Senator Umberg 2023 Legislative Victories
SB 34 – SLA Orange County Surplus Land Pilot Program -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Orange County Surplus Land Reform Pilot Program: A local pilot regulation that, until 2030, requires Orange County government entities to cure or correct a violation of its planned sale or lease of surplus land within 60 days before they can dispose of the land.
SB 35 – CARE Court Cleanup – SIGNED INTO LAW
Makes urgent implementation changes to CARE Court such as allowing proceedings to be conducted by subordinate judicial officers, removes the filing fee for petitions, and allows data sharing between the counties and the court.
SB 40 – 2023 State Bar reform -- SIGNED INTO LAW
State Bar Reform: Will set the State Bar annual licensing fee until January 2025, and require attorneys to inform the State Bar if another licensee has conspired to engage in, or has engaged in, treason, sedition, or insurrection against the State of California or the United States. This bill will also increase Legislative oversight and address deficiencies in the discipline system.
SB 55 – Preventing Catalytic Converter Thefts -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Preventing Catalytic Converter Thefts: Requires car dealers to give consumers the option of permanently marking a catalytic converter with its vehicle identification number at the time of sale.
SB 60 -- Social Media Drug Sales Prevention -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Social Media Drug Sales Prevention: Authorizes a person to seek a court ordered relief when a post pertaining to the sale of illegal drugs is reported and the social media company fails to remove it after 48 hours.
SB 71 -- Small Claims Accessibility Act -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Will increase the small claims amount in controversy limit from $10,000 to $12,500 and the amount in controversy limit for limited civil cases from $25,000 to $35,000.
SB 77 – Streamlining Electoral Ballot Curing -- SIGNED INTO LAW
This bill will require county elections officials to notify voters via text message and/or email if their ballot signature cannot be verified.
SB 91 – Permanent CEQA exemption for supportive housing -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Streamlining Transitional Housing: Exempts motel conversions for homeless project from CEQA until January 1, 2025 and indefinitely extends this exemption to allow for continued local government-driven supportive services for California’s unhoused population.
SB 229 – Public Hearing Notices for Surplus Land Disposal – SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires local agencies to provide a 14 day notice of a public session to review and consider the substance of the notice of violation of the Surplus Land Act.
SB 234 – Opioid Antagonists -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires each stadium, concert venue, and amusement park to maintain unexpired doses of naloxone or any other opioid antagonist on its premises at all times, and ensure at least two employees are aware of the location of the naloxone or opioid antagonist. Also exempts from liability a person who, in good faith, administers antagonist by nasal spray or auto-injector on the premises.
SB 235 – Curbing Discovery Abuse in Civil Litigation -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Provides a framework so that parties to a civil action may demand initial disclosures regarding information that is typically sought in discovery and mandates a $1,000 sanction against attorneys that engage in certain forms of discovery abuse.
SB 250 – Fentanyl Overdose Prevention -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Fentanyl Self-Reporting Immunity: Expands California 911 Good Samaritan law to include self-reporting of fentanyl poising and opioid overdose to law enforcement and medical assistance through fentanyl testing strips and other medical devices such as smart watched.
SB 255 – Court Notifications – SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires the Judicial Council to develop and make a reminder program available to each county court. Reminders would notify defendants of scheduled court appearances via text message and require county courts to participate.
SB 465 – Refugees – SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires each county human services agency to post single page on its internet website with a list of resources available for refugees that includes, among other things, public transportation, financial literacy information, and affordable housing and rental assistance programs and available state resources.
SB 579 – Fish Stocking Transparency – SIGNED INTO LAW
Will increase transparency for recreational anglers by requiring CDFW to, once again, make their Annual Provisional Stocking Document publicly available on their website.
SB 652 – Expert Witness Standards – SIGNED INTO LAW
Codifies longstanding law regarding the standard for expert witness testimony.
SB 678 – Mandatory Election Advertising Disclosure for Social Media Influencers -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires a person paid by a campaign committee to support a candidate or ballot measure online to disclose that the committee had paid them.
