GAVIN NEWSOM, GOVERNOR OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW California Regulatory Notice Register REGISTER 2026, NUMBER 20–Z P UBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW M AY 15, 2026 PROPOSED ACTION ON REGULATIONS TITLE 2. F AIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION Conflict–of–Interest Code — Notice File Number Z2026–0505–05 ......................................... 679 AMENDMENT MULTI–COUNTY: Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority STATE–AGENCY: Department of Managed Health Care TITLE 3.

DEP ARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION Pesticide Treated Seeds — Notice File Number Z2026–0430–01 ........................................... 680 TITLE 11. DEP ARTMENT OF JUSTICE The Protecting Our Kids From Social Media Addiction Act — Notice File Number Z2026–0505–03 .............. 684 TITLE 17. DEP ARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH Cannery Regular — Batch Release Elimination — Notice File Number Z2026–0427–04 ........................ 689 TITLE 25. DEP ARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Special Occupancy Parks Program — Notice File Number Z2026–0505–02 ................................. 693 TITLE 28.

DEP ARTMENT OF MANAGED HEALTHCARE Conflict of interest Code — Notice File Number Z2026–0505–04 .......................................... 695 GENERAL PUBLIC INTEREST DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES Response to Request for Reconsideration Of Petition Decision ............................................ 696 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION Notice of Candidacy, Desert Thrashers ............................................................... 697 (Continued on next page) Time- Dated Material

FISH AND GAME COMMISSION Notice of Finding, Bear Lake Buckwheat .............................................................. 697 DECISION NOT TO PROCEED AIR RESOURCES BOARD Concerning Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation and Zero–Emission Powertrain Certificate Test Procedure (previously Published in Notice Register 2025, Number 39–Z, May 30, 2025) ....................... 700

SUMMARY OF REGULATORY ACTIONS Regulations filed with Secretary of State .............................................................. 700 The California Regulatory Notice Register is an official state publication of the Office of Administrative Law containing notices of proposed regulatory actions by state regulatory agencies to adopt, amend or repeal regulations contained in the California Code of Regulations. The effective period of a notice of proposed regulatory action by a state agency in the California Regulatory Notice Register shall not exceed one year [Government Code § 11346.4(b)].

It is suggested, therefore, that issues of the California Regulatory Notice Register be retained for a minimum of 18 months. CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER is published weekly by the Office of Administrative Law, 300 Capitol Mall, Suite 1250, Sacramento, CA 95814-4339. The Register is printed by Barclays, a subsidiary of West, a Thomson Reuters Business, and is offered by subscription for $409.00 (annual price). To order or make changes to current subscriptions, please call (800) 328−4880. The Register can also be accessed at https://oal.ca.gov .

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 679 PROPOSED ACTION ON REGULATIONS Information contained in this document is published as received from agencies and is not edited by Thomson Reuters. TITLE 2.

FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Fair Po - litical Practices Commission, pursuant to the au - thority vested in it by Sections 82011, 87303, and 87304 of the Government Code to review proposed conflict–of–interest codes, will review the proposed/ amended conflict–of–interest codes of the following: CONFLICT–OF–INTEREST CODES AMENDMENT MULTI–COUNTY: Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority STATE AGENCY: Department of Managed Health Care A written comment period has been established commencing on May 15, 2026, and closing on June 29, 2026.

Written comments should be directed to the Fair Political Practices Commission, Attention: Maia Kocinsky–Kirkham, 1102 Q Street, Suite 3050, Sacra- mento, California 95811. At the end of the 45–day comment period, the pro - posed conflict–of–interest codes will be submitted to the Commission’s Executive Director for their review, unless any interested person or their duly authorized representative requests, no later than 15 days prior to the close of the written comment period, a public hear- ing before the full Commission.

If a public hearing is requested, the proposed codes will be submitted to the Commission for review. The Executive Director of the Commission will review the above–referenced conflict–of–interest codes, proposed pursuant to Government Code Sec - tion 87300, which designate, pursuant to Government Code

Section 87302, employees who must disclose certain investments, interests in real property and income. The Executive Director of the Commission, upon their own motion or at the request of any interested person, will approve, or revise and approve, or re - turn the proposed codes to the agency for revision and re–submission within 60 days without further notice. Any interested person may present statements, ar - guments, or comments, in writing to the Executive Di- rector of the Commission, relative to review of the pro- posed conflict–of–interest codes.

Any written com - ments must be received no later than June 29, 2026. If a public hearing is to be held, oral comments may be presented to the Commission at the hearing. COST TO LOCAL AGENCIES There shall be no reimbursement for any new or in- creased costs to local government which may result from compliance with these codes because these are not new programs mandated on local agencies by the codes since the requirements described herein were mandated by the Political Reform Act of 1974. There- fore, they are not “costs mandated by the state” as de- fined in Government Code

Section 17514. EFFECT ON HOUSING COSTS AND BUSINESSES Compliance with the codes has no potential effect on housing costs or on private persons, businesses, or small businesses. AUTHORITY Government Code Sections 82011, 87303 and 87304 provide that the Fair Political Practices Com - mission as the code–reviewing body for the above conflict–of–interest codes shall approve codes as sub- mitted, revise the proposed code, and approve it as re- vised, or return the proposed code for revision and re–submission.

REFERENCE Government Code Sections 87300 and 87306 provide that agencies shall adopt and promulgate conflict–of–interest codes pursuant to the Political Re- form Act and amend their codes when change is ne - cessitated by changed circumstances. CONTACT Any inquiries concerning the proposed conflict–of–interest codes should be made to Maia Kocinsky–Kirkham, Fair Political Practices Com - mission, 1102 Q Street, Suite 3050, Sacramento, Cal - ifornia 95811, or email mkocinsky–kirkham@fppc. ca.gov.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 680 AVAILABILITY OF PROPOSED CONFLICT–OF–INTEREST CODES Copies of the proposed conflict–of–interest codes may be obtained from the Commission offices or the respective agency. Requests for copies from the Com- mission should be made to Maia Kocinsky–Kirkham, Fair Political Practices Commission, 1102 Q Street, Suite 3050, Sacramento, California 95811, or email mkocinsky–kirkham@fppc.ca.gov. TITLE 3. D EPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION PESTICIDE TREATED–SEEDS DPR REGULATION NUMBER 26–001 The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) pro- poses to adopt

section 6626.5 and amend sections 6000, 6147, 6691 and 6760 of Title 3, California Code of Regulations (3 CCR). The pesticide regulatory pro- gram activities affected by the proposal are those per - taining to the handling of pesticide-treated seeds in California and the reporting and enforcement of their use. In

summary, the proposed regulatory action will add a definition for pesticide-treated seed; exempt pesticide-treated seeds from registration when they meet certain conditions specific to California; re - quire the reporting of pesticide-treated seeds plant - ed in California; and provide exemptions to regula - tory requirements for the planting of pesticide-treat - ed seeds when certain conditions are met. The pro - posed rulemaking harmonizes DPR’s regulation of pesticide-treated seeds with the United States Environ- mental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) regulation of pesticide-treated seeds as pesticides exempt from reg- istration under Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR)

section 152.25(

a) and places additional Cali- fornia-specific conditions on the manufacture, import, sale, and use of pesticide-treated seeds. SUBMITTAL OF COMMENTS Any interested person may present comments in writing about the proposed regulatory action to the agency contact person named below. Writ - ten comments must be received no later than June 29, 2026. Comments regarding this proposed reg - ulatory action may also be transmitted via the SmartComment online public comment portal at <https://cdpr.commentinput.com?id=HYKegrj3J>. Please note that under the California Public Records Act (Government Code

section 7920.000 et seq.), your written and oral comments, attachments, and any as - sociated contact information (e.g., your address, phone number, or email address) become part of the pub - lic record and can be released to the public upon re - quest. You do not have to provide contact information when submitting a comment using the SmartCom - ment portal. A public hearing is not scheduled.

However, one will be scheduled if any interested person submits a written request to DPR no later than 15 days prior to the close of the written comment period. 1 EFFECT ON SMALL BUSINESS DPR has determined that the proposed regulatory action does affect small businesses. INFORMATIVE DIGEST/POLICY STATEMENT OVERVIEW Background DPR protects human health and the environment by fostering sustainable pest management and regulat - ing pesticides.

DPR strictly oversees pesticides in the State by evaluating and registering products; regulat - ing pesticide sales and use; licensing commercial and private pesticide applicators, pest control businesses, dealers, and advisers statewide; conducting environ - mental monitoring; and testing pesticide residues on fresh produce. This statutory scheme is set forth pri - marily in Food and Agricultural Code (FAC) Divi - sions 6 and 7 and applies to the manufacture, import, sale, and use of “pesticides,” defined by FAC

section 12753 in relevant part as “[a]ny substance...which is intended to be used for....preventing, destroying, or mitigating any pest... .” Both U.S. EPA and DPR have regulatory author - ity over the registration, sale, and use of pesticides in California. With limited exceptions, pesticides must be registered by U.S. EPA and DPR before they are sold or distributed into or within California. To obtain registration with U.S. EPA and DPR, applicants are required to submit comprehensive product chemistry, efficacy, and safety data.

This data is evaluated to con- firm the identity of the product and to assess potential impacts to human health and the environment. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) grants U.S. EPA discretion to exempt from its requirements “any pesticide” that is “of a character which is unnecessary to be subject to [FI - FRA] in order to carry out the purposes of [FIFRA]” (FIFRA 25(b), 7 U.S.C.

section 136w(b)). U.S. EPA exempts treated articles, including pesticide-treated seeds, from regulation under FIFRA pursuant to FI - 1 If you have special accommodation or language needs, please include this in your request for a public hearing. TTY/TDD speech–to–speech users may dial 7–1–1 for the California Relay Service.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 681 FRA

section 25(b).The exemption includes treated articles and substances that are “treated with, or con - taining, a pesticide to protect the

article or substance itself (for example, paint treated with a pesticide to protect the paint coating, or wood products treated to protect the wood against insect or fungus infestation), if the pesticide is registered for such use.” (40 CFR

section 152.25(a)). FAC

section 12803 authorizes DPR to adopt regu - lations to exempt pesticides exempt under FIFRA

section 25(

b) from all or part of the requirements of FAC Division 7 if both of the following apply: (

a) the director individually evaluates each listed substance exempted pursuant to the federal authority and con - curs in the decision by U.S. EPA to exempt that sub - stance; and (

b) the director excludes from the regula - tion requirements that are necessary to protect human health or the environment. FAC

section 12803(

b) also states that “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director shall retain authority to regulate any substance exempted pursuant to this

section whether registered or not.” Existing 3 CCR

section 6147 lists pesticide products exempted pursuant to FIFRA sec - tion 25(

b) that are exempt from the requirements of FAC Division 7. As required by FAC

section 12803(a), DPR concurs with U.S. EPA ’s decision to exempt pesticide-treated seeds from registration require - ments based on its thorough scientific evaluation and assessment of the treating pesticide, and is pro - posing to exempt pesticide-treated seeds from cer - tain regulatory requirements provided they meet the following two conditions: (1) the seed is treated with a pesticide to protect the seed and (2) any pesticide used to treat the seed is registered by the Department for such use.

