Legislate: All Bills

CA AB 100 - Philip Y. Ting
Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022.
05/04/2023 - Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
AB 100, Ting. Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022. The Budget Act of 2021 and Budget Act of 2022 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscal years.This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2021 and Budget Act of 2022 by amending and adding items of appropriation and making other changes.The bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.

CA AB 1005 - David Alvarez
In-home supportive services: terminal illness diagnosis.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and HEALTH.
AB 1005, as amended, Alvarez. In-home supportive services: terminal illness diagnosis. Existing law establishes the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, administered by the State Department of Social Services and counties, under which qualified aged, blind, or disabled persons are provided with supportive services in order to permit them to remain in their own homes.As a condition of receiving services under the IHSS program, existing law requires an applicant or recipient to obtain a certification from a licensed health care professional declaring that the applicant or recipient is unable to perform some activities of daily living independently, and that without services to assist the applicant or recipient with activities of daily living, the applicant or recipient is at risk of placement in out-of-home care. Existing law requires that the certification be received prior to service authorization, except under certain circumstances. Existing law requires the department to develop a standard certification form, as specified, and to identify alternative documentation, including, but not limited to, hospital or nursing facility discharge plans, containing the required information.Existing law sets forth various provisions relating to end-of-life care. When a health care provider makes a diagnosis that a patient has a terminal illness, existing law generally requires the health care provider, upon request, to provide the patient or another person authorized to make health care decisions with comprehensive information and counseling regarding legal end-of-life care options.This bill would, before the discharge of a patient diagnosed with a terminal illness, require the diagnosing health care provider to ask the patient or authorized person if they are interested in receiving information about the IHSS program. If interest is expressed, the bill would require the health care provider to disclose to the patient or authorized person the information, including the IHSS eligibility criteria and the option for a family member to provide care as an IHSS provider subject to the IHSS provider enrollment conditions.If the patient seeks to apply for services under the IHSS program, the bill would require the health care provider to provide a copy of the health care certification form and to complete the applicable portion before the patient’s discharge.Existing law sets forth various conditions on the number of hours of service authorized for an IHSS provider, with a modified number based on exemptions for a provider who is related to the recipients whom the provider serves, as specified.Existing law requires the county welfare department to assess each IHSS recipient’s continuing monthly need for in-home supportive services at varying intervals as necessary, but at least once every 12 months, with exceptions. Under existing law, the results of this assessment of monthly need for IHSS hours are divided by 4.33, to establish a recipient’s weekly authorized number of IHSS hours, as specified.Under this bill, if a patient diagnosed with a terminal illness seeks to apply for services under the IHSS program, and receives a health care certification form that is completed by a health care provider, the patient would be authorized to request to have the application expedited by the county. This bill would require counties, to the extent feasible, to consider expediting applications of patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and who have requested their application be expedited. By creating additional duties for county officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions, until regulations are adopted. The bill would condition implementation of these provisions on receipt of any necessary federal approvals and the availability of federal financial participation for purposes of providing in-home s

CA AB 1006 - Tina McKinnor
Aging and Disability Resource Connection program: No Wrong Door System.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
AB 1006, as amended, McKinnor. Aging and Disability Resource Connection program: No Wrong Door System. Existing law establishes an Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) program, administered by the California Department of Aging, to provide information to consumers and their families on available long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs and to assist older adults, caregivers, and persons with disabilities in accessing LTSS programs at the local level. Existing law requires the California Department of Aging to administer the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) Infrastructure Grants Program for the purpose of implementing a No Wrong Door System, a system that enables consumers to access all long-term services and supports (LTSS) through one agency, organization, coordinated network, or portal. Existing law makes related legislative intent statements regarding the No Wrong Door System, including that it is the intent to provide consumers and their caregivers access to information and services, regardless of income or benefit level. Existing law also establishes the Aging and Disability Resource Connection Advisory Committee, within the California Department of Aging, as the primary adviser in the implementation of the No Wrong Door System. Existing law authorizes the committee to use the staff of the California Department of Aging to accomplish its purposes.This bill would instead require the committee to use the staff of the California Department of Aging. The bill would also instead require the No Wrong Door System to serve seniors and individuals with disabilities, as specified, and would require, no later than December 31, 2025, the system to also establish a statewide respite referral registry to connect consumers enrolled in the Medi-Cal program with culturally competent, prescreened respite providers, and create and implement a consumer directed employer program to assist in the provision of the statewide respite referral system.

CA AB 1113 - Kevin Michael McCarty
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program: the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System: the After School Education and Safety Program: the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on ED.
AB 1113, as amended, McCarty. The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program: the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System: the After School Education and Safety Program: the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. (1) Existing law establishes the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program to provide funds to school districts and certain charter schools to offer, outside of any instructional time, expanded learning opportunities, as defined, to pupils enrolled in classroom-based instructional programs in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, under specified funding methodologies and program conditions.Existing law establishes the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, which is maintained by the State Department of Education and consists of pupil data from elementary and secondary schools, as specified, relating to demographics, program participation, enrollment, and statewide assessments, among other things. Existing law requires the system to be used to accomplish specified goals, including to provide an efficient, flexible, and secure means of maintaining statewide pupil level data, as provided.This bill would require the department, by July 1, 2024, to collect, as part of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, pupil data for each pupil enrolled in a program under the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, the After School Education and Safety Program (ASES), or the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, as specified. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature to provide equitable opportunities to pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, with a welcoming and enriching space through afterschool programs.(2) The After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002, an initiative statute approved by the voters as Proposition 49 at the November 5, 2002, statewide general election, establishes the After School Education and Safety Program (ASES) under which participating public schools receive grants to operate before and after school programs serving pupils in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 9, inclusive. The act requires an amount not to exceed $550,000,000 to be continuously appropriated to the State Department of Education from the General Fund in each fiscal year for purposes of the program, and requires the amount to be allocated to public elementary, middle, and junior high schools according to a specified priority scheme, as provided. The act authorizes the Legislature to amend the provisions containing that priority scheme only by a statute, enacted by a 2/3 vote of each house and signed by the Governor, that furthers the purposes of the act. Commencing with the 2024–25 fiscal year, this bill would require, notwithstanding any other law, at least a certain percentage of the total amount appropriated pursuant to the act or by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute or for purposes of the ASES to be allocated on a priority basis for programs serving middle school pupils, as provided. The bill would set forth a legislative finding and declaration that the bill furthers the purposes of the act.(3) Existing federal law establishes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program to provide pupils with academic enrichment and other activities during nonschool hours or periods when school is not in session, as provided. Under the program, of the total amount appropriated for after school grants to community learning centers, at least 50% is required to be allocated on a priority basis to community learning centers serving high school pupils and at least 40% is required to be allocated on a priority basis to community learning centers serving elementary and middle school pupils, as provided. In any fiscal year in which the total appropriation exceeds the 2008–09 fiscal year’s total appropriation for the program, the excess amount is required to be allocated on a priority basis as 35% to community learning centers serving high sc

CA AB 1122 - Jasmeet Bains
Medi-Cal provider applications.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
AB 1122, as amended, Bains. Medi-Cal provider applications. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.Existing law generally requires an applicant that currently is not enrolled in the Medi-Cal program, a provider applying for continued enrollment, or a provider not currently enrolled at a location where the provider intends to provide services, goods, supplies, or merchandise to a Medi-Cal beneficiary, to submit a complete application package for enrollment, continuing enrollment, or enrollment at a new location or a change in location, as specified.Existing law requires an applicant or provider, for new or continued enrollment in the Medi-Cal program, to disclose all information as required in federal Medicaid regulations and any other information required by the department, as specified.This bill would require the Director of Health Care Services to develop a process to allow an applicant or provider to submit an alternative type of primary, authoritative source documentation to meet the requirement of submitting the above-described information. The bill would require the department to document each case of an applicant or provider submitting an alternative type of primary, authoritative source documentation, as specified. The bill would condition implementation of these provisions on lack of conflict with federal law or regulation, federal financial participation not being jeopardized, and receipt of any necessary federal approvals.Existing law authorizes the department to make unannounced visits to an applicant or provider for the purpose of determining whether enrollment, continued enrollment, or certification is warranted, or as necessary for the administration of the Medi-Cal program. Existing law requires, at the time of the visit, the applicant or provider to demonstrate an established place of business appropriate and adequate for the services billed or claimed to the Medi-Cal program, as specified.This bill would authorize the applicant or provider to submit its application for enrollment up to 30 days before having an established place of business and have its application considered by the department, to the extent not in conflict with federal law.

CA AB 1130 - Marc Berman
Substance use disorder.
06/08/2023 - In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
AB 1130, as introduced, Berman. Substance use disorder. Existing law, the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, regulates the distribution and use of controlled substances, as defined. Under the act, the State Department of Health Care Services is responsible for the administration of prevention, treatment, and recovery services for alcohol and drug abuse. Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California. Existing law authorizes a physician and surgeon to prescribe, dispense, or administer prescription drugs, including prescription controlled substances, to an addict under their treatment for a purpose other than maintenance on, or detoxification from, prescription drugs or controlled substances and under specified conditions to an addict for purposes of maintenance on, or detoxification from, prescription drugs or controlled substances.This bill would revise and recast these provisions, among others, to delete the reference to an “addict” and instead replace it with the term “a person with substance use disorder,” among other technical nonsubstantive changes.

CA AB 1154 - Lori D. Wilson
Juveniles: mentoring programs.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 1154, as amended, Wilson. Juveniles: mentoring programs. Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings. Existing law requires the status of every dependent child in foster care to be reviewed periodically, and requires the county welfare department social worker to prepare a supplemental report with supplemental information regarding the child for purposes of the status review hearing. Existing law also requires a probation officer to prepare a social study for purposes of the status review hearing of a ward who is placed in foster care or recommended for placement in foster care.This bill would require the social worker and probation officer to include in the supplemental report or social study, respectively, information on the likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the child or nonminmor dependant, and a recommendation for one-to-one mentoring, as specified. The bill would, if the supplemental report includes a referral for mentoring, require the court to ask the foster youth, at any status hearing, whether participation in a mentoring program has been offered to them and whether they are interested in participating in a mentoring program, and would specify that in this case the foster youth shall only be referred for mentoring if they agree to participate. The bill would, if the social study includes a referral for mentoring, require the court or probation officer to include a mentoring program in the foster youth’s case plan if the foster youth agrees to participate in such a program. The bill would specify that participation in the mentoring program is on a purely voluntary basis and would prohibit a foster youth from being subject to discipline or other adverse action based on the foster youth’s subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program. The bill would authorize a court to refer or order the foster youth to participate in a one-to-one mentoring program through a nonprofit organization that meets specified criteria, including, among other things, having experience serving foster children and youth. The bill would require a social worker or probation officer to make their best efforts to identify and refer a foster youth for whom mentoring has been recommended and accepted or for whom mentoring has been ordered to a nonprofit organization. By imposing new duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

CA AB 1163 - Luz Maria Rivas
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Disparities Reduction Act.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 1163, as amended, Luz Rivas. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Disparities Reduction Act. Existing law, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Disparities Reduction Act, requires prescribed state entities, including the State Department of Health Care Services and the Civil Rights Department, in the course of collecting demographic data directly or by contract as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians, to collect voluntary self-identification information pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity, except as specified. Existing law prohibits these state entities from reporting demographic data that would permit identification of individuals or would result in statistical unreliability and limits the use of the collected data by those entities, as specified. Existing law requires these state entities to report to the Legislature specified information related to the data and make the data available to the public, except for personally identifiable information, which existing law deems confidential and prohibits disclosure of that information.This bill would impose the provisions of the above-described act on the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the California Commission on Disability Access, and would require these state entities to comply with the bill’s provisions as early as possible following the effective date of this bill, but no later than July 1, 2025.Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

CA AB 1186 - Mia Bonta
Juveniles: restitution.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on PUB S.
AB 1186, as introduced, Bonta. Juveniles: restitution. Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over minors who are between 12 and 17 years of age, inclusive, who have violated a federal, state, or local law or ordinance, as specified, and over minors under 12 years of age who have been alleged to have committed specified crimes. Existing law authorizes a juvenile court to adjudge a person under these circumstances to be a ward of the court. Existing law authorizes a court, upon adjudicating a person to be a ward of the court, to require the minor to pay restitution to the victim or victims.This bill would remove the ability of the court to require the minor to pay restitution to the victim. The bill would authorize the court to instead order the minor to make amends by participating in a restorative justice program, performing community service, or participating in an educational, employment, youth development, or mental health program, as specified. The bill would require the court to determine the amount of economic loss suffered as a result of the minor’s conduct and issue a restitution order, which would then be transmitted to the California Victim Compensation Board. The bill would require the California Victim Compensation Board, upon appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, to compensate the victim for the amount in the order.Existing law, for the purposes of determining victims for compensation from a ward, defines a victim for these purposes as including, among other things, a governmental entity responsible for repairing privately owned property that has been defaced or a corporation, partnership, association, government, or other legal or commercial entity when that entity is a direct victim of the crime.This bill would remove those entities from the definition of victim.The bill would additionally make other conforming changes.

CA AB 1194 - Wendy Maria Carrillo
California Privacy Rights Act of 2020: exemptions: abortion services.
05/31/2023 - Referred to Com. on JUD.
AB 1194, as introduced, Wendy Carrillo. California Privacy Rights Act of 2020: exemptions: abortion services. Existing law, the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA), approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, grants a consumer various rights with respect to personal information, as defined, that is collected or sold by a business, as defined, including the right to require the business to delete personal information about the consumer, as specified, unless those obligations restrict a business’ ability to, among other things, comply with federal, state, or local laws or comply with a court order or subpoena to provide information, or cooperate with a government agency request for emergency access to a consumer’s personal information if a natural person is at risk or danger of death or serious physical injury, as provided.This bill would, if the consumer’s personal information contains information related to accessing, procuring, or searching for services regarding contraception, pregnancy care, and perinatal care, including, but not limited to, abortion services, require a business to comply with the obligations imposed by the CPRA. The bill would specify that a consumer accessing, procuring, or searching for those services does not constitute a natural person being at risk or danger of death or serious physical injury. The bill would also make nonsubstantive conforming changes.The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 authorizes the Legislature to amend the act to further the purposes and intent of the act by a majority vote of both houses of the Legislature, as specified.This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020.

