Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus Announces Priority Legislation
Sacramento, CA – Today, the California Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus announced priority legislation that seeks to expand the use of technology and promote an innovation climate in California.
“This diverse package of bills shows that technology truly touches every part of our lives. These bills will help keep us safe, make our state more environmentally sustainable and make certain that the tech economy will continue to thrive,” said Assemblymember Low (D-Silicon Valley). “The Tech Caucus will strongly advocate for these bills to ensure that California remains the global leader in the innovation economy.”
“As the 8th largest economy in the world, investing in technology is critical to our state’s economic health and long-term sustained growth,” stated Majority Leader Ian Calderon. “The priority bills for the Caucus reflect a commitment to fostering innovation and supporting policies that keep our tech economy strong while protecting all Californians.”
2016 Priority Legislation:
SB 1137 (Senator Hertzberg) Ransomware: would make it a crime to infect computers, computer systems or networks with ransomware. A person who knowingly introduces “ransomware,” as defined, into any computer, computer system, or computer network will be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail, or state prison under specified circumstances, for two, three, or four years, and a fine not exceeding $10,000.
AB 2713 (Assemblymember Chiu) Energy Storage: would require cities and counties to accept electronic submissions of permit applications for advanced energy storage installations, and creates a California Energy Storage Permitting Guidebook.
SB 438 (Senator Hill) Funding for Earthquake Early Warning System: will start funding a statewide earthquake early warning system to help save lives and protect the public before temblors strike. SB 438 will remove the prohibition in current law that restricts the use of General Funds for the warning system. The bill will also appropriate $23.1 million to install the needed seismic sensors to implement the telecommunications technology.
AB 2544 (Assemblymember Allen & Assemblymember Quirk) Qualified Investment Partnerships: Small investors in California cannot form “Qualified Investment Partnerships” to invest in California startups due to the state’s high annual filing fees, which leads to lost opportunities and lost jobs. AB 2544 would clearly define Qualified Investment Partnerships in California state law and add language to the Revenue and Taxation Code that allows such partnerships to certify that they are formed exclusively for the purpose of acquiring and holding title to intangible personal property and/or debts in a single other business and turning over the amount of income to its members.
AB 1743 (Assemblymember Dababneh) Digital Modernization Act: would modernize California’s Automobile Sales Finance Act and the California Vehicle Leasing Act by allowing consumers to purchase or lease a vehicle with an electronic signature. AB 1743 would improve the car buying process for consumers while also resolving the legal uncertainty surrounding the use of these electronic contracts and signature. All existing consumer protections in statute for both the automobile sales and lease contracts will be maintained.
AB 2334 (Assemblymember Mullin) Alternative Energy Financing: increases the annual award cap of the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Authority (CAEATFA) sales and use tax exclusion from $100 million to $350 million. AB 2334 will increase the ability of CAEATFA to incentivize California based jobs and manufacturing while promoting clean technology and reducing pollution and energy consumption.
The Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus is committed to learning about and supporting California’s technology and innovation sector. The Caucus seeks to promote technology and foster innovation, support legislation that creates jobs, and engage on emerging policy issues.
CAUCUS MEMBERS INCLUDE:
(Co-Chair) Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley)
(Co-Chair) Assemblymember Ian Calderon (D-Whittier)
Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica)
Assemblymember Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach)
Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose)
Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica)
Assemblymember Susan Bonilla (D-Concord)
Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda)
Assemblymember Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood)
Assemblymember Nora Campos (D-San Jose)
Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres)
Assemblymember Ling Ling Chang (R-Diamond Bar)
Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco)
Assemblymember Kansen Chu (D-San Jose)
Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove)
Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D-Los Angeles)
Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego)
Assemblymember Richard Gordon (D-Menlo Park)
Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo)
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks)
Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens)
Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside)
Assemblymember Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore)
Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D-San Mateo)
Assemblymember Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)
Assemblymember Jim Patterson (R-Fresno)
Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward)
Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield)
Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco)
Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont)
Assemblymember Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita)
Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg)
CONTACT: Melissa Apuya (Low) – (916) 319-2028
Lerna Shirinian (Calderon) – (562) 692-5858