DPR has individually evaluated each pesticide-treated seed that is currently eligible for the proposed exemption by evaluating the treating pesti - cide through the registration process. Prospectively, a “new” treated seed cannot qualify for the exemp - tion under this two-condition framework until DPR has individually evaluated it through the treating pesticide’s registration process. To satisfy FAC sec - tion 12803(b), DPR is proposing to require that any pesticide used to treat seed be registered by DPR for such use and to require reporting for the planting of pesticide-treated seeds.

The proposed regulation would also provide an exemption from pesticide appli- cation restrictions for planting pesticide-treated seeds near schoolsites during school hours and exempt the planting of pesticide-treated seeds from certain por - tions of the field worker protection standards when the seeds are planted below the soil surface

Summary of the Effect of the Proposed Regulatory Action The proposed regulatory action will add a definition for pesticide-treated seed; exempt pesticide–treated seeds from registration when they are treated with a pesticide to protect the seed and the pesticide is registered by the Depart - ment for such use; require the monthly reporting of pesticide–treated seeds by county in which the seeds were planted; and provide exemptions for the planting of pesticide-treated seeds to certain existing require - ments pertaining to pesticide use near schoolsites or field worker safety when certain conditions are met.

This action implicitly classifies pesticide-treated seeds as “pesticides” under the state definition of “pesticide” at FAC

section 12753..

Anticipated Benefits of the Proposed Regulations The broad objective of the proposed regulatory ac - tion is to benefit human health and the environment in California by: ● applying certain existing pesticide regulatory re - quirements to pesticide–treated seeds; ● requiring that all pesticide–treated seeds planted in California be treated with a DPR–registered seed treatment ensuring the seeds have been evaluated for potential adverse effects to human health and the environment prior to being planted in California, thereby closing a current loophole on use; and, ● requiring pesticide use reporting for the planting of pesticide–treated seeds to enable DPR to track their use and assess potential impacts.

Evaluation of Inconsistency/Incompatibility with Existing State Regulations During the process of developing the proposed reg - ulations, DPR conducted a search of any similar regu- lations on this topic and has concluded that these pro - posed regulations are neither inconsistent nor incom - patible with existing state regulations. The proposal will not interfere or otherwise impact other state agen- cies as DPR is the only agency that regulates pesti - cides within the State. Relevant Litigation and

Summary of Existing Laws In 2023, Natural Resources Defense Council, Cali - fornians for Pesticide Reform, the Center for Biolog - ical Diversity, Friends of the Earth, and Pesticide Ac - tion Network North America (the “Plaintiffs”) filed a lawsuit against DPR. Broadly speaking, the lawsuit al- leged that DPR’s handling of pesticide–treated seeds constitutes an underground regulation in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. In October 2024, Plaintiffs and DPR agreed to settle the case. As a result of this settlement, DPR is proposing regulations that will address pesticide–treated seeds.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 682 Beginning January 1, 2027, FAC

section 52484 will require agricultural or vegetable seed shipped, deliv - ered, transported, or sold in California and treated with one or more pesticides to be labeled with the U.S. EPA registration number(

s) of the products the seed was treated with, the signal word for the substance with the highest level of toxicity, and the quantity ap - plied by weight or amount per seed. COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARD ASSESSMENT (OEHHA) PURSUANT TO FAC SECTIONS 12980 AND 12981 As discussed above, 3 CCR

section 6760 is a reg - ulation relating to pesticide worker safety. Therefore, DPR and OEHHA jointly and mutually developed the proposed regulations as specified in FAC sections 12980 and 12981. DPR and OEHHA have set forth the rulemaking process used to meet these statutory re - quirements in a Memorandum of Agreement dated August 13, 2008. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES DPR consulted with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) during development of the text of the proposed regulations, as specified in FAC

section 11454, the Memorandum of Understand- ing updated on January 15, 2019 that was developed per FAC

section 11454.2, and ¶ 3(

c) of DPR’s settle - ment agreement with the Plaintiffs of Natural Re - sources Defense Council, Inc. et al. v. California De - partment of Pesticide Regulation et al. (Feb. 17, 2023, 23CV028215). DPR consulted with the University of California and the Department of Industrial Relations. DPR also consulted with County Agricultural Commissioners. DPR presented the proposed regulations to the Pes - ticide Registration and Evaluation Committee (PREC) on November 21, 2025. At the time of the presentation, the proposal did not include the additions to 3 CCR

section 6760. IMPACT ON LOCAL AGENCIES OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS DPR determined that the proposed regulatory ac - tion does not impose a mandate on local agencies or school districts. DPR also determined that there are no costs to any local agency or school district requir - ing reimbursement pursuant to Government Code sec- tion 17500 et seq. County Agricultural Commission - er (CAC) offices will be the local agencies responsi - ble for enforcing the proposed regulations. As stated, DPR anticipates that there will be no fiscal impact to these agencies.

DPR establishes an annual work plan with the CACs, which already requires the CACs to conduct pesticide use inspections and investigations and to enforce compliance with California pesticide regulations. CAC offices use a mix of State and local funding to fund their local pesticide use enforcement programs. The amount of funding the State gives to the CACs is fixed by FAC

section 12841(g) (1) (C), which says DPR must reimburse counties 7.6 mills of mill assessment for costs incurred by the counties for pesticide use enforcement. Pursuant to 3 CCR

section 6391, reim - bursement shall be made by April 1 of each year. DPR is not authorized to reimburse the counties more than the amount generated from 7.6 mills. Because the to - tal funding level from DPR does not change, the coun- ties’ workload from this regulation may be redirected according to county priorities.

Further, the overall im- pact to CACs is expected to be minimal as, according to the CDFA consultative analysis, most persons en - gaged in the planting of pesticide–treated seeds would already be familiar with pesticide use reporting from the application of other pesticides and no additional operator or site identification numbers would need to be established. OTHER NONDISCRETIONARY COST OR SAVINGS IMPOSED UPON LOCAL AGENCIES There are no other nondiscretionary costs or savings imposed upon local agencies that are expected to re - sult from the proposed regulatory action.

COSTS OR SAVINGS TO STATE AGENCIES The proposed regulations are anticipated to have a fiscal impact on DPR. To expand existing reporting features to include pesticide–treated seeds, DPR an - ticipates a cost of $20,000 in State Fiscal Year 26–27. EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDING TO THE STATE DPR determined that no costs or savings in federal funding to the state will result from the proposed reg - ulatory action. EFFECT ON HOUSING COSTS DPR made an initial determination that the pro - posed regulatory action will have no effect on hous - ing costs.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 683 SIGNIFICANT STATEWIDE ADVERSE ECONOMIC IMPACT DIRECTLY AFFECTING BUSINESSES DPR made an initial determination that this pro - posal will not have a significant statewide adverse economic impact directly affecting businesses, in - cluding the ability of California businesses to com - pete with businesses in other states. The proposed regulations will harmonize DPR’s regulation of pesticide–treated seeds with U.S.

EPA ’s regulation of pesticide–treated seeds as pesticides exempt from reg- istration and imposes additional California–specific conditions on the manufacture, import, sale, and use of pesticide–treated seeds, such as adding reporting re - quirements for the planting of pesticide–treated seeds similar to those required for other pesticide applica - tions. The estimated five–year lifetime cost of the pro- posed regulations is $343,107.

DPR made this deter - mination based on the economic impact report pre - pared by the CDFA ’s Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis, titled, “Economic analysis of proposed changes to regulations on pesticide treated seeds,” dat- ed April 7, 2026, which is listed in the “Documents Relied Upon”

section of the Initial Statement of Rea - sons for this proposed regulatory action and is avail - able from DPR. COST IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATIVE PRIVATE PERSONS OR BUSINESSES Businesses and growers that engage in the sale and planting of pesticide–treated seeds may be impacted through additional licensing, work requirements, and worker protection costs. However, most farms that use pesticide–treated seed would already have personnel on site that are familiar with use reporting from the application of existing pesticides.

Likewise, farmers and pest control businesses planting pesticide–treated seeds should already have personnel licensed or certi- fied for pesticide applications. For licensing and certi- fication requirements for pest control dealers, DPR has been informed that growers generally purchase seeds for several commodities (e.g., corn, soybean, cot - ton) treated from pesticide registrant companies and other untreated seeds would be treated as a service through third–party applicators. In both instances, the businesses applying the pesticide treatment to seeds would be licensed for those applications.

Impacts to field worker safety requirements are also expected to be minimal as operations involving the planting of pesticide–treated seeds would have processes, train - ing, and equipment in place for the application of more conventional pesticides. CDFA ’s economic impact report notes that estimat- ing the potential impact of the proposed regulatory ac- tion is challenging and provides a range of cost esti - mates for those planting pesticide–treated seeds that may otherwise not be familiar with the handling of pesticides and reporting their use.

The report esti - mates additional costs associated with handler train - ing, which is an existing requirement that will apply once pesticide–treated seeds are designated as pes - ticides; training on the generation and submission of use reports for the planting of pesticide–treated seeds; and regulatory training to ensure staff understand and comply with the new requirements. The report pro - vides three estimates, depending on the share of op - erations (10%, 20%, 50%) that would require one em- ployee to undergo handler and reporting training and to read and understand the proposed regulations.

To remain conservative, DPR used the upper bound es - timate and calculated an average cost of $60.72 per business in the first year with recurring average annu- al costs of $12.14 per business. BUSINESS REPORTING REQUIREMENT It is necessary for the health, safety, or welfare of the people of the state that the regulation which requires a report apply to businesses.

RESULTS OF THE ECONOMIC I M PACT A NA LYSIS Impact on the Creation, Elimination, or Expan - sion of Jobs/Businesses: DPR determined it is not likely the proposed regulatory action will impact the creation or elimination of jobs, the creation of new businesses or the elimination of existing businesses, or the expansion of businesses currently doing busi - ness with the State of California because the proposed regulatory action is not likely to affect employers’ seed–planting activity and will only minimally in - crease current training and reporting to cover the planting of pesticide–treated seeds.

This regulatory action will benefit human health, worker safety, and the environment in California by subjecting pesticide–treated seeds to existing regula - tory requirements for pesticides that are designed to protect human health, workers, and the environment; requiring that all pesticide–treated seeds planted in California use a DPR–registered seed treatment, there- by closing a current loophole on use and ensuring the seeds have been evaluated for potential adverse effects to human health and the environment prior to being planted in California; and requiring pesticide use re - porting for planting of pesticide–treated seeds, which will enable DPR to track and assess their use and po - tential impact.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 684 CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES DPR must determine that no reasonable alternative considered by the agency, or that has otherwise been identified and brought to the attention of the agency, would be more effective in carrying out the purpose for which the action is proposed, would be as effec - tive and less burdensome to affected private persons than the proposed regulatory action, or would be more cost–effective to affected private persons and equally effective in implementing the statutory policy or other provision of the law.

AUTHORITY This regulatory action is taken pursuant to the au - thority vested by FAC sections 11456, 11502, 12781, 12803, 12976, and 12981. REFERENCE This regulatory action is to implement, interpret, or make specific FAC sections 2281, 11501, 11501.5, 11708, 11733, 12753, 12803, 12979, 12980, and 12981. AVAILABILITY OF STATEMENT OF REASONS AND TEXT OF PROPOSED REGULATIONS DPR prepared an Initial Statement of Reasons and is making available the express terms of the proposed regulatory action, all of the information upon which the proposal is based, and a rulemaking file.

