State of California Department of Justice
Xavier Becerra
Attorney General
Attorney General
The Attorney General’s Opinion Unit is responsible for researching and drafting the formal opinions of the Attorney General. This Monthly Opinion Report lists all of the questions that are currently under consideration for formal opinions.
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| Opinion No. | Question | Assigned To |
|---|---|---|
| 19-1001 |
Does Government Code section 83105 prohibit a Fair Political Practices Commission member from making a campaign contribution to a federal candidate for (1) President; and/or (2) Congress? |
Bidart |
| 19-901 |
Under the "remote interest" exception set forth in Government Code section 1091(b)(17), may a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (District) apply for and obtain District grants for their import/export logistics business without violating Government Code section 1090's prohibition against public officials holding a personal financial interest in public contracts? |
Medeiros |
| 19-405 |
Does Government Code section 1090 permit a County Superintendent of Education to negotiate in collective bargaining with their represented employment unit? |
Nolan |
| 19-401 |
May a county enter into a joint contract with a local military installation? |
Bidart |
| 19-301 |
Is a paid victim advocate for sexually exploited youth a mandated reporter under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act CANRA? |
Eisenberg |
| 19-203 |
Is there a statutory or constitutional exception for non-profit religious organizations conducting employee criminal background checks under Labor Code section 432.7(a)? (On hold per requestor.) |
Binsacca |
| 18-1001 |
Is a county animal shelter permitted to refuse to relinquish an owner-surrendered dog to a nonprofit no-kill shelter? |
Medeiros |
| 18-902 |
When a subdivider owns one parcel and subdivides that parcel pursuant to a parcel map, then sells off the resulting new subdivided parcels, and subsequently acquires a contiguous parcel and seeks to divide that parcel pursuant to a parcel map, should the local agency count the previously subdivided contiguous parcels as part of the application? |
Medeiros |
| 18-901 |
1. Is the Bagley-Keene Act violated if the Commission votes on an agenda item where the agenda states only that the matter will be discussed, not specifically that the Commission would take any action on the item, but the top of the agenda contains a general statement that the Commission may act on any item listed on the agenda? 2. Is the Bagley-Keene Act violated if a majority FPPC Commissioners meet outside a public meeting (e.g., over lunch) and talk about how the Bagley-Keene Act applies to the FPPC? 3. Is the Bagley-Keene Act violated if one member of the public sends an email to five FPPC Commissioners and other members of the public and one Commissioner responds by email, but only to the members of the public? |
Daniels |
| 18-603 |
1. Does a county superintendent of education’s “stay and rescind” authority permit the stay of sale or issuance of bonds by a school district with a qualified or negative certification? (Ed. Code sec. 42127.6) 2. May such a stay remain in place pending resolution of a related investigation by the District Attorney? |
Binsacca |
| 18-502 |
Do nuisance abatement liens expire after 10 years; if so, what is the procedure and effective date for renewal? |
Bidart |
| 18-201 |
Is it a Brown Act violation for joint powers authority members to consult appointing authority in open session? |
Bidart |
| 18-103 |
Does Penal Code section 919(b) require the civil grand jury to annually investigate local detention centers as "public prisons"? |
Bidart |
| 17-101 |
May a city validly set health and welfare benefits for its city council members at a dollar amount equal to a set percentage of the benefits provided to the city's highest-income employee group, and, if not, what are the consequences of overpayment? |
Bidart |
| 16-402 |
Must specified prior offenders receive a formal pardon from the Governor in order to obtain a "Certificate of Rehabilitation and Pardon" and qualify for a classified employment position at a school or community college district? |
Eisenberg |
| 16-201 |
May a local jurisdiction require a subdivision applicant to eliminate the designation of a remainder parcel on a tentative parcel map, or require an applicant to provide additional analysis of a remainder parcel that has already been approved for development? |
Eisenberg |
| 15-1102 |
Request for advice on the jurisdictional authority of a local housing authority and an out-of-state housing authority under state law. |
Binsacca |
| 15-301 |
Is the time for filing the report required under Business and Professions Code section 805 tolled when a healing arts "licentiate" requests a hearing on the action that triggered the filing requirement? |
Binsacca |
| 14-202 |
May the "premium" generated from a school district bond sale be used to pay for expenses of issuance and other transaction costs? |
Medeiros |
| Opinion No. | Question | Assigned To |
|---|---|---|
| 19-701 |
Was the city required to meet and confer with the city firefighters union before repealing city charter procedures for binding interest arbitration of collective bargaining impasses? |
Daniels |
| 17-603 |
Are Deanna Jackson and Matthew Hurley eligible to hold seats on the Atwell Island Water District Board of Directors? (On hold pending litigation.) |
Daniels |
No conclusion issued.
| Opinion No. | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 17-701 |
What are the proper uses of civil enforcement penalty funds collected under the Unfair Competition Law? |
Withdrawn on 11/19/2019 |