Emergency youth shelter facilities.

The California Community Care Facilities Act provides for the licensing and regulation of community care facilities, as defined, a violation of which is a misdemeanor. This bill would include with the definition of a community care facility an emergency youth shelter facility, as defined, for specified youth at least 12 years of age and under 18 years of age, except as specified, who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. The bill would require the department to adopt regulations for these facilities by January 1, 2013, as specified. Until the adoption of the regulations, the bill would require the department to grant facilities that satisfy the definition of an emergency youth shelter a waiver for existing licensing standards, under certain circumstances. This bill would allow an emergency youth shelter that is operating under a group home license to apply for an immediate transfer to an emergency youth shelter license, upon adoption of the regulations required under the bill. By expanding the definition of a community care facility, this bill would change the definition of an existing crime, thus creating 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.