Article 4. Miscellaneous of California Government Code >> Division 2. >> Title 5. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 4.

The legislative body of any public or municipal corporation or district may contract with and employ any persons for the furnishing to the corporation or district special services and advice in financial, economic, accounting, engineering, legal, or administrative matters if such persons are specially trained and experienced and competent to perform the special services required. The authority herein given to contract shall include the right of the legislative body of the corporation or district to contract for the issuance and preparation of payroll checks. The legislative body of the corporation or district may pay from any available funds such compensation to such persons as it deems proper for the services rendered.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section, to provide a uniform limit on the retirement benefits for the members of the legislative bodies of all political subdivisions of the state, including charter cities and charter counties. The Legislature finds and declares that uneven, conflicting, and inconsistent retirement benefits for legislative bodies distort the statewide system of intergovernmental finance. The Legislature further finds and declares that the inequities caused by these problems extend beyond the boundaries of individual public agencies. Therefore, the Legislature finds and declares that these problems are not merely municipal affairs or matters of local interest and that they are truly matters of statewide concern that require the direct attention of the state government. In providing a uniform limit on the retirement benefits for the legislative bodies of all political subdivisions of the state, the Legislature has provided a solution to a statewide problem that is greater than local in its effect.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the retirement benefits of any member of a legislative body of any city, including a charter city, county, including a charter county, city and county, special district, school district, or any other political subdivision of the state shall be no greater than that received by nonsafety employees of that public agency. In the case of agencies with different benefit structures, the benefits of members of the legislative body shall not be greater than the most generous schedule of benefits being received by any category of nonsafety employees.
  (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, members of the legislative body of a city, including a charter city, county, including a charter county, city and county, special district, school district, or any other political subdivision of the state shall not be eligible to accrue multiple retirement benefits greater than the most generous schedule of benefits being received by any category of nonsafety employees from two or more public agencies for concurrent service except in the case of a member who serves as a regular full-time employee in a separate public agency.
  (d) This section shall be applicable to any member of a legislative body whose first service commences on and after January 1, 1995.

(a) Every employee of a local agency has the right to inspect personnel records pursuant to Section 1198.5 of the Labor Code.
  (b) As used in this section:
  (1) "City" means any city or municipal corporation, whether general law city or charter city.
  (2) "County" means any county, whether general law county or charter county, including a city and county.
  (3) "Local agency" means any city, county, city and county, special district, authority, community redevelopment agency, or other political subdivision of the state.

The term "district," as used in this section, means a district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in the state, but does not include the state or a county, city and county, or city. Any district, directly or through a representative, may attend the Legislature or any other legislative body, including Congress, and any committees thereof and present information to aid the passage of legislation which the district deems beneficial to the district or to prevent the passage of legislation which the governing board of the district deems detrimental to the district. The cost and expense incident thereto are proper charges against the district. Such districts may enter into and provide for participation in the business of associations and through a representative of the associations attend the Legislature, or any other legislative body, including Congress, and any committees thereof, and present information to aid the passage of legislation which the association deems beneficial to the districts in the association, or to prevent the passage of legislation which the association deems detrimental to the districts in the association. The cost and expense incident thereto are proper charges against the districts comprising the association. Each member of the district board engaging in such activities on behalf of the district shall be allowed eleven cents ($0.11) per mile, without any constructive mileage, for his expenses of traveling necessarily done by automobile, and his actual traveling expenses when he travels by public conveyance.

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares the following:
  (1) That police protection is an essential service for the protection of life and property and necessary to ensure the orderly conduct of society.
  (2) Cities and counties have been the traditional law enforcement providers in the state.
  (3) Some special districts have been granted statutory authorization to perform police protection activities. These districts include the Bear Valley Community Services District, the Broadmoor Police Protection District, the Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District, the Lake Shastina Community Services District, and the Stallion Springs Community Services District.
  (4) These districts are authorized to perform the same police protection duties and functions as cities and counties.
  (5) These districts wholly supplant the law enforcement functions of the county within the jurisdiction of that district.
  (6) These districts employ peace officers, as described in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code, who are certified as meeting those standards and requirements adopted pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 13510) of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
  (7) These districts are eligible to receive state funding pursuant to the following:
  (A) Section 30061 (Citizen's Option for Public Safety Program (COPS)).
  (B) Section 29550.4 (booking fee reimbursement).
  (C) Item 9210-106-0001 of the Budget Act of 2001 (technology grants).
  (b) The Legislature hereby recognizes the importance of the agencies identified in subdivision (a) in performing essential police protection services within these agencies' respective communities and, in enacting laws, shall attempt to encourage funding equity among all local law enforcement agencies for public safety purposes.

The legislative body of a city, county, or fire protection district may expend money for the payment of contributions to a retirement system authorized to do business in the State for retirement benefits to volunteer or paid firemen of the fire department. For the purposes of determining such contributions the compensation of such firemen shall be either the compensation actually paid or that provided by Section 4458 of the Labor Code, whichever is greater. The legislative body may by ordinance provide for the conditions of retirement and may contract with such retirement system as provided in the ordinance. The authority granted by this section shall not be construed as a limitation on any powers heretofore or hereafter granted to the legislative body of a city, county, or fire protection district to provide for the retirement of volunteer or paid firemen.

Whenever any notice or other communication is required by law to be mailed by registered mail to or by any county, city or district, or any officer or agency thereof, the mailing of such notice or other communication by certified mail shall be deemed to be a sufficient compliance with the requirements of such law.

Any county, city, city and county, district, authority or other public corporation or agency which has the power to produce, conserve, control or supply water for beneficial purposes shall have the power to engage in practices designed to produce, induce, increase or control rainfall or other precipitation for the general benefit of the territory within it.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the event there are two or more identical lowest or highest bids, as the case may be, submitted to a local agency for the purchase, sale, or lease of real property, supplies, materials, equipment, services, bonds, or the awarding of any contract, pursuant to a provision requiring competitive bidding, the local agency may determine by lot which bid shall be accepted. "Local agency" shall include any city, county, city and county, or public district.

No local agency furnishing water for residential use to a tenant shall seek to recover any charges or penalties for the furnishing of water to or for the tenant's residential use from any subsequent tenant on account of nonpayment of charges by a previous tenant. The local agency may, however, require that service to subsequent tenants be furnished on the account of the landlord or property owner.

The provisions of law (except Section 25256 of this code) relating to budgets and other fiscal matters except borrowing which apply to counties shall also apply to any district, whose governing body is the board of supervisors or for which county fiscal officers are ex officio fiscal officers, except that this section shall not apply:
  (a) To school districts;
  (b) To districts including two or more counties;
  (c) Where such matters are otherwise provided by law.

Each special district, as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 56036, shall, at least annually, disclose any reimbursement paid by the district within the immediately preceding fiscal year of at least one hundred dollars ($100) for each individual charge for services or product received. "Individual charge" includes, but is not limited to, one meal, lodging for one day, transportation, or a registration fee paid to any employee or member of the governing body of the district. The disclosure requirement shall be fulfilled by including the reimbursement information in a document published or printed at least annually by a date determined by that district and shall be made available for public inspection.

(a) Any city or county or city and county in the State of California may, pursuant to such provisions as may be prescribed by its governing body, authorize by franchise or license the construction of a community antenna television system. In connection therewith, the governing body may prescribe such rules and regulations as it deems advisable to protect the individual subscribers to the services of such community antenna television system.
  (b) The award of the franchise or license may be made on the basis of quality of service, rates to the subscriber, income to the city, county or city and county, experience and financial responsibility of the applicant plus any other consideration that will safeguard the local public interest, rather than a cash auction bid.
  (c) The maximum franchise fee for any franchise or license hereafter awarded pursuant to this section or pursuant to any ordinance adopted under authority of this section by any city or county or city and county shall be 5 percent of the grantee's gross receipts from its operations within such city or county or city and county. Intrastate telecommunications services subject to taxation under Part 22 (commencing with Section 44000) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall not be included, prior to July 1, 1988, in the gross receipts subject to any cable television franchise fee.
  (d) Any cable television franchise or license awarded by a city or county or city and county pursuant to this section may authorize the grantee thereof to place wires, conduits and appurtenances for the community antenna television system along or across such public streets, highways, alleys, public properties, or public easements of said city or county or city and county. Public easements, as used in this section, shall include but shall not be limited to any easement created by dedication to the city or county or city and county for public utility purposes or any other purpose whatsoever.
  (e) No person may commence the construction of a cable television system without a franchise or license granted by the city, county, or city and county in which the cable television system will operate.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 53066, with respect to any franchise which becomes effective on or after January 1, 1984, the initial franchise fee payment shall not be paid or be made payable in advance for any period of operation which occurs more than 12 months following the date upon which initial payment is made, except that in the case of a joint powers agency which includes a county, or any portion thereof, and one or more cities, formed for purposes of issuing and administering one or more cable television franchises for a community antenna system in an area comprising more than 300,000 households, there may be an advance payment of franchise fees for purposes of the initial preparation, execution, administration, and supervision of the franchise documents and construction of the community antenna system, which payment shall not exceed eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000). Any advance payment of a franchise fee shall be credited against a franchise fee which subsequently becomes payable. No payment of franchise fees, other than the initial payment, may be made in advance.