2023 Budget Asks
- City of La Habra: $2 million to fund the Vista Grande Park Development Project.
- Orangewood Foundation: $2 Million to support the Orangewood Foundation’s efforts to reinforce local Transitional Age Youth Homelessness Intervention
- City of Orange: $2 Million to fund the City of Orange Homeless Resource Center to tackle regional homeless.
- City of Garden Grove: $4 Million to Central Cities Navigation Center for Homelessness Intervention.
Senator Umberg Legislative Victories 2022
SB 34 – Public Contracts Reform SIGNED INTO LAW
Declares that certain contracts would be considered voidable if they were formed in connection to a bribe of a public official. – Signed into law.
SB 49 - Streamlining the Incorporation of California Businesses SIGNED INTO LAW
Encourages new businesses to incorporate in California, rather than another state, by streamlining our corporate conversion process, thereby making California more competitive.
SCR 100 – National Fentanyl Awareness Day - Chaptered by Secretary of State
Fosters public safety and awareness by declaring May 10th, 2022 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, was responsible for the death of over 100,000 Americans in 2021 alone.
SB 349 – Ethical Treatment of Persons with Addiction Act – SIGNED INTO LAW
Protects people seeking treatment for substance use disorders and their families by granting patients additional rights, prohibiting payment for patient referrals, and barring deceptive advertising and marketing practices.
SB 837 - Free Veteran’s Driver License Designations - SIGNED INTO LAW
Removes the $5 fee for obtaining a “VETERAN” designation on a driver’s license or identification card, thereby encouraging more veterans to utilize county and federal benefits they earned by virtue of their service.
SB 1037: Safe Depositions - SIGNED INTO LAW
Improves access to justice by requiring all participants of an in-person deposition to abide by local health and safety ordinances.
SB 1056 - Online Violence Prevention Act - SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires a social media platform to clearly state whether it has a mechanism for reporting violent posts that is available to users and nonusers of the platform. If a post is reported, the social media company would have 48 hours to determine whether the post constitutes a violent post and if so, remove it.
SB 1071 - Removing Barriers for Foster Care Benefits - SIGNED INTO LAW
Allows attorneys and judges in a Department of Social Services administrative hearing involving a minor in foster care to have access to juvenile case files for purposes of that hearing. Additionally, the bill would establish a time when counties must make certain records available.
SB 1338 - CARE Courts SIGNED INTO LAW
Establishes the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Care Program to connect a person struggling with untreated mental illness and substance use disorder with a court-ordered CARE plan.
SB 1360 - The Disclosure Clarity Act SIGNED INTO LAW
Improves election transparency by updating campaign advertising disclosure requirements to make TV and online graphic ad disclosures easier to read. Also ensures that voters who are being asked to sign initiative, referendum, and recall petitions know they must be shown the top funders of the signature gathering campaign that exceeds $50,000 or more.
SB 1402 - Incentivizing Veterans to Work in Public Service SIGNED INTO LAW
Allow United States military veterans to purchase up to four years of service credit under CalSTRS or CalPERS from their time serving in the United States Armed Forces, or the Merchant Marine, prior to becoming a member of the retirement system.
2022 Budget Asks
- Children’s Hospital of Orange County: $4 million to immediate fund necessary mental health programming and workforce development of mental health clinicians. This funding will expand facilities to meet the growing needs of patient care, provide community partnership and education opportunities, and establish a physician consultation line to provide pediatricians in Orange County with patient mental health advice and guidance
- Orange County United Way: $4.9 million to support its United to End Homelessness Initiative by ensuring an immediate response to ending the homelessness of at least 150 housing voucher holders.
- The City of Santa Ana - $9 million to Modernization of the Santa Ana Civic Center
- Cal State University of Fullerton – 5 million for CSU Asian Bilingual Teacher Education Program Consortium, which will ensure the state, is producing enough accredited teachers for Asian Language Dual Immersion Programs by funding: 1) Student-Teacher Development, 2) Consortium Infrastructure Support, and 3) Faculty Support.
