The second year of the 2017-18 legislative session was another largely productive year. The Governor again signed an on-time budget. State revenues exceeded estimates, allowing for the creation of a total state reserve of nearly $16 billion, a priority for the Governor. It also allowed for some notable investments in economic security for Californians while also hewing to the Governor’s priority of one-time spending. Some of the major spending in the 2018-19 budget ends the “SSI cash-out,” which will increase eligibility for CalFresh food assistance; augments long-term care ombudsman funding; establishes protective principles for implementation of electronic visitation verification (EVV); augments funding for transitions from developmental centers to the community; augments funding for the deaf access program; expands the earned income tax credit; establishes a homeless mentally ill outreach program; provides $100 million for incompetent to stand trial diversion programs; provides $500 million to local governments to fund homelessness services; and places the No Place Like Home program on the November ballot for the construction of supportive housing for those with mental illnesses who are homeless.

Once the budget was signed, the legislature focused on the pending bills. The September 30 deadline for the Governor to sign bills before the legislature’s final recess on August 31 marked the practical end of the 2017-18 legislative session. This year the Governor considered the highest number of bills of his third and fourth terms as governor: 1,217 bills made it to the Governor’s desk. He signed 1,016 bills and vetoed 201 (16.5%). Overall, in the 2017-18 legislative session there were 4,775 bills introduced and 2,194 passed. A total of 1,875 (39.27%) bills were enacted and 319 were vetoed.

The following report is a summary of the DRC/Disability-related bills that made it to the Governor’s desk that he either signed or vetoed. The topics include disability-related matters as well as bills of significance in litigation, courts, and judicial administration; criminal and juvenile justice; youth; public benefits; poverty and several other areas. This summary is intended to be a resource guide of enacted bills, effective dates, and insight into the reasons for the Governor’s vetoes.

Click links below for a full downloadable version.

Signed and Vetoed Bills of Note – 2018 (pdf)
Signed and Vetoed Bills of Note – 2018 (rtf)