(a) In awarding a cable television franchise pursuant to Section 53066, a city, county, or city and county shall assure that access to cable service is not denied to any group of potential residential cable subscribers because of the income of the residents of the local area in which the group resides.
  (b) Nothing in subdivision (a) authorizes a city, county, or city and county to require a cable operator to build a line extension to a home which may be too remote and where the cost to wire is substantially above the average cost of providing cable television service in that community.
  (c) Any city, county, or city and county may consider that a franchise is abandoned and may take appropriate action, including revocation of a franchise agreement, after notice and an opportunity for hearing has been given to the franchisee, if it reasonably determines that the franchise has denied cable service to a group of residents because of the income of the residents of the local area in which the group resides in violation of subdivision (a).

(a) If a city, county, or city and county elects to grant an additional cable television franchise in an area where a franchise has already been granted to a cable television operator, it shall do so only after a public hearing noticed pursuant to Section 6066, in a newspaper of general circulation as defined in Section 6000, where all of the following have been considered:
  (1) Whether there will be significant positive or negative impacts on the community being served.
  (2) Whether there will be an unreasonable adverse economic or aesthetic impact upon public or private property within the area.
  (3) Whether there will be an unreasonable disruption or inconvenience to existing users, or any adverse effect on future use, of utility poles, public easements, and the public rights-of-way contrary to the intent of Section 767.5 of the Public Utilities Code.
  (4) Whether the franchise applicant has the technical and financial ability to perform.
  (5) Whether there is any impact on the franchising authority's interest in having universal cable service.
  (6) Whether other societal interests generally considered by franchising authorities will be met.
  (7) Whether the operation of an additional cable television system in the community is economically feasible.
  (8) Such other additional matters, both procedural and substantive, as the franchising authority may determine to be relevant.
  (b) Nothing in this section prevents any city, county, or city and county from considering the approval or denial of an additional cable service franchise in any area of the city, county, or city and county, subject to compliance with subdivision (d), or the imposing of additional terms and conditions upon the granting of the franchise, as the city, county, or city and county determines is necessary or appropriate.
  (c) The city, county, or city and county shall make a final determination as to whether to grant the additional franchise within six months of the application date unless the jurisdiction can establish that the applicant has unreasonably delayed proceedings designed to consider the matters set forth in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive, of subdivision (a).
  (d) Any additional franchise granted to provide cable television service in an area in which a franchise has already been granted and where an existing cable operator is providing service or certifies to the franchising authority that it is ready, willing, and able to provide service, shall require the franchisee to wire and serve the same geographical area within a reasonable time and in a sequence which does not discriminate against lower income or minority residents, and shall contain the same public, educational, and governmental access requirements that are set forth in the existing franchise. This subdivision does not apply where all existing cable operators certify to the franchising authority that they do not intend to provide service within a reasonable time to the area to be initially served by the additional franchise.

Every cable television system operating under a franchise or license awarded pursuant to Section 53066 shall, by July 1, 1984, and thereafter, offer to make a lockbox available to each of its subscribers. The monthly service charge for a lockbox shall not exceed fifty cents ($0.50), except that on January 1, 1985, and annually thereafter, the maximum monthly service charge shall be increased by an amount equal to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. A city, county, or city and county is not precluded by this or any other provision of law from requiring, as a condition to the granting of a franchise, that a cable television system make lockboxes available to subscribers without charge. For purposes of this section, a "lockbox" is a parental control device, either in the form of a separate unit or incorporated into a descrambler or other piece of equipment used to provide cable television service, which is made operational by a key or by a code, and which enables the subscriber to prevent the viewing of any pay channel offering adult programming.

Unless a cable television system operating under a franchise granted pursuant to Section 53066 incorporates technology to prevent unwanted reception of audio and video signals from occurring under normal operating conditions, the system shall provide a written statement to all new subscribers advising them that audio or video signals, or both, may be present on certain channels to which they do not subscribe.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
  (1) That trees and other woody plants respond in specific and predictable ways to pruning and other maintenance practices.
  (2) That careful scientific studies indicate that arboriculture practices including, but not limited to, "topping" are often misunderstood and misapplied.
  (3) That the results of the 1988 California urban forestry survey prepared by Plant Science and Research for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Urban Forestry Program summarizes that an estimated 5.9 million street trees are managed by California cities of which approximately 30 percent of the cities and 20 counties do not have tree ordinances of any kind. That in 1988 an estimated one hundred nine million dollars ($109,000,000) statewide was spent on municipal tree maintenance, less than 1 percent of most city and county budgets, with an average of sixteen dollars and 82 cents ($16.82) per street and park tree per year and an average of four dollars and 68 cents ($4.68) per resident per year. California's city governments support urban forestry. Support for tree programs is highest in communities where citizens are involved. Conclusions of the urban forestry survey state that most cities need an aggressive tree planting program to maintain tree densities at current levels, to keep pace with urban growth, increase species diversity, maintain the health and vigor of their trees, and put more effort into long-term master planning of urban forests. To derive the maximum ecological benefit from the urban forest, the current trend towards planting smaller trees will need to be reversed. Counties lag far behind cities in urban forestry efforts. Most tree programs need to put greater emphasis on educating the public on the benefits the urban forest provides. A healthy flourishing urban forest cannot be developed and maintained without foresight, proper care, and good management.
  (4) That the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Guidelines for Developing and Evaluating Tree Ordinances 1991 publications states that an ordinance shall be developed for the purpose of prohibiting topping of public and private trees. Topping is the practice of cutting back large diameter branches of a mature tree to stubs and is a particularly destructive pruning practice. It is stressful to mature trees, and may result in reduced vigor, decline, or even death of trees. In addition, new branches that form below the cuts are only weakly attached to the tree and are in danger of splitting out. Topped trees require constant maintenance to prevent this from happening and it is often impossible to restore the structure of the tree crown after topping. Unfortunately many people believe that topping is a proper way to prune a tree, and this destructive practice is prevalent in some communities.
  (5) That in an effort to promote practices that encourage the preservation of tree structure, and public safety and health, these standards developed through careful scientific studies by leading industry consultants, United States Department of Forestry scientists, and professors of horticulture and plant pathology, are recognized standards by the Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, University of California Co-operative Extension Farm advisers, the National Arborist Association, the International Society of Arboriculture, American Forestry Association, and numerous tree planting and preservation organizations throughout the state and nation.
  (6) That those standards are working guidelines, recognizing that trees are individually unique in form and structure and that their pruning or maintenance needs may not always fit strict rules.
  (7) That the International Society of Arboriculture founded in 1924 with over 21 chapters throughout the world publishes the monthly Journal of Arboriculture which is devoted to the dissemination of knowledge in the science and art of growing and maintaining shade and ornamental trees. The Journal of Arboriculture, March 1988, Volume 14, No. 3, page 76, states that properly trimmed trees not only require less manhours on their next cycle but some may not even need trimming. This conclusion was based on a study performed at Delmarva Power in Maryland during the 1982-84 trim cycles. Results indicate a 25 percent reduction in work force and a 7.4 percent reduction in costs in the first three years.
  (8) That the use of proper tree maintenance techniques benefits the public because of reduced costs, reduced hazards, reduced public liability, protection from premature decline or death (conserving energy reducing carbon dioxide and ozone, absorbing particulate matter, producing more oxygen by increasing canopy spread, reduction in wind speed, reducing noise pollution, increasing real property values, enhancing visual and aesthetic qualities that attract visitors and businesses, serve as a source of community image and pride by providing maximum shade and canopy cover). As canopy cover increases the public benefits increase.
  (9) (A) The Legislature's findings recognize that topping of trees is a widespread misunderstood consumer request and this form of pruning detracts from public benefits including, but not limited to, safety and property values, and causes premature decline, death, disease, insects, woodrot, and increased maintenance costs. These findings also recognize that a great number of personnel performing maintenance on trees unknowingly and unintentionally produce irreversible harm.
  (B) The Legislature finds that nonregulated commercial tree service firms that advertise topping are widespread among commercial advertising including the yellow pages, but not limited to newspaper advertising, and that millions of dollars have been spent topping trees including publicly owned trees.
  (C) The Legislature finds that modern techniques utilized by certified arborists through scientific study and continued education are of value and benefit to the citizens of California and to all who care for our resources.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection through Sections 4799.06 to 4799.12, inclusive, of the Public Resources Code, shall to the extent possible, furnish to every public agency, including the state, but not limited to, a city and county, school district, or community college district copies of these publications as listed: Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture Pruning Standards, California Department of Parks and Recreation specifications for pruning trees, and National Arborist Association Standards of pruning shade trees.

Any local agency, as defined in Section 54951 of the Government Code, which seeks to enter a contract that requires the letting of bids, shall specify in the public notice the place such bids are to be received and the time by which they shall be received. Any bids received by such local agency after the time specified in the notice shall be returned unopened.

In any agreement entered into whereby any city, county, city and county, or local agency obtains a grant of easement, lease, license, right-of-way or right-of-entry, the city, county, city and county or agency entering into the agreement may agree to indemnify and hold harmless the grantor, lessor, or licensor and may agree to repair or pay for any damage proximately caused by reason of the uses authorized by such easement, lease, license, right-of-way, or right-of-entry agreement. "Local agency" shall include any public district, public corporation, or other political subdivision of the state.