A copy of the Initial Statement of Reasons and the proposed text of the regulation may be obtained from the agency contact person named in this notice. The information upon which DPR relied in preparing this proposal and the rulemaking file are available for review at the ad - dress specified below. AVAILABILITY OF CHANGED OR MODIFIED TEXT After the close of the comment period, DPR may make the regulation permanent if it remains substan - tially the same as described in the Informative Digest.

If DPR does make substantial changes to the regula - tion, the modified text will be made available for at least 15 days prior to adoption. Requests for the mod - ified text should be addressed to the agency contact person named in this notice. DPR will accept written comments on any changes for 15 days after the modi - fied text is made available.

AGENCY CONTACT Written comments about the proposed regulatory action; requests for a copy of the Initial Statement of Reasons, and the proposed text of the regulation; and inquiries regarding the rulemaking file may be direct - ed to: Lauren Otani, Regulations Coordinator Department of Pesticide Regulation 1001 I Street, P.O.

Box 4015 Sacramento, California 95812–4015 916– 445–5781 Note: In the event the contact person is unavailable, questions on the substance of the proposed regulatory action may be directed to the following back–up per - son at the same address as noted below: Bryan George, Environmental Program Manager I Pesticide Evaluation Branch 916–324–3890 This Notice of Proposed Regulatory Action, the Initial Statement of Reasons, and the proposed text of the regulation are also available on DPR’s Inter - net Home Page < http://www.cdpr.ca.gov>.

Upon re - quest, the documents can be made available in another language, or an alternate form as a disability–related accommodation. AVAILABILITY OF FINAL STATEMENT OF REASONS Following its preparation, a copy of the Final State- ment of Reasons mandated by Government Code sec- tion 11346.9(

a) may be obtained from the contact per- son named above. In addition, the Final Statement of Reasons will be posted on DPR’s Internet Home Page and accessed at <http://www.cdpr.ca.gov>. TITLE 11. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PROTECTING OUR KIDS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION ACT The Department of Justice (Department) proposes to adopt sections 550 through 581 of title 11, division 1,

chapter 5.5 of the California Code of Regulations concerning the Protecting Our Kids from Social Me - dia Addiction Act, Senate Bill 976 (2024), codified at Health and Safety Code sections 27000–27007 (“the Act”).

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 685 PUBLIC HEARING The Department will hold a public hearing to pro - vide all interested persons an opportunity to present statements or arguments, either orally or in writing, with respect to the proposed regulations, as follows: Date: June 30, 2026 Time: 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Location: Elihu Harris Auditorium 1515 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612 Remote Participation: https://doj–ca.zoomgov.com/j/1655551112 Phone Participation: (669) 254–5252, access code 165 555 1112 Members of the public who wish to speak at the hearing are requested to RSVP in advance on the De - partment’s website at https://oag.ca.gov/sb976. Speak- ers will be called in the order of the RSVP. The infor- mation provided will help the Department plan hear - ing logistics and accommodate participants.

The Department requests, but does not require, that persons who provide oral comments at the hear - ing also submit a written copy of their testimony to SB976@doj.ca.gov. WRITTEN COMMENT PERIOD Any interested person or their authorized represen - tative may submit written comments relevant to the proposed regulatory action. The written comment pe - riod closes on June 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Only writ- ten comments received by that time will be consid - ered. Please submit written comments to: Department of Justice Consumer Protection

Section Attention: D. DuBois 1515 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612 SB976@doj.ca.gov NOTE: Written and oral comments, attachments, and associated contact information (e.g., address, phone, email, etc.) become part of the public record and can be released to the public upon request. AUTHORITY AND REFERENCE Authority: Health and Safety Code

section 27006 Reference: Health and Safety Code sections 27000, 27000.5, 27001, 27002, 27003, 27004, 27005, 27006 and 27007 INFORMATIVE DIGEST/POLICY STATEMENT OVERVIEW

Summary of Existing Laws and Regulations: Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act Signed into law in September 2024, the Act makes it unlawful for online platforms, including social media, to provide addictive feeds and certain features to mi - nors without parental consent.

Beginning January 1, 2027, an operator of an addictive internet–based ser - vice or application cannot provide an addictive feed or send notifications during certain nighttime and school hours to users in California unless the operator (1) has “actual knowledge” that the user is not a minor, (2) reasonably determines that the user is not a minor, or (3) obtains verifiable parental consent to provide the addictive feed or send the notifications to the minor. (Health & Saf.

Code, §§ 27001, 27002.) The Act de - fines a “minor” as a user under the age of 18 who is lo- cated in the State of California. (Id. at § 27000.5.) The Act mandates the Attorney General to adopt implementing regulations in furtherance of the pur - poses of the Act by January 1, 2027, with express requirements regarding the methods of age assur - ance and verifiable parental consent. ( Id. at §§ 27001, 27006, subdivision (b).) As part of this rulemaking, the Act requires the Department to solicit public com- ment regarding the impact that any regulations might have based on the nondiscrimination characteristics set forth in

Section 51 of the Civil Code or in any oth- er applicable law. (Id. at § 27006, subdivision (c).) Other Laws Health and Safety Code

section 27004, subdivision (c), provides that the protections provided by the Act are in addition to those provided by any other appli - cable law.

The federal Children’s Online Privacy Protec - tion Act (COPPA) regulates the collection of person - al information from children under the age of 13. (15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq.) The California Consumer Privacy Act prohibits a business from selling or sharing the personal informa- tion of a child that is 16 years of age or younger if the business has actual knowledge of the child’s age un - less the child, or the child’s parent or guardian in the case of children younger than 13 years old, has affir - matively authorized the selling or sharing of their per- sonal information. (Civ.

Code § 1798.100 et seq.) The California Digital Age Assurance Act, which becomes operative on January 1, 2027, will require operating system providers to develop a digital signal that will be sent to application developers informing them of the age bracket of the user who is download - ing their application or entering their website. (Civ. Code § 1798.500 et seq.)

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 686 Effect of the Proposed Rulemaking: The proposed regulations provide specific guidance regarding (1) an operator’s obligation under the Act to make a reasonable determination that a user is not a minor before providing addictive features; and (2) an operator’s obligation under the Act to obtain verifiable parental consent to provide addictive features to mi - nors. Below is a

summary of key provisions of the pro- posed regulations. Reasonable Determination That the User Is Not a Minor The proposed regulations establish how to comply with the Act’s requirement that, in the absence of ac - tual knowledge that a user is not a minor, business - es must reasonably determine that a user is not a mi - nor prior to providing the addictive features covered by the Act (namely, notifications during prohibited times or addictive feeds).

The proposed regulations require operators to use one or more age assurance methods that perform with measurable consistency and are testable with quantifiable results that show the rate of the method’s accuracy. The proposed regula - tions provide clarity for compliance by providing a non–exhaustive list of methodologies that would not lead to a reasonable determination.

The proposed regulations require operators to pub - lish and maintain on their website a report describ - ing the measures that the operator takes to ensure that it reasonably determines, in compliance with the Act, whether or not a user is a minor. The operator must in- clude the following information in its report: (1) a de- scription of the age assurance method(

s) used, the data relied upon, and how that data is collected; (2) the op- erator’s basis for relying on that data for age assurance purposes; (3) an explanation of how the operator’s ap- plication of the age assurance method(

s) yields a rea - sonable determination that a user is not a minor; and (4) a

summary of the measures taken to ensure the ac- curacy of the age assurance method. The proposed regulations take a global approach to ensure that operators make reasonable determinations of whether a user is a minor. The proposed regulations require operators to implement an appeals process and take measures to prevent circumvention, fraud, or mis- use of an age assurance method. The proposed regula- tions further require that once an operator has deter - mined that a user is a minor, the operator must apply this determination consistently across all points of ac- cess.

This requirement is intended to prevent a minor from receiving addictive feeds via the operator’s web- site after the operator determined the user was a minor via its mobile application. The proposed regulations also provide clarity on the requirements of Health and Safety Code 27001, subdi- vision (b), regarding the use and retention of informa- tion for the purpose of determining whether or not a user is a minor. Verifiable Parental Consent The proposed regulations establish requirements for operators obtaining verifiable parental consent to provide minors with addictive features.

The proposed regulations require operators to obtain permission from a minor before seeking verifiable parental con - sent, and to provide specific information to both mi - nors and parents when seeking consent. A minor or parent may withdraw consent at any time. The proposed regulations also mandate that opera - tors implement, maintain, and document a protocol to prevent circumvention, fraud, or misuse of the method to obtain verifiable parental consent.

Anticipated Benefits of the Proposed Regulations: The California Legislature explained that some so - cial media platforms have evolved to include addic - tive features that pose a significant risk of harm to the mental health and well–being of children and adoles - cents. The Act aims to protect children and adoles - cents by requiring businesses to obtain verifiable pa - rental consent before they provide children and ado - lescents with certain addictive features. The proposed regulations will benefit the welfare of California resi - dents because they will facilitate compliance with the Act.

The proposed regulations also provide operators with flexibility in how they determine whether a user is a minor while also establishing sensible guardrails. This furthers the purposes of the Act, acknowledges that different operators may approach age assurance differently, and encourages innovation in this evolv - ing field. The proposed regulations’ reporting require- ments will benefit the public because they promote transparency about how operators make the age de - terminations required by the Act and will allow for ef- ficient monitoring of operators’ compliance with the Act.

The proposed regulations regarding verifiable parental consent will benefit the public by providing minors the ability to decide whether an operator may seek parental consent, establishing safeguards relating to parental consent, and by providing minors and par - ents with relevant information that they may consider when deciding whether or not to give consent. Comparable Federal Regulations: There are no existing federal regulations or statutes comparable to the proposed regulations.

Determination of Inconsistency/Incompatibility with Existing State Regulations: The Department has determined that the proposed regulations are not inconsistent or incompatible with existing State regulations because there are no exist - ing regulations that address the specific subject matter of the proposed regulations.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 687 Forms Incorporated by Reference: None. Other Statutory Requirements: Health and Safety Code

section 27006, subdivision (c), requires the Department to solicit public comment regarding the impact that any regulation might have based on the nondiscrimination characteristics set forth in Civil Code

section 51 or in any other applica - ble law. During its pre–rulemaking process, the De - partment held a public meeting and invited the public to submit written comment. A recording of the public meeting is available at https://oag.ca.gov/sb976. Mem- bers of the public are also invited to submit further public comments regarding this issue during the com- ment periods described in this notice. DISCLOSURES REGARDING THE PROPOSED ACTION The Department’s Initial Determinations: Mandate on local agencies or school districts: None.

Cost or savings to any state agency: The proposed regulations may result in costs to the Department re - lating to the enforcement of the regulations, includ - ing the hiring of attorneys and support staff. Howev - er, these costs may be offset to the extent that pen - alty revenue is collected and allocated back to the Department. Cost to any local agency or school district which must be reimbursed in accordance with Government Code sections 17500 through 17630: None. Other non–discretionary costs or savings imposed on local agencies: None. Cost or savings in federal funding to the state: None.

Cost impacts on representative person or business: The compliance costs associated with the regulations will vary depending on the maturity of the business’s age assurance systems, the number of users it has, and the number of those users who grant permission for an operator to seek verifiable parental consent. Aver - age first year costs for operators whose user base con- sists of the largest possible set of users are $82,707 for age assurance costs, $4,008 for verifiable parental consent costs, and $5,490 for reporting and compli - ance costs. These costs are expected to decrease after the first year.