Senator Umberg Legislative Victories 2021
SB 29 – Vote By Mail Ballots -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Extends the requirement that county elections officials mail ballots to all registered voters and to use a vote by mail ballot tracking system through 2021.
SB 35 – Protecting Polling Places -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Extends the area where electioneering activities may not take place to 200 feet from where voting is taking place and clarifies the prohibition and penalties for providing or encouraging voters to place their ballots in unofficial ballot boxes.
SB 41 – DNA Testing Data Privacy -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies to obtain informed consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of a consumer’s genetic data. Requires companies to destroy a consumer’s genetic data sample within 30 days of that consumer’s revocation of consent.
SB 241 – 2021 CA Court Efficiency Act -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Strengthens access to justice by reforming and modernizing our court system. This bill would allow witness to appear remotely under certain circumstances, require courts to prioritize sensitive judicial proceedings, and allow courts to electronically serve court-issued documents to parties with their consent.
SB 366 – Cracking Down on Catalytic Converter Theft and Illegal Auto Dismantling -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to investigate unlicensed and unpermitted auto dismantlers and the growing issue of catalytic convertor theft.
SB 386 – Easing Marketing Restrictions for ocV!BE Entertainment District -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Extends the current alcohol advertising exemption within the Honda Center to include the planned ocV!BE entertainment district. The project is anticipated to break ground in 2024 and will create over 10,000 construction jobs and over 3,000 permanent jobs when finished.
SB 498 – Legal Aid for Indigent & Disabled Veterans -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Increases the income eligibility cap for legal aid services and extends eligibility for such services to disabled veterans.
SB 665 – Hiring Preference for Veterans -- VETOED
Allows private employers to voluntarily give preference to veterans in hiring and employee retention decisions.
Senator Umberg Pending Legislation 2021-22 Session
California's Legislative Session operates on a two-year cycle, with this current session running from January 2021 - September 2022. Some bills require additional time and stakeholder input after they are introduced, and are referred to as "two-year bills." After tackling some of California's most pressing and complex issues, Senator Umberg looks forward to continuing work on the following measures:
SB 349 – Ethical Treatment of Persons with Addiction Act -- Two-Year Bill
Protects people seeking treatment for substance use disorders and their families by granting patients additional rights, prohibiting payment for patient referrals, and barring deceptive advertising and marketing practices.
SB 361 – Electronic Signatures for Car Sales and Leases -- Two-Year Bill
Permits electronic signatures for car sale and lease contracts.
SB 420 – Unemployment Insurance Integrity Enforcement Act -- Two-Year Bill
Would require California’s Attorney General to establish a task force that would coordinate efforts to recoup fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance funds.
SB 764 – Domestic Terrorism Task Force -- Two-Year Bill
Ensures that law enforcement is properly trained and funded for the detection and prevention of hate crimes and domestic terrorism.
Senator Umberg Legislative Victories 2020
SB 423 – Safe In-Person Voting -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Guarantees safe in-person polling places for the 2020 General Election.
AB 860 – Vote by Mail Ballots (with Assemblymember Berman) -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires county elections officials to mail a ballot to all registered voters for the November 2020 presidential general election only.
SB 970 – June Statewide Primary -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Due to COVID-19 delays in the 2020 Census – SB 970 will move the March 2022 Primary election back to the traditional date of June in order to provide the necessary amount of time for the redistricting process.
SB 980 – Privacy Protections for DNA and Illness Testing -- VETOED
Creates privacy guidelines for consumers who use home DNA testing kits as well as illness testing.
SB 1146 – Remote Depositions and E-Service for California Civil Cases -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Sponsored by the Consumer Attorneys of California, SB 1146 makes changes to court procedures to allow for the use of new technologies which will increase efficiencies during trial.
SB 1196 – Protecting Consumers from Price Gouging During an Emergency -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Cracks down on predatory price gouging tactics on products that consumers purchase during an emergency declaration.