(a) A city, county, or city and county may enact an ordinance to provide for the use of city or county funds to remove graffiti or other inscribed material from publicly or privately owned real or personal property located within the city, county, or city and county and to replace or repair public or privately owned property within that city, county, or city and county that has been defaced with graffiti or other inscribed material that cannot be removed cost effectively.
  (b) The ordinance shall authorize only the removal of the graffiti or other inscribed material itself, or, if the graffiti or other inscribed material cannot be removed cost effectively, the repair or replacement of the portion of the property that was defaced, and not the painting, repair, or replacement of other parts of the property that were not defaced.
  (c) (1) The removal, repair, or replacement may be performed, in the case of publicly owned real or personal property, only after securing the consent of the public entity having jurisdiction over the property, and in the case of privately owned real or personal property, only after securing the consent of the owner or possessor.
  (2) The law enforcement agency with primary jurisdiction in a city, county, or city and county that enacts an ordinance pursuant to this section may promulgate procedures for preremoval preservation of sufficient evidence of the graffiti or other inscribed material for criminal prosecutions or proceedings pursuant to Section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code pertaining to the person or persons who inscribed the graffiti or other material. These procedures shall be followed by the city, county, or city and county prior to or during removal of graffiti or other inscribed material.
  (d) (1) If a city enacts an ordinance pursuant to this section, the city may also enact an ordinance to establish a procedure pursuant to Section 38772, 38773, 38773.1, 38773.2, 38773.5, or 38773.6 to recover city funds used pursuant to this section to remove graffiti or other inscribed material from publicly or privately owned real or personal property within the city.
  (2) If a county enacts an ordinance pursuant to this section, the county may enact an ordinance to establish a procedure pursuant to Section 25845 to recover county funds used pursuant to this section to remove graffiti or other inscribed material from publicly or privately owned real or personal property within the county.
  (3) As used in this section, "city or county funds" include, but are not limited to, court costs, attorney's fees, costs of removal of the graffiti or other inscribed material, costs of repair and replacement of defaced property, costs of administering and monitoring the participation of a defendant and his or her parents or guardians in a graffiti abatement program, and the law enforcement costs incurred by the city or county in identifying and apprehending the person who created, caused, or committed the graffiti or other inscribed material on the publicly or privately owned permanent real or personal property within the city or county.
  (e) As used in this section, "graffiti or other inscribed material" includes any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, mark, or design that is written, marked, etched, scratched, drawn, or painted on any real or personal property.
  (f) This section does not preclude the abatement of graffiti or other inscribed material as a nuisance pursuant to Section 25845 or 38773.5 or the enactment or enforcement of any criminal law with respect to nuisance.

(a) (1) The legislative body of a local agency, as the term "local agency" is defined in Section 54951, may by ordinance make any violation of any ordinance enacted by the local agency subject to an administrative fine or penalty. The local agency shall set forth by ordinance the administrative procedures that shall govern the imposition, enforcement, collection, and administrative review by the local agency of those administrative fines or penalties. Where the violation would otherwise be an infraction, the administrative fine or penalty shall not exceed the maximum fine or penalty amounts for infractions set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 25132 and subdivision (b) of Section 36900.
  (2) The administrative procedures set forth by ordinance adopted by the local agency pursuant to paragraph (1) shall provide for a reasonable period of time, as specified in the ordinance, for a person responsible for a continuing violation to correct or otherwise remedy the violation prior to the imposition of administrative fines or penalties, when the violation pertains to building, plumbing, electrical, or other similar structural or zoning issues, that do not create an immediate danger to health or safety.
  (b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1094.5 or 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, within 20 days after service of the final administrative order or decision of the local agency is made pursuant to an ordinance enacted in accordance with this section regarding the imposition, enforcement or collection of the administrative fines or penalties, a person contesting that final administrative order or decision may seek review by filing an appeal to be heard by the superior court, where the same shall be heard de novo, except that the contents of the local agency's file in the case shall be received in evidence. A proceeding under this subdivision is a limited civil case. A copy of the document or instrument of the local agency providing notice of the violation and imposition of the administrative fine or penalty shall be admitted into evidence as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. A copy of the notice of appeal shall be served in person or by first-class mail upon the local agency by the contestant.
  (2) The fee for filing the notice of appeal shall be as specified in Section 70615. The court shall request that the local agency's file on the case be forwarded to the court, to be received within 15 days of the request. The court shall retain the fee specified in Section 70615 regardless of the outcome of the appeal. If the court finds in favor of the contestant, the amount of the fee shall be reimbursed to the contestant by the local agency. Any deposit of the fine or penalty shall be refunded by the local agency in accordance with the judgment of the court.
  (3) The conduct of the appeal under this section is a subordinate judicial duty that may be performed by traffic trial commissioners and other subordinate judicial officials at the direction of the presiding judge of the court.
  (c) If no notice of appeal of the local agency's final administrative order or decision is filed within the period set forth in this section, the order or decision shall be deemed confirmed.
  (d) If the fine or penalty has not been deposited and the decision of the court is against the contestant, the local agency may proceed to collect the penalty pursuant to the procedures set forth in its ordinance.

A local agency, as defined in Section 54951, may offer and pay a reward, the amount thereof to be determined by the local agency, for information leading to the determination of the identity of, and the apprehension of, any person whose willful misconduct results in injury or death to any person or who willfully damages or destroys any property. Any person whose willful misconduct has resulted in injury or death to any student or any person employed by or performing volunteer services for a local agency or who has willfully damaged or destroyed any property of a local agency or any property of any other local agency or state or federal agency located within the boundaries of the local agency shall be liable for the amount of any reward paid pursuant to this section and if he is an unemancipated minor his parent or guardian shall also be liable for the amount.

Each local agency, as defined in Section 54951, shall take all practical and reasonable steps to recover civil damages for the negligent, willful, or unlawful damaging or taking of property of the local agency, including the institution of appropriate legal action.

A local agency, as defined in Section 54951, may offer and pay a reward, the amount thereof to be determined by the local agency, to any person who comes to the aid of any peace officer of the local agency or who furnishes information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons killing or assaulting with a deadly weapon or inflicting serious bodily harm upon a peace officer of the local agency while such officer is acting in the line of duty.

In order to comply with state law requirements mandated by Section 3753 of Title 42 of the United States Code, which bases eligibility of federal grants under the Omnibus Control and Safe Streets Act, no local law shall prohibit a peace officer or custodial officer from identifying and reporting to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service any person, pursuant to federal law or regulation, to whom both of the following apply:
  (a) The person was arrested and booked, based upon the arresting officer's probable cause to believe that the person arrested had committed a felony.
  (b) After the arrest and booking in subdivision (a), the officer reasonably suspects that the person arrested has violated the civil provisions of the federal immigration laws.

(a) The board of supervisors of any county may contract on behalf of the sheriff of that county, and the legislative body of any city may contract on behalf of the chief of police of that city, to provide supplemental law enforcement services to:
  (1) Private individuals or private entities to preserve the peace at special events or occurrences that happen on an occasional basis.
  (2) Private nonprofit corporations that are recipients of federal, state, county, or local government low-income housing funds or grants to preserve the peace on an ongoing basis.
  (3) Private entities at critical facilities on an occasional or ongoing basis. A "critical facility" means any building, structure, or complex that in the event of a disaster, whether natural or manmade, poses a threat to public safety, including, but not limited to, airports, oil refineries, and nuclear and conventional fuel powerplants.
  (b) Contracts entered into pursuant to this section shall provide for full reimbursement to the county or city of the actual costs of providing those services, as determined by the county auditor or auditor-controller, or by the city, as the case may be.
  (c) (1) The services provided pursuant to this section shall be rendered by regularly appointed full-time peace officers, as defined in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code.
  (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), services provided in connection with special events or occurrences, as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), may be rendered by Level I reserve peace officers, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 830.6 of the Penal Code, who are authorized to exercise the powers of a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code, if there are no regularly appointed full-time peace officers available to fill the positions as required in the contract.
  (d) Peace officer rates of pay shall be governed by a memorandum of understanding.
  (e) A contract entered into pursuant to this section shall encompass only law enforcement duties and not services authorized to be provided by a private patrol operator, as defined in Section 7582.1 of the Business and Professions Code.
  (f) Contracting for law enforcement services, as authorized by this section, shall not reduce the normal and regular ongoing service that the county, agency of the county, or city otherwise would provide.
  (g) Prior to contracting for ongoing services under paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (a), the board of supervisors or legislative body, as applicable, shall discuss the contract and the requirements of this section at a duly noticed public hearing.

(a) The Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange or the city council of a city within that county may, as part of a pilot project, contract to provide supplemental law enforcement services to homeowners' associations, as defined in Section 4080 of the Civil Code, on an occasional or ongoing basis to enforce the Vehicle Code on a homeowners' association's privately owned and maintained road, as provided by Section 21107.7 of the Vehicle Code.
  (b) Contracts entered into pursuant to this section shall provide for full reimbursement to the county or city of the actual costs of providing those services, as determined by the county auditor or auditor-controller or the city auditor.
  (c) (1) The services provided pursuant to this section shall be rendered by regularly appointed full-time peace officers, as defined in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code.
  (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), services provided in connection with special events or occurrences, as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 830.6 of the Penal Code, may be rendered by Level I reserve peace officers, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 830.6 of the Penal Code, who are authorized to exercise the powers of a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code, if regularly appointed full-time peace officers are not available to fill the positions as required in the contract.
  (d) Peace officer rates of pay shall be governed by a memorandum of understanding.
  (e) A contract entered into pursuant to this section shall encompass only law enforcement duties and not services authorized to be provided by a private patrol operator, as defined in Section 7582.1 of the Business and Professions Code.
  (f) Contracting for law enforcement services, as authorized by this section, shall not reduce the normal and regular ongoing service that the county or city or agency of the county or city otherwise would provide.
  (g) Prior to contracting for ongoing services under subdivision (a), the board of supervisors or city council shall discuss the contract and the requirements of this section at a duly noticed public hearing.
  (h) On or before June 30, 2016, if the board of supervisors or city council enters into the contract authorized pursuant to subdivision (a), the Department of Justice shall prepare and submit to the Legislature a report on the impact that a contract entered into pursuant to this section has on the provision of law enforcement services to people in communities within the county that are not served by supplemental police services provided pursuant to this section. This report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795. If the board of supervisors or city council enters into the contract, the board of supervisors or city council, as appropriate, shall reimburse the department for the costs of preparing and submitting the report and may seek reimbursement from the homeowners' association for these costs.
  (i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends that date.

