Public benefits: reports on employers.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, and under which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits. The Medi-Cal program is governed, in part, by federal Medicaid provisions. This bill would, until January 1, 2020, require the State Department of Health Care Services to annually inform the Employment Development Department of the names and social security numbers of all recipients of the Medi-Cal program. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to determine the average per individual cost of state and federally funded benefits provided by the Medi-Cal program and inform the Employment Development Department of these costs. The bill would require the Employment Development Department to collaborate with the State Department of Health Care Services and the State Department of Social Services to determine the total average cost of state and federally funded benefits provided to each identified employer's employees, as specified. The bill would define an employer as an individual or organization that employs 100 or more beneficiaries of the Medi-Cal program. The bill would also require the Department of Finance to, after obtaining specified information from the Employment Development Department, annually transmit to the Legislature and post on the department's Internet Web site a report no later than the 3rd week of January of each year beginning in 2016 until January 1, 2020, that, among other things, identifies employers that employ 100 or more beneficiaries in the state, as specified. Under existing law, federal nutrition assistance benefits are administered through CalFresh, as specified. The bill would, until January 1, 2020, additionally require the State Department of Social Services to annually determine and provide to the Employment Development Department, the percentage of individuals who are recipients of the Medi-Cal program who are also recipients of the CalFresh program, and the average individual CalFresh benefit for individuals who are members of households in which at least one member is employed. Under existing law, the information obtained in the administration of the Unemployment Insurance Code is for the exclusive use and information of the Director of Employment Development in the discharge of his or her duties and is not open to the public. However, existing law permits the use of the information for specified purposes, and allows the director to require reimbursement for direct costs incurred. Existing law provides that a person who knowingly accesses, uses, or discloses this confidential information without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would, until January 1, 2020, require the Director of Employment Development to permit the use of specified information in his or her possession by the Department of Finance to prepare and submit the above-described report. By requiring this information to be provided to the Department of Finance for these purposes, this bill would expand the crime of unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of this information, and would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would prohibit an employer from discharging or in any manner discriminating or retaliating against an employee who enrolls in the Medi-Cal program and from refusing to hire a beneficiary for reason of being enrolled in the Medi-Cal program. This bill would prohibit an employer from disclosing to any person or entity that an employee receives or is applying for public benefits, unless authorized by state or federal law. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1095 of the Unemployment Insurance Code proposed by SB 1028 and SB 1141, to be operative if this bill and one or both of the other bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2015, and this bill is enacted last. 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.