CA AB 1207 - Jacqui V. Irwin
Cannabis: labeling and advertising.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on B., P. & E. D.
AB 1207, as amended, Irwin. Cannabis: labeling and advertising. The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult-use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. The Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities, including retail commercial cannabis activity. MAUCRSA places specified requirements on the packaging of cannabis and cannabis products. MAUCRSA prohibits a licensee from engaging in specified advertising or marketing activities, including, among others, advertising or marketing in a manner that is false or untrue or tends to create a misleading impression.AUMA authorizes the Legislature to amend by majority vote certain provisions of the act to implement specified substantive provisions, provided that the amendments are consistent with and further the purposes and intent of AUMA.This bill would implement provisions of AUMA by prohibiting the sale or manufacture of cannabis or cannabis products that are attractive to children, as defined, and by prohibiting the advertisement and marketing of cannabis or cannabis products in a way that is attractive to children. The bill would implement AUMA by prohibiting cannabis or cannabis products intended for use by inhalation or combustion from containing any natural or synthetic flavors or descriptors of flavors. The bill would require the adoption of emergency regulations to implement these provisions.

CA AB 1226 - Matt Haney
Corrections: Placement of incarcerated persons.
05/31/2023 - Referred to Com. on PUB S.
AB 1226, as amended, Haney. Corrections: Placement of incarcerated persons. Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to conduct assessments and examinations of all inmates who are newly committed to a state prison that include investigation of all pertinent circumstances of the person’s life, including, but not limited to, data regarding the inmate’s history of substance abuse, medical and mental health, education, family background, criminal activity, and social functioning.Existing law requires the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to assign a prisoner to the institution of the appropriate security level and gender population nearest the prisoner’s home, unless other classification factors make such a placement unreasonable.This bill, for an incarcerated person with a parent and child relationship with a child under 18 years of age, as specified, or who is a guardian or relative caregiver of a child, as defined, would require the secretary to place the person in the correctional institution or facility that is located nearest to the primary place of residence of the person’s child, provided that the placement would be suitable and appropriate, would facilitate increased contact between the person and their child, and the incarcerated parent gives their consent to the placement. The bill would authorize the department to reevaluate an incarcerated person’s placement to determine whether existing orders should be modified, including whether the person’s child has moved to a place significantly nearer to an otherwise suitable and appropriate institution. The bill would allow an incarcerated person to request a review of their housing assignment when there is a change in the primary place of residence of the person’s child upon which the person’s housing assignment was based.

CA AB 1313 - Liz Ortega
Older individuals: case management services.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
AB 1313, as amended, Ortega. Older individuals: case management services. Existing law requires the California Department of Aging to administer the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, which establishes various programs that serve older individuals, defined as persons 60 years of age or older except as specified. The act requires the department to designate various private nonprofit or public agencies as area agencies on aging to work within a planning and service area and provide a broad array of social and nutritional services. Under the act, the department’s mission is to provide leadership to those agencies in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments.This bill would, until January 1, 2030, and subject to an appropriation, require the department to establish a case management services pilot program. Under the bill, the purpose of the program would be to expand statewide the local capacity of supportive services programs by providing case management services to older individuals who need assistance to maintain health and economic stability. The bill would require the Counties of Alameda, Marin, and Sonoma to participate in the pilot program.The bill would require the 3 counties to coordinate with their respective area agencies on aging or other county or community-based entities to deliver the services. The bill would also require those counties to measure performance outcomes during the course of implementing the program. The bill would require those counties, on an annual basis, for the first 5 years during which an appropriation is made, to submit reports to the department containing data on the performance outcomes, in order to determine program efficacy and to inform and shape solutions under a master plan for aging that has been established pursuant to a specified executive order. By creating new duties for the 3 counties relating to participation in the pilot program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Marin, and Sonoma.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 1417 - James D. Wood
Elder and dependent adult abuse: mandated reporting.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Coms. on PUB S. and HUMAN S.
AB 1417, as amended, Wood. Elder and dependent adult abuse: mandated reporting. Existing law, the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, sets forth various provisions for the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of elder and dependent adult abuse. Existing law requires specified people, known as mandated reporters, to report cases of elder or dependent adult abuse. Under existing law, failure to report the abuse is a misdemeanor.Existing law establishes certain procedures for mandated reporters to report known or suspected instances of abuse by telephone followed by a written report, or through a confidential internet reporting tool, as specified. If the abuse is physical abuse, and the abuse occurred in a long-term care facility, with exceptions, existing law sets forth the reporting conditions, including those relating to the format, timelines, and recipients of the reporting. Under existing law, the reporting conditions are based on whether or not the suspected abuse results in serious bodily injury, or whether the suspected abuse is allegedly caused by a resident with a physician’s diagnosis of dementia and there is no serious bodily injury, as specified. If the abuse is not physical abuse, and the abuse occurred in a long-term care facility, with exceptions, existing law requires a telephone report and a written report to be made to the local ombudsman or the local law enforcement agency.This bill would delete and reorganize some of those reporting provisions. Under the bill, if the abuse that occurred in a long-term facility was allegedly caused by another resident of the facility with dementia diagnosed by a licensed physician and there was no serious bodily injury, the reporter would be required to submit a written report within 24 hours to the long-term care ombudsman, the local law enforcement agency, and the corresponding state agency. Under the bill, in all other instances, immediately or as soon as practically possible, but no longer than 2 hours, the reporter would be required to submit a verbal report to the local law enforcement agency, and to submit a written report within 24 hours to the aforementioned recipients. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions.By expanding the scope of the mandated reporting crime, and to the extent the bill would change the duties of local entities receiving the reports, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 1445 - Joaquin Arambula
The Neng Thao Drowning Prevention Safety Act.
05/31/2023 - Referred to Com. on ED.
AB 1445, as amended, Arambula. The Neng Thao Drowning Prevention Safety Act. Existing law requires the Division of Boating and Waterways, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and other appropriate entities involved with water safety, to develop an aquatic safety program to be made available for use at an appropriate grade level in public elementary schools at no expense to the schools. Existing law requires the division to notify schools and school districts of the availability of the aquatic safety program once it is developed.This bill would authorize specified organizations to provide informational materials, in electronic or hardcopy form, to a public elementary school regarding specified topics relating to drowning prevention. The bill would authorize, beginning with the 2024–25 school year, upon receipt of the informational materials, a public elementary school to provide the informational materials to parents, legal guardians, or caregivers of pupils in kindergarten to grade 3, inclusive, at the time the pupil enrolls at the school and at the beginning of each school year.

CA AB 1470 - Sharon Quirk-Silva
Medi-Cal: behavioral health services: documentation standards.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 1470, as amended, Quirk-Silva. Medi-Cal: behavioral health services: documentation standards. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including behavioral health services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, subject to receipt of any necessary federal approvals and the availability of federal financial participation, in order to, among other things, improve quality outcomes and reduce health disparities.The bill, as part of CalAIM, and with respect to behavioral health services provided under the Medi-Cal program, would require the department to standardize data elements relating to documentation requirements, including, but not limited to, medically necessary criteria, and would require the department to develop standard forms containing information necessary to properly adjudicate claims pursuant to CalAIM Terms and Conditions. The bill would require the department to consult with representatives of specified associations and programs for purposes of implementing these provisions.The bill would require the department to conduct, on or before July 1, 2025, regional trainings for personnel and provider networks of applicable entities, including county mental health plans, Medi-Cal managed care plans, and entities within the fee-for-service delivery system, on proper completion of the standard forms. The bill would require each applicable entity to distribute the training material and standard forms to its provider networks, and to commence, no later than July 1, 2025, using the standard forms. The bill would require providers of applicable entities to use those forms, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to restrict the imposition of additional documentation requirements beyond those included on standard forms, as specified.The bill would require the department to conduct an analysis on the status of utilization of the standard forms by applicable entities, and on the status of the trainings and training material, in order to determine the effectiveness of implementation of the above-described provisions. The bill would require the department to prepare annual reports containing findings from the analysis, and, commencing on July 1, 2026, and each year thereafter, to submit the most recent report to the Legislature and to post it on the department’s internet website.

CA AB 1474 - Eloise Gomez Reyes
California Statewide Housing Plan.
06/06/2023 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 1474, as amended, Reyes. California Statewide Housing Plan. Existing law establishes the California Statewide Housing Plan, developed in cooperation with the private housing industry, regional and local housing and planning agencies, and other agencies of the state, to serve as a state housing plan. Existing law requires the plan to incorporate specified segments, including, among others, a housing strategy that coordinates the housing assistance and activities of state and local agencies, including the provision of housing assistance for various population groups, including, but not limited to, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and other specific population groups as deemed appropriate by the department. Existing law, to the extent possible, requires the department to consult with various state departments, including the California Department of Aging and the State Department of Social Services, in developing that housing strategy.This bill would add veterans to the list of population groups included in the housing strategy described above. The bill would require the department to also consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs in developing the housing strategy, to the extent possible.

CA AB 1481 - Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Medi-Cal: presumptive eligibility.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
AB 1481, as amended,  Boerner. Medi-Cal: presumptive eligibility. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing federal law, as a condition of receiving federal Medicaid funds, requires states to provide health care services to specified individuals. Existing federal law authorizes states to provide presumptive eligibility to pregnant women or children, and existing state law requires the department to provide presumptive eligibility to pregnant women and children, as specified.This bill would expand the presumptive eligibility for pregnant women to all pregnant people, renaming the program “Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant People” (PE4PP). The bill would also require the department to ensure that a pregnant person receiving coverage under PE4PP who applies for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits within 60 days receives coverage under PE4PP until their full-scope Medi-Cal application is approved or denied, as specified. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions. Because counties are required to make eligibility determinations, and this bill would expand Medi-Cal eligibility, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 1501 - Joshua Hoover
Business regulations: sexually explicit material.
04/03/2023 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
AB 1501, as introduced, Hoover. Business regulations: sexually explicit material. Existing law, the Parent’s Accountability and Child Protection Act, requires a person or business that conducts business in California and that seeks to sell specified products or services to take reasonable steps to ensure that the purchaser is of legal age at the time of purchase or delivery, including verifying the age of the purchaser. Existing law prohibits a person or business that is required to comply with these provisions from retaining, using, or disclosing any information it receives in an effort to verify age from a purchaser or recipient for any other purpose, except as specified, and subjects a business or person that violates these provisions to a civil penalty.This bill would require a commercial entity that knowingly and intentionally publishes or distributes sexually explicit material on the internet from a sexually explicit website to use an age verification method that prevents minors from accessing sexually explicit material. The bill would make a commercial entity that violates these provisions liable to the parent or legal guardian of a minor who accessed the sexually explicit material, as specified. The bill would prohibit a commercial entity or third party that performs age verification required by these provisions from retaining any identifying information of an individual after age verification has been accomplished. The bill would make a commercial entity that knowingly retains the identifying information of an individual in violation of these provisions liable, as specified. The bill would provide specified exceptions to these provisions, including for a bona fide news or public interest broadcast, website video, report, or event. The bill would define several terms for purposes of these provisions.

CA AB 1506 - Sharon Quirk-Silva
Foster youth.
05/10/2023 - Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and JUD.
AB 1506, as amended, Quirk-Silva. Foster youth. Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings and governs the provision of child welfare services, which is defined to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of specified purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families, and restoring to their families children who have been removed.Existing law grants specified rights to all minors and nonminors in foster care, including, among others, the right to receive medical, dental, vision, and mental health services, the right to be informed of these rights in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, and the right to receive a copy of these rights at specified intervals.This bill would expand these rights to include the opportunity for a child to return to their school to collect their belongings and get closure when a move or change in placement requires the child to change schools.

CA AB 1512 - Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Foster care payments.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 1512, as amended, Bryan. Foster care payments. Existing law provides for the out-of-home placement, including foster care placement, of children who are unable to remain in the custody and care of their parents. Existing law, the federal Social Security Act, provides for benefits for eligible beneficiaries, including survivorship and disability benefits and supplemental security income (SSI) benefits for, among others, blind and disabled children. Existing law requires every youth who is in foster care and nearing emancipation to be screened by the county for potential eligibility for federal Supplemental Security Income and requires that screening to occur when the foster youth is at least 16 years and 6 months of age and not older than 17 years and 6 months of age.This bill, among other things, would require the assistance the county provides to the foster youth with respect to those benefits to include applicable financial literacy training and support. The bill would require the county to document that assistance in the youth’s transitional independent living plan. The bill would require the above-described screening to occur within 60 days of the child’s entry into foster care, as specified. The bill would also require a placing agency to act in accordance with specified guidelines and pursuant to certain requirements when acting as the representative payee or in any other fiduciary capacity for a child or youth, including, among other requirements, ensuring that the child’s benefits are not used to pay for, or to reimburse, the placing agency for any costs of the child’s care. By increasing county duties with respect to foster youth, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to convene a workgroup to develop best practice guidelines for county welfare departments to assist eligible children who are in the state’s or a county’s custody and are qualified in obtaining federal social security and supplemental security income benefits. Existing law requires that workgroup to make recommendations to the department, by December 31, 2006, regarding the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of reserving a designated amount of foster children’s social security and SSI/SSP benefits in lieu of reimbursing the county and the state for care and maintenance, and, in making those recommendations, to consider that the reserved benefits would be for the purpose of assisting the foster child in the transfer to self-sufficient living in a manner consistent with federal law.This bill would repeal the requirement for that workgroup to make the above-described recommendations regarding feasibility and cost-effectiveness.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

CA AB 1536 - Michael A. Gipson
Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Immigrants.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 1536, as introduced, Juan Carrillo. Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Immigrants. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish and supervise a county- or county consortia-administered program to provide cash assistance for aged, blind, or disabled legal immigrants who are not citizens who, due to their immigration status, are not eligible for the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled, also known as SSI/SSP benefits. Under existing law, an individual is eligible for this program if their immigration status meets SSI/SSP eligibility criteria but they are not eligible for those benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also requires any person who is found to be eligible by the department for federally funded SSI to apply for SSI benefits.This bill would expand eligibility for that program to aged, blind, and disabled individuals regardless of immigration status if the individual meets the eligibility criteria for the program and is not eligible solely due to their immigration status. This bill would exempt individuals who are not qualified immigrants, as specified, from having to apply for SSI in order to receive benefits. The bill would also delete several inoperative provisions. By expanding county duties under the program, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 1549 - Wendy Maria Carrillo
Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 1549, as amended, Wendy Carrillo. Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including federally qualified health center services and rural health clinic services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.Under existing law, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, FQHC and RHC services are reimbursed on a per-visit basis, as specified.This bill would, among other things, require that per-visit rate to account for the costs of the FQHC or RHC that are reasonable and related to the provision of covered services, including the specific staffing and care delivery models used by the FQHC and RHC to deliver those services. The bill would also require the rate for any newly qualified health center to include the cost of care coordination services provided by the health center, as specified.