The legislative body of a city, county, or district may include or cause to be included in contracts for public projects a provision establishing the time within which the whole or any specified portion of the work contemplated shall be completed. The legislative body may provide that for each day completion is delayed beyond the specified time, the contractor shall forfeit and pay to the agency involved a specified sum of money, which may be deducted from any payments due or to become due to the contractor. The sum so specified is valid as liquidated damages unless manifestly unreasonable under the circumstances existing at the time the contract was made. A contract for such a project may also provide for the payment of extra compensation to the contractor, as a bonus for completion prior to the specified time. These provisions, if used, shall be included in the specifications upon which proposals or bids are received, which specifications shall clearly set forth the liquidated damages provisions. For purposes of this section, "public project" shall include the erection, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any structure, building, road, railway, or other improvement, and the procurement of any other goods or services that are manufactured specifically, designed specifically, or produced specifically, pursuant to a contract with a public agency.

(a) Any public agency providing water for fire protection purposes may, by ordinance or resolution, fix and collect a charge to pay the costs of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for fire protection purposes. Except as provided in subdivision (b), any such charge fixed pursuant to this section, may be made on all land within the public agency to which water is made available for fire protection purposes. The legislative body of the agency which fixes such a charge may establish schedules varying the charges in different localities within the agency depending on the cost of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for fire protection purposes. Such charges may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as other water rates or water charges collected by the public agency.
  (b) (1) A public agency providing water for fire protection purposes shall not charge, levy, assess, fix, or collect any charge, tax, fee, rate, assessment, or levy of any kind whatsoever in connection with its water system on or from any entity providing fire protection service to others for supplying water for such fire protection purposes within the service area of such entity providing fire protection service or for any costs of operation, installation, capital, maintenance, repair, alteration, or replacement of facilities and equipment related to supplying water for such fire protection purposes within the service area of such entity providing fire protection service, except pursuant to a written agreement with such entity providing fire protection service.
  (2) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subdivision shall not restrict or limit a public agency providing water for fire protection purposes from levying charges for water service or facilities, including water for fire protection purposes, on any person, property, or entity, whether public or private, other than on an entity providing fire protection service. Such charges shall be collected from such other persons, property, or entities pursuant to existing provisions of law which authorize such charges, or from an entity providing fire protection services only pursuant to a written agreement authorizing such charges.
  (c) For the purposes of this section, "entity providing fire protection services" means a city, county, or city and county, whether general law or chartered, or a fire company, fire protection district, or any other person, association, company, corporation, district, municipal corporation, or any other public or private entity, which public or private entity or person provides fire protection services to any other public or private entity or person.

(a) No city, county, or district may enact an ordinance prohibiting or regulating the playing of duplicate bridge. Duplicate bridge is defined as the card game of bridge played at tournaments conducted by bridge associations, bridge clubs or bridge studios which do not permit wagering or gambling on the outcome of the bridge games played in their tournaments, or otherwise, either by the rules of said associations or the rules of the individual bridge clubs and bridge studios.
  (b) The person or persons in charge of any duplicate bridge tournament shall post, or cause to be posted, in the place where the tournament is conducted and in such manner as to be visible to participants, the rule of the association, club, or studio which prohibits wagering or gambling. Such person or persons shall permit inspection of the rules of the association, club, or studio by law enforcement officers and licensing officials of the county or city in which the tournament is conducted.

It is the intention of the Legislature to occupy the whole field of regulation of the registration or licensing of commercially manufactured firearms as encompassed by the provisions of the Penal Code, and such provisions shall be exclusive of all local regulations, relating to registration or licensing of commercially manufactured firearms, by any political subdivision as defined in Section 1721 of the Labor Code.

(a) By the enactment of this section, the Legislature occupies the whole field of regulation of the manufacture, sale, or possession of imitation firearms, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 16700 of the Penal Code, and that subdivision shall preempt and be exclusive of all regulations relating to the manufacture, sale, or possession of imitation firearms, including regulations governing the manufacture, sale, or possession of BB devices and air rifles described in Section 16250 of the Penal Code.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the County of Los Angeles, and any city within the County of Los Angeles, may enact and enforce an ordinance or resolution that is more restrictive than state law regulating the manufacture, sale, possession, or use of any BB device, toy gun, replica of a firearm, or other device that meets both of the following requirements:
  (1) The device is so substantially similar in coloration and overall appearance to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to perceive that the device is a firearm.
  (2) The device expels a projectile that is no more than 16 millimeters in diameter.

Whenever a special district as defined in Section 56036 is formed, the district shall reimburse the county in which all or a portion of the district is located for the expenses incurred by the county for calling and conducting the election establishing such district.

Notwithstanding anything in the law to the contrary, the governing body of any public district may convey, upon such terms and conditions as it determines to be in the public interest, any surplus real property, together with any building thereon, owned by the district which has been determined by the governing body to be of general historical interest within the area of the district, to an association or society the purpose of which is to research and promote the area's historical heritage or to preserve property of historical interest and which is a nonprofit corporation formed under the laws of this state. Any such conveyance shall contain a condition to the effect that the historical nature of the property be restored, preserved, or both, for the benefit of the citizens of the area, and that title will revert to the district in the event that the association or society conveys the property in question to any person or entity which is not a nonprofit corporation involved with preserving and researching the history of the area.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any local ordinance, an officer or employee of any animal control agency shall not seize or impound a dog for the violation of an ordinance requiring a dog to be leashed or issue citations for the violation of such ordinance when the dog has not strayed from and is upon private property owned by the dog owner or the person who has a right to control the dog, or upon private property to which the dog owner or person who has a right to control the dog has a right of possession. A dog that has strayed from but then returned to the private property of his owner or the person who has a right to control the dog shall not be seized or impounded, but in such a case a citation may be issued; provided, however, that if in such a situation the owner or person who has a right to control the dog is not home, the dog may be impounded, but the officer or employee of any animal control agency shall post a notice of such impounding on the front door of the living unit of the owner or person who has a right to control the dog. Such notice shall state the following: that the dog has been impounded, where the dog is being held, the name, address, and telephone number of the agency or person to be contacted regarding release of the dog, and an indication of the ultimate disposition of the dog if no action to regain it is taken within a specified period of time by its owner or by the person who has a right to control the dog. This section shall not otherwise affect existing authority to seize or impound a dog or issue citations, as a result of a dog's being on property other than that owned by its owner or the person who has a right to control the dog. This section shall not be construed as prohibiting any person from killing a dog in the situations authorized by Sections 31102, 31104, and 31152 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(a) For purposes of this section, "undomesticated burro" means a wild burro or a burro which has not been tamed or domesticated for a period of three years after its capture and is not protected by the federal government under the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (Chapter 30 (commencing with Section 1331) of Title 16 of the United States Code).
  (b) At the request of the landowner, an officer or employee of a local animal control agency may remove an undomesticated burro that strays onto private land.
  (c) An officer or employee of a local animal control agency may remove an undomesticated burro that strays onto a public roadway to ensure public safety.
  (d) An officer or employee of a local animal control agency may provide medical care or treatment, including, but not limited to, euthanasia if medically appropriate, to an undomesticated burro that is seriously ill or injured.

(a) No local agency may impose a tax upon, or require a license for, the conduct of ridesharing which uses a motor vehicle with a seating capacity of not more than 15 persons, including the driver, if the ridesharing purpose is incidental to another purpose of the driver of the ridesharing vehicle.
  (b) For purposes of this section:
  (1) "Local agency" means a county, city, city and county, political subdivision, district, or municipal corporation.
  (2) "Ridesharing" shall have the meaning specified in Section 522 of the Vehicle Code.