The Attorney General found no cost im- pact on consumers. Significant effect on housing costs: None. Significant, statewide adverse economic impact di - rectly affecting businesses, including ability to com - pete: The Department has made an initial determina - tion that the proposed action will not have a signifi - cant, statewide adverse economic impact directly af - fecting businesses, including the ability of California businesses to compete with businesses in other states.

Results of the Economic Impact Assessment (EIA): The Department concludes that it is (1) unlikely that the proposed regulations will create or eliminate jobs within the state, (2) unlikely that the proposed regula- tions will have a significant impact on the creation of new businesses or elimination of existing businesses within the state, (3) unlikely that the proposed regu - lations will result in the significant expansion of busi- nesses currently doing business within the state. The Department also concludes that:

(1) The proposed regulations would benefit the health and welfare of California residents because they implement the Act which provides Californians with agency concerning when operators provide addictive features to minors. By providing clear standards for the measures operators must take to comply with the Act, the proposed regulations reduce the transaction costs of compliance, in - crease legal certainty, and allow for more efficient implementation.

(2) The proposed regulations would not benefit work- er safety because they do not regulate worker safety standards.

(3) The proposed regulations would not benefit the state’s environment because they do not regulate any applicable environmental standards. Business report requirement:

Section 561, subdivi- sion (c), of the proposed regulations require an opera- tor to publish and maintain on its website a report de - scribing the measures it takes to reasonably determine that a user is not a minor. The operator must include the following information in its report: (1) a descrip - tion of the age assurance method(

s) used, the data re - lied upon, and how that data is collected; (2) the op - erator’s basis for relying on that data for age assur - ance purposes; (3) an explanation of how the opera - tor’s application of the age assurance method(

s) yields a reasonable determination that a user is not a minor; and (4) a

summary of the measures taken to ensure the accuracy of the age assurance method. The summa - ry required by

section 561, subdivision (c), paragraph (4), requires an operator to include, at a minimum: (

i) the measures taken to prevent and account for cir - cumvention, fraud, or misuse of the age assurance method; (ii) the measures taken to avoid the use of low–quality data that could result in incorrectly iden - tifying a minor being as being at least 18 years of age or in an inconclusive age assurance outcome; (iii) a description of how each age assurance method use is testable and how the operator ensures that it is reason- ably effective and measurably consistent; (iv) a quanti- tative description of the effectiveness of the age assur- ance method(

s) used at correctly identifying minors as being under 18 years of age; and (

v) a description of

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 688 how and how often the operator tests, audits, and re - views each age assurance method used. The Department finds that the report requirement in proposed

section 561, subdivision (c), of the proposed regulations is necessary for the health, safety, and wel- fare of the people of this State to further the purposes of the Act and to provide transparency about how op - erators are complying with the Act. Small business determination: The Department has determined that the proposed action will have a min - imal effect on small businesses. In the short term, the proposed regulations may impose relatively great - er costs to smaller operators if the operators have limited existing age verification, parental consent, and compliance infrastructure.

In the longer term, however, the differential impacts will be smaller as third–party service providers create a competitive market to offer small businesses products that perform age verification and parental consent. As competition increases and technology advances, overall compli - ance costs are expected to fall. CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES Government Code

section 11346.5, subdivision (a) (13), requires that the Department determine that no reasonable alternative considered by the Depart - ment or that has otherwise been identified and brought to the attention of the Department would be more ef - fective in carrying out the purpose for which the ac - tion is proposed or would be as effective and less bur- densome to affected private persons than the proposed action or would be more cost–effective to affected pri- vate persons and equally effective in implementing the statutory policy or other provision of law.

The Depart- ment has determined that the proposed action is the most effective way to further the purposes of the Act. Alternatives to the proposed regulation that the De - partment itself considered are further described in the Initial Statement of Reasons. The Department invites interested persons to sub - mit alternatives with respect to the proposed regula - tions at either the public hearing or during the written comment period. CONTACT PERSONS Inquiries concerning the proposed administrative action may be directed to: Department of Justice Consumer Protection

Section Attention: D. DuBois 1515 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612 510–879–3992 SB976@doj.ca.gov Questions regarding procedure, comments, or the substance of the proposed action should be addressed to the above contact person. In the event the contact person is unavailable, inquiries regarding the pro - posed action may be directed to the following backup contact person: Department of Justice Consumer Protection

Section Attention: S. Schesser 1515 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612 510–879–3992 SB976@doj.ca.gov AVAILABILITY OF STATEMENT OF REASONS, TEXT OF PROPOSED REGULATIONS, AND RULEMAKING FILE The Department will have the entire rulemaking file available for inspection and copying through - out the rulemaking process upon request to the con - tact person above.

As of the date this Notice of Pro - posed Rulemaking (Notice) is published in the No - tice Register, the rulemaking file consists of this No - tice, the Text of Proposed Regulations (the “express terms” of the regulations), the Initial Statement of Reasons, and any information upon which the pro - posed rulemaking is based. The text of this Notice, the express terms, the Initial Statement of Reasons, and any information upon which the proposed rulemaking is based are available on the Department’s website at https://oag.ca.gov/sb976.

Please refer to the contact information listed above to obtain copies of these documents. AVAILABILITY OF CHANGED OR MODIFIED TEXT After the Department analyzes all timely and rel - evant comments received during the 45–day public comment period, the Department will either adopt the proposed regulations substantially as described in this notice or make modifications based on the com - ments.

If the Department makes modifications that are sufficiently related to the originally proposed text, it will make the modified text (with the changes clearly indicated) available to the public for at least 15 days before the Department adopts the regulations as re - vised. The Department will accept written comments on the modified regulations for 15 days after the date on which they are made available.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 689 AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL STATEMENT OF REASONS Upon its completion, a copy of the Final Statement of Reasons will be available on the Department’s web- site at https://oag.ca.gov/sb976. Please refer to the con- tact information included above to obtain a copy of the final statement of reasons.

AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET Copies of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the express terms, the Initial Statement of Reasons, and any information upon which the proposed rulemaking is based are available on the Department’s website at https://oag.ca.gov/sb976. TITLE 17. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CANNERY REGULAR — BATCH RELEASE ELIMINATION (DPH–24–003) Notice is hereby given that the California Depart - ment of Public Health (Department) is proposing the regulation described below.

This notice of proposed rulemaking commences a rulemaking to make the regulations permanent after considering all com - ments, objections, and recommendations regarding the regulation. PUBLIC PROCEEDINGS The Department is conducting a 45–day written public proceeding during which time any interested person or such person’s duly authorized representative may present statements, arguments or contentions (all of which are hereinafter referred to as comments) rele- vant to the action described in the Informative Digest/ Policy Statement Overview

section of this notice. To request copies of the regulatory proposal in an al- ternate format, please write or call: Rashmin Shakour, Office of Regulations, 1415 L Street Suite 500, Sac - ramento, CA 95814, at 279–217–1340, email to name Rashmin.Shakour@CDPH.ca.gov or use the Califor - nia Relay Service by dialing 711. PUBLIC HEARING A public hearing has not been scheduled for this rulemaking. However, the Department will conduct a public hearing if a written request for a public hearing is received from any interested person, or his or her authorized representative, no later than 15 days prior to the close of the written comment period, pursuant to Government Code

Section 11346.8. Assistive Services: For individuals with disabilities, the Department will provide assistive services such as conversion of written materials into Braille, large print, audio for - mat, and computer disk. For public hearings, assis - tive services can include sign–language interpreta - tion, real–time captioning, note takers, reading, or writing assistance. To request these assistive services, please call (916) 558–1710 or (California Relay at 711 or 1–800–735–2929), email Regulations@cdph.ca.gov or write to the Office of Regulations at the address not- ed above.

Note: The range of assistive services avail - able may be limited if requests are received less than 10 business days prior to public hearing. WRITTEN COMMENT PERIOD Written comments pertaining to this proposal, re - gardless of the method of transmittal, must be re - ceived by Office of Regulations on July 1, 2026, which is hereby designated as the close of the written com - ment period. Comments received after this date will not be considered timely. Written Comments must be submitted as follows: 1. By email to: regulations@cdph.ca.gov.

It is re - quested that email transmission of comments, particularly those with attachments, contain the regulation package identifier “DPH–24–003” in the subject line; to facilitate timely identification and review of the comment; 2. By fax transmission to: (916) 636–6220; 3. By postal service or hand delivered to: California Department of Public Health, Office of Regula - tions, 1415 L Street, Suite 500, Sacramento, CA 95814.

All comments, including email or fax transmis - sions, should include the regulation package identifi - er, DPH–24–003 “Cannery Regular — Batch Release Elimination,” along with your name and your mailing address or email address in order for the Department to provide copies of any notices for proposed changes to the regulation text on which additional comments may be solicited. AUTHORITY AND REFERENCE The Department is proposing to repeal, amend, and adopt the proposed rulemaking under the authori - ty provided in Sections 100275, 110065, 112825, and 131200 of the Health and Safety Code.

The Department is proposing to repeal Sections 12400 and 12445, amend Sections 12401, 12470, 12555, and 12560, and adopt Sections 12350, 12355, and 13250 of

Article 8 of Group 1 of Subchapter 2 of

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 690

Chapter 5 of Division 1 of Title 17, California Code of Regulations (CCR) in order to implement, interpret, or make specific Sections 12405(b), 12455 of the CCR; Sections 110045, 111865, 112675, and 112750 of the Health and Safety Code; and Title 21 Code of Feder - al Regulations (CFR),

Part 108, Sections 108.25 and 108.35,

Part 113, Sections 113.3, 113.40, 113.83, 113.89, and 113.100,

Part 114, Sections 114.3, 114.89, 114.100, and

Part 117,

Section 117.305. INFORMATIVE DIGEST/POLICY STATEMENT OVERVIEW

Summary of Proposal: The proposed regulations will (1) remove the regu - latory requirements for batch Releases, (2) update and clarify the notification requirement for spoilage, and (3) create new notification requirements for process deviations and contamination of microorganisms. The proposed regulations will also improve clarity by out- lining the application process, modernizing language and adding

definitions. Lastly, the proposed regu - lations will protect public health and safety by more closely aligning with federal requirements and ensur - ing increased transparency by requiring notification to the Department for any instance of spoilage, process deviation, or contamination with microorganisms in acidified foods (AF) and low–acid foods (LAF). Background: Existing state law The Cannery Inspection Program (CIP) was estab - lished in 1925 by the California legislature through the Cannery Inspection Act.

As part of the CIP, the Department regulates the commercial manufactur - ing and packing of AF and LAF products through the Health and Safety Code and the CCR. The CIP es - tablished the Cannery Inspection Fund for the collec - tion of fees from licenses to pay for the carrying out and implementation of the CIP, including inspection, laboratory control and research, and other licensing services.

Previously, the Department was required to con - duct Releases of AF and LAF products prior to distri - bution into commerce; an activity both separate and distinct from that of periodic inspections conducted by the Department to assess sanitary operations and overall compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.

Due to the Release requirement, all persons engaged in the commercial manufacture and packing of AF and LAF products were unable to distribute products into commerce until the Department had scrutinized, reviewed, stamped, and signed routine monitoring re - cords of operations showing adherence to, or devia - tions from, the scheduled processes and critical factors established by the Department (referred to as Official State Process Letters and Operational Documents).

