May 20, 2021
California Federation of Republican Women
Sue Blair, President
Submitted by the CFRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Gretchen Cox, Elaine Freeman, Lou Ann Flaherty,
Val Emick, Theresa Speake, & Arlene Wolgomuth
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BUDGET
The Governor released his May revised budget outlining his priorities. The budget must be approved by 7/1/21 or the Legislature will not be paid. This is an incentive and with a Democrat supermajority, the budget will be approved. The budget is $267.8 billion. Of that, $75 billion is an unanticipated surplus caused by high-income receipts from taxpayers. There is also a one-time $26 billion from the Federal stimulus plan. Using surplus money to create new programs should be of concern.
For example, $ 14.5 billion to create a universal pre-school program by 2024, an additional $5.1 billion for new mental health programs, 6,000 new housing units for 8,200 homeless, totaling $12 billion, and an additional $7 billion for Project Homekey. And, of course, there is $4.2 billion for the high-speed rail, necessary funding because the voter-approved bond measure money is already allocated. Most importantly, be aware that once started, many of these programs cannot be ended. How will they be funded in the future since future state revenues cannot be guaranteed?
HOUSING
AB 1075 – Planning & Zoning-Residential Developments- This bill would require local government to deem a residential development compliant with its local zoning requirements if the proposed development is located on a site that meets specified requirements, including that the development is not located within a wetland or within a very high fire hazard severity zone and the proposed development is zoned for residential.
The bill would require that the development meet objective design review standards and if required by local ordinance, have inclusionary zoning. This bill, as proposed, eliminates much municipal zoning control by “addressing a matter of statewide concern”. So, it applies to all cities including charter cities. So, if there is a single-family property zoned for two units per acre, this bill would override local zoning and allow 10 units per acre.
STATUS: In Housing/Comm.Dev. committee.
EDUCATION
SB 693- Pupil instruction: GENOCIDE EDUCATION: THE HOLOCAUST-This bill would establish the Governor’s Council on Genocide and Holocaust Education and would strongly encourage school districts and charter schools with grades 4 to 12, to integrate best practices into instruction on genocide, including the Holocaust, that meets existing academic content standards and the history-social science curriculum framework. The bill would require a study on the way the instruction is offered to assess the impact of the instruction.
STATUS: placed in Appropriations Suspense file.
Pending: Senate Appropriations Committee.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
AB 12-Personal information: Social Security numbers: the Employment Development Department. This bill would require state agencies, as soon as is feasible, but no later than January 1, 2023, to stop sending any outgoing United States mail to an individual that contains the individual’s social security number unless the number is truncated to its last four digits, except in specified circumstances.
ELECTIONS
SB 35– PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES: -This bill extends the distance from 100 feet to 200 for “electioneering” at the polls and adds drop-off sites for ballots and ballot boxes (in general) to the locations to which this applies. It specifically provides for fines and/or imprisonment for attempting to place unofficial or unauthorized ballot boxes or soliciting or deceiving people into using a ballot box not approved by election officials.
STATUS: Passed the Senate and was referred to the Assembly for a first read
The More We Know…
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http://www.legislature.ca.gov/the_state_legislature/calendar_and_schedules/audio_tv.html
Questions? Please e-mail legislativeanalysts@cfrw.org
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