of the high-performing and low-performing county veterans service officers, and, based on this review, shall produce a best-practices manual for county veterans service officers by June 30, 2013.
(d)The Legislature finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers up to a total of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the state’s veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
(e)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 3.
Section 972.1 of the
Military and Veterans Code
, as amended by Section 2 of Chapter 401 of the Statutes of 2012, is amended to read:
972.1.
(a)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than five million six hundred thousand dollars ($5,600,000).
(b)The department shall annually determine the amount of new or increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal government attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the department’s determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.
(c)The Legislature finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers up to a total of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the state’s veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
(d)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.
SEC. 4.
Section 972.3 is added to the
Military and Veterans Code
, to read:
972.3.
(a)Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of five million six hundred thousand dollars ($5,600,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2015, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 972.1. Moneys appropriated pursuant to this subdivision shall only be available for encumbrance and expenditure for one year after the date upon which it first becomes available for encumbrance.
(b)The Department of Veterans Affairs shall, no later than July 1, 2016, develop an allocation formula based upon performance standards that encourage innovation and reward outstanding service by county veterans service officers. Moneys appropriated for this purpose shall be allocated each fiscal year in accordance with that formula among those counties that have established and maintained a county veterans service officer pursuant to Section 970.
SEC. 5.
This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
Approximately 50 percent of the current General Fund appropriation in support of county veteran service offices operations expires on June 30, 2015. In order to provide for continuity of services critical to the successful reintegration of California’s veterans, to increase California’s utilization of veteran benefits, and to ensure veteran’s claims for benefits are processed in a timely manner, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.