CA AB 1570 - Evan Low
Optometry: certification to perform advanced procedures.
03/09/2023 - Referred to Com. on B. & P.
AB 1570, as introduced, Low. Optometry: certification to perform advanced procedures. Existing law, the Optometry Practice Act, establishes the State Board of Optometry in the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure and regulation of the practice of optometry. Existing law makes a violation of the act a misdemeanor. Existing law excludes certain classes of agents from the practice of optometry unless they have an explicit United States Food and Drug Administration-approved indication, as specified.This bill would add neuromuscular blockers to the list of excluded classes of agents. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.Existing law requires an optometrist who holds a therapeutic pharmaceutical agents certification and meets specified requirements to be certified to medically treat authorized glaucomas.This bill would authorize an optometrist certified to treat glaucoma to obtain certification to perform specified advanced procedures if the optometrist meets certain education, training, examination, and other requirements, as specified. By requiring optometrists, qualified educators, and course administrators to certify or attest specified information relating to advanced procedure competency, thus expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the board to set a fee for the issuance and renewal of the certificate authorizing the use of advanced procedures, which would be deposited in the Optometry Fund. The bill would require an optometrist who performs advanced procedures pursuant to these provisions to report certain information to the board, including any adverse treatment outcomes that required a referral to or consultation with another health care provider. The bill would require the board to compile a report summarizing the data collected and make the report available on the board’s internet website.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

CA AB 1587 - Philip Y. Ting
Multifamily Housing Program: report on use of funds.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HOUSING.
AB 1587, as amended, Ting. Multifamily Housing Program: report on use of funds. Existing law establishes the Multifamily Housing Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Existing law requires that funds appropriated to provide housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic be disbursed in accordance with the Multifamily Housing Program for specified uses, including as grants to cities, counties, and cities and counties. Existing law requires the department, in coordination with the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, to report to specified committees of the Legislature on the use of these funds, as provided, on or before April 1, 2021. Existing law requires the report to include specified information, including the location of any properties for which the funds are used and the number of usable housing units produced, or planned to be produced, using the funds.This bill would revise the reporting requirement described above by requiring the department to report on the use of those funds on or before July 1, 2026. The bill would additionally require that report to include the average cost and length of time to rehabilitate or convert units to long-term housing units, what services are provided to individuals, how the services are funded, and the length of time to spend the funds.

CA AB 1644 - Buffy Wicks
Medi-Cal: medically supportive food and nutrition services.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 1644, as amended, Bonta. Medi-Cal: medically supportive food and nutrition services. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.Existing law requires the department to establish the Medically Tailored Meals Pilot Program and the Short-Term Medically Tailored Meals Intervention Services Program, to operate in specified counties and during limited periods for the purpose of providing medically tailored meal intervention services to eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries with certain health conditions, including congestive heart failure, cancer, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or renal disease.Existing law, subject to implementation of the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, authorizes a Medi-Cal managed care plan to elect to cover community supports approved by the department as cost effective and medically appropriate in a comprehensive risk contract that are in lieu of applicable Medi-Cal state plan services. Under existing law, community supports that the department is authorized to approve include, among other things, medically supportive food and nutrition services, including medically tailored meals.This bill would make medically supportive food and nutrition interventions, as defined, a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program, upon issuance of final guidance by the department. The bill would require medically supportive food and nutrition interventions to be covered when determined to be medically necessary by a health care provider or health care plan, as specified. In order to qualify for coverage under the Medi-Cal program, the bill would require a patient to be offered at least 3 of 6 specified medically supportive food and nutrition interventions and for the interventions to be provided for a minimum duration of 12 weeks, as specified. The bill would only provide coverage for nutrition support interventions when paired with the provision of food through one of the 3 offered interventions. The bill would require a health care provider to match the acuity of a patient’s condition to the intensity and duration of the medically supportive food and nutrition intervention and include culturally appropriate foods whenever possible.The bill would establish a medically supportive food and nutrition benefit advisory workgroup to advise the department in developing final guidance related to eligible populations, the duration and dosage of medically supportive food and nutrition interventions, the ratesetting process, determination of permitted providers, and continuing education for health care providers, as specified. The bill would require the workgroup to include certain stakeholders knowledgeable in medically supportive food and nutrition interventions and stakeholders from Medi-Cal consumer advocacy organizations. The bill would require the workgroup to meet at least quarterly and would require the department to issue final guidance on or before July 1, 2026. The bill would also include findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to the need for medically supportive food and nutrition intervention coverage under the Medi-Cal program.

CA AB 1672 - Henry I. Stern
In-Home Supportive Services Employer-Employee Relations Act.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 1672, as introduced, Haney. In-Home Supportive Services Employer-Employee Relations Act. (1) Existing law establishes the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, which is administered by the State Department of Social Services, counties, and other entities, under which qualified aged, blind, or disabled persons are provided with supportive services in order to permit them to remain in their own homes. Existing law authorizes a county board of supervisors to elect to contract with a nonprofit consortium to provide for the delivery of in-home supportive services or to establish, by ordinance, a public authority to provide for the delivery of those services, in accordance with certain procedures. Existing law deems a public authority created under these provisions to be the employer of in-home supportive services personnel under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, which governs labor relations between local public employers and employees. Existing law also deems a nonprofit consortium contracting with a county to be the employer of in-home supportive services personnel for purposes of collective bargaining over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. Existing law grants recipients of in-home supportive services the right to hire, fire, and supervise the work of any in-home supportive services personnel providing services for them. Existing law prohibits the state and specified local public employers from deterring or discouraging public employees from becoming or remaining members of an employee organization. Existing law also requires specified public employers to provide exclusive employee representatives access to new employee orientations. Existing law generally grants the Public Employment Relations Board jurisdiction over violations of these provisions. Existing law defines “public employers” who are subject to these provisions as including, among others, public agencies, cities, counties, and districts. This bill would expand the definition of “public employer,” for purposes of those provisions, to include an employer who is subject to the In-Home Supportive Services Employer-Employee Relations Act, which the bill would create. The bill would establish a method for resolving disputes regarding wages, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment between the state and recognized employee organizations representing independent providers. The bill would provide for the right of employees, also known as individual providers under the act, to form, join, and participate in activities of employee organizations for the purposes of representation on all matters within the scope of employee organizations. The bill would define “employee” or “individual provider” for these purposes to mean a person authorized to provide in-home supportive services pursuant to the individual provider mode or waiver personal care services, as prescribed. For purposes of collective bargaining, the bill would deem the state to be the employer of record of individual providers in each county. The bill would grant the in-home supportive services recipient with the right to hire, fire, and supervise the work of the individual providers providing services to them. Among other things, the bill would specify that individual providers employed by a predecessor agency before the effective date of the act shall retain employee status and not be required by the state to requalify to receive payment for providing in-home supportive services. Among other things, for purposes of collective bargaining, the bill would provide that existing bargaining units consisting of individual providers in a single county that are represented by the same recognized employee organization shall be deemed merged into the largest possible multicounty bargaining units represented by that employee organization, upon the effective date of this act. In counties where no recognized employee organization exists as of the effective date of the act, the bill would

CA AB 1675 - Juan Alanis
Foster care: enrichment activities.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 1675, as amended, Alanis. Foster care: enrichment activities. Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge children to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm, or a parent fails to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings, and governs the provision of child welfare services. Existing law entitles every child adjudged a dependent of the juvenile court who is placed in foster care with the right to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities.Existing law requires a county social worker to create a case plan for foster youth within a specified timeframe, and requires the case plan to be developed considering the recommendations of the child and family team in accordance with certain requirements, including, that the case plan identifies specific goals and the appropriateness of the planned services in meeting those goals. Existing law requires a court to review the status of a dependent child in foster care at least once every 6 months until a subsequent dispositional hearing is completed, and requires the court to consider the safety of the child and make certain determinations, including, among other things, the continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement, and the extent of the agency’s compliance with the case plan in making efforts, as specified, to return the child to a safe home and to complete any steps necessary to finalize their permanent placement.This bill would require a caseworker to discuss enrichment and extracurricular activities with each child or nonminor dependent at the monthly caseworker visits in order to identify potential activities and funding for the activities, and would require specified information regarding the enrichment and extracurricular activities in the case plan. The bill would also require the court to make additional determinations regarding the enrichment and extracurricular activities that the child or nonminor dependent is participating in, among other things. By increasing the duties of county child welfare agencies, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, State Department of Health Care Services, and State Department of Education to develop a plan to maximize and leverage the usage of any available funds to support participation in enrichment activities for children and youth in foster care. The bill would, if the State Department of Health Care Services’s application for a federal Medicaid demonstration project, known as the California Behavioral Health Community-Based Continuum Demonstration (CalBH-CBC), is granted by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, require the State Department of Health Care Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Social Services, to convene a stakeholder workgroup, as specified, to assist in developing how the activity stipend benefit for current and former foster youth and children who have received or are receiving family maintenance services under the project will be implemented.Existing law, the Budget Act of 2022, appropriates $50,000,000 to the State Department of Social Services to allocate funding to county and tribal entities to, among other things, cover costs to facilitate a foster caregiver’s and child’s participation in child and youth enrichment activities that are not covered by the caregiver-specif

CA AB 1708 - Carlos Villapudua
Theft.
04/19/2023 - Coauthors revised.
AB 1708, as amended, Muratsuchi. Theft. (1) Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, defines and prohibits an act of shoplifting and prohibits prosecution for an act of shoplifting under any other law.This bill would refine the definition of shoplifting and would specifically exclude certain offenses from prosecution as shoplifting, including, among others, the theft of a firearm or vehicle, identity theft, and credit card fraud.(2) Existing law requires, except as excluded, the theft of any property valued below $950 to be charged as petty theft, a misdemeanor.This bill would similarly exclude certain offenses from this provision, including, among others, the theft of a vehicle, identity theft, and credit card fraud.(3) Existing law provides that a person with a prior conviction for specified sex offenses may be charged with a felony for shoplifting or for theft of property not exceeding $950 in value.This bill would require a person convicted of petty theft or shoplifting, if the person has 2 or more prior convictions for specified theft-related offenses, to be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year, or for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years.(4) Existing law, until January 1, 2026, authorizes a city or county prosecuting authority or county probation department to create a diversion or deferred entry of judgment program pursuant to this section for persons who commit a theft offense or repeat theft offenses, as specified.This bill would authorize a city or county prosecuting authority or county probation department to create a diversion program for persons who commit theft or repeat theft offenses, as specified.(5) This bill would provide that the provisions of the bill that amend Proposition 47 would become effective only upon approval of the voters, and would provide for the submission of those provisions to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

CA AB 1754 - House Judiciary Committee
Maintenance of the codes.
05/03/2023 - Referred to Com. on JUD.
AB 1754, as introduced, Committee on Judiciary. Maintenance of the codes. Existing law directs the Legislative Counsel to advise the Legislature from time to time as to legislation necessary to maintain the codes.This bill would make nonsubstantive changes in various provisions of the law to effectuate the recommendations made by the Legislative Counsel to the Legislature.

CA AB 20 - Michael A. Gipson
Postadoption contact agreements: reinstatement of parental rights.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUMAN S.
AB 20, as amended, Gipson. Postadoption contact agreements: reinstatement of parental rights. Existing law provides that a child may be adjudged to be a dependent of the juvenile court because of abuse or neglect. Existing law requires the court to review the status of certain dependent children no less frequently than once every 6 months and requires a supplemental report to be filed as part of that review. Existing law requires, when the report is regarding a child for whom the court has ordered parental rights terminated and who has been ordered placed for adoption, or, for an Indian child for whom parental rights are not being terminated and a tribal customary adoption is being considered, the report to include, among other things, a description of whether the final adoption order should include provisions for postadoptive sibling contact. This bill would instead require the report to include a description, if applicable, of the status of the postadoptive sibling agreement.Existing law provides a procedure for permanently terminating parental rights with regard to a child who has been adjudged a dependent child of the juvenile court. Existing law requires the social worker or probation officer to give notice of a hearing to terminate parental rights to specified individuals, including, among others, any known sibling of the child who is the subject of the hearing if the sibling is either the subject of a dependency proceeding or has been adjudged a dependent child of the juvenile court.This bill would also require that notice be provided to siblings who are nonminor dependents as well as to the child’s Court-Appointed Special Advocate, if one has been appointed. The bill would establish a procedure for certain children and nonminor dependents for whom the parental rights of their biological parent or parents were terminated to petition the court to reinstate or modify their biological parent’s or parents’ parental rights, as specified.Existing law requires, if parental rights are terminated and the court orders a dependent child or ward to be placed for adoption, the county, to the extent practicable, to convene a meeting with the child, the sibling or siblings of the child, the prospective adoptive parent or parents, and a facilitator for the purpose of deciding whether to voluntarily execute a postadoption sibling contact agreement. Existing law provides that the county placing agency is not required to convene a meeting to decide whether to voluntarily execute a postadoption sibling contact agreement if specified circumstances occur. This bill would instead specify that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss a postadoption sibling contact agreement within 90 days after termination of parental rights and prior to finalization of the adoption, as specified.Existing law allows, in an adoption proceeding, for continuing contact between the birth relatives and a child if a postadoption contact agreement is entered into voluntarily and is in the best interests of the child at the time the adoption petition is granted. Existing law specifies that a postadoption contact agreement with siblings with whom the child does not have a preexisting relationship may only include provisions for the sharing of information about the child.This bill would permit a postadoption contact agreement with siblings with whom the child does not have a preexisting relationship to also include provisions for visitation and for future contact.The bill would make conforming changes.By increasing the duties of county placing agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

CA AB 221 - Philip Y. Ting
Budget Act of 2023.
01/26/2023 - Referred to Com. on BUDGET.
AB 221, as introduced, Ting. Budget Act of 2023. This bill would make appropriations for the support of state government for the 2023–24 fiscal year.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.

CA AB 283 - James Norwood Patterson Jr.
Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.
06/08/2023 - Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
AB 283, as introduced, Jim Patterson. Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the Mental Health Oversight and Accountability Commission to oversee the implementation of the MHSA. Existing law specifies the composition of the 16-member commission, including the Attorney General or their designee, the Superintendent of Public Instruction or their designee, specified members of the Legislature, and 12 members appointed by the Governor, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes the MHSA to be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Legislature if the amendments are consistent with, and further the purposes of, the MHSA, or by a majority vote to clarify procedures and terms. This bill would urge the Governor, in making appointments, to consider ensuring geographic representation among the 10 regions of California defined by the 2020 census.