SB 1220 – Ensuring Police Integrity to Protect the Public -- VETOED
Sponsored by the California District Attorneys Association, SB 1220 forces law enforcement to comply with mandatory Constitutional requirements of providing information of officers who may have a record of corruption or illegal acts.
AB 2782 – Mobilehome Parks Change of Use/Rent Control (with Assemblymember Stone) -- SIGNED INTO LAW
1) Extends the length of notice that parks must give to residents in advance of appearing before local authorities to request permission for the change 2) Requires mobilehome parks to compensate the displaced resident for the in place market value of their mobilehome if the residents cannot relocate to another mobilehome park; and 3) Prohibits local authorities from approving the change in use unless they find that it will not result in a shortage of affordable housing within the local jurisdiction.
In addition, SB 2782 eliminates a State exemption which prevented local governments from including many mobile home communities from accessing local rent control ordinances.
Senator Umberg Legislative Victories 2019
SB 17 – Sanctions for Abusive Court Practices -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Reduces delays in court by allowing judges to impose a $1,000 sanction against lawyers for abusing the civil discovery process. This procedural change will create more efficient access to justice for all civil court litigants.
SB 72 – Same Day Voter Registration -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Expands access to the ballot by requiring counties to provide conditional voter registration at all polling places. Counties may choose for themselves whether they want to go high tech with electronic poll books and ballot on demand printing systems, or low tech/low cost by simply providing paper provisional ballots.
SB 151 – Voter Education Reform -- SIGNED INTO LAW
This bill authorizes an officer in a voter-nominated office who is subject to a recall election to have the officer’s party preference identified on the ballot and also ensures voters receive their nonpartisan county voter information guide prior to receiving their vote-by-mail ballot.
SB 370 – Transparent Discovery for Court Cases -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires all documents produced in response to a demand for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling to be identified with the documents' specific request number.
SB 390 – School Safety Training -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires all school security officers, regardless of the number of hours worked per week, to complete an annual school safety-training course.
SB 400 – Electric Bike Program -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Expands the definition of ‘mobility options’ in the California’s Clean Cars 4 All Program to include access to vouchers for electric bicycles and bicycle sharing.
SB 439 – Wiretap Expansion and Police Accountability -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Authorizes peace officers or federal law enforcement officers to disclose the contents of wire or electronic communication if they relate to some serious felonies or to a crime involving a peace officer disclosed in an administrative or disciplinary hearing.
SB 450 – Motel Conversion for Supportive Housing -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Addresses both the housing and homeless crisis by exempting from the California Environmental Quality Act projects related to the conversion of a motel into supportive or transitional housing that is linked to supportive services.
SB 481 – State Military Inspector General -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Establishes the California Military Department Inspector General’s position as a principal advisor to the Adjutant General instead of as a subordinate, and revises the investigative process by requiring that the Inspector General conduct an interview with the individuals filing the complaint if they request it.
SB 505 – Presidential Candidate Requirements -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Specifies the criteria that a “recognized candidate” must meet in order to appear on the California presidential primary ballot. This bill also extends the deadline by which the Secretary of State is required to announce and distribute the names of recognized candidates.
SB 544 – State Bar Applicant Privacy -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Prohibits the staff of the State Bar or members of the examining committee, in reviewing whether an applicant is of good moral character, from reviewing the person’s medical records relating to mental health.
SB 576 – Coastal Erosion Data Collection -- SIGNED INTO LAW
Requires California to develop and implement a coastal climate adaptation, infrastructure, and readiness program designed to improve the climate change resiliency of the state’s coastal communities, infrastructure, and habitat.
SB 696 – “Independent” Political Parties -- VETOED
Prevents misleading voter registration by prohibiting the name of a party from including the word ‘independent,' ‘decline to state,' ‘no party preference,’ or any variation of those words. Would also require the Secretary of State to provide notice to any qualified party whose name includes a variation of these words and to notify each voter registered to that party informing them of the change.