The Department may investigate adulteration, good manufacturing practices and other issues to determine compliance with the CIP, state and federal laws. En - forcement may include: ● Administrative and civil penalties. ● Suspension or revocation of license. ● Quarantine of products for laboratory examination. ● Seizure and embargo of products. ● Voluntary Condemnation and Destruction (VC&

D) of products. Health and Safety Code Sections 112810 and 112815 state that the Department “may quarantine any food product in violation of this

chapter until laboratory ex- amination has established that the product meets the requirements of this chapter,” and that “any person who packs any food product that has been quarantined by the department shall pay the department all reason- able costs of any laboratory examination to be neces - sary to ascertain that the seized product was packed in violation of this chapter.” Health and Safety Code

Section 112825 states that “the Department may make regulations as it deems necessary for the proper enforcement of this chapter, and the regulations shall have the force and effect of law.” Federal law Adopted by the Department in 1979, Title 21 CFR

Part 113 and 114 further defines the requirements for AF and LAF products. Additionally, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2010, bolstering federal requirements for food processing businesses nationwide. The Department adopted the federal Good Manufacturing Practice found in FSMA, where such requirements have been, and remain in ef- fect in California. Current FDA law, as set forth in CFR, Title 21,

Chapter 1, Subchapter B,

Part 108, Sections 108.25(

d) and 108.35(d), require commercial processors engaged in the processing of AF and LAF products to prompt - ly report to the FDA any instance of spoilage, process deviation, or contamination with microorganisms, the nature of which has potential health–endangering sig - nificance, where any lot of such food has in whole or in part entered distribution in commerce. Problem Statement: The proposed regulations focus on protecting the public, by clarifying and expanding the requirements that must be followed for documentation and report - ing, thus creating a more robust framework for reg - ulating compliance.

This proposed approach for AF and LAF products more closely aligns California with federal standards.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 691 Objectives (Goals) of the Regulation: The objectives of the proposed regulations are to more closely align with federal requirements and to en- sure increased transparency by requiring notification to the Department for any instance of spoilage, process deviation, or contamination with microorganisms. Removal of regulatory requirements for Releases.

Previously, regulatory requirements for Releas - es mandated the Department to scrutinize, review, stamp, and sign routine monitoring records which en - sures compliance with the scheduled processes for AF and LAF products before they are distributed into commerce. Since the Cannery Inspection Program (CIP) and Releases were implemented in 1925, there have been many improvements in AF and LAF prod - ucts, science, processes, and subsequent reductions in food safety risks.

The removal of Releases acknowl - edges the efficacy of these improvements in ensur - ing food safety and more closely aligns with federal requirements. Notification requirement for spoilage, process deviations, and contamination of microorganisms. These proposed regulations ensure increased trans - parency by requiring notification to the Department for any instance of spoilage, process deviation, or con- tamination with microorganisms, as in part required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) un- der CFR, Title 21,

Chapter 1, Subchapter B,

Part 108, Sections 108.25(

d) and 108.35(d). Anticipated Benefits: ● Added

definitions for clarity and consistency with federal regulations. ● Removal of Release requirements. ● Increased clarity in reporting requirements. ● Increased consistency and alignment with federal standards. ● Continued protection of the public health and safety. ● Updated, clear, and consistent regulations.

Evaluation as to Whether the Proposed Regulations Are Inconsistent or Incompatible with Existing State and Federal Regulations: The Department has made an initial determination that these regulations are not inconsistent or incom - patible with existing state regulations as there are no other state regulations that address the same topics. INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 1. Request For pH Control Form CDPH 8589 (Rev. 6/2026). 2. Request For Official Sterilization Process Form CDPH 8562 A (Rev. 6/2026). 3. Request for Operational Documents Form CDPH 8562 B (Rev 6/2026).

LOCAL MANDATE DETERMINATION The Department has determined that this regulatory action would not impose a mandate on local agencies or school districts, nor are there any costs for which re- imbursement is required by

part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of division 4 of the Government Code. MANDATED BY FEDERAL LAW OR REGULATIONS The Department has determined that this proposal is not mandated by federal law or regulations. OTHER STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS The Department has determined there are no other statutory requirements. FISCAL IMPACT ESTIMATES Cost to any local agencies or school districts that must be reimbursed pursuant to

Section 17561 of Government Code: None. The cost or savings to any state agency: None. Other Nondiscretionary Cost or Savings Im - posed on Local Agencies: None. Cost or Savings in Federal Funding to the State: None. HOUSING COSTS The Department has determined that the proposed regulations will not have a significant economic im - pact on California housing costs.

SIGNIFICANT STATEWIDE ADVERSE ECONOMIC IMPACT DIRECTLY AFFECTING BUSINESS, INCLUDING ABILITY TO COMPETE The Department has determined that the proposed regulatory action would have no significant adverse economic impact on California business enterpris - es and individuals, including the ability of California businesses to compete with businesses in other states.

STATEMENT OF THE RESULTS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) The Department determined the proposed regula - tions will affect the following as described: The creation or elimination of jobs within the state: The Department determined this proposal will not

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 692 result in any increase or elimination of jobs within California. The creation of new businesses or the elimination of existing businesses within the state: The Department determined this proposal will not have any impact on the elimination of new businesses within the state of California. The expansion of businesses currently doing busi - ness within the state: The Department determined these proposed regulations will not have any impact on the expansion of businesses currently doing busi - ness within the state.

The benefits of the regulation to the health and wel- fare of California residents, worker safety, and the en- vironment: The Department determined the proposed regulations will have benefit the health and welfare of California residents, worker safety, and/or the environ- ment by adding

definitions for clarity and consistency with federal regulations, removal of release require - ments, increased clarity in reporting requirements, in - creased consistency and alignment with federal stan - dards, continued protection of the public health and safety, and clear regulations. COST IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATIVE PERSON OR BUSINESS The Department is not aware of any cost impacts that a representative private person or business would necessarily incur in reasonable compliance with the proposed action.

BUSINESS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS It is necessary for the health, safety, or welfare of the people of the state that the regulation requires a report which applies to the businesses. EFFECT ON SMALL BUSINESS The Department has determined that there would not have an effect on small business because the reg - ulations are designed to remove releases and will in - crease clarity in reporting requirements and alignment with federal standards. SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES OR EQUIPMENT The Department has determined the regulations will have no mandated use of specific technologies, equipment, actions, or procedures.

CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES The Department must determine that no reasonable alternative it considered or that has otherwise been identified and brought to its attention would be more effective in carrying out the purpose for which the ac- tion is proposed, would be as effective and less bur - densome to affected private persons than the proposed action, or would be more cost–effective to affected pri- vate persons and equally effective in implementing the statutory policy or other provision of law.

The Department invites interested persons to pres - ent statements or arguments with respect to alterna - tives to the proposed regulatory action. Alternatives that the Department itself considered are described in the Initial Statement of Reasons. CONTACT PERSON Inquiries regarding the substance of the proposed regulations described in this notice may be directed to Anthony.Garcia@cdph.ca.gov of the Division of Food and Drug Safety.

All other inquiries concerning the action described in this notice may be directed to Rashmin Shak - our, Office of Regulations, 1415 L Street Suite 500, Sacramento, CA 95814, at 279–217–1340, or email Rashmin.Shakour@CDPH.ca.gov. In any inquiries or written comments, please identify the action by using the Department regulation package identifi - er, DPH–24–003.

A V AILABILITY STATEMENTS The Department has prepared and has available for public review an initial statement of reasons for the proposed regulations, all the information upon which the proposed regulations are based, and the text of the proposed regulations. The Office of Regulations, 1415 L Street, Suite 500, Sacramento, CA 95814, will be the custodian of public records, including reports, docu - mentation, and other material related to the proposed regulations (rulemaking file).

In order to request that a copy of this public no - tice, the regulation text, and the initial statement of reasons or alternate formats for these documents be mailed to you, please Rashmin Shakour, Office of Regulations, 1415 L Street Suite 500, Sacra - mento, CA 95814, at 279–217–1340, or email Rashmin.Shakour@CDPH.ca.gov (or the Cal - ifornia Relay Service at 711), send an email to regulations@cdph.ca.gov, or write to the Office of Regulations at the address previously noted. Upon specific request, these documents will be made avail - able in Braille, large print, audio format, or computer disk.

The full text of any regulation which is changed or modified from the express terms of the proposed ac - tion will be made available by the Department’s Of - fice of Regulations at least 15 days prior to the date on

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 693 which the Department adopts, amends, or repeals the resulting regulation. FINAL STATEMENT OF REASONS A copy of the final statement of reasons (when pre - pared) will be available upon request from the Office of Regulations.

INTERNET ACCESS Materials regarding the action described in this no - tice (including this public notice, the text of the pro - posed regulations, and the initial statement of reasons) that are available via the Internet may be accessed at the Department website (www.cdph.ca.gov) by click- ing on these links, in the following order: Decisions Pending & Opportunities for Public Participation, Proposed Regulations. TITLE 25.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL OCCUPANCY PARKS PROGRAM NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the California De- partment of Housing and Community Development (HCD) proposes to adopt regulations governing the Special Occupancy Parks (SOP) Program, which was established by Health and Safety Code (HSC),

section 18860, et seq. If approved, the proposed regulations would maintain minimum health and safety standards within facilities that offer transient lodging accommo- dations which often include upscale tents and other types of sleeping accommodations, with adjacent pri - vate bathing facilities. PUBLIC HEARING No public hearing is currently scheduled. Howev - er, pursuant to Government Code,

section 11346.8, if a written request to hold a public hearing is received no later than 15 calendar days before the close of the written comment period at the address below from any interested person or their authorized representa - tive, HCD shall, to the extent practicable, provide no - tice of the time, date, and place of the hearing by mail- ing the notice to every person who has filed a request for notice with HCD. SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS Any interested person, or their authorized repre - sentative, may submit written comments relevant to this proposed regulatory action.

All written comments must be received by HCD no later than 8:00 a.m. on June 30, 2026 in order to be considered. Written com- ments may be submitted by mail, comment portal, or fax as follows: By comment portal: Visit the comment portal on the HCD website under the Current Rulemaking Activities accordion (Special Occupancy Parks) By mail to: California Department of Housing and Community Development Division of Codes and Standards P.O.

Box 277820 Sacramento, CA 95827–7820 Attention: Jenna Kline (Special Occupancy Parks Regulations) By fax to: (916) 854–2564 Attention: Jenna Kline (Special Occupancy Parks Regulations) PERMANENT ADOPTION OF REGULATIONS Following the public comment period, HCD may adopt the proposals, as described below, or may mod- ify the proposals if the modifications are sufficient - ly related to the original text. With the exception of minor technical or grammatical changes, the text of any modified proposal will be available for at least 15–days prior to its adoption from the contact per - son(

s) designated in this notice and will be mailed to those persons who have submitted written or oral tes - timony related to this proposal or who have requested notification of any changes to the proposal. HCD will accept written comments on the modified regulations during the 15–day period. AUTHORITY AND REFERENCE The authority and reference for this action occurs through both implied and express authority as de - scribed below: Authority HCD has express and implied rulemaking authority as provided in: ● Special Occupancy Parks Act—HSC, sections 18865, 18865.05, 18865.3, and 18873.