CA AB 304 - Christopher R. Holden
Domestic violence: probation.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 304, as amended, Holden. Domestic violence: probation. Existing law specifies that the terms of probation granted to a person who has been convicted of domestic violence are required to include, among other things, successful completion of a batterer’s program, as defined, or, if such a program is not available, another appropriate counseling program designated by the court, for a period of not less than one year, and a protective order protecting the victim from further acts of violence, threats, stalking, sexual abuse, and harassment. Existing law requires the court to order the defendant to comply with all probation requirements, including the payment of program fees based upon the ability to pay. If the court finds that a defendant does not have the ability to pay the program fee, existing law authorizes the court to reduce or waive the program fee. Existing law requires a batterer’s program to develop and utilize a sliding fee schedule based on a defendant’s ability to pay. The bill would require program providers, as defined, to publicly post, including on an internet website, a comprehensive description of their sliding fee scales. The bill would require the court to inform the defendant of the availability of a program fee waiver, if they do not have the ability to pay for the program, and to provide each defendant with a selection of available program providers and those providers’ standard fees and sliding fee scales before the defendant agrees to the conditions of probation. Existing law requires the probation department, when investigating the appropriate batterer’s program for a defendant, to take into account, among other factors, the defendant’s age, medical history, and educational background. Existing law requires a program to meet certain requirements, including immediately reporting any violation of the terms of the protective order to the court, the prosecutor, and, if formal probation has not been ordered, to the probation department. The bill would require the probation department, when investigating the appropriate program, to also take into account the defendant’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and financial means and to promptly notify each program in which the defendant is required to participate the defendant’s other required, court-mandated programs and probation violations pertaining to a domestic violence offense. The bill would require a program provider to report a violation of the protective order within 7 business days. Existing law requires the court to refer persons to batterer’s programs that have been approved by the probation department. Existing law requires the probation department to design and implement an approval and renewal process for batterer’s programs, to regulate those programs, as specified, and to fix a yearly fee, not to exceed $250 to approve an application or renewal.The bill would place these requirements, instead, in the Department of Justice.The bill, when referencing a batterer’s program, would specifically indicate another appropriate counseling program if a batterer’s program is not available. The bill would, by April 1, 2024, require the Department of Justice to oversee the probation departments and program providers and be responsible for various aspects of this oversight, including collaboration with the Judicial Council and relevant stakeholders to set program provider standards, approving, monitoring, and renewing approvals of program providers, conducting periodic audits of probation departments and program providers, and developing, in consultation with the Injury and Violence Prevention Branch of the State Department of Public Health, comprehensive statewide standards through regulations. The bill would, by April 1, 2024, require the Judicial Council to establish guidelines and training for judges to ensure the consistent adjudication of probation violations.Existing law requires the Judicial Council to establish judicial training programs for indiv

CA AB 311 - Melissa Hurtado
California Food Assistance Program: eligibility and benefits.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 311, as introduced, Santiago. California Food Assistance Program: eligibility and benefits. Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county.Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), to provide assistance to a noncitizen of the United States if the person’s immigration status meets the eligibility criteria of SNAP in effect on August 21, 1996, but the person is not eligible for SNAP benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also makes eligible for the program an applicant who is otherwise eligible for the program, but who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, if the applicant is sponsored and the applicant meets one of a list of criteria, including that the applicant, after entry into the United States, is a victim of the sponsor or the spouse of the sponsor if the spouse is living with the sponsor.Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, makes an individual 55 years of age or older eligible for the program if the individual’s immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits.This bill would remove that age limitation and make any individual eligible for the program if the individual’s immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. By extending eligibility for CFAP, which is administered by the counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 331 - Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Automated decision tools.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 331, as amended, Bauer-Kahan. Automated decision tools. The Unruh Civil Rights Act provides that all persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act protects and safeguards the right and opportunity of all persons to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination, abridgment, or harassment on account of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, reproductive health decisionmaking, or veteran or military status. The act establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and requires the department to, among other things, bring civil actions to enforce the act.This bill would, among other things, require a deployer, as defined, and a developer of an automated decision tool, as defined, to, on or before January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, perform an impact assessment for any automated decision tool the deployer uses that includes, among other things, a statement of the purpose of the automated decision tool and its intended benefits, uses, and deployment contexts. The bill would require a deployer or developer to provide the impact assessment to the Civil Rights Department within 60 days of its completion and would punish a violation of that provision with an administrative fine of not more than $10,000 to be recovered in an administrative enforcement action brought by the Civil Rights Department. The bill would authorize certain public attorneys, including the Attorney General, to bring a civil action against a deployer or developer for a violation of the bill. The bill would require a public attorney to, before commencing an action for injunctive relief, provide 45 days’ written notice to a deployer or developer of the alleged violations of the bill and would provide a deployer or developer a specified opportunity to cure those violations, if, among other things, the deployer or developer provides the person who gave the notice an express written statement, under penalty of perjury, that the violation has been cured and that no further violations shall occur. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.This bill would require a deployer to, at or before the time an automated decision tool is used to make a consequential decision, as defined, notify any natural person that is the subject of the consequential decision that an automated decision tool is being used to make, or be a controlling factor in making, the consequential decision and to provide that person with, among other things, a statement of the purpose of the automated decision tool. The bill would, if a consequential decision is made solely based on the output of an automated decision tool, require a deployer to, if technically feasible, accommodate a natural person’s request to not be subject to the automated decision tool and to be subject to an alternative selection process or accommodation, as prescribed. This bill would prohibit a deployer from using an automated decision tool that results in algorithmic discrimination, which the bill would define to mean the condition in which an automated decision tool contributes to unjustified differential treatment or impacts disfavoring people based on their actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, national origin, limited English proficiency, disability, veteran s

CA AB 365 - Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry
Medi-Cal: diabetes management.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 365, as amended, Aguiar-Curry. Medi-Cal: diabetes management. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law sets forth a schedule of benefits under the Medi-Cal program. This bill would add continuous glucose monitors and related supplies required for use with those monitors as a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program, subject to utilization controls. The bill would require the department, by July 1, 2024, to review and update, as appropriate, coverage policies for continuous glucose monitors, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to require a manufacturer of a continuous glucose monitor to enter into a rebate agreement with the department. The bill would limit its implementation to the extent that any necessary federal approvals are obtained and federal financial participation is not otherwise jeopardized. The bill would make related findings and declarations.

CA AB 366 - Cottie Petrie-Norris
County human services agencies: workforce development.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 366, as amended, Petrie-Norris. County human services agencies: workforce development. Existing law  generally provides for various human services programs, including, but not limited to, child welfare services. Existing law requires the state, through the department and county welfare departments, to establish and support a public system of statewide child welfare services to be available in each county of the state, and requires all counties to establish and maintain specialized organizational entities within the county welfare department, which have sole responsibility for the operation of the child welfare services program.This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to establish a $5,000,000 stipend program, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purpose of providing grants in the form of educational stipends to community college students who have an interest in public child welfare work. The bill would require the department to administer the program through existing mechanisms applicable to other postsecondary education stipend programs administered by the department for which the state receives matching funds pursuant to specified federal law. The bill would require the program to provide stipends to students enrolled in a community college in counties with a population of 500,000 or less, and who are in a relevant program of coursework, as specified.Existing law vests the Department of Human Resources with the jurisdiction and responsibility of establishing and maintaining personnel standards on a merit basis, and administering merit systems for local government agencies where those merit systems of employment are required by statute or regulation as a condition of a state-funded program or a federal grant-in-aid program established under federal law, including, but not limited to, the Social Security Act, as specified. Existing law requires the department, for the purposes of administering those state or federally supported programs, by regulation, to establish and maintain personnel standards on a merit basis for local agencies, as specified, as necessary for proper and efficient administration, and to ensure state conformity with applicable federal requirements. Existing law requires the department to administer the merit system for employees engaged in administering state-funded and federal grant-in-aid programs in a local agency not administering its own merit system, as specified.This bill, notwithstanding those provisions, would require the department, for local agencies with an employment vacancy rate of 20% or greater for 30 consecutive days in any state-funded or federal grant-in-aid program, to allow those agencies to use alternate minimum qualifications and processes to screen applications and establish eligibility lists for recruitment of new staff, and advancement of existing staff, until the vacancy rate falls below 20 percent continuously for 3 consecutive months. The bill would authorize those alternatives to include, but not be limited to, allowing counties to screen and establish eligibility lists directly with oversight by the department, implementing alternative examination requirements without advance approval by the department, and waiving examination components. The bill would require the department, by July 1, 2026, to convene representatives of local agencies and applicable state departments, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Child Support Services to develop and implement streamlined processes and requirements in the implementation of a merit-based personnel system. The bill would require the department to implement any policy changes through departmental memoranda until regulations are adopted, and would require those regulations to be adopted by July 1, 2027.

CA AB 369 - Rick Chavez Zbur
Foster care: independent living.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
AB 369, as amended, Zbur. Foster care: independent living. Existing law establishes the Independent Living Program (ILP), which has among its purposes providing training in daily living skills, budgeting, locating and maintaining housing, and career planning for foster youth up to 21 years of age. Existing federal law authorizes a state, under certain circumstances, to expand eligibility for the ILP to former foster youth who have not attained 23 years of age. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, with the approval of the federal government, to amend the foster care state plan to permit all eligible children to be served by the ILP up to 21 years of age.This bill would require, by June 30, 2025, the department to develop a plan, in consultation with, among others, county ILP administrators, to, among other things, update and upgrade curriculum to facilitate successful transitions to adulthood. This bill would expand the age for all eligible children to be served by the ILP up to 23 years of age, in those counties that opt to provide those extended services.Existing law authorizes a child who is declared a ward or dependent child of the court who is 16 years of age or older, or a nonminor dependent, as defined, who is participating in a transitional independent living case plan to retain resources with a combined value of $10,000, consistent with federal law, and still remain eligible to receive public social services. Existing law requires the written approval of a child’s probation officer or social worker for withdrawal of the child’s savings, as specified.Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care.This bill would remove that monetary value limit and instead allow those nonminor dependents to retain resources consistent with federal law. The bill would prohibit those resources from being evaluated after the initial determination for the same foster care episode to determine continued eligibility for a foster care maintenance payment. The bill would also authorize a nonminor dependent who reenters foster care, as specified, and is ineligible for federal financial participation due to cash savings in an amount that is greater than allowed, to receive aid in the form of state AFDC-FC if certain requirements are met. Because counties would administer these extended benefits, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

CA AB 385 - Tri Ta
Alzheimer’s disease: public awareness campaign.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 385, as introduced, Ta. Alzheimer’s disease: public awareness campaign. Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to provide, or contract for the provision of, public and professional education on Alzheimer’s disease for consumers, caregivers, and health care providers.This bill would require the department to implement a public awareness campaign, as specified, and include education for unpaid caregivers. The bill would also make related legislative findings and declarations.

CA AB 386 - Stephanie Nguyen
California Right to Financial Privacy Act.
05/10/2023 - Referred to Coms. on PUB S. and B. & F.I.
AB 386, as amended, Stephanie Nguyen. California Right to Financial Privacy Act. Existing law, the California Right to Financial Privacy Act, generally provides for the confidentiality of, and restricts access to, the financial records of people who transact business with, or use the services of, financial institutions or for whom a financial institution has acted as a fiduciary. Existing law establishes an exception by authorizing various state and local agencies, when certification is made to a bank, credit union, or savings association by specified law enforcement entities that a crime report has been filed that involves the alleged fraudulent use of orders drawn upon a bank, credit union, or savings association in this state, to request from such a bank, credit union, or savings association, and requires the bank, credit union, or savings association to furnish, a statement setting forth certain information with respect to a customer account specified by the requesting party, for a period of 30 days before, and up to 30 days following, the date of occurrence of the alleged illegal act involving the account.This bill would expand the period covered by that statement of information to a period 90 days before, and up to 60 days following, the date of occurrence. The bill would require specified additional items of information to be included in the statement about the account.

CA AB 387 - Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry
Alzheimer’s disease.
06/07/2023 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 387, as amended, Aguiar-Curry. Alzheimer’s disease. Existing law requires the Secretary of California Health and Human Services to be responsible for oversight and coordination of programs serving people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions, and their families. Existing law establishes the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee in the California Health and Human Services Agency, and specifies the committee’s duties, including requirements for making policy and plan recommendations.This bill would rename the advisory committee to the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Conditions Advisory Committee, and expand the number of members serving on the committee from 14 to at least 21, but not more than 25, members. This bill would specify the qualifications of certain members on the committee. The bill would, in the provisions governing the committee, revise references to Alzheimer’s disease to also refer to related conditions.

CA AB 408 - Damon Connolly
Climate-resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond Act of 2024.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 408, as amended, Wilson. Climate-resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond Act of 2024. Existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to promote and protect the agricultural industry of the state. Existing law under Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 2/3 vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters.This bill would enact the Climate-resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,365,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, to finance programs related to, among other things, agricultural lands, food and fiber infrastructure, climate resilience, agricultural professionals, including farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers, workforce development and training, air quality, tribes, disadvantaged communities, nutrition, food aid, meat processing facilities, and fishing facilities.The bill would provide for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

CA AB 423 - Brian K. Maienschein
Department of Justice: missing persons.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 423, as introduced, Maienschein. Department of Justice: missing persons. Existing law requires the Attorney General to establish and maintain the Violent Crime Information Center to assist, as specified, in the identification and apprehension of persons responsible for specific violent crimes and for the disappearance and exploitation of persons, particularly children and at-risk adults.This bill would require the Attorney General to convene a working group, as specified, within the Department of Justice Missing and Unidentified Persons Section, to study and propose legislative solutions to the problem of “wandering,” described as the phenomenon of cognitively impaired persons, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or autism, wandering away from home, care facilities, or other familiar surroundings and becoming lost or confused about their surroundings. The bill would require the working group to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature, as specified.

CA AB 425 - David Alvarez
Medi-Cal: pharmacogenomic testing.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 425, as amended, Alvarez. Medi-Cal: pharmacogenomic testing. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law sets forth a schedule of covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program.This bill would add pharmacogenomic testing as a covered benefit under Medi-Cal, as specified. The bill would define pharmacogenomic testing as laboratory genetic testing that includes, but is not limited to, a panel test, to identify how a person’s genetics may impact the efficacy, toxicity, and safety of medications, including medications prescribed for behavioral or mental health, oncology, hematology, pain management, infectious disease, urology, reproductive or sexual health, neurology, gastroenterology, or cardiovascular diseases.The bill would also make related legislative findings.

