February 17 , 2022
California Federation of Republican Women
Janet Price, President
Submitted by the CFRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Karen Contreras, Gretchen Cox, Elaine Freeman,
Theresa Speake, and Cheryl Sullivan
Please share the following information with your club newsletters/websites! Comments/Questions?
E-mail: legislativeanalysts@cfrw.org
AB-2067 – Forest Resources: Fire Prevention Grants
The Budget Act of 2017 appropriated money to the Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection for purposes of, among other things, providing local assistance grants, grants to fire safe councils, and grants to qualified nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated ability to satisfactorily plan, implement and complete a fire prevention project for these same purposes.
Current law, until January 1, 2024, authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire protection to authorize advance payments to nonprofit organizations, a local agency, a special district, a private forest landowner, or a Native American tribe from the grant awards specified above.
AB-1993 – Employment: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements
Would require an employer to require each employee or independent contractor, and who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, to show proof to the employer, or an authorized agent thereof, that the person has been vaccinated against COVID-19. This bill would establish an exception from this vaccination requirement for a person who is ineligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical condition or disability or because of a sincerely held religious belief, as specified, and would require compliance with various other state and federal laws.
The bill would require proof-of-vaccination status to be obtained in a manner that complies with federal and state privacy laws and not be retained by the employer unless the person authorizes the employer to retain proof.
AB-2063 – Density Bonus: Affordable Housing Impact Fees
The Density Bonus Law requires a city or county to provide a developer that proposes a housing development in the city or county with a density bonus and other incentives or concessions for the production of lower-income housing units, or for the donation of land within the development, if the developer agrees, to, among other things, construct a specified percentage of units for very low income, low-income, or moderate-income households or qualifying residents, including lower-income students. Current law requires the amount of a density bonus and the number of incentives or concessions a qualifying developer receives to be pursuant to a certain formula based on the total number of units in the housing development.
Existing law prohibits affordable housing impact fees, including inclusionary zoning fees and in-lieu fees, from being imposed on a housing development’s affordable units. This bill would prohibit affordable housing impact fees, including inclusionary zoning fees, in-lieu fees, and public benefit fees from being imposed on a housing development’s density bonus units.
UPDATE – REPARATIONS TASK FORCE
In 2020 the Legislature approved AB-3121 to establish a nine (9) member task force to inform California about slavery and to explore ways the State might provide reparations. They were tasked with the following:
- Study and develop reparation proposals for African Americans.
- Recommend appropriate ways to educate the California public of the Task Force findings.
- Recommend appropriate remedies for consideration of funding.
The Task Force has been meeting regularly and is required to have a report to the Governor and Legislature later this year. Their recommendations would need legislation to be implemented.
________________________________________________________________________________________
For further information on any of the bills mentioned here, click the Bill # in the email. Or you can CLICK HERE and simply enter the bill # or keywords where designated.
Find/contact your local Legislators, click HERE to inquire, or let them know your opinion about bills or issues.
To contact your U.S. Representatives, call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121
Listen to hearings on bills that interest you – http://www.legislature.ca.gov/the_state_legislature/calendar_and_schedules/audio_tv.html
Calif. Legislative Portal links- Express your support or opposition to a bill directly to the Legislative committee currently reviewing it (as an individual, not as a member of RWF or CFRW) – click here, or the bill’s author- click here, enter your bill # and look for the tab at top of the bill page labeled “Comments to Author”.