The Legislature, through the HSC, authorizes HCD to administer these laws and adopt regulations that in- terpret and make specific this Act. Additionally, HCD has implied authority, as provid- ed by HSC,

section 50406, subdivision (n), to “do any and all things necessary to carry out its purposes and

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 694 exercise the powers expressly granted by this division [Division 31, commencing with

Section 50000].” Reference HCD is implementing, interpreting, and making specific the following sections of the HSC: ● HSC, sections 18862.23, 18865, 18865.3, 18871.3, 18872, 18873, 18873.1, 18873.2, and 18873.5. INFORMATIVE DIGEST

SUMMARY OF EXISTING LAW AND REGULATIONS Special Occupancy Parks Act HCD and local enforcement agencies (LEAs) ap - proved by HCD are responsible for the enforcement and regulation of minimum health and safety stan - dards inside privately owned, operated, and main - tained SOPs including, but not limited to, recreation - al vehicle parks. These minimum health and safe - ty standards regulate the construction, maintenance, occupancy, use, and design of SOPs and are required to guarantee the safety of park occupants and ensure a decent environment for recreation or temporary occupancy.

SUMMARY OF EFFECT OF PROPOSED REGULATORY ACTION The purpose of these proposed regulations is to align with an industry desired use of SOPs that of - fer transient lodging accommodations which often include upscale tents and other types of sleeping ac - commodations with adjacent private bathing facilities. The current SOP regulations do not align with the de - sired use of SOPs; therefore, regulatory changes are required to allow flexibility while also ensuring mini - mum health and safety within these accommodations.

If the regulations are not amended, it creates a barrier to establishing a clear pathway forward for integrating industry desired uses in SOPs. These proposed reg - ulations align with Health and Safety Code,

section 18863.1, which supports innovative designs that can reduce costs while enhancing the living environment for park occupants and residents. Sections within Title 25, California Code of Reg - ulations affected by this rulemaking (see “Sections Affected,” below), and the specific purpose for each adoption in these proposed regulations, are set forth in the Initial Statement of Reasons for this regulato - ry action. SECTIONS AFFECTED Following are the specific sections of

Chapter 2.2 affected by this proposed action: Amend: 2002, 2118, 2424, 2443, and 2444. POLICY STATEMENT OVERVIEW ANTICIPATED BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION The proposed rulemaking provides alignment of HCD regulations for SOPs with a new type of camping facility that offers transient lodging accommodations which often include upscale tents and other types of sleeping accommodations, with adjacent private bath- ing facilities.

Amendments are required to allow flex - ibility while also ensuring minimum health and safety within these accommodations EVALUATION OF INCONSISTENCY/ INCOMPATIBILITY WITH EXISTING STATE REGULATIONS After conducting a review for any other regulations in this area, the Department has found that these are the only state regulations concerning the maintenance, use, and operations of SOPs. Therefore, the proposed regulations are neither inconsistent nor incompatible with existing state regulations. SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT The proposed regulations may affect small busi - nesses.

However, HCD has determined that the effect will not be adverse because the regulations only seek to clarify and make specific the governing statute. DISCLOSURES REGARDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ● Mandate on local agencies and school districts: NONE. ● Costs or savings to any state agencies: NONE. ● Costs or savings to local agencies or school dis - tricts, which must be reimbursed in accordance with

Part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of Division 4 of the Government Code: NONE. ● Other nondiscretionary costs or savings imposed on local agencies: NONE. ● Costs or savings in federal funding to the state: NONE. ● Costs to housing: NONE.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 695 BUSINESS IMPACT HCD has initially determined that this regulato - ry action would not have a significant, statewide ad - verse economic impact directly affecting business, in- cluding the ability of California businesses to compete with businesses in other states. COST IMPACT ON REPRESENTATIVE PRIVATE PERSON OR BUSINESS HCD is not aware of any cost impacts that a repre - sentative private person or business would necessari - ly incur in reasonable compliance with the proposed action.

RESULTS OF THE ECONOMIC I M PACT A NA LYSIS ● The proposed regulations will neither create nor eliminate jobs within California. ● The number of businesses that will be created or eliminated is indeterminate. ● There are no businesses currently doing business within the State of California that would be ex - panded as a result of this regulation. ● The proposed regulations will positively affect the health and welfare of California. ● There are no anticipated benefits to worker safety or the state’s environment.

CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES HCD must determine that no reasonable alterna - tive it considered or that has otherwise been identified and brought to its attention would be more effective in carrying out the purpose for which the action is pro - posed, would be as effective and less burdensome to affected private persons than the proposed action, or would be more cost–effective to affected private per - sons and equally effective in implementing the statu - tory policy or other provision of law.

HCD has deter - mined that this proposed regulatory action represents the most cost–effective, efficient, and practical action to maintain adequate funding for the effective delivery of critical services. AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS AND CONTACT PERSON HCD has prepared an Initial Statement of Reasons for the proposed regulatory action and has available all the information upon which the proposal is based.

Copies of the exact language of the proposed regula - tions, the Initial Statement of Reasons, the rulemaking file, the Final Statement of Reasons (when available) and other information, if any, may be obtained upon request from HCD at the following location or from the contact people listed below: California Department of Housing and Community Development Division of Codes and Standards P.O.

Box 277820 Sacramento, CA 95827–7820 Fax: (916) 263–3383 Main Contact: Jenna Kline, (916) 841–5286 Alternative Contact: Mitchel Baker, (916) 214–8097 In addition, the Notice of Proposed Action, the ex - act language of the proposed regulations, and the Ini - tial Statement of Reasons may be found on the HCD’s Title 25 Rulemaking website a t t h e f o l l o w i n g a d- dress: https://www.hcd.ca.gov/building–standards/ title–25–rulemaking .

Questions regarding the regulatory process or clar - ification on the substance of this regulatory proposal may be directed to: Housing Regulations Team Telephone: (916) 841–5286 Fax: (916) 854–2564 Email: Title25@hcd.ca.gov TITLE 28. DEPARTMENT OF MANAGED HEALTH CARE AMEND CONFLICT–OF–INTEREST CODE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the DMHC, pursuant to the authority vested in it by

Section 87306 of the Government Code, proposes amendments to its Conflict–of–Interest Code. A comment period has been established commencing on May 15, 2026 and closing on June 29, 2026. All inquiries should be di - rected to the contact listed below. The DMHC proposes to amend its Conflict–of–Interest code to include employee posi - tions who are involved in the making or participation in the making of decisions that may foreseeably have a material effect on any financial interest, as set forth in subdivision (

a) of

section 87302 of the Government Code. The amendment carries out the purposes of the law and no other alternative would do so and be less burdensome to affected persons. Changes to the Conflict of Interest Code include de- leting obsolete classifications, adding new classifica - tions, and also making other technical changes. In - formation on the code amendment is attached to this email.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 696 Any interested person may submit written com - ments relating to the proposed amendment by submit- ting them no later than June 29, 2026, or at the con - clusion of the public hearing, if requested, whichever comes later. At this time, no public hearing is sched - uled. A person may request a hearing no later than June 14, 2026. The DMHC has determined that the proposed amendment: 1. Imposes no mandate on local agencies or school districts. 2. Imposes no costs or savings on any state agency. 3. Imposes no costs on any local agency or school district that are required to be reimbursed under

Part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of Divi- sion 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. 4. Will not result in any nondiscretionary costs or savings to local agencies. 5. Will not result in any costs or savings in federal funding to the state. 6. Will not have any potential cost impact on private persons, businesses or small businesses. All inquiries concerning this proposed amendment and any communication required by this notice should be directed to: Mary Peterson, Attorney III, Of - fice of Legal Services, mary.peterson@dmhc.ca.gov, (916) 414–0194.

GENERAL PUBLIC INTEREST DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES APRIL 29, 2026 KAYLA COLLINS RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF PETITION DECISION Dear Kayla Collins: This letter is in response to your Request for Re - consideration, received by the Department of Health Care Services (Department) on April 3, 2026, relating to the Department’s decision on your Petition issued on April 1, 2026. The Department reviewed your Request for Recon - sideration in accordance with Government Code sec - tion 11340.7 and, after thorough consideration, the De- partment denies your request for the reasons discussed below.

Your request includes a Request for Reconsideration of the Department’s April 1, 2026, decision to deny your Petition regarding proposed amendments to Cal - ifornia Code of Regulations, Title 9, Division 4, Chap- ter 3 governing Driving–Under–the–Influence (DUI) programs. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code sec - tion 11836.15, the Department possesses the authority to promulgate regulations regarding the licensure and oversight of DUI programs. The Request for Recon - sideration does not provide additional information that would change our denial of your Petition.

Therefore, the Department affirms its April 1, 2026, decision to deny your Petition to amend California Code of Regu- lations, Title 9, Division 4,

Chapter 3 and denies your Request for Reconsideration. Your Request for Reconsideration also seeks the Department’s

interpretation of existing regulations, specifically, whether the California Code of Regula - tions, Title 9,

section 9878 allows for the retroactive application of reduced fees in the DUI program set - ting. The Department reiterates here, as it stated in its April 1, 2026, decision, that current regulations do not expressly address whether reduced–fee determi - nations should be applied retroactively or prospective- ly. Existing regulations, however, do require DUI pro- grams to expeditiously conduct a financial assessment and document a participant’s ability to pay within five days of the participant’s request and prohibits a DUI program from requiring payment greater than the as - sessed ability.

As stated in the Department’s April 1, 2026, decision, the Department is currently develop - ing amendments to regulations. Proposals to address policies that are not currently included in existing reg- ulations will be considered during the development of these regulations.

In sum, while the Department appreciates the con - cerns you brought forward in your Request for Recon- sideration, your concerns are either addressed through current regulations or will require substantive chang - es that warrant broader evaluation, including consid - eration of DUI program administration and financial impacts, and require additional stakeholder input. Ac- cordingly, the Department denies your Request for Re- consideration in its entirety. The Department will con- sider your concerns, as appropriate, as part of the cur- rent regulatory package that is in development.

Denial of the Request for Reconsideration does not preclude the Department from considering the issues raised in its current development of the California Code of Reg- ulations, Title 9,

Chapter 3 regulatory package or pro- grammatic oversight activities. If you would like to discuss the decision outlined above, please contact DHCS’ DUI Licensing

Section Chief, Glenn Spellman, at (916) 345–7524. The Department will provide a copy of the Request for Reconsideration to any interested person upon re -

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 697 quest. A copy of this decision will be provided to the Office of Administrative Law for publication in the California Regulatory Notice Register. Sincerely, /s/ Janelle Ito–Orille Division Chief Licensing and Certification Division FISH AND GAME COMMISSION NOTICE OF FINDINGS OF CANDIDACY BENDIRE’S THRASHER (TOXOSTOMA BENDIREI) AND LECONTE’S THRASHER (TOXOSTOMA LECONTEI) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to the provisions of

Section 2074.2 of the California Fish and Game Code (Fish and Game Code), the Califor - nia Fish and Game Commission (Commission), at its April 15–16, 2026 meeting, accepted for consideration the petition submitted to list Bendire’s thrasher ( Tox- ostoma bendirei) and LeConte’s thrasher ( Toxostoma lecontei) as a threatened or endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act. Pursuant to subdivision (e) (2) of

Section 2074.2 of the Fish and Game Code, the Commission determined that the amount of information contained in the peti - tion, when considered in light of the California De - partment of Fish and Wildlife (Department) written evaluation reports, the comments received, and the remainder of the administrative record, would lead a reasonable person to conclude there is a substantial possibility the requested listings could occur. Based on its determination and acceptance of the petition, the Commission is also providing notice that Bendire’s thrasher and LeConte’s thrasher are candi - date species as defined by

Section 2068 of the Fish and Game Code. Within one year of the date of publication of this no- tice of findings, the Department shall submit a writ - ten report, pursuant to

Section 2074.6 of the Fish and Game Code, indicating whether the petitioned actions are warranted. Copies of the petition and minutes of the April 15–16, 2026 Commission meeting are on file and available for public review on the Commission’s website at fgc.ca.gov. If you would prefer to view the documents at the Commission’s office, please make an appointment by phone at (916) 653–4899 or by send - ing an email to fgc@fgc.ca.gov.

