SB 96 - State Government

• Establishes a 30 business day signature withdrawal period for recall petitions after Secretary of State certifies sufficient signatures; requires full verification of all signatures (eliminating random sampling) and delays certification until Joint Legislative Budget Committee reviews cost estimates; appropriates $5,000,000 for recall election costs.

• Expands wage and labor enforcement by extending complaint resolution timelines to one year, allowing service of citations by certified mail, imposing penalties on unregistered public works contractors ($100/day up to $8,000-$10,000), and requiring contractor registration for all public works regardless of contract date.

• Increases occupational safety penalties from $7,000 to $12,471 for non-serious violations and from $70,000 to $124,709 for willful violations, with automatic CPI-U adjustments starting January 1, 2018; removes $2,000 cap on crane safety penalties.

• Reorganizes Veterans' Home of California governance by consolidating eight facilities into a unified system, clarifying residency eligibility for spouses and domestic partners, establishing online admission processes, and authorizing emergency regulations for federal compliance.

• Authorizes State Board of Equalization to administer Los Angeles County's 0.25% transactions and use tax (Measure H) for homelessness prevention programs, effective October 1, 2017, ensuring collection begins without exceeding rate limits.