(a) Notwithstanding Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5351) of Division 2 of the Public Utilities Code, every city or county shall protect the public health, safety, and welfare by adopting an ordinance or resolution in regard to taxicab transportation service rendered in vehicles designed for carrying not more than eight persons, excluding the driver, which is operated within the jurisdiction of the city or county.
  (b) Each city or county shall provide for, but is not limited to providing for, the following:
  (1) A policy for entry into the business of providing taxicab transportation service. The policy shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following provisions:
  (A) Employment, or an offer of employment, as a taxicab driver in the jurisdiction, including compliance with all of the requirements of the program adopted pursuant to paragraph (3), shall be a condition of issuance of a driver's permit.
  (B) The driver's permit shall become void upon termination of employment.
  (C) The driver's permit shall state the name of the employer.
  (D) The employer shall notify the city or county upon termination of employment.
  (E) The driver shall return the permit to the city or county upon termination of employment.
  (2) The establishment or registration of rates for the provision of taxicab transportation service.
  (3) (A) A mandatory controlled substance and alcohol testing certification program. The program shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following requirements:
  (i) Drivers shall test negative for each of the controlled substances specified in Part 40 (commencing with Section 40.1) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, before employment. Drivers shall test negative for these controlled substances and for alcohol as a condition of permit renewal or, if no periodic permit renewals are required, at such other times as the city or county shall designate. As used in this section, a negative test for alcohol means an alcohol screening test showing a breath alcohol concentration of less than 0.02 percent.
  (ii) Procedures shall be substantially as in Part 40 (commencing with Section 40.1) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, except that the driver shall show a valid California driver's license at the time and place of testing, and except as provided otherwise in this section. Requirements for rehabilitation and for return-to-duty and followup testing and other requirements, except as provided otherwise in this section, shall be substantially as in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  (iii) A test in one jurisdiction shall be accepted as meeting the same requirement in any other jurisdiction. Any negative test result shall be accepted for one year as meeting a requirement for periodic permit renewal testing or any other periodic testing in that jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction, if the driver has not tested positive subsequent to a negative result. However, an earlier negative result shall not be accepted as meeting the pre-employment testing requirement for any subsequent employment, or any testing requirements under the program other than periodic testing.
  (iv) In the case of a self-employed independent driver, the test results shall be reported directly to the city or county, which shall notify the taxicab leasing company of record, if any, of positive results. In all other cases, the results shall be reported directly to the employing transportation operator, who may be required to notify the city or county of positive results.
  (v) All test results are confidential and shall not be released without the consent of the driver, except as authorized or required by law.
  (vi) Self-employed independent drivers shall be responsible for compliance with, and shall pay all costs of, this program with regard to themselves. Employing transportation operators shall be responsible for compliance with, and shall pay all costs of, this program with respect to their employees and potential employees, except that an operator may require employees who test positive to pay the costs of rehabilitation and of return-to-duty and followup testing.
  (vii) Upon the request of a driver applying for a permit, the city or county shall give the driver a list of the consortia certified pursuant to Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations that the city or county knows offer tests in or near the jurisdiction.
  (B) No evidence derived from a positive test result pursuant to the program shall be admissible in a criminal prosecution concerning unlawful possession, sale or distribution of controlled substances.
  (c) Each city or county may levy service charges, fees, or assessments in an amount sufficient to pay for the costs of carrying out an ordinance or resolution adopted in regard to taxicab transportation services pursuant to this section.
  (d) Nothing in this section prohibits a city or county from adopting additional requirements for a taxicab to operate in its jurisdiction.
  (e) For purposes of this section, "employment" includes self-employment as an independent driver.

Whenever a peace officer or public officer or employee, when authorized by ordinance and as defined in Section 836.5 of the Penal Code, arrests any person for operating as a taxicab without a valid taxicab certificate, license, or permit required by any ordinance, and the offense occurred at a public airport, within 100 feet of a public airport, or within two miles of the international border between the United States and Mexico, the officer or employee may impound and retain possession of any vehicle used in a violation of the ordinance. If the vehicle is seized from a person who is not the owner of the vehicle, the impounding authority shall immediately give notice to the owner by first-class mail. The vehicle shall immediately be returned to the owner without cost to the owner if the infraction or violation is not prosecuted or is dismissed, the owner is found not guilty of the offense, or it is determined that the vehicle was used in violation of the ordinance without the knowledge and consent of the owner. Otherwise, the vehicle shall be returned to the owner upon payment of any fine ordered by the court. After the expiration of six weeks from the final disposition of the criminal case, the impounding authority may deal with the vehicle as lost or abandoned property under Section 1411 of the Penal Code. At any time, a person may make a motion in superior court for the immediate return of a vehicle on the ground that there was no probable cause to seize it or that there is some other good cause, as determined by the court, for the return of the vehicle. A proceeding under this paragraph is a limited civil case. No officer or employee, however, shall impound any vehicle owned or operated by a nonprofit organization exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code which serves youth or senior citizens and provides transportation incidental to its programs or services.

A transportation inspector, authorized by a local government to cite any person for operating as a taxicab without a valid taxicab certificate, license, or permit required by any ordinance, may impound and retain possession of any vehicle used in a violation of the ordinance. If the vehicle is seized from a person who is not the owner of the vehicle, the impounding authority shall immediately give notice to the owner by first-class mail. The vehicle shall immediately be returned to the owner without cost to the owner if the infraction or violation is not prosecuted or is dismissed, the owner is found not guilty of the offense, or it is determined that the vehicle was used in violation of the ordinance without the knowledge and consent of the owner. Otherwise, the vehicle shall be returned to the owner upon payment of any fine ordered by the court. After the expiration of six weeks from the final disposition of the criminal case, the impounding authority may deal with the vehicle as lost or abandoned property under Section 1411 of the Penal Code. At any time, a person may make a motion in superior court for the immediate return of a vehicle on the ground that there was no probable cause to seize it or that there is some other good cause, as determined by the court, for the return of the vehicle. A proceeding under this paragraph is a limited civil case. No officer or employee, however, shall impound any vehicle owned or operated by a nonprofit organization exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code which serves youth or senior citizens and provides transportation incidental to its programs or services.

(a) Upon receipt of a complaint containing sufficient information to warrant conducting an investigation, the local agency shall investigate any business that advertises or operates taxicab transportation service for hire. The local agency shall, by ordinance, resolution, or other appropriate procedure, adopt criteria that establishes the type of information, if contained in a complaint, that is sufficient to warrant an investigation. Pursuant to this investigation, the local agency shall do all of the following:
  (1) Determine which businesses, if any, are required to have in effect a valid taxicab certificate, license, or permit as required by ordinance, but do not have that valid authority to operate.
  (2) Inform any business not having valid authority to operate that it is in violation of law.
  (3) Within 60 days of informing the business pursuant to paragraph (2), institute civil or criminal proceedings, or both, pursuant to the governing municipal code or other authority of jurisdiction.
  (b) For purposes of this section:
  (1) "Advertises" means any action described in subdivision (b) of Section 53075.9.
  (2) "Local agency" means the local entity responsible for the regulation, including, but not limited to, the certification, licensing, or permitting of, and enforcement of rules, regulations, or ordinances governing, taxicabs within the local jurisdiction.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that advertising and use of telephone service is essential for a taxicab transportation service to obtain business and conduct intrastate passenger transportation services. Unlawful advertisements by taxicabs operating without a valid taxicab certificate, license, or permit required by any ordinance has resulted in properly certificated, licensed, and permitted taxicab operators competing with these taxicabs operating without a proper taxicab certificate, license, or permit using unfair business practices. Taxicabs operating without a proper taxicab certificate, license, or permit have also exposed passengers to unscrupulous persons who portray themselves as lawful operators. Many of these taxicabs operating without a proper taxicab certificate, license, or permit have been found to have also been operating without insurance, or in an unsafe manner, thereby placing their passengers at risk.
  (b) (1) The Legislature further finds and declares that the termination of telephone service utilized by taxicabs operating without proper authority is essential to ensure the public safety and welfare. Therefore, local agencies should take enforcement action, as specified in this section, to disconnect telephone service of unauthorized taxicab operators who unlawfully advertise passenger transportation services in yellow page directories and other publications. The enforcement actions provided for by this section are consistent with the decision of the California Supreme Court in Goldin v. Public Utilities Commission (1979) 23 Cal. 3d 638.
  (2) For purposes of this section, a telephone corporation or telegraph corporation, or a corporation that holds a controlling interest in the telephone or telegraph corporation, or any business that is a subsidiary or affiliate of the telephone or telegraph corporation, that has the name and address of the subscriber to a telephone number being used by a unauthorized taxicab operator shall provide the local agency, or an authorized officer or employee of the local agency, upon demand, and the order of a magistrate, access to this information. A magistrate may only issue an order for the purposes of this subdivision, if the magistrate has made the findings required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (f).
  (c) (1) In addition to any other remedies that may be available by law, if a local agency determines that a taxicab transportation service has operated within the local agency's jurisdiction in violation of the local agency's ordinance adopted under Section 53075.5, the local agency may notify the taxicab operator that the local agency intends to seek termination of the operator's telephone service. The notice shall be sent by certified mail to the operator at the operator's last known mailing address. If the local agency is unable to determine the operator's mailing address, the local agency shall post the notice for at least 10 calendar days.
  (2) The notice shall contain sufficient information to identify the taxicab transportation service, to inform the taxicab operator of the alleged violations of the local agency's ordinance, and the procedures for protesting the allegations contained in the notice.
  (d) The taxicab operator, within 10 calendar days of the date of the notice, may contest the allegations contained in the notice by filing a written protest with the local agency. The local agency shall schedule a hearing on the protest within 21 calendar days of receiving the protest.
  (e) The governing body of the local agency, or any person or persons as may be designated by the governing body, shall hear the protest. The local agency shall have both the burden of providing that the use made, or to be made, of the telephone service is to hold out to the public to perform, or to assist in performing, services as a taxicab transportation service, and that the telephone service is being, or is to be, used as an instrumentality, directly or indirectly, to violate, or assist in violating, the local agency's applicable ordinance. The taxicab operator, or his or her designated representative, shall be allowed to present evidence to answer or refute any allegations presented to the hearing body by the local agency. The hearing body may continue the hearing from time to time. Within 10 calendar days of the close of the hearing, the hearing body shall issue a written decision to uphold or reject, in whole or in part, the allegations contained in the notice. If the hearing body upholds the allegations in whole or in part, the written decision shall state either that the allegations are sufficient to justify seeking termination of the taxicab operator's telephone service, or that the allegations are not sufficient.
  (f) (1) If the local agency does not receive a timely protest, or, after a protest hearing held pursuant to subdivision (d), the hearing body has determined that the allegations are sufficient to justify seeking termination of the telephone operator's telephone service, the local agency may seek termination of the taxicab operator's telephone service as provided in this section.
  (2) A telephone or telegraph corporation shall refuse telephone service to a new subscriber and shall disconnect telephone service of an existing subscriber only after it is shown that other available enforcement remedies of the local agency have failed to terminate unlawful activities detrimental to the public welfare and safety, and upon receipt from any authorized officer or employee of the local agency of a writing, signed by a magistrate, as defined by Sections 807 and 808 of the Penal Code, finding that probable cause exists to believe that the subscriber is advertising or holding out to the public to perform taxicab transportation services in violation of the local agency's applicable ordinance, or that the telephone service otherwise is being used or is to be used as an instrumentality, directly or indirectly, to violate or assist in violation of the laws requiring a taxicab operator to have valid operating authority. Included in the writing of the magistrate shall be a finding that there is probable cause to believe that the subject telephone facilities have been, or are to be, used in the commission or facilitation of holding out to the public to perform taxicab transportation services in violation of the local agency's applicable ordinance.
  (g) The telephone or telegraph corporation, immediately upon refusal or disconnection of service in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (f), shall notify the subscriber in writing that the refusal or disconnection of telephone service has been made pursuant to a request of a local agency and the writing of a magistrate, and shall include a copy of this section, a copy of the writing of the magistrate, and a statement that the customer of the subscriber may request information from the local agency concerning any provision of this section and the manner in which a complaint may be filed.
  (h) The provisions of this section are an implied term of every contract for telephone service and a part of any application for telephone service. Applicants for, and subscribers and customers of, telephone service, have, as a matter of law, consented to the provisions of this section as a consideration for the furnishing of the telephone service.
  (i) As used in this section, the terms "person," "customer," and "subscriber" include the subscriber to telephone service, any person using the telephone service of a subscriber, an applicant for telephone service, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an association, and includes their lessees and assigns.
  (j) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
  (1) "Authorized officer or employee of the local agency" includes any employee of the local agency designated by the local agency's governing body.
  (2) "Local agency" has the same meaning as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 53075.7.
  (3) "Telegraph corporation" has the same meaning as specified in Section 236 of the Public Utilities Code.
  (4) "Telephone corporation" has the same meaning as specified in Section 234 of the Public Utilities Code.