Written comments or data related to the peti - tioned actions should be directed to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Diversi - ty Program, Attention: CESA and Scientific Collect - ing Permit Supervisor, Neil Clipperton, via email at wildlifemgt@wildlife.ca.gov with “Bendire’s Thrash- er” and/or “LeConte’s Thrasher” in the subject line. Alternatively, comments or data may be submit - ted by mail to P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244–2090. Submitting information via email is preferred. FISH AND GAME COMMISSION NOTICE OF FINDINGS FOR BEAR LAKE BUCKWHEAT (ERIOGONUM MICROTHECA VAR.

LACUS–URSI) APRIL 9, 2026 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission), at a meet- ing on December 10–11, 2025, found pursuant to Cal- ifornia Fish and Game Code

Section 2075.5, that the information contained in the petition to list the spe - cies Bear Lake buckwheat ( Eriogonum microtheca var. lacus–ursi ) and other information in the record before the Commission, warrants adding Bear Lake buckwheat to the list of endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA; Fish and Game Code

Section 2050 et seq.). (See also Califor - nia Code of Regulations, Title 14,

Section 670.1, sub-

section (i).) NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that, at its April 15–16, 2026 meeting, the Commission adopted the findings herein outlining the reasons for its determination. I. Background and Procedural History Petition History On July 16, 2024, the Commission received a peti - tion from the California Department of Fish and Wild- life (Department) to list Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA, pursuant to

Section 2072.7 of the California Fish and Game Code. A De - partment recommendation under this

section is con - sidered a petition with a Departmental recommenda - tion to accept and consider the petition, as described in subdivision (a) (2) of

Section 2073.5 of the Fish and Game Code. The Commission gave public notice of its receipt of the petition on August 9, 2024 (Califor - nia Regulatory Notice Register 2024, Number 32–Z, p.1017). At its August 14–15, 2024 meeting, the Com- mission publicly received the Department’s petition as part of its meeting materials. At its October 9–10, 2024 meeting, the Commission determined that listing may be warranted and subse - quently provided notice regarding the Bear Lake buck-

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 698 wheat’s status as a candidate species (California Reg - ulatory Notice Register 2024, Number 43–Z, p. 1396). Status Review Overview The Commission’s action designating Bear Lake buckwheat as a candidate species triggered the De - partment’s process for conducting a status review to inform the Commission’s decision on whether to list the species.

On September 5, 2025, the Department transmit - ted to the Commission the Department’s report to the Commission, Status Review for Bear Lake Buckwheat (Eriogonum microtheca var. lacus–ursi), dated Au - gust 2025. The Commission publicly noted receipt of the Department’s status review report as part of the Commission’s October 8–9, 2025 meeting materials. On December 10, 2025, the Commission found that the information contained in the petition to list Bear Lake buckwheat and other information in the record before the Commission warranted listing Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA.

Species Description Bear Lake buckwheat is a subshrub in the buck - wheat family with only a single known occurrence on the south shore of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California. Bear Lake buckwheat grows on a unique substrate of gray, silty, clay soil in Jeffrey pine and juniper woodland. Bear Lake buckwheat occupies an area of less than 1.5 acres, with 836 plants count - ed in 2024. II.

Statutory and Legal Framework The Commission, as established by the California State Constitution, has exclusive statutory authority under California law to designate endangered, threat - ened, and candidate species under CESA (California Constitution,

Article IV,

Section 20, subdivision (b); Fish and Game Code

Section 2070). The CESA list - ing process for this species began with a petition sub - mitted to the Commission. The regulatory and legal process that ensued is described in some detail in the preceding section, along with related references to the Fish and Game Code and controlling regulations. The CESA listing process generally is also described in some detail in published appellate case law in Califor- nia, including: ● Natural Resources Defense Council v. Califor - nia Fish and Game Commission ( 1 9 9 4 ) 2 8 C a l . App.4th 1104; ● Mountain Lion Foundation v.

California Fish and Game Commission (1997) 16 Cal.4th 105; ● California Forestry Association v. California Fish and Game Commission ( 2 0 0 7 ) 1 5 6 C a l . App.4th 1535; ● Center for Biological Diversity v. California Fish and Game Commission (2008) 166 Cal.App.4th 597; ● Central Coast Forest Association v. California Fish and Game Commission (2017) 2 Cal.5th 594; ● Central Coast Forest Association v. Califor - nia Fish and Game Commission ( 2 0 1 8 ) 1 8 C a l . App.5th 1191; and, ● Almond Alliance of California v. California Fish and Game Commission (2022) 79 Cal.App.5th 337.

The Commission’s “is warranted” determination stems from obligations established by Fish and Game Code

Section 2075.5. Under that provision, the Com - mission is required to make one of two findings for a candidate species at the end of the CESA listing pro - cess: whether listing a species is warranted or is not warranted. Here, the Commission made the finding under

Section 2075.5, subdivision (e) (2), that listing is warranted. The Commission was guided in making its deter - mination by statutory provisions and other controlling law.

Section 2062 of the Fish and Game Code, for ex- ample, defines an endangered species under CESA as “a native species or subspecies of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant which is in serious danger of becoming extinct throughout all, or a sig - nificant portion, of its range due to one or more caus - es, including loss of habitat, change in habitat, overex- ploitation, predation, competition, or disease.” Simi - larly,

Section 2067 of the Fish and Game Code defines a threatened species under CESA as “a native species or subspecies of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, rep- tile, or plant that, although not presently threatened with extinction, is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future in the absence of the special protection and management efforts required” by CESA. The Commission also considered California Code of Regulations, Title 14,

Section 670.1, subsection (i) (1) (A), in making its determination. The provision provides, in pertinent part, that the Commission will list a species or subspecies as endangered or threat - ened under CESA if the Commission determines that the species’ continued existence is in serious danger or is threatened by any one or any combination of six factors: 1. Present or threatened modification or destruction of its habitat, 2. overexploitation, 3. predation, 4. competition, 5. disease, or, 6. other natural occurrences or human–related activities. Fish and Game Code

Section 2070 provides simi - lar guidance, providing that the Commission shall add

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 699 or remove species from the lists of endangered and threatened species under CESA only upon receipt of sufficient scientific information that the action is war- ranted. CESA also provides that it is the policy of the state that all state agencies, boards, and commissions shall seek to conserve endangered and threatened spe- cies and shall utilize their authority in furtherance of the purposes of CESA (Fish and Game Code

Section 2055). This statutory guidance does not compel a par- ticular determination by the Commission in the CESA listing context. Nevertheless, “ ‘[l]aws providing for the conservation of natural resources’ such as the CESA are of great remedial and public importance and thus should be construed liberally.” ( California For- estry Association v. California Fish and Game Com - mission, supra, 156 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1545–1546, cit- ing San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society v.

City of Moreno Valley (1996) 44 Cal.App.4th 593, 601; Fish and Game Code sections 2051 and 2052.) Finally, in considering the six factors set forth above, CESA and controlling regulations require the Commission to actively seek and consider related input from the public and any interested party (see, e.g., Fish and Game Code sections 2071, 2074.4 and 2078; California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sec - tion 670.1, subsection (h)).

The related notice obli - gations and public hearing opportunities before the Commission are also considerable (Fish and Game Code sections 2073.3, 2074, 2074.2, 2075, 2075.5, and 2078; California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sec - tion 670.1, subsections (c), (e), (

g) and (i); see also Cal- ifornia Government Code

Section 11120 et seq.). The referenced obligations are in addition to the require - ments prescribed for the Department in the CESA list- ing process, including an initial evaluation of the pe - tition, a related recommendation regarding candidacy, and a review of the candidate species’ status, culmi - nating with a report and recommendation to the Com- mission as to whether listing is warranted based on the best available science (Fish and Game Code sections 2073.4, 2073.5, 2074.4 and 2074.6; California Code of Regulations, Title 14,

Section 670.1, subsections (d), (

f) and (h)). III.

Factual and Scientific Bases for the Commission’s Final Determination The factual and scientific bases for the Commission’s determination that designating Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA is warranted are set forth in detail in the Commission’s record of proceedings, including the petition; the Department’s petition evaluation report; the Department’s status re - view report; written and oral comments received from members of the public, the regulated community, trib- al entities, and the scientific community; and other ev- idence included in the Commission’s record of pro - ceedings, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The Commission determines that the continued ex - istence of Bear Lake buckwheat in the state of Cali - fornia is in serious danger or threatened by one or a combination of the six factors set forth in California Code of Regulations, Title 14,

Section 670.1, subsec - tion (i) (1) (A): 1. Present or threatened modification or destruction of its habitat, 2. overexploitation, 3. predation, 4. competition, 5. disease, or, 6. other natural occurrences or human–related activities. The Commission also determines that the informa - tion in the Commission’s record constitutes the best scientific information available and establishes that designating Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA is warranted.

Similarly, the Com- mission determines that Bear Lake buckwheat is in serious danger of becoming extinct throughout all, or a significant portion, of its range due to one or more causes, including loss of habitat, change in habitat, overexploitation, predation, competition, or disease. The items highlighted here and detailed in the fol - lowing threats

section represent only a portion of the complex issues aired and considered by the Commis - sion during the CESA listing process for Bear Lake buckwheat. Similarly, the issues addressed in these findings represent some, but not all, of the evidence, issues, and considerations affecting the Commission’s final determination. Other issues aired before and con- sidered by the Commission are addressed in detail in the record before the Commission. Background The Commission bases its “is warranted” finding for Bear Lake buckwheat most fundamentally on the species’ rarity.

Bear Lake buckwheat’s small range and low abundance is a significant factor influencing the ability of the species to survive and reproduce.

Threats Bear Lake buckwheat is endangered due to: ● Present or threatened modification or destruction of its habitat (see, e.g., Department’s status re - view report at pages 18–23, and references cited therein), including impacts associated with: ○ Development in and around the population (see, e.g., Department’s status review report at pages 18–20, and references cited therein). ○ Recreational use, foot traffic, littering, and other human disturbances on the land where Bear Lake buckwheat occurs (see, e.g., De - partment’s status review report at pages 18

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 700 and 20–22, and references cited therein); and, ○ Wildfire and fuel reduction activities (see, e.g., Department’s status review report at pages 22–23, and references cited therein). ● Competition with non–native plants (see, e.g., Department’s status review report at pages 23–24, and references cited therein). ● Other natural occurrences or human–related ac - tivities.