CA AB 435 - Sabrina Cervantes
Public social services: automated application process.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 435, as amended, Cervantes. Public social services: automated application process. Existing law requires the Office of Systems Integration within the California Health and Human Services Agency to implement a statewide automated welfare system, known as the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS), for various public assistance programs, including the CalWORKs program, CalFresh, and the Medi-Cal program. Under existing law, among other duties, the state is consolidating existing consortia systems into the single CalSAWS.Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish and supervise the Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants (CAPI), which provides cash assistance to aged, blind, and disabled legal immigrants who are not citizens of the United States, as specified. Existing law establishes the state-funded Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP), which provides critical benefits and services to noncitizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. Existing law also requires the department, after setting aside state administrative funds, to allocate social services funds derived from appropriated federal funds and federally targeted assistance to eligible counties. Existing law requires these funds, known as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), to be used by the county, pursuant to a plan developed by the county, to provide services to refugees that lead to successful self-sufficiency and social integration for the refugees.This bill would require CalSAWS to accept and process applications for CAPI, TCVAP, and RCA. The bill would require a county social services department to post on its internet website general information identifying available immigrant benefit services, including, but not limited to, those programs. By increasing the duties of county human services departments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services, with 60 days of the effective date of the bill, to report to the budget committees and relevant policy committees of the Legislature the department’s plan to ensure that potential beneficiaries are able to apply online for those programs by December 1, 2024, or when the department notifies the Legislature that CalSAWS can perform the necessary automation to implement it, as specified. The bill would require the department to implement the bill’s requirements by all-county letters or similar instructions, beginning no later than March 1, 2024, or when the department notifies the Legislature that CalSAWS can perform the necessary automation to implement it, until regulations are adopted. The bill also would make findings and declarations relating to CalSAWS automation activities.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 438 - Blanca E. Rubio
Pupils with exceptional needs: individualized education programs: postsecondary goals and transition services.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 438, as introduced, Blanca Rubio. Pupils with exceptional needs: individualized education programs: postsecondary goals and transition services. Existing law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those pupils with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services as reflected in an individualized education program. Existing law requires, beginning not later than the first individualized education program to be in effect when a pupil is 16 years of age, or younger if determined appropriate by the individualized education program team, and updated annually thereafter, the individualized education program to include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals and transition services, as defined, needed to assist the pupil in reaching those goals.This bill would instead require an individualized education program, commencing July 1, 2025, to include measurable postsecondary goals and transition services beginning when an individual with exceptional needs is 14 years of age. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies in relation to individualized education programs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 448 - Juan Carrillo
Juveniles: relative placement: family finding.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 448, as amended, Juan Carrillo. Juveniles: relative placement: family finding. (1) Existing law requires a county social worker to investigate the circumstances of each child taken into temporary custody by a peace officer under specified circumstances. Existing law requires the social worker to conduct an investigation, within 30 days of the child’s removal, to identify and locate adult relatives of the child, as specified, and to provide them with a notification that the child has been removed from the custody of the child’s parents, guardians, or Indian custodian, and an explanation of the various options to participate in the care and placement of the child. This bill would require the social worker to conduct the investigation to identify and locate adult relatives, immediately, and no later than 30 days, after the child has been taken into temporary custody.(2) Existing law establishes procedures for an initial petition hearing by the juvenile court if a child is being taken into temporary custody. Existing law requires a social worker to report to the court the reasons the child was removed from the parent’s, guardian’s, or Indian custodian’s physical custody and the need, if any, for continued detention, available services, and if there are any relatives who are willing and able to take temporary physical custody of the child.This bill would additionally require the social worker to report to the court what efforts, and in the case of an Indian child, the active efforts, as defined, and findings the social worker has made to locate any relatives who are able and willing to take temporary physical custody of the child, and the names of any relatives who are able and willing to take temporary physical custody of the child.(3) Existing law provides that a child may be adjudged to be a dependent of the juvenile court because of abuse or neglect, and that after this determination, the court is required to hear evidence on the question of the proper disposition to be made of the child. Existing law requires that before determining the appropriate disposition, the court receive in evidence, among other things, the social study of the child made by the social worker and evaluation made by a child advocate appointed by the court. Existing law further prescribes the information that is required to be included in that social study or evaluation, including the appropriateness of any relative placement. Existing law requires the court to review the status of every dependent child in foster care no less frequently than once every 6 months and requires a supplemental report to be filed as part of that review.This bill would additionally require the social study, and any supplemental report, to include the efforts, and in the case of an Indian child, the active efforts, as defined, and findings that the social worker has made to locate any relatives who are able and willing to take temporary physical custody of the child and the names of any relatives who are able and willing to take temporary physical custody of the child. The bill would also require the court, in conducting the periodic status review, to additionally determine whether the social worker has continued efforts, and in the case of an Indian child, the active efforts, as defined, to locate any relatives who are able and willing to take physical custody of the child and the names of any relatives who are able and willing to take temporary physical custody of the child.(4) Existing law requires a probation officer, upon delivery of a minor who has been taken into temporary custody, to immediately investigate the circumstances of the minor and the facts surrounding the minor being taken into custody and to immediately release the minor to the custody of their parent, legal guardian, or responsible relative, including a grandparent, adult sibling, or other relative, unless evidence before the court demonstrates that continuance in the home is contrary to the child’s welfa

CA AB 471 - Ash Kalra
Cannabis catering.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 471, as amended, Kalra. Cannabis catering. Existing law, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult-use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. Existing law, the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities. Under MAUCRSA, the Department of Cannabis Control has sole authority to license and regulate commercial cannabis activity, which MAUCRSA defines to include, among other activities, the delivery and sale of cannabis and cannabis products as provided for therein, and acting as a cannabis event organizer for temporary cannabis events.This bill would add acting as a cannabis caterer for a private event to the definition of commercial cannabis activity.MAUCRSA does not supersede or limit the authority of a local jurisdiction to adopt and enforce local ordinances to regulate commercial cannabis businesses within that local jurisdiction. MAUCRSA authorizes the department to issue a state temporary event license to a licensee authorizing onsite cannabis sales and consumption at a county fair event, district agricultural association event, or at another venue expressly approved by a local jurisdiction if, among other requirements, (1) access to the area where cannabis consumption is allowed is restricted to persons 21 years of age or older; (2) cannabis consumption is not visible from any public place or nonage-restricted area; and (3) sale or consumption of alcohol or tobacco is not allowed on the premises.This bill would authorize the department to issue a state caterer license authorizing the licensee to serve cannabis or cannabis products at a private event approved by a local jurisdiction for the purpose of allowing event attendees 21 years of age or older to consume the cannabis or cannabis products that is not hosted, sponsored, or advertised by the caterer. In determining whether to issue a state caterer license, the bill would require the department to consider the proximity of the private event to a youth recreation center, school, or location where persons under 21 years of age congregate. Under the bill, consumption of alcohol or tobacco would be authorized on the premises of that event, as specified. The bill would prohibit a caterer licensee from serving cannabis or cannabis products at any one premises for more than 36 events in one calendar year, except as specified, and would authorize a caterer licensee to reuse cannabis at a subsequent event, as provided.MAUCRSA requires a cannabis license applicant to provide certain information relating to the proposed premises where the license privileges would be exercised.This bill would exempt a caterer license application from those requirements, except that the bill would require an applicant for a cannabis caterer license to provide proof that the owner of the property on which the private event will be held acknowledges the use of the property for the private event.AUMA authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions with a 2/3 vote of both houses to further its purposes and intent.This bill would state that the bill furthers the purposes and intent of AUMA.

CA AB 488 - Stephanie Nguyen
Medi-Cal: skilled nursing facilities: vision loss.
03/27/2023 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
AB 488, as introduced, Stephanie Nguyen. Medi-Cal: skilled nursing facilities: vision loss. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.Existing law requires the department, subject to any necessary federal approvals, for managed care rating periods that begin between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2026, inclusive, to establish and implement the Workforce and Quality Incentive Program under which a network provider furnishing skilled nursing facility services to a Medi-Cal managed care enrollee may earn performance-based directed payments from the Medi-Cal managed care plan with which they contract, as specified. Existing law, subject to an appropriation, requires the department to set the amounts of those directed payments under a specified formula.Existing law requires the department to establish the methodology or methodologies, parameters, and eligibility criteria for the directed payments, including the milestones and metrics that network providers of skilled nursing facility services must meet in order to receive a directed payment from a Medi-Cal managed care plan, with at least 2 of these milestones and metrics tied to workforce measures.This bill would require that the measures and milestones include program access, staff training, and capital improvement measures aimed at addressing the needs of skilled nursing facility residents with vision loss. The bill would make related legislative findings.

CA AB 510 - Corey A. Jackson
Public social services: purposes.
05/03/2023 - In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
AB 510, as amended, Jackson. Public social services: purposes. Existing law establishes various public social services programs, including, among others, CalWORKs and the State Supplementary Program for Aged, Blind and Disabled. Existing law sets forth the purposes of public social services for which state grants are made to counties that include, among others, providing reasonable support and maintenance for needy and dependent families and persons.This bill would instead state that providing reasonable support and maintenance for needy and vulnerable children, adults, and families is a purpose of public social services.

CA AB 524 - Buffy Wicks
Discrimination: family caregiver status.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 524, as amended, Wicks. Discrimination: family caregiver status. Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which is enforced by the Civil Rights Department, prohibits various forms of employment discrimination and recognizes the opportunity to seek, obtain, and hold employment without specified forms of discrimination as a civil right. The act also makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer, among other things, to refuse to hire or employ a person because of various personal characteristics, conditions, or traits.This bill would prohibit employment discrimination on account of family caregiver status, as defined, and would recognize the opportunity to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination because of family caregiver status as a civil right, as specified.

CA AB 551 - Steve Bennett
Medi-Cal: specialty mental health services: foster children.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and HUMAN S.
AB 551, as amended, Bennett. Medi-Cal: specialty mental health services: foster children. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services (department), under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, specialty mental health services include federal Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) services provided to eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries under 21 years of age. Existing law requires each local mental health plan to establish a procedure to ensure access to outpatient specialty mental health services, as required by the EPSDT program standards, for youth in foster care who have been placed outside their county of adjudication, as described.Existing law requires the department to issue policy guidance on the conditions for, and exceptions to, presumptive transfer of responsibility for providing or arranging for specialty mental health services to a foster youth from the county of original jurisdiction to the county in which the foster youth resides, as prescribed. On a case-by-case basis, and when consistent with the medical rights of children in foster care, existing law authorizes the waiver of presumptive transfer, with the responsibility for the provision of specialty mental health services remaining with the county of original jurisdiction if certain exceptions exist. Under existing law, the county probation agency or the child welfare services agency is responsible for determining whether waiver of the presumptive transfer is appropriate, with notice provided to the person requesting the exception.Under existing law, commencing July 1, 2023, in the case of placement of foster children in short-term residential therapeutic programs, community treatment facilities, or group homes, or in the case of admission of foster children to children’s crisis residential programs, the county of original jurisdiction is required to retain responsibility and presumptive transfer provisions apply only if certain circumstances exist.This bill, for purposes of foster children placed or admitted in those specific settings, would delay, until July 1, 2024, the requirement on the county of original jurisdiction to retain responsibility and the limitation on the presumptive transfer provisions. By extending the period during which a county agency is responsible for making determinations about presumptive transfer waivers and making certain notifications, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.Existing law conditions implementation of the above-described provisions on the availability of federal financial participation and receipt of all necessary federal approvals. If the department makes the determination that it is necessary to seek federal approval, existing law requires the department to make an official request for approval from the federal government no later than July 1, 2024.This bill would delay the deadline for any necessary federal approval requests to July 1, 2025.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

CA AB 559 - Tasha Boerner Horvath
Personal income tax: California Senior Citizen Advocacy Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund.
06/07/2023 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 559, as introduced, Boerner. Personal income tax: California Senior Citizen Advocacy Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund. Existing law authorizes an individual to contribute amounts in excess of the individual’s personal income tax liability for the support of specified funds. Existing law allows a taxpayer to designate an amount in excess of personal income tax liability to be deposited into the California Senior Citizen Advocacy Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, which is continuously appropriated to the California Senior Legislature for the purpose of funding the activities of the California Senior Legislature. Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to revise the return for taxable years 2017 to 2023, inclusive, to include a space for that designation, and repeals these voluntary contribution provisions on January 1, 2025.This bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to revise the return for taxable years 2017 to 2030, inclusive, to allow a taxpayer to designate an amount in excess of personal income tax liability to be deposited into the California Senior Citizen Advocacy Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, and would extend the repeal date for these provisions to January 1, 2032. By extending a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

CA AB 659 - Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry
Cancer Prevention Act.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 659, as amended, Aguiar-Curry. Cancer Prevention Act. Existing law prohibits the governing authority of a school or other institution from unconditionally admitting any person as a pupil of any private or public elementary or secondary school, childcare center, day nursery, nursery school, family daycare home, or development center, unless prior to their admission to that institution they have been fully immunized. Existing law requires the documentation of immunizations for certain diseases, including, among others, measles, mumps, pertussis, and any other disease deemed appropriate by the State Department of Public Health, as specified. Existing law authorizes certain exemptions from these provisions subject to specified conditions.This bill, the Cancer Prevention Act, would declare the public policy of the state that pupils are expected to be fully immunized against human papillomavirus (HPV) before admission or advancement to the 8th grade level of any private or public elementary or secondary school. The bill would, upon a pupil’s admission or advancement to the 6th grade level, require the governing authority to submit to the pupil and their parent or guardian a notification containing a statement about that public policy and advising that the pupil be fully immunized against HPV before admission or advancement to the 8th grade level. By creating new notification duties for school districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.Existing law requires the Trustees of the California State University and, subject to a resolution, the Regents of the University of California to require the first-time enrollees at those institutions who are 18 years of age or younger to provide proof of full immunization against the hepatitis B virus prior to enrollment, with certain exemptions.This bill would declare the public policy of the state that students who are 26 years of age or younger are expected to be fully immunized against HPV before first-time enrollment at an institution of the California State University, the University of California, or the California Community Colleges. The bill would make a conforming change to a consultation-related provision.Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2002, as specified, to provide coverage for an annual cervical cancer screening test, including an HPV screening test that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which health care services are provided to low-income individuals pursuant to a schedule of benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law also establishes the Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (Family PACT) Waiver Program, administered by the Office of Family Planning within the department, under which comprehensive clinical family planning services are provided to a person who has a family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, and who is eligible to receive these services.This bill would expand the coverage requirement for an annual cervical cancer screening test to disability insurance policies that provide coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical benefits and would require a health care service plan contract, or a disability insurance policy that provides coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical benefits, issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, to provide coverage without cost sharing for t

CA AB 719 - Tasha Boerner Horvath
Medi-Cal benefits.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
AB 719, as introduced, Boerner. Medi-Cal benefits. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes a schedule of benefits under the Medi-Cal program, including nonmedical transportation for a beneficiary to obtain covered Medi-Cal services. Existing law requires nonmedical transportation to be provided by the beneficiary’s managed care plan or by the department for a Medi-Cal fee-for-service beneficiary.This bill would require the department to require managed care plans to contract with public transit operators for the purpose of establishing reimbursement rates for nonmedical and nonemergency medical transportation trips provided by a public transit operator. The bill would require the rates reimbursed by the managed care plan to the public transit operator to be based on the department’s fee-for-service rates for nonmedical and nonemergency medical transportation service.