(a) Every taxicab transportation service shall include the number of its certificate, license, or permit in every written or oral advertisement of the services it offers.
  (b) For purposes of this subdivision, "advertisement" includes, but is not limited to, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, the causing, permitting, or allowing the placement of any sign or marking on or in any building or structure, or in any media form, including newspaper, magazine, radiowave, satellite signal, or any electronic transmission, or in any directory soliciting taxicab transportation services subject to this chapter.
  (c) Whenever the local agency, after a hearing, finds that any person or corporation is operating as a taxicab transportation service without a valid certificate, license, or permit or fails to include in any written or oral advertisement the number required by subdivision (a), the local agency may impose a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each violation. The local agency may assess the person or corporation an amount sufficient to cover the reasonable expense of investigation incurred by the local agency. The local agency may assess interest on any fine or assessment imposed, to commence on the day the payment of the fine or assessment becomes delinquent. All fines, assessments, and interest collected shall be deposited at least once each month in a fund established for the purpose of enforcing this section.
  (d) For purposes of this section, "local agency" has the same meaning as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 53075.7.

No local agency shall deny a permit to repair an underground steel storage tank containing a motor vehicle fuel product not under pressure which has developed a leak due to corrosion of the interior of the tank solely on the basis that the tank is to be repaired by an interior-coating process. However, nothing in this section shall prevent a local agency from prohibiting the use of a storage tank repaired by an interior-coating process if the tank fails to meet any additional requirements for underground storage tanks imposed by the local agency.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of a district may adopt or the residents of a district may propose, by initiative, a proposal to limit or repeal a limit on the number of terms a member of the governing body of the district may serve on the governing body of the district. Any proposal to limit the number of terms a member of the governing body of the district may serve on the governing body of the district shall apply prospectively and shall not become operative unless it is submitted to the electors of the district at a regularly scheduled election and a majority of the votes cast on the question favor the adoption of the proposal.
  (b) For purposes of this section, the term "district" shall mean an agency of the state, formed pursuant to general law or special act, for the performance of governmental or proprietary functions within limited boundaries.

(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meaning:
  (1) "Charge" means any fee or other impost, including, but not limited to, a financial requirement to pay a percentage of any revenues received for an organized activity held on, or involving the use of, a public beach or recreation area.
  (2) "Group" means an assemblage of persons of unspecified age who share a singularity of purpose or affiliation that is manifested in joint activity, and who may be formally organized or may produce revenue from their activities.
  (3) "Organized camp" has the same meaning as defined in Section 18897 of the Health and Safety Code.
  (4) "Public beach or recreation area" means a beach area or an open-space recreational area that is owned or operated by a state or local agency.
  (5) "Youth group" means an organization that serves youth 18 years of age or younger, including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the YMCA, Boys' and Girls' Clubs, 4H Programs, or any organization that operates an organized camp.
  (b) No state or local agency shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, regulation, or other law that requires a youth group to pay a charge in excess of any charge that is imposed on a group composed of a similar number of persons for the use of, or for access to, a public beach or recreation area, or that requires a youth group to obtain a permit for that use or access unless such a group is also required to obtain a permit.
  (c) This section shall not be construed to do either of the following:
  (1) Prohibit a state or local agency from providing free or lower cost use of, or access to, a public beach or recreation area to any nonprofit group, school, or program operated by a governmental agency.
  (2) Except as specified in subdivision (d), limit the ability of a state or local agency to restrict the use of, or access to, a public beach or recreation area if the restriction applies equally to all groups composed of the same number of persons.
  (d) Nothing in this section prohibits the imposition of special fees imposed on groups requesting special services or facilities, or groups conducting activities beyond the normal scope of activities or operations at a public beach or recreation area.

(a) For the purposes of this section, "local agency" means any local agency which awards direct service contracts to nonprofit organizations including, but not limited to, any city, county, or city and county, special district, housing authority, school district, community college district, or county superintendent of schools.
  (b) Any local agency may establish auditing procedures for direct service contractors as prescribed by Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 38040) of Division 25 of the Health and Safety Code.

(a) "Local public entity," as used in this section, means any city or county, whether general law or chartered, district, public authority, public agency, or public corporation but does not include any entity of the state.
  (b) If a local public entity requires any person, on or after January 1, 1986, to furnish a security, in the form of cash or a cashier's check made payable to the local public entity, to guarantee the performance of any act or agreement related to a construction project, and if the local public entity invests that cash or the proceeds of that check, the local public entity shall pay interest on all, or any portion, of the amount of the balance of the security deposit which is returned to the person who furnished the security if the security is held by the local public entity for more than 30 days. The local public entity shall pay interest on that amount. The minimum interest rate paid shall be the average rate of return earned by the local public entity on its investments during the four full calendar quarters last preceding the return of the security deposit, less 1 full percentage point. Interest shall be paid from the date the security is provided to the local public entity until the date that all, or any portion, of the balance of the security deposit is returned to the person who furnished the security.
  (c) The Legislature finds and declares that the payment of interest by local public entities for security furnished, as described in subdivision (b), is a matter of statewide interest and concern and the Legislature intends by this section to occupy the field of this regulation.