In particular, natural occurrences or hu - man–related activities of significance include: ○ Small population size (see, e.g., Depart - ment’s status review report at pages 18–19 and 22, and references cited therein) and, ○ Climate change (see, e.g., Department’s sta- tus review report at pages 24–25, and refer - ences cited therein). The Commission finds these factors result in a sig - nificant threat to the continued existence of Bear Lake buckwheat, as explained in the Department’s status review report.

This finding and the Department’s ex - planation are supported by the whole of the record be- fore the Commission. IV.

Final Determination by the Commission The Commission has weighed and evaluated the in- formation for and against designating Bear Lake buck- wheat as a threatened or endangered species under CESA, including scientific and other general evidence in the petition; the Department’s petition evaluation report; the Department’s status review report; the De - partment’s related recommendations; written and oral comments received from members of the public, the regulated community, various public agencies, and the scientific community; and other evidence included in the Commission’s record of proceedings.

Based upon the evidence in the record, the Com - mission has determined that the best scientific infor - mation available indicates the continued existence of Bear Lake buckwheat is in serious danger or threat - ened by modification or destruction of the species’ habitat or other natural occurrences or human–relat - ed activities, where such factors are considered indi - vidually or in combination (see, generally, California Code of Regulations, Title 14,

Section 670.1, subsec - tion (i) (1) (A); Fish and Game Code sections 2062 and 2067). The Commission determines that there is sufficient scientific information to indicate that designating Bear Lake buckwheat as an endangered species under CESA is warranted, and that, with adoption and pub - lication of these findings, Bear Lake buckwheat shall be listed as endangered for purposes of its legal status under CESA.

DECISION NOT TO PROCEED AIR RESOURCES BOARD NOTICE OF DECISION NOT TO PROCEED PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ADVANCED CLEAN TRUCKS REGULATION AND THE ZERO–EMISSION POWERTRAIN CERTIFICATION TEST PROCEDURE By notice dated May 13, 2025, and published in the May 30, 2025, California Regulatory Notice Regis - ter, Register 2025, Number 39–Z, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the original no - tice of public hearing scheduled for July 24, 2025, to consider approving the Proposed Amendments to the Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation and the Zero–Emission Powertrain Certification Test Procedure.

Please be advised that the Proposed Amendments to the Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation and the Zero–Emission Powertrain Certification Test Proce - dure including test procedures and other rulemak - ing documents relating to these rules have been with - drawn. Pursuant to Government Code

section 11347, publication of this Notice of Decision Not to Proceed hereby terminates the rulemaking action, as published on May 30, 2025, in the California Regulatory Notice Register. CARB staff may propose new regulatory action that is similar or identical to the regulatory action that is subject to this notice. If proposed, a subsequent no - tice will follow in the future with more information, including the date, time, and location of the hearing.

SUMMARY OF REGULATORY ACTIONS REGULATIONS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE This

Summary of Regulatory Actions lists regula - tions filed with the Secretary of State on the dates in - dicated. Copies of the regulations may be obtained by contacting the agency or from the Secretary of State, Archives, 1020 O Street, Sacramento, CA 95814,

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 701 (916) 653−7715. Please have the agency name and the date filed (see below) when making a request. State Allocation Board File # 2026–0424–01 Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998; Five–Year Master Plans This emergency action pursuant to Government Code

section 11346.1 by the State Allocation Board establishes deadlines and further specifies required in- formational contents for the five–year school facilities master plan that a school district must submit to the Of- fice of Public School Construction within the Depart - ment of General Services, pursuant to Education Code

section 17070.54. Education Code

section 17070.54 provides that submission of a five–year school facili - ties master plan including certain minimum informa - tion to the Department of General Services is a man - datory condition for a school district to participate in the School Facility Program that provides state fund - ing for construction and modernization of school fa - cilities.

Section 17070.54 was added to the Education Code by the Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Fa - cilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 2) and Assembly Bill 247 (Muratsu- chi,

Chapter 81, Statutes of 2024). Title 02 Adopt: 1859.18, 1859.18.1 Amend: 1859.2 Filed 05/04/2026 Effective 05/04/2026 Agency Contact: Lisa Jones (279) 946–8459 Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation File # 2026–0410–01 Restricted Housing Units and Incarcerated Person Privilege Groups This action by the California Department of Correc- tions and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is submitted to OAL as an emergency based on operational necessity pur - suant to Penal Code

section 5058.3. CDCR is amend - ing regulations governing Restricted Housing Units and the Privilege Group system (Groups C and

D) for incarcerated persons. Title 15 Amend: 3000, 3044, 3190, 3312, 3312.1, 3337, 3338, 3339, 3340, 3341, 3345, 3376, 3376.1 Filed 04/30/2026 Effective 05/01/2026 Agency Contact: Sarah Pollock (279) 223–2308 Department of Human Resources File # 2026–0319–01 Professional Dues –– Excluded Employees In this file and print action pursuant to Government Code

section 3539.5, the California Department of Human Resources updates the benefits given to em - ployees excluded from the Ralph C. Dills Act who are tied to bargaining unit nine (professional engineers). Title 02 Amend: 599.922.2 Filed 04/30/2026 Effective 04/30/2026 Agency Contact: Patrick Campion (916) 909–2854 State Personnel Board File # 2026–0319–03 Waiver of Appointment This file and print action pursuant to Government Code

section 18214 by the State Personnel Board amends and repeals administrative personnel regula - tions governing appointments. This action is exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act pursuant to Government Code

section 18211 and is submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and publication in the California Code of Regulations pursuant to Government Code

section 18214, subdivision (d) (2). Title 02 Adopt: 260 Amend: 249.5, 254, 254.2, 258, 261 Repeal: 260.1, 261.1, 260 Filed 04/29/2026 Effective 07/01/2026 Agency Contact: Joseph Ruggiero (916) 653–0920 Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery File # 2026–0320–01 Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance In this action pursuant to California Code of Regula- tions, title 1,

section 100, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery updates a cross reference to the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. Title 14 Amend: 18989.2 Filed 05/04/2026 Agency Contact: Kris Chisholm (916) 322–2404

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 702 Office of Health Care Affordability File # 2026–0407–03 Promotion of Competitive Health Care Markets, Cost and Market Impact Reviews This

Section 100 action filed by the Office of Health Care Affordability pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title1,

section 100, renumbers an existing regulation regarding pre–filing questions about notic - es for a material change transaction. Title 22 Amend: 97437 [Renumber to 97432] Filed 05/04/2026 Agency Contact: Kristen Colburn (213) 897–0171 Board of Accountancy File # 2026–0323–02 Disciplinary Guidelines and Model Orders In this regular rulemaking action, the Board of Ac - countancy incorporates its revised disciplinary guide - lines and model orders into

section 98 of title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. Title 16 Amend: 98 Filed 05/05/2026 Effective 07/01/2026 Agency Contact: Deanne Pearce (916) 651–1740 Board of Barbering and Cosmetology File # 2026–0324–03 Disciplinary Guidelines In this regular rulemaking action, the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology updates its disciplinary guidelines.

Title 16 Amend: 972 Filed 05/06/2026 Effective 07/01/2026 Agency Contact: Allison Lee (279) 278–5107 Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training File # 2026–0323–03 Peace Officer Background Investigation This rulemaking action by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) revises reg - ulations pertaining to background investigations for peace officer appointments.

Specifically, the rulemak- ing updates the revision date for POST’s Background Investigation Manual, which is partially incorporated by reference and deletes a repetitive provision regard- ing updated background investigations for reappoint - ed peace officers. Title 11 Amend: 1953 Filed 04/29/2026 Effective 04/29/2026 Agency Contact: Kelli Surawski (916) 894–9523 Fish and Game Commission File # 2026–0318–03 Processing and Donating Sport–Caught Fish In this rulemaking action, the Fish and Game Com - mission amends its regulation related to sport–caught fishing.

The regulatory amendments address the per - mit fee, terms under the permit, record keeping re - quirements, marking of fish, and permit revocation and suspension procedures. Further, the amendments allow sport–caught fish processing permit holders to donate fish directly to a nonprofit organization that directly supports food access distribution, Califor - nia tribe, school, or California city/county govern - ment program that directly supports food access or distribution.

Title 14 Amend: 231 Filed 04/30/2026 Effective 04/30/2026 Agency Contact: Sherrie Fonbuena (916) 902–9284 San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission File # 2026–0320–04 Commission Permits and Permitting This San Francisco Bay Conservation and Devel - opment Commission rulemaking action combines permitting processes and standards under (1) under the McAteer–Petris Act (“MPA”); and (2) the Suisun Marsh Preservation Act (“SMPA”), into a single reg - ulatory framework, adopts and amends

definitions, creates new categories of permit types, applicable to both Acts, and repeals regulations applicable under the MPA.

CALIFORNIA REGULATORY NOTICE REGISTER 2026, VOLUME NUMBER 20–Z 703 Title 14 Adopt: 10112, 10300, 10301, 10302, 10303, 10304, 10305, 10306, 10307, 10308, 11700, 11701, 11702, 11710, 11711, 11712, 11713, 11714, 11720, 11721, 11722, 11723, 11724, 11730, 11731, 11732, 11733, 11734, 11735, 11736, 11737, 11738, 11739, 11740, 11741, 11742, 11743, 11744, 11745, 11746 Amend: 10125, 10130, 10133, 10601, 10620, 10654, 10710, 10810, 10822, Appendix D Repeal: 10300, 10600, 11700, 11700.1, 11710, 11711, 11712, 11713, 11714, 11715, 11716, 11717, 11718, 11719, 11720, 11721, Appendix N Filed 05/04/2026 Effective 07/01/2026 Agency Contact: Marc Zeppetello (415) 352–3655 Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery File # 2026–0319–02 SB 54 Regulations This rulemaking action by the Department of Re - sources Recycling and Recovery establishes require - ments for the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Pack - aging Producer Responsibility Program in response to Senate Bill 54 (Stats. 2022,

chapter 75).

Title 14 Adopt: 18980.1, 18980.1.1, 18980.2, 18980.2.1, 18980.2.2, 18980.2.3, 18980.2.4, 18980.2.5, 18980.2.6, 18980.2.7, 18980.3, 18980.3.1, 18980.3.2, 18980.3.3, 18980.3.4, 18980.3.5, 18980.4, 18980.4.1, 18980.4.2, 18980.4.3, 18980.5, 18980.5.1, 18980.5.2, 18980.6, 18980.6.1, 18980.6.2, 18980.6.3, 18980.6.4, 18980.6.5, 18980.6.6, 18980.6.7, 18980.6.8, 18980.7, 18980.7.1, 18980.7.2, 18980.7.3, 18980.7.4, 18980.7.5, 18980.7.6, 18980.7.7, 18980.8, 18980.8.1, 18980.8.2, 18980.9, 18980.9.1, 18980.10, 18980.10.1, 18980.10.2, 18980.11, 18980.11.1, 18980.11.2, 18980.12, 18980.13, 18980.13.1, 18980.13.2, 18980.13.3, 18980.13.4, 18980.13.5, 18980.14, and 18981 Filed 05/01/2026 Effective 05/01/2026 Agency Contact: Kris Chisholm (916) 322–2404 PRIOR REGULATORY DECISIONS AND CCR CHANGES FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE A quarterly index of regulatory decisions by the Of- fice of Administrative Law (OAL) is provided in the California Regulatory Notice Register in the volume published by the second Friday in January, April, July, and October following the end of the preceding quar - ter.

For additional information on actions taken by OAL, please visit oal.ca.gov.