CA AB 729 - Mia Bonta
Elder abuse.
02/14/2023 - From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
AB 729, as introduced, Bonta. Elder abuse. Existing law makes a person who violates any provision of law proscribing theft, embezzlement, forgery, or fraud, or identity theft, with respect to the property or personal identifying information of an elder or a dependent adult, and who knows or reasonably should know that the victim is an elder or a dependent adult, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony, as specified.This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation pertaining to scams targeting vulnerable seniors and their communities.

CA AB 786 - Jasmeet Bains
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Education and Support Grant Program.
02/23/2023 - Referred to Com. on AGING & L.T.C.
AB 786, as introduced, Bains. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Education and Support Grant Program. Existing law requires the California Department of Aging to administer the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, which establishes various programs that service older individuals, including the Alzheimer’s Day Care-Resource Center Program, which provides access to specialized daycare resource centers for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related disorders and provides support to their families and caregivers.This bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, require the California Department of Aging to establish the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Education and Support Grant Program, a 5-year grant program to expand access to evidence-supported dementia caregiver education training and support, including, but not limited to, respite, support groups, and care counseling, for caregivers of persons with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, as prescribed.

CA AB 793 - Mia Bonta
Privacy: reverse demands.
06/01/2023 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 793, as amended, Bonta. Privacy: reverse demands. The United States Constitution generally requires a state to give full faith and credit to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. Existing law sets forth procedures by which a person may enforce a judgment for the payment of money issued by the court of a state other than California. Existing law, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, determines how governmental entities may access information on electronic devices and from electronic communication service providers, as defined. Existing law requires a California corporation that provides electronic communication services or remote computing services to the general public to comply with a warrant issued by another state to produce records that would reveal the identity of the customers using those services, data stored by, or on behalf of, the customer, the customer’s usage of those services, the recipient or destination of communications sent to or from those customers, or the content of those communications as if that warrant had been issued by a California court, except as specified.This bill would prohibit any government entity from seeking, or any court from enforcing, assisting, or supporting, a reverse-keyword or reverse-location demand, as defined, issued by a government entity or court in this state or any other state. The bill would prohibit a person or California entity from complying with a reverse-keyword or reverse-location demand. The bill would require a court to suppress any information obtained or retained in violation of these provisions, the United States Constitution, or California Constitution. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to commence a civil action for compliance with these provisions.The bill would require a government entity to immediately notify any person whose information was obtained in violation of these provisions of the violation and of the legal recourse available, as specified. The bill would authorize an individual whose information was obtained, or a service provider or other recipient of the reverse-keyword or reverse-location demand to file a petition to void or modify the demand or order the destruction of information obtained in violation of these provisions. The bill would authorize an individual whose information was obtained by a government entity in violation of these provisions to bring a civil suit against the government entity for damages, injunctive or declaratory relief, or other relief that the court deems proper.The California Constitution provides for the Right to Truth-in-Evidence, which requires a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding, as specified.Because the bill would require any information obtained or retained in violation of the bill’s provisions to be suppressed in a trial, hearing, or other proceeding, it would require a 2/3 vote.The bill would make these provisions severable.

CA AB 81 - James C. Ramos
Indian children: child custody proceedings.
06/08/2023 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on RLS.
AB 81, as amended, Ramos. Indian children: child custody proceedings. Existing federal law, the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), governs the proceedings for determining the placement of an Indian child when that child is removed from the custody of the child’s parent or guardian. Existing law states findings and declarations of the Legislature regarding Indian children, including that the state is committed to protecting the essential tribal relations and best interest of an Indian child by promoting practices in accordance with the ICWA, and it is in the interest of an Indian child that the child’s membership or citizenship in the child’s Indian tribe and connection to the tribal community be encouraged and protected, and requires the court to consider those findings in all Indian child custody proceedings.This bill would add to those findings and declarations by stating that the State of California is committed to protecting essential tribal relations by recognizing a tribe’s right to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. The bill would also declare that provisions of the Family Code, Probate Code, and the Welfare and Institutions Code that apply to proceedings involving an Indian child, as defined, are to be collectively known as the California Indian Child Welfare Act. Existing provisions of state law govern child custody proceedings, adoption proceedings, dependency proceedings, including termination of parental rights, the voluntary relinquishment of a child by a parent, and guardianship proceedings. Existing law provides various definitions for these purposes, including “Indian child,” as provided in the ICWA.This bill would define various terms, including “Indian child,” consistent with provisions of the ICWA and would remove cross-references to provisions of the ICWA. The bill would also make conforming changes and cross-references throughout various provisions.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

CA AB 820 - Eloise Gomez Reyes
State boards and commissions: seniors.
05/24/2023 - Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and HEALTH.
AB 820, as amended, Reyes. State boards and commissions: seniors. Existing law requires the Governor and every other appointing authority to, in making appointments to state boards and commissions, be responsible for nominating a variety of persons of different backgrounds, abilities, interests, and opinions in compliance with the policy that the composition of state boards and commissions shall be broadly reflective of the general public including ethnic minorities and women.This bill would require the composition of various advisory groups and bodies to include a state agency official responsible for administering programs that serve, or state commission official that advocates on behalf of, older adults, as defined, or a representative from an organization that serves or advocates on behalf of older adults.

CA AB 839 - Dawn Addis
Residential care facilities for the elderly: financing.
06/07/2023 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUMAN S. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 7). Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
AB 839, as amended, Addis. Residential care facilities for the elderly: financing. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFEs) by the State Department of Social Services.Existing law, the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Act, authorizes the California Health Facilities Financing Authority to, among other things, make loans from the continuously appropriated California Health Facilities Financing Authority Fund to participating health institutions, as defined, for financing or refinancing the acquisition, construction, or remodeling of health facilities, as defined.This bill would expand the above-described loan program to include RCFEs by adding an RCFE to the definition of “health facility” under the program. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions. The bill would clarify that other provisions under existing law relating to health facilities would not be affected by the expanded definition, as specified. Under existing law, an RCFE is defined as a housing arrangement chosen voluntarily by persons 60 years of age or over, or their authorized representative, where varying levels and intensities of care, supervision, and certain services are provided, and whereby persons under 60 years of age with compatible needs may be allowed to be admitted or retained in an RCFE, as specified.Under the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Act, one of the types of health facilities is a multilevel facility, which is an institutional arrangement where an RCFE is operated as a part of, or in conjunction with, an intermediate care facility, a skilled nursing facility, or a general acute care hospital. Under that provision, “elderly” means a person 62 years of age or older.This bill would modify that definition of “elderly” to mean a person 60 years of age or older.By expanding the purpose for which the above-described continuously appropriated fund may be used, with regard to RCFE projects, the bill would make an appropriation from that fund. The bill would make legislative findings relating to the purpose of the bill.

CA AB 845 - David Alvarez
Behavioral health: older adults.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 845, as amended, Alvarez. Behavioral health: older adults. Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the continuously appropriated Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs, including the Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care Act. Existing law authorizes the MHSA to be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Legislature if the amendments are consistent with and further the intent of the MHSA.This bill would establish within the State Department of Health Care Services an Older Adult Behavioral Health Services Administrator to oversee behavioral health services for older adults. The bill would require that position to be funded with administrative funds from the Mental Health Services Fund. The bill would prescribe the functions of the administrator and their responsibilities, including, but not limited to, developing outcome and related indicators for older adults for the purpose of assessing the status of behavioral health services for older adults, monitoring the quality of programs for those adults, and guiding decisionmaking on how to improve those services. The bill would require the administrator to receive data from other state agencies and departments to implement these provisions, subject to existing state or federal confidentiality requirements. The bill would require the administrator to report to the entities that administer the MHSA on those outcome and related indicators by July 1, 2024, and would require the report to be posted on the department’s internet website. The bill would also require the administrator to develop a strategy and standardized training for all county behavioral health personnel in order for the counties to assist the administrator in obtaining the data necessary to develop the outcome and related indicators. By expanding the purposes for which funds from a continuously appropriated fund may be spent, this bill would make an appropriation.This bill would declare that it is consistent with and furthers the intent of the MHSA.

CA AB 847 - Luz Maria Rivas
Medi-Cal: pediatric palliative care services.
06/07/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
AB 847, as amended, Luz Rivas. Medi-Cal: pediatric palliative care services. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions.Existing law requires the department to develop a pediatric palliative care benefit as a pilot program to Medi-Cal beneficiaries under 21 years of age, to be implemented only to the extent that any necessary federal approvals are obtained and federal financial participation is available. Existing law requires that program to include, among other things, hospice services to individuals whose conditions may result in death, regardless of the estimated length of the individual’s remaining period of life.Pursuant to the above-described provisions, the department established the Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) Waiver in 2009, upon receiving federal approval in December 2008. After the waiver ended on December 31, 2018, the department implemented a plan in 2019 to transition some pediatric palliative care services to the Early and Periodic, Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, which is available to Medi-Cal beneficiaries under 21 years of age, as specified.This bill would extend eligibility for pediatric palliative care services for those individuals who have been determined eligible for those services prior to 21 years of age, until 26 years of age and would extend eligibility for hospice services after 21 years of age. To the extent that these provisions would alter the eligibility of individuals for these services, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would implement these provisions only to the extent that necessary federal approvals are obtained and federal financial participation is not otherwise jeopardized.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA AB 963 - Pilar Schiavo
The End the Foster Care-to-Homelessness Pipeline Act.
05/18/2023 - In committee: Held under submission.
AB 963, as amended, Schiavo. The End the Foster Care-to-Homelessness Pipeline Act. Existing law, Bergeson-Peace Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Act, establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, that is governed by a board of directors. The act, among other things, authorizes the I-Bank to make loans, issue bonds, and provide financial assistance for various types of projects that qualify as economic development or public development facilities.This bill, the End the Foster Care-to-Homelessness Pipeline Act, would establish the End the Foster Care-to-Homelessness Pipeline Program within the I-Bank to guarantee qualified loans made by financial institutions to qualified nonprofit and for-profit businesses for the construction, acquisition, and renovation of housing for current and former foster youth between 18 and 25 years of age and who qualify for specified programs. The bill would authorize the bank, in determining whether to guarantee a qualified loan, to give preference to counties with high housing inelasticity and high rates of foster youth, as specified. The bill would authorize the bank to reimburse up to 80% of the guaranteed portion of principal and interest that result from a qualified loan that is in default, not to exceed $250,000,000, and would require the Controller to transfer moneys from the General Fund to the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Fund, at the direction of the bank, for that purpose. By requiring the Controller to transfer moneys into a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

CA SB 100 - Nancy Skinner
Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022.
05/08/2023 - Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET pursuant to Assembly Rule 97.
SB 100, as amended,  Skinner. Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022. The Budget Act of 2021 and Budget Act of 2022 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscal years.This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2021 and Budget Act of 2022 by amending and adding items of appropriation and making other changes.The bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.

CA SB 17 - Anna Marie Caballero
Senior housing: tax credits.
06/01/2023 - Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
SB 17, as amended, Caballero. Senior housing: tax credits. Existing law, enacted to implement a specified low-income housing tax credit established by federal law, requires the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee to annually determine and allocate the state ceiling in accordance with those provisions and in conformity with federal law. Existing law authorizes the committee to adopt, amend, or repeal rules and regulations for the allocation of housing credits. Existing law requires that specified amounts of the low-income housing tax credits be set aside for allocation to rural areas, small developments, and farmworker housing, as specified.This bill would require the committee to revise its regulations to increase the housing type goal for senior developments to 20 percent.This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIII?A of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 2/3 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

CA SB 245 - Miguel Santiago
California Food Assistance Program: eligibility and benefits.
06/01/2023 - Referred to Com. on HUM. S.
SB 245, as amended, Hurtado. California Food Assistance Program: eligibility and benefits. Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county.Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), to provide assistance to a noncitizen of the United States if the person’s immigration status meets the eligibility criteria of SNAP in effect on August 21, 1996, but the person is not eligible for SNAP benefits solely due to their immigration status, as specified. Existing law also makes eligible for the program an applicant who is otherwise eligible for the program, but who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, if the applicant is sponsored and the applicant meets one of a list of criteria, including that the applicant, after entry into the United States, is a victim of the sponsor or the spouse of the sponsor if the spouse is living with the sponsor.Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, makes an individual 55 years of age or older eligible for the program if the individual’s immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits.This bill would remove that age limitation and make any individual eligible for the program if the individual’s immigration status is the sole basis for their ineligibility for CalFresh benefits. By extending eligibility for CFAP, which is administered by the counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA SB 28 - Steven M. Glazer
Education finance: school facilities: Public Preschool, K–12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2024.
06/05/2023 - Re-referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and ED. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
SB 28, as introduced, Glazer. Education finance: school facilities: Public Preschool, K–12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2024. (1) Existing law authorizes the governing board of any school district or community college district to order an election and submit to the electors of the district the question of whether the bonds of the district shall be issued and sold to raise money for specified purposes. Existing law generally requires, to pass a school bond measure, that either at least 2/3 of the votes cast on the proposition of issuing bonds be in favor of issuing the bonds to pass the measure, or, if certain conditions are met, at least 55% of the votes cast on the proposition of issuing bonds be in favor of issuing the bonds. Existing law prohibits the total amount of bonds issued by a school district or community college district from exceeding 1.25% of the taxable property of the district, as provided.This bill would raise that limit to 2%.(2) Existing law also authorizes a unified school district to issue bonds receiving at least 55% of the votes cast on the proposition of issuing the bonds that, in aggregation with bonds issued with a 2/3 favorable vote, do not exceed 2.5% of the taxable property of the district, as provided.This bill would raise that limit to 4%. The bill would make a similar percentage increase for community college districts.(3) The Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 provides for the adoption of rules, regulations, and procedures, under the administration of the Director of General Services, for the allocation of state funds by the State Allocation Board for the construction and modernization of public school facilities.This bill would, among other things, require a school district to submit to the Department of General Services a 5-year school facilities master plan or updated 5-year school facilities master plan, as provided, as a condition of participating in the school facilities program under the act, would require the school district to submit specified information in the school district’s application for an apportionment of state funds, and would make other changes to requirements a school district is required to comply with before participating in programs under the act. The bill would require the department to process applications to participate in the program, as specified, and would make other changes to the method by which the board makes apportionments of moneys under the act.This bill would establish the 2024 State School Facilities Fund, and authorize the board to apportion, and make disbursements of, moneys in the fund, as provided. The bill would require, for bonds approved by voters in 2024 or thereafter, the board to adjust a school district’s required local and state contribution, as specified. The bill would authorize new construction and modernization grants to be used for seismic mitigation purposes and, among other things, to establish schoolsite-based infrastructure to provide broadband internet access. The bill would also authorize modernization grants to be used, among other things, for the control, management, or abatement of lead and for the demolition and construction of a building on an existing schoolsite that meets specified conditions. The bill would prohibit the use of new construction and modernization grants for the purchase of portable electronic devices with a useful life of less than 3 years.This bill would authorize funding for health and safety projects by a school district, as provided.This bill would authorize the board to provide a grant to test for lead in water outlets used for drinking or preparing food on schoolsites serving kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, as provided. The bill would specify procedures that small school districts, as defined, may use to obtain project and construction management, new construction grants, and modernization grants.The bill would also make conforming changes in, and remove inopera

CA SB 282 - James D. Wood
Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
06/08/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
SB 282, as amended, Eggman. Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, FQHC and RHC services are reimbursed on a per-visit basis, as specified. “Visit” is defined as a face-to-face encounter between a patient of an FQHC or RHC and a physician or other specified health care professionals. Under existing law, “visit” also includes an encounter using video or audio-only synchronous interaction or an asynchronous store and forward modality, as specified.This bill would authorize reimbursement for a maximum of 2 visits that take place on the same day at a single site, whether through a face-to-face or telehealth-based encounter, if after the first visit the patient suffers illness or injury that requires additional diagnosis or treatment, or if the patient has a medical visit and either a mental health visit or a dental visit, as defined. The bill would require the department, by July 1, 2024, to submit a state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reflecting those provisions.The bill would include a licensed acupuncturist within those health care professionals covered under the definition of a “visit.” The bill would also make a change to the provision relating to physicians and would make other technical changes.