(a) No city, county, city and county, or special district, including, but not limited to, a community services district, recreation and park district, regional park district, regional park and open-space district, regional open-space park district, or resort improvement district shall discriminate against any person on the basis of sex or gender in the operation, conduct, or administration of community youth athletics programs or in the allocation of parks and recreation facilities and resources that support or enable these programs.
  (b) The Unruh Civil Rights Act (Section 51 of the Civil Code) has been held to prohibit local governmental agencies from discriminating on the bases proscribed by the act, and Section 11135 also prohibits local governmental agencies that receive financial assistance from the state from discriminating on the basis of gender, among other bases.
  (c) As used in this section, "community youth athletics program" means any athletic program in which youth solely or predominantly participate, that is organized for the purposes of training for and engaging in athletic activity and competition, and that is in any way operated, conducted, administered, supported, or enabled by a city, county, city and county, or special district.
  (d) As used in this section, "parks and recreation facilities and resources" include, but are not limited to, park facilities, including, but not limited to, athletic fields, athletic courts, gymnasiums, recreational rooms, restrooms, concession stands and storage spaces; lands and areas accessed through permitting, leasing, or other land use arrangements, or otherwise accessed through cities, counties, cities and counties, or special districts; sports and recreation equipment; devices used to promote athletics such as scoreboards, banners, and advertising; and all moneys used in conjunction with youth athletics.
  (e) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section that girls shall be accorded opportunities for participation in community youth athletics programs equal, both in quality and scope, to those accorded to boys.
  (f) In civil actions brought under this section or under other applicable antidiscrimination laws alleging discrimination in community youth athletics programs, courts shall consider the following factors, among others, in determining whether discrimination exists:
  (1) Whether the selection of community youth athletics programs offered effectively accommodate the athletic interests and abilities of members of both genders.
  (2) The provision of moneys, equipment, and supplies.
  (3) Scheduling of games and practice times.
  (4) Opportunity to receive coaching.
  (5) Assignment and compensation of coaches.
  (6) Access to lands and areas accessed through permitting, leasing, or other land use arrangements, or otherwise accessed through a city, a county, a city and county, or a special district.
  (7) Selection of the season for a sport.
  (8) Location of the games and practices.
  (9) Locker rooms.
  (10) Practice and competitive facilities.
  (11) Publicity.
  (12) Officiation by umpires, referees, or judges who have met training and certification standards.
  (g) In making the determination under paragraph (1) of subdivision (f), a court shall assess whether the city, county, city and county, or special district has effectively accommodated the athletic interests and abilities of both genders in any one of the following ways:
  (1) The community youth athletics program opportunities for boys and girls are provided in numbers substantially proportionate to their respective numbers in the community.
  (2) Where the members of one gender have been, and continue to be, underrepresented in community youth athletics programs, the city, county, city and county, or special district can show a history and continuing practice of program expansion and allocation of resources that are demonstrably responsive to the developing interests and abilities of the members of that gender.
  (3) Where the members of one gender are underrepresented in community youth athletics programs, the city, county, city and county, or special district can demonstrate that the interests and abilities of the members of that gender have been fully and effectively accommodated by the present program and allocation of resources.
  (h) Effective January 1, 2015, a city, county, city and county, and special district may no longer rely on paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) to show that they have accommodated the athletic interests and abilities of both genders.
  (i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate any existing consent decree or any other settlement agreement entered into by a city, county, city and county, or special district to address gender equity in athletic programs.
  (j) This section and any ordinances, regulations, or resolutions adopted pursuant to this section by a city, county, city and county, or special district may be enforced against a city, county, city and county, or special district by a civil action for injunctive relief or damages or both, which shall be independent of any other rights and remedies.

(a) No city or county may require an applicant for a building or encroachment permit to file a certificate of insurance evidencing coverage for bodily injury or property damage liability as a condition to the issuance of either, or both, of those permits, unless the city or county imposes that requirement by ordinance.
  (b) This section does not apply to contracts for public works of improvement entered into by a city or county.

(a) By July 1, 1991, local agencies shall refund any sewer service fees collected for which no services were delivered.
  (b) Any sewer service fees collected by a local agency from any person for which no service has been provided shall be refunded in accordance with subdivisions (c) and (d).
  (c) In cases where a person paid fees as described in subdivision (a) and is still residing at the same location, it shall be the responsibility of the local agency, upon determination that the premises is not connected to the sewer system, to return fees in their entirety, regardless of the amount of time the fees were wrongly collected. For the purposes of this section, if the exact amount of the charges is not readily available, the amount of the refund may be calculated by averaging the rates paid by payers in the same classification during the time period in which the fees were collected.
  (d) In cases where a person paid fees as described in subdivision (a) but is not still residing at the same location, the payer of the fees may make a claim for a refund to the agency collecting the fees.
  (e) No statute of limitations shall apply to claims for fees paid before January 1, 1992. For fees paid on or after January 1, 1992, claims shall be filed within 180 days of the date of payment.
  (f) As used in this section, "sewer service fees" means periodic fees, tolls, rates, rentals, or other charges imposed by local agencies for the purpose of covering the cost to provide sewer service or to operate, maintain, repair, and replace sewer systems and facilities, but do not include any of the following:
  (1) Sewer standby or availability charges or assessments.
  (2) Special assessments levied in accordance with one or a combination of the Improvement Act of 1911 (Division 7 (commencing with Section 5000) of the Streets and Highways Code), the Municipal Improvement Act of 1913 (Division 12 (commencing with Section 10000) of the Streets and Highways Code), or the Improvement Bond Act of 1915 (Division 10 (commencing with Section 8500) of the Streets and Highways Code).
  (3) Sewer connection charges or sewer capacity charges paid in conjunction with or as a condition of approving an application for sewer service.

Subject to all applicable constitutional restrictions, a county, a city, or a special district that provides, or intends to provide, water or wastewater treatment facilities or services may borrow money and incur indebtedness pursuant to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 116760) of Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code or Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 13475) of Division 7 of the Water Code.

(a) On and after January 1, 2014, each local agency shall, before approving any economic development subsidy within its jurisdiction, provide all of the following information in written form available to the public, and through its Internet Web site, if applicable:
  (1) The name and address of all corporations or any other business entities, except for sole proprietorships, that are the beneficiary of the economic development subsidy, if applicable.
  (2) The start and end dates and schedule, if applicable, for the economic development subsidy.
  (3) A description of the economic development subsidy, including the estimated total amount of the expenditure of public funds by, or of revenue lost to, the local agency as a result of the economic development subsidy.
  (4) A statement of the public purposes for the economic development subsidy.
  (5) Projected tax revenue to the local agency as a result of the economic development subsidy.
  (6) Estimated number of jobs created by the economic development subsidy, broken down by full-time, part-time, and temporary positions.
  (b) Before granting an economic development subsidy, each local agency shall provide public notice and a hearing regarding the economic development subsidy. A public hearing and notice under this subdivision is not required if a hearing and notice regarding the economic development subsidy is otherwise required by law.
  (c) The information required to be provided in subdivision (a) shall remain available to the public under existing state and federal law and be posted on the local agency's Internet Web site, if applicable, for the entire term of the economic development subsidy.
  (d) The local agency, within the term of the economic development subsidy but not later than five years after the action granting an economic development subsidy, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (g), shall issue a report for each economic development subsidy. The report shall contain the information described in subdivision (a). The local agency shall make the report available to the public and through its Internet Web site, if applicable. The report shall also contain the following information, if applicable:
  (1) The name and address of all corporations or any other business entities, except for sole proprietorships, that are the beneficiary of the economic development subsidy, if applicable.
  (2) The start and end dates and schedule for the economic development subsidy.
  (3) A description of the economic development subsidy, including the estimated total amount of the expenditure of public funds by, or of revenue lost to, the local agency as a result of the economic development subsidy.
  (4) The net tax revenue accruing to the local agency as a result of the economic development subsidy.
  (5) The net number of jobs created by the economic development subsidy, broken down by full-time, part-time, and temporary positions.
  (e) (1) The local agency, within the term of the economic development subsidy but no later than five years after the action granting an economic development subsidy, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (g), shall hold a public hearing to consider any written or oral comments on the information contained in the report prepared pursuant to subdivision (d).
  (2) For an economic development subsidy, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (g), with a term of 10 years or more, the local agency shall hold a public hearing at the conclusion of each economic development subsidy that shall contain the information described in subdivision (d), in written form available to the public, and through its Internet Web site, if applicable.
  (f) Each public hearing required by this section shall be consolidated with a local agency's regularly scheduled hearing.
  (g) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
  (1) "Economic development subsidy" means any expenditure of public funds or loss of revenue to a local agency in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, for the purpose of stimulating economic development within the jurisdiction of a local agency, including, but not limited to, bonds, grants, loans, loan guarantees, enterprise zone or empowerment zone incentives, fee waivers, land price subsidies, matching funds, tax abatements, tax exemptions, and tax credits. "Economic development subsidy" shall not include expenditures of public funds by, or loss of revenue to, the local agency for the purpose of providing housing affordable to persons and families of low or moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.
  (2) "Local agency" means a city, including a charter city, county, or city and county.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a local agency shall not provide any form of financial assistance to a vehicle dealer or big box retailer, or a business entity that sells or leases land to a vehicle dealer or big box retailer, that is relocating from the territorial jurisdiction of one local agency to the territorial jurisdiction of another local agency but within the same market area.
  (b) As used in this section:
  (1) "Big box retailer" means a store of greater than 75,000 square feet of gross buildable area that will generate sales or use tax pursuant to the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code).
  (2) "Local agency" means a chartered or general law city, a chartered or general law county, or a city and county. "Local agency" does not include a redevelopment agency that is subject to Section 33426.7 of the Health and Safety Code.
  (3) "Financial assistance" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
  (A) Any appropriation of public funds, including loans, grants, or subsidies or the payment for or construction of parking improvements.
  (B) Any tax incentive, including tax exemptions, rebates, reductions, or moratoria of a tax, including any rebate or payment based upon the amount of sales tax generated from the vehicle dealer or big box retailer.
  (C) The sale or lease of real property at a cost that is less than fair market value.
  (D) Payment for, forgiveness of, or reduction of fees.
  (4) (A) "Market area" means a geographical area that is described in independent and recognized commercial trade literature, recognized and established business or manufacturing policies or practices, or publications of recognized independent research organizations as being an area that is large enough to support the location of the specific vehicle dealer or the specific big box retailer that is relocating.
  (B) With respect to a vehicle dealer, a "market area" shall not extend further than 40 miles, as measured by the most reasonable route on roads between two points, starting from the location from which the vehicle dealer is relocating and ending at the location to which the vehicle dealer is relocating.
  (C) With respect to a big box retailer, a "market area" shall not extend further than 25 miles, as measured by the most reasonable route on roads between two points, starting from the location from which the big box retailer is relocating and ending at the location to which the big box retailer is relocating.
  (5) "Relocating" means the closing of a vehicle dealer or big box retailer in one location and the opening of a vehicle dealer or big box retailer in another location within a 365-day period when a person or business entity has an ownership interest in both the vehicle dealer or big box retailer that has closed or will close and the one that is opening. "Relocating" does not mean and shall not include the closing of a vehicle dealer or big box retailer because the vehicle dealer or big box retailer has been or will be acquired or has been or will be closed as a result of the use of eminent domain.
  (6) "Vehicle dealer" means a retailer that is also a dealer as defined by Section 285 of the Vehicle Code.
  (c) This section does not apply to local agency assistance in the construction of public improvements that serve all or a portion of the jurisdiction of the local agency and that are not required to be constructed as a condition of approval of the vehicle dealer or big box retailer. This section also does not prohibit assistance in the construction of public improvements that are being constructed for a development other than the vehicle dealer or big box retailer.
  (d) This section shall not apply to any financial assistance provided by a local agency pursuant to a lease, contract, agreement, or other enforceable written instrument entered into between the local agency and a vehicle dealer, big box retailer, or a business entity that sells or leases land to a vehicle dealer or big box retailer, if the lease, contract, agreement, or other enforceable written instrument was entered into prior to December 31, 1999.

(a) On or after January 1, 2016, a local agency shall not enter into any form of agreement that would result, directly or indirectly, in the payment, transfer, diversion, or rebate of any tax revenue resulting from the imposition of a sales and use tax under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code) to any person for any purpose when both of the following apply:
  (1) The agreement results in a reduction in the amount of revenue under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law that, in the absence of the agreement, would be received by another local agency.
  (2) The retailer continues to maintain a physical presence within the territorial jurisdiction of that other local agency.
  (b) (1) A local agency entering into an agreement that results in a reduction of the amount of revenue under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law that, in the absence of the agreement, would be received by another local agency shall post the proposed agreement on its Internet Web site for at least 30 days prior to ratification or approval of that agreement by its governing body.
  (2) A local agency entering into an agreement that results in a reduction of the amount of revenue under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law that, in the absence of the agreement, would be received by another local agency shall notify the other local agency by certified mail addressed to the attention of the chief executive of that other local agency at least 60 days prior to ratification or approval of that agreement by its governing body.
  (3) A local agency shall post any agreement on its Internet Web site it has entered into that results in a reduction of the amount of revenue under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law that, in the absence of the agreement, would be received by another local agency, including any agreements entered into prior to January 1, 2016, that are still in effect on and after that date.
  (c) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
  (1) "Local agency" means a chartered or general law city, a chartered or general law county, or a city and county, of this state.
  (2) "Person" means a person as defined in Section 6005 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
  (3) "Physical presence" means the lease or ownership of any real property for the purpose of carrying on business operations.
  (4) "Retailer" means a retailer as defined by Section 6015 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
  (d) This section shall not apply to any agreement by a local agency to pay or rebate any use tax revenue resulting from the imposition of a use tax under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law relating to a use tax direct payment permit issued under Section 7051.3 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
  (e) This section shall not be interpreted to limit the ability of a local agency to contract with or otherwise enter into an agreement pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 7056 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
  (f) This section shall not apply to any mutual tax revenue sharing agreement between local agencies to pay, transfer, or divert tax revenues that would be received by a local agency resulting from the imposition of a sales and use tax under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law to another local agency, and where the agreement would not result, directly or indirectly, in the payment, transfer, diversion, or rebate of those tax revenues to a retailer.

A local agency, as defined in Section 54951, may require an applicant for economic development loans, grants, or similar financial assistance to sign a statement under penalty of perjury that he or she has not been convicted of a felony.

(a) Any private person or private company which advertises that it provides information or services regarding the sale or purchase of public property of any kind shall prominently indicate in the advertisement and any other presentation that the person or company is not a government official or a government agency.
  (b) Failure on the part of any private person or private company to prominently indicate in the advertisement and any other presentation that the person or company is not a government agency shall constitute an unfair business practice within the meaning and for the purposes of Section 17200 of the Business and Professions Code, but is not a crime.

(a) In the case of a special tax levied by a local agency on a per parcel basis, both of the following conditions shall apply:
  (1) A parcel created by a subdivision map approved in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act (Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7) shall be deemed to be a single assessment unit and shall not be deemed, on the basis of multiple assessor's parcel numbers assigned by the assessor, to constitute multiple assessment units.
  (2) A parcel that has not been subdivided in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act (Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7) may be deemed to constitute a separate assessment unit only to the extent that that parcel has been previously described and conveyed in one or more deeds separating it from all adjoining property.
  (b) (1) If the parcel identified pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) is not consistent with the property's identification by assessor's parcel number, it shall be the responsibility of the parcel owner to provide the local taxing jurisdiction with written notice of the correct assessor's parcel number of taxable parcels pursuant to this section 90 days after the initial tax bill containing the tax levy.
  (2) The initial levy of any special tax that is initially imposed by a local agency on a per parcel basis on or after the operative date of the act adding this paragraph shall be billed on the annual property tax bill sent by the county tax collector.
  (c) Any parcel identified pursuant to this section shall be for tax purposes only and shall not confer any entitlement on the property.
  (d) This section shall not apply to any special tax levied prior to the effective date of this section.

A loan or expenditure of funds by a local public entity, including a charter city, to upgrade or improve privately owned property for purposes of seismic safety or retrofitting, where the provision of funds creates or can create a lien on the property, shall not, when combined with existing liens on the property, exceed 80 percent of the current appraised value of the property, as determined by an independent, certified appraiser, unless the existing lienholders consent in writing to a higher loan-to-value ratio. Notice of the intention to provide financing to the owner of the property shall be given to existing lienholders of record not less than 30 days prior to any vote of the local agency authorizing the provision of financing to the owner of the property.

(a) (1) A city, county, or city and county auditor or controller who is elected to office may maintain a whistleblower hotline to receive calls from persons who have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse by local government employees.
  (2) A city, county, or city and county auditor or controller who is appointed by, or is an employee of, a legislative body or the government agency that is governed by the city, county, or city and county, shall obtain approval of that legislative body or the government agency, as the case may be, prior to establishing the whistleblower hotline.
  (b) The auditor or controller may refer calls received on the whistleblower hotline to the appropriate government authority for review and possible investigation.
  (c) During the initial review of a call received pursuant to subdivision (a), the auditor or controller, or other appropriate governmental agency, shall hold in confidence information disclosed through the whistleblower hotline, including the identity of the caller disclosing the information and the parties identified by the caller.
  (d) A call made to the whistleblower hotline pursuant to subdivision (a), or its referral to an appropriate agency under subdivision (b), may not be the sole basis for a time period under a statute of limitation to commence. This section does not change existing law relating to statutes of limitation.
  (e) (1) Upon receiving specific information that an employee or local government has engaged in an improper government activity, as defined by paragraph (2) of subdivision (f), a city or county auditor or controller may conduct an investigative audit of the matter. The identity of the person providing the information that initiated the investigative audit shall not be disclosed without the written permission of that person, unless the disclosure is to a law enforcement agency that is conducting a criminal investigation. If the specific information is in regard to improper government activity that occurred under the jurisdiction of another city, county, or city and county, the information shall be forwarded to the appropriate auditor or controller for that city, county, or city and county.
  (2) Any investigative audit conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be kept confidential, except to issue any report of an investigation that has been substantiated, or to release any findings resulting from a completed investigation that are deemed necessary to serve the interests of the public. In any event, the identity of the individual or individuals reporting the improper government activity, and the subject employee or employees shall be kept confidential.
  (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the auditor or controller may provide a copy of a substantiated audit report that includes the identities of the subject employee or employees and other pertinent information concerning the investigation to the appropriate appointing authority for disciplinary purposes. The substantiated audit report, any subsequent investigatory materials or information, and the disposition of any resulting disciplinary proceedings are subject to the confidentiality provisions of applicable local, state, and federal statutes, rules, and regulations.
  (f) (1) For purposes of this section, "employee" means any individual employed by any county, city, or city and county, including any charter city or county, and any school district, community college district, municipal or public corporation, or political subdivision that falls under the auditor's or controller's jurisdiction.
  (2) For purposes of this section, "fraud, waste, or abuse" means any activity by a local agency or employee that is undertaken in the performance of the employee's official duties, including activities deemed to be outside the scope of his or her employment, that is in violation of any local, state, or federal law or regulation relating to corruption, malfeasance, bribery, theft of government property, fraudulent claims, fraud, coercion, conversion, malicious prosecution, misuse of government property, or willful omission to perform duty, is economically wasteful, or involves gross misconduct.

(a) A city, including a charter city, county, or city and county, shall not enact any ordinance or regulation, or enforce any existing ordinance or regulation, that prohibits the installation of drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass, or artificial turf on residential property.
  (b) A city, including a charter city, county, or city and county, may impose reasonable restrictions on the type of drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass, or artificial turf that may be installed on residential property provided that those restrictions do not do any of the following:
  (1) Substantially increase the cost of installing drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass, or artificial turf.
  (2) Effectively prohibit the installation of drought tolerant landscaping, synthetic grass, or artificial turf.
  (3) Significantly impede the installation of drought tolerant landscaping, including, but not limited to, a requirement that a residential yard must be completely covered with living plant material.