CA SB 302 - Henry I. Stern
Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act.
06/01/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
SB 302, as amended, Stern. Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act. Existing law, the Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act or Ryan’s Law, requires specified types of health care facilities to allow a terminally ill patient’s use of medicinal cannabis within the health care facility, subject to certain restrictions. Existing law requires that health care facilities permitting patient use of medical cannabis comply with other drug and medication requirements, as specified, and makes those facilities subject to enforcement actions by the State Department of Public Health.This bill would expand those provisions to a patient who is over 65 years of age with a chronic disease, as defined.

CA SB 321 - Angelique Ashby
Literacy: libraries: Local Public Library Partnership Program.
05/26/2023 - Referred to Com. on ED.
SB 321, as amended, Ashby. Literacy: libraries: Local Public Library Partnership Program. Existing law declares that it is in the interest of the people and of the state that there be a general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence through the establishment and operation of public libraries. Existing law authorizes the State Librarian to give advisory, consultive, and technical assistance with respect to public libraries to librarians and library authorities, and assist all other authorities, state and local, in assuming their full responsibility for library services.This bill would establish the Local Public Library Partnership Program, under the administration of the State Librarian, for purposes of ensuring that all pupils have access to a local public library by 3rd grade.The bill would require the State Librarian to offer resources to assist each local public library, as defined, to find student success card dispensing strategies that work best for their communities, coordinate with each local public library to determine the most effective means to ensure each pupil in each local educational agency is issued a student success card by 3rd grade, and, ensure, on or before January 1, 2026, that partnerships between local public libraries and local educational agencies have been established to enable each pupil enrolled at a schoolsite of each local educational agency to be issued a student success card by 3rd grade, as provided. To the extent these provisions impose additional duties on public libraries and local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2029, and each year thereafter, the State Librarian to report to the Legislature on the Local Public Library Partnership Program, as provided.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA SB 323 - Anthony J. Portantino Jr.
Pupils with exceptional needs: individualized education programs: emergency safety procedures.
06/08/2023 - Referred to Com. on ED.
SB 323, as amended, Portantino. Pupils with exceptional needs: individualized education programs: emergency safety procedures. Existing law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those pupils with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services as reflected in an individualized education program.Existing law provides that school districts and county offices of education are responsible for the overall development of a comprehensive school safety plan for each of its schools operating a kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive.This bill would require the individualized education program for a pupil with exceptional needs to include, if the procedures in the comprehensive school safety plan are insufficient to ensure the pupil’s safety in an emergency at the pupil’s current schoolsite, a description of the necessary accommodations to those procedures. The bill would require, if the pupil transfers to a different schoolsite, the individualized education program team, in consultation with the parents or guardians of the pupil, to within 30 days of the transfer meet to review and update the description of the necessary accommodations based on the procedures in the comprehensive school safety plan applicable to that schoolsite. The bill would require a local educational agency, as defined, to create and maintain an Inclusive School Emergency Plan and would require that those safety procedures be included in the Inclusive School Emergency Plan for any pupil whose parent provides written consent in compliance with specified federal law. The bill would require a physical copy of the Inclusive School Emergency Plan to be kept at every schoolsite under the jurisdiction of the local educational agency and would require the Inclusive School Emergency Plan to be maintained and used in compliance with all applicable state and federal privacy laws. The bill would require a comprehensive school safety plan to include procedures for the use of the Inclusive School Emergency Plan, the location of the Inclusive School Emergency Plan at the schoolsite, and the persons or classes of persons who have access to the Inclusive School Emergency Plan. The bill would make these provisions effective commencing with the 2025–26 school year. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA SB 37 - Anna Marie Caballero
Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities Housing Stability Act.
05/18/2023 - May 18 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
SB 37, as amended, Caballero. Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities Housing Stability Act. Existing law establishes various programs to address homelessness, including requiring the Governor to create an Interagency Council on Homelessness and establishing the Homeless Emergency Aid program for the purpose of providing localities with one-time grant funds to address their immediate homelessness challenges, as specified. Existing law commits to the Department of Housing and Community Development the administration of various housing assistance programs, including provisions relating to residential hotel rehabilitation and tasks the department, in consultation with each council of governments, with the determination of each region’s existing and projected housing need.This bill would, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for this express purpose, require the Department of Housing and Community Development, commencing January 1, 2024, to begin developing the Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities Housing Stability Program. The bill would require the department, in administering the program, to offer competitive grants to nonprofit community-based organizations, continuums of care, public housing authorities, and area agencies on aging, as specified, to administer a housing subsidy program for older adults and adults with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, as defined.This bill would require the department, in establishing the program guidelines, to prioritize communities in which a higher proportion of renters face severe rental cost burden than the state average. The bill would create the Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities Housing Stability Fund from which funds would be allocated by the department to eligible recipients though December 31, 2028, for these purposes.This bill would require an award recipient to use grant funds for specified activities, including housing subsidies up to the amount of reasonable rent until the participant is able to access a longer-term subsidy, no longer requires the housing subsidy, or the specified expenditure period expires and relocation costs if a landlord decides not to continue participating in the program or evicts a tenant, as specified. The bill would authorize a grantee to utilize up to 15% of its allocation for landlord recruitment and tenancy acquisition services, landlord incentives, and housing navigation and tenancy transition services, as defined.This bill would require the department to conduct specified oversight activities, including imposing reporting requirements on award recipients and contracting with an independent evaluator to conduct an interim evaluation of program outcomes and a final report. The bill would require the department to submit those reports to the Legislature, as specified.

CA SB 408 - Angelique Ashby
Foster youth with complex needs: regional health teams.
06/01/2023 - Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and HEALTH.
SB 408, as amended, Ashby. Foster youth with complex needs: regional health teams. Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings, and governs the provision of child welfare services, which is defined to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of specified purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families, and restoring to their families children who have been removed. Existing federal law, the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018, among other things, provides states with an option to use federal funds under Title IV of the federal Social Security Act to provide mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services and in-home parent skill-based programs to a child who is a candidate for foster care or a child in foster care who is a pregnant or parenting foster youth, as specified.This bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, to establish up to 10 regional health teams throughout the state, to serve foster youth and youth who may be at risk of entering foster care. The bill would require the department to submit a state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services no later than July 1, 2024, to implement the Medicaid Health Home State Plan Option, as specified, in establishing the regional health teams. The bill would require the department to coordinate with the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Developmental Services, and to convene and engage specified stakeholders, to develop the regional health teams.The bill would make regional health teams available to children and youth and any adult caregiver or other adult connected with the child or youth under 26 years of age, who are experiencing severe mental illness, emotional disturbance, substance use, intellectual or developmental disability, or special health care needs or chronic health issues, or any combination of those conditions. The bill would specify the required membership of the regional health teams, including, but not limited to, a physician, a licensed clinical social worker, and a public health nurse. The duties of the regional health team would include, but not be limited to, receiving and responding to referrals received from staff from county child welfare agencies, county probation departments, regional centers, and others, and coordinating and providing access to various categories of care and services.The bill would require the department to fund up to 10 health teams that are geographically situated to support access to services equitably throughout the state, as specified. The bill would require the regional health teams to be funded by the department pursuant to a competitive procurement process. The bill would declare the intent of the Legislature that the health home state plan option begin no later than December 1, 2024, subject to the receipt of any required federal approvals or waivers.

CA SB 417 - Catherine S. Blakespear
Firearms: licensed dealers.
06/06/2023 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
SB 417, as amended, Blakespear. Firearms: licensed dealers. Existing law requires any sale or transfer of a firearm to be processed through a licensed dealer. Existing law requires each dealer to conspicuously post certain warnings and notices within their licensed premises, including safe storage requirements, requirements regarding the reporting of lost and stolen firearms, and information regarding the suicide prevention lifeline.This bill would revise this required posting, as specified.

CA SB 426 - Roger Niello
Charter schools: flex-based instruction.
06/01/2023 - Ordered to inactive file on request of Senator Niello.
SB 426, as amended, Niello. Charter schools: flex-based instruction. The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes the establishment, operation, and governance of charter schools. Existing law authorizes a charter school that has an approved charter to receive funding for nonclassroom-based instruction only if a determination for funding is made by the State Board of Education, as specified.This bill would replace the term “nonclassroom-based instruction” with “flex-based instruction” and define a “flex-based charter school” as a charter school that receives a determination for funding from the state board, as described above.. The bill would also make numerous nonsubstantive and conforming changes.

CA SB 431 - Janet Q. Nguyen
Grandparents: caregivers support.
05/18/2023 - May 18 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
SB 431, as amended, Nguyen. Grandparents: caregivers support. Existing law establishes the California Department of Aging within the California Health and Human Services Agency to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments. Existing law requires the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Director of the California Department of Aging, to lead the development and implementation of the Master Plan for Aging established pursuant to Executive Order N-14-19.Existing law also establishes the grounds for removal of a dependent child from the custody of the dependent child’s parent or guardian and establishes procedures to determine the placement of a dependent child. Existing law requires foster care placement, if possible, to be made in the home of a relative unless the placement would not be in the best interest of the child. Existing law establishes the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP), which provides aid on behalf of eligible children who are placed in the home of a relative guardian, and the Kinship Support Services Program to provide community-based support services to relative caregivers and children placed in their homes.This bill would require the California Department of Aging, in consultation with the Department of Justice and the State Department of Social Services, to conduct a study to examine the issues faced by grandparents who are 60 years of age or older and are primary caregivers for their grandchildren, and requires the California Department of Aging to report the findings of the study to the Legislature.

CA SB 435 - Lena A. Gonzalez
Collection of demographic data: CalFresh program and State Department of Public Health.
06/01/2023 - Referred to Com. on HUM. S.
SB 435, as amended, Gonzalez. Collection of demographic data: CalFresh program and State Department of Public Health. (1) Existing law requires specified state agencies, boards, and commissions, in the course of collecting demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians, to use separate collection categories and tabulations for specified groups. Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Under existing law, the State Department of Social Services (department) administers the CalFresh program. Existing law requires the department to publicly report specified information, including certain data specific to students enrolled in an institution of higher learning who receive CalFresh benefits, as specified. This bill would require the department, in the course of collecting demographic data directly or by contract as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of California residents for any report on the CalFresh program, to use separate collection categories and tabulations for each major Latino group, Mesoamerican Indigenous nation, and Mesoamerican Indigenous language group, as specified.Existing law requires specific state agencies, boards, and commissions to report, as specified, data on collection categories and tabulations for specified groups. Existing law requires the collected data to be made available to the public except for personal identifying information, which shall be deemed confidential.This bill would require the department to include the collected data in every demographic report on ancestry or ethnic origins of California residents that the department publishes or releases on or after July 1, 2025. On or before July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the bill would require the department to report to the Legislature on the above-described data collection and methods used to collect that data. The bill would require the department to make available to the public the collected data, except for personal identifying information, as specified. The bill would require the department to update its data collection to reflect additional Latino groups, Mesoamerican Indigenous nations, and Mesoamerican Indigenous language groups as they are reported by the United States Census Bureau, as specified. The bill would require the department to comply with the bill’s requirements as early as possible, but no later than July 1, 2025.On or after January 1, 2024, the bill would require the State Department of Public Health to comply with the bill’s requirements if funding is appropriated for this express purpose, as specified.(2) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

CA SB 456 - Scott D. Wiener
Multifamily Housing Program: nonprofit corporations: homeless or at-risk youth.
06/08/2023 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and HUM. S.
SB 456, as amended, Menjivar. Multifamily Housing Program: nonprofit corporations: homeless or at-risk youth. Existing law establishes the Multifamily Housing Program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Existing law requires assistance for projects under the program to be provided in the form of deferred payment loans to pay for eligible costs of specified types of development, as provided. Existing law requires that specified funds appropriated to provide housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and who are inherently impacted by or at increased risk for medical diseases or conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases be disbursed in accordance with the Multifamily Housing Program for specified uses.Existing law exempts these specified funds from the deferred payment loan requirement, as specified. Existing law also requires at least 8 percent of these specified funds to be available for projects serving homeless youth, or youth at risk of homelessness, as defined.This bill would, instead, require that at least 8 percent of the specified funds be available for units, rather than projects, serving homeless youth, or youth at risk of homelessness. The bill would also require that at least one-half of these funds be prioritized for units to house current foster youth between 18 to 21 years of age, inclusive. The bill would prohibit units that house current or former foster youth between 18 to 21 years of age, inclusive, from requiring a referral through the coordinated entry system for a person under juvenile court jurisdiction, as specified.This bill would specify that nonprofit corporations that provide emergency shelter or transitional housing are eligible to receive grants disbursed for housing projects solely serving homeless youth, youth at risk of experiencing homelessness, or current or former foster youth and would require the department to give preference to applications from those nonprofit corporations, and partner organizations, that have experience providing those direct services.

CA SB 541 - Caroline Menjivar
Sexual health: contraceptives: immunization.
06/01/2023 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 541, as amended, Menjivar. Sexual health: contraceptives: immunization. (1) Existing law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires school districts, defined to include county boards of education, county superintendents of schools, the California School for the Deaf, the California School for the Blind, and charter schools, to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education, as specified.This bill would, in order to prevent and reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, on or before the start of the 2024–25 school year, require each public school, including schools operated by a school district or county office of education and charter schools, to make internal and external condoms available to all pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, free of charge, as provided. The bill would require these public schools to, at the beginning of each school year, inform pupils through existing school communication channels that free condoms are available and where the condoms can be obtained on school grounds. The bill would require a public school to post at least one notice regarding these requirements, as specified. The bill would require this notice to include certain information, including, among other information, information about how to use condoms properly. The bill would require each public school serving any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to allow the distribution of condoms during the course of, or in connection with, educational or public health programs and initiatives, as provided. The bill would authorize a state agency, the State Department of Education, or a public school to accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the support of a public school carrying out these provisions, including, but not limited to, the acceptance of condoms from a manufacturer or wholesaler. The bill would, in order to comply with these provisions, encourage public schools to explore partnerships, including, but not limited to, partnerships with local health jurisdictions, as defined, community health centers, nonprofit organizations, and the State Department of Public Health. By imposing additional duties on public schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would additionally prohibit a public school, as defined, maintaining any combination of classrooms from grades 7 to 12, inclusive, a school district, the State Department of Education, or a county office of education from prohibiting certain school-based health centers, as defined, from making internal and external condoms available and easily accessible to pupils at the school-based health center site.(2) Under existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, the State Department of Public Health generally regulates the packaging, labeling, advertising, and sale of food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics, in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. A violation of those provisions is generally a crime. Existing law sets forth various other provisions relating to the furnishing and health care coverage of certain types of contraception.This bill would, with certain exceptions, prohibit a retail establishment, as defined, from refusing to furnish nonprescription contraception to a person solely on the basis of age by means of any conduct, including, but not limited to, requiring the customer to present identification for purposes of demonstrating their age. Under the bill, a violation of that prohibition would be exempt from the above-described criminal penalty.(3) Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law sets forth a schedule of benefits unde

CA SB 551 - Anthony J. Portantino Jr.
Mental health boards.
06/01/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
SB 551, as amended, Portantino. Mental health boards. Existing law, the Bronzan-McCorquodale Act, contains provisions governing the operation and financing of community mental health services in every county through locally administered and locally controlled community mental health programs. Existing law requires each community mental health service to have a mental health board, as specified. Existing law requires a member of the board to abstain from voting on any issue in which the member has a financial interest.This bill would require at least 20% of a mental health board’s membership to be employed by a local educational agency, and at least 20% to be an individual who is 25 years of age or younger in counties with a population of 500,000 or more. The bill would also require one member of the board to be employed by a local educational agency and at least one member to be 25 years of age or younger in counties with a population fewer than 500,000, but more than 100,000. In counties with a population of fewer than 100,000, this bill would require those counties to give a strong preference to appointing at least one member of the board who is employed by a local education agency or is 25 years of age or younger. The bill would prohibit more than 49% of the members of a county’s mental health board from owning or operating an organization or business that financially benefits from a proposed or adopted Mental Health Services Act plan. By placing a new requirement on counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

CA SB 639 - S. Monique Limon
Alzheimer’s disease.
05/04/2023 - Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
SB 639, as amended, Limón. Alzheimer’s disease. Existing law makes various findings and declarations regarding Alzheimer’s disease.This bill would add additional findings and declarations regarding the impacts of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia over the next 20 years and encouraging the development of diagnostic hubs for Alzheimer’s disease. The bill would declare the purpose of the diagnostic hubs to be, among other things, to increase the training of health care professionals with respect to Alzheimer’s disease and other acquired brain impairments by expanding educational relationships that support primary care, develop thorough care plans, and improve diagnostics so that health care professionals have the requisite training and expertise to know when to refer and feel comfortable with detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

CA SB 657 - Anna Marie Caballero
Homelessness services staff training.
06/08/2023 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and AGING & L.T.C.
SB 657, as introduced, Caballero. Homelessness services staff training. Existing law establishes the California Department of Aging in the California Health and Human Services Agency. Existing law requires the department to designate various private nonprofit or public agencies as area agencies on aging to work for the interests of older Californians within a planning and service area and provide a broad array of social and nutritional services. Existing law requires the area agencies on aging to develop systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments and to function as the community link at the local level for the development of those services. Existing law requires each area agency on aging to maintain a professional staff that is supplemented by volunteers, governed by a board of directors or elected officials, and whose activities are reviewed by an advisory council consisting primarily of older individuals from the community.Existing federal law defines continuums of care as the groups organized to carry out specified responsibilities, including responsibilities related to homelessness, including certain nonprofit entities, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, and advocates. Existing state law establishes specified grants and programs available to continuums of care.Existing law requires the Governor to create the Interagency Council on Homelessness for specified purposes, including to create partnerships among various entities, like participants in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program, and to identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California.This bill would require the council to coordinate with the California continuums of care and the area agencies on aging to partner in their shared regions to provide gerontological training for homelessness services staff, to ensure that homelessness service providers are well trained and well equipped to assist vulnerable older adults with accessing resources to gain a permanent housing solution. The bill would be implemented contingent on an appropriation for those purposes in the budget act.

CA SB 72 - Nancy Skinner
Budget Act of 2023.
01/11/2023 - From printer.
SB 72, as introduced, Skinner. Budget Act of 2023. This bill would make appropriations for the support of state government for the 2023–24 fiscal year.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.

CA SB 815 - Marc Berman
Healing arts.
06/08/2023 - Referred to Com. on B. & P.
SB 815, as amended, Roth. Healing arts. (1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure, regulation, and discipline of physicians and surgeons. Under existing law, the board consists of 15 members, 7 of whom are public members. Existing law requires the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly to each appoint one public member.This bill would, until January 1, 2028, increase the total number of board members from 15 to 17 members. The bill would increase the number of public members who are appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly to 2 public members each.(2) Existing law authorizes the board to employ and fix the compensation of an executive director, and other specified staff, as provided. Existing law authorizes the Attorney General to act as legal counsel for the board for any judicial and administrative proceedings. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2022.This bill would extend that date to January 1, 2028. The bill would also establish a Complainant Liaison Unit comprised of board staff responsible for, among other things, responding to communications from the public about the complaint review and enforcement process.(3) Existing law requires medical school graduates to obtain a physician’s and surgeon’s postgraduate training license within 180 days after enrollment in a board-approved training program, as specified. Existing law establishes that the physician’s and surgeon’s postgraduate training license shall be valid until 90 days after the holder has received 12 months’ credit of board-approved postgraduate training for graduates of medical schools in the United States and Canada or 24 months of board-approved postgraduate training for graduates of foreign medical schools approved by the board, as specified.This bill would instead establish that the physician’s and surgeon’s postgraduate training license shall be valid for a period of 36 months. (4) Existing law prohibits a postgraduate training licensee, intern, resident, postdoctoral fellow, or instructor from engaging in the practice of medicine, or receiving compensation for that practice, unless they hold a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended physician’s and surgeon’s certificate issued by the board, except as provided. Existing law authorizes a graduate who has completed the first year of postgraduate training, in an approved residency or fellowship, to engage in the practice of medicine as part of that residency or fellowship, and to receive compensation for that practice. If the resident or fellow fails to receive a license to practice medicine within 27 months from the commencement of the residency or fellowship, except as otherwise specified, or if the board denies their application for licensure, existing law specifies that these privileges and exemptions automatically cease.Existing law establishes that all approved postgraduate training the medical school graduate has successfully completed in the United States or Canada shall count toward the 15-month license exemption for graduates of medical schools in the United States and Canada or the 27-month license exemption for graduates of board-approved foreign medical schools, except as otherwise allowed. Existing law permits the board, in its discretion and upon review of supporting documentation, to grant an extension beyond the 15 months to a postgraduate training licensee who graduated from a medical school in the United States or Canada, or beyond 27 months to a postgraduate training licensee who graduated from a foreign medical school approved by the board, as specified.This bill would delete the authorization provisions described above. The bill would instead establish that all approved postgraduate training the medical school graduate has successfully completed in the United States or Canada shall count toward the postgraduate training r

CA SB 824 - Angelique Ashby
Foster care.
06/07/2023 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 6). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
SB 824, as amended, Ashby. Foster care. (1) Existing law subjects foster care provider applicants, resource family applicants, and certain other adults in those homes, to a criminal records check and requires the applicant or other adult in the applicant’s home to obtain a criminal record clearance or criminal record exemption prior to licensure or approval. Existing law prohibits the State Department of Social Services or other approving entity from granting a criminal records exemption, except as specified, to an applicant or other adult in the applicant’s home who has been convicted of certain felonies. Existing law authorizes the State Department of Social Services or other approving entity, for the purpose of the resource family approval process described below, to grant an exemption from disqualification for the conviction of a felony for which a criminal record exemption cannot be granted if the applicant is a relative seeking placement of a specific relative child or children, the applicant or other adult living in the home is of present good character necessary to justify granting the exemption, and the applicant or other adult living in the home has not been convicted of certain felonies within the last 5 years.This bill would, among other things, additionally authorize the department, or other approving entity, to grant an exemption under those circumstances to a nonrelative extended family member or an extended family member.(2) Existing law authorizes the court to order temporary placement of the child in the home of a relative, extended family member, or nonrelative extended family member, and requires the court to consider the results of a criminal records check, among other things, before ordering that placement. Existing law also authorizes the placement of a child on an emergency basis in the home of a relative or nonrelative extended family member, and requires the relative or nonrelative extended family member to submit an application for approval as a resource family after the emergency placement. Existing law authorizes the court to place a child after an order of removal, or on a temporary or emergency basis in the home of a relative, regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval if the court finds that the placement does not pose a risk to the health and safety of the child.This bill would also authorize the court to place a child after an order of removal, or on a temporary or emergency basis, in the home of a nonrelative extended family member or an extended family member, regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval or tribally approved home approval if the court finds that the placement does not pose a risk to the health and safety of the child.(3) Existing law establishes the state-funded Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP), which provides aid on behalf of eligible children who are placed in the home of a relative guardian. Existing law requires aid in the form of state-funded Kin-GAP to be provided on behalf of any child under 18 years of age and to any eligible youth under 19 years of age who has had a kinship guardianship established, as described above, and who meets other requirements, including that the child or youth has been adjudicated a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court, has been residing for at least 6 consecutive months in the approved home of the prospective relative guardian, and has had the dependency jurisdiction or wardship terminated, as specified.This bill would also make eligible for state-funded Kin-GAP a child who was subject to an order for placement with a relative regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval or tribally approved home approval, as specified.(4) Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers

CA SB 875 - Steven M. Glazer
Referral source for residential care facilities for the elderly: duties.
04/18/2023 - Set for hearing April 25 in JUD. pending receipt.
SB 875, as amended, Glazer. Referral source for residential care facilities for the elderly: duties. The California Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly Act generally requires the State Department of Social Services to license, inspect, and regulate residential care facilities for the elderly and imposes criminal penalties on a person who violates the act or who willfully or repeatedly violates any rule or regulation adopted under the act. The act prohibits a placement agency, as defined, from placing an individual in a licensed residential care facility for the elderly if the individual, because of a health condition, cannot be cared for within the limits of the license or requires inpatient care in a health facility. The act requires an employee of a placement agency who knows, or reasonably suspects, that a facility is improperly operating without a license to report the facility to the department, and requires the department to investigate those reports. The act further requires a placement agency to notify the appropriate licensing agency of any known or suspected incidents that would jeopardize the health or safety of residents in a facility. The act specifically makes a violation of these requirements a crime.This bill additionally would impose requirements for referral sources, defined to mean any specified county department, stated-funded program, entity, or person that is engaged in identifying senior housing options at residential care facilities for the elderly. The bill would require a referral source, before sending a compensated referral, as defined, to a residential care facility for the elderly, to provide a person or their representative with specific written, electronic, or verbal disclosures that include, among others, the referral source’s privacy policy. The bill would additionally require a compensated referral source to comply with additional requirements that include, among others, maintaining a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage. The bill would impose civil penalties for a violation of these provisions, as specified, in addition to any other remedy available by law.

CA SB 9 - Aisha Wahab
Raising the Age for Extended Foster Care Pilot Program Act of 2023.
06/08/2023 - Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD.
SB 9, as amended, Cortese. Raising the Age for Extended Foster Care Pilot Program Act of 2023. Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which is permitted to adjudge certain children to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances until the dependent child attains 21 years of age. Existing law also authorizes the juvenile court to resume jurisdiction over a nonminor who has attained 18 years of age, but not yet attained 21 years of age, and for whom the court has dismissed dependency, delinquency, or transition jurisdiction.Existing law, the California Fostering Connections to Success Act, revises and expands the scope of various programs relating to the provision of cash assistance and other services to and for the benefit of certain foster and adopted children, and other children who have been placed in out-of-home care, including children who receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC), Adoption Assistance Program (AAP), California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), and Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) benefits. Among other provisions, the act extends specified foster care benefits to nonminor dependents up to 21 years of age, if specified conditions are met. Existing law defines a nonminor dependent for these purposes as a foster child who is a current dependent child or ward of the juvenile court, or who is a nonminor under the transition jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to a voluntary reentry agreement, and in accordance with a transitional independent living case plan who has attained 18 years of age while under an order of foster care placement by the juvenile court and is not older than 21 years of age.This bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for this purpose, require the State Department of Social Services to administer a 3-year pilot program in at least 3 counties that choose to participate to extend foster care services to nonminor dependents up to 22 years of age if the nonminor dependent is experiencing homelessness or is at reasonable risk of homelessness if they are not under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Under the pilot program, the bill would expand the jurisdiction of the juvenile court to include, as a nonminor dependent, a nonminor who is 21 years of age and who was previously under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court if the juvenile court makes a finding on the record by a preponderance of the evidence that the nonminor is experiencing homelessness or is at reasonable risk of homelessness if they are not under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, among other requirements, would expand the eligibility of foster care by revising the definition of nonminor dependent to include a foster child who meets the above-described requirements and is 21 years of age if the court makes that same finding, and would make these nonminor dependents eligible for benefits under AFDC-FC, CalWORKs, Kin-GAP, and AAP.Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.This bill would provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.