(1) Under existing law, the State Department of Health Care Services is authorized and required to perform various functions relating to the care and treatment of persons with mental disorders. Under existing law, services for these individuals may be provided in psychiatric hospitals or other types of facilities, as well as in community settings. Under existing law, psychiatric health facilities are licensed and regulated by the State Department of Social Services. Existing law provides for state hospitals for the care, treatment, and education of mentally disordered persons, which are under the jurisdiction of the State Department of State Hospitals. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to various provisions of law to, in part, delete obsolete references to the State Department of Mental Health. (2) Existing law creates the Healthy Families Program, administered by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) , to arrange for the provision of health, vision, and dental benefits to eligible children pursuant to the federal Children's Health Insurance Program. Existing law also provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid provisions. Existing law provides for the transition of specified enrollees of the Healthy Families Program to the Medi-Cal program, to the extent that those individuals are otherwise eligible, no sooner than January 1, 2013. Existing law requires this transition to take place in 4 phases, as prescribed. Existing law requires the Department of Health Care Services to exercise the option to provide full-scope benefits with no share of cost to children who have attained 6 years of age but have not attained 19 years of age and who are optional targeted low-income children, as specified. This bill would delete the age restriction on the option to provide full-scope benefits to optional targeted low-income children. The bill would modify the monthly premiums imposed under these provisions, and would authorize the State Department of Health Care Services to enter into and continue contracts with the Health Families Program administrative vendor for the purposes of implementing and maintaining the necessary systems and activities for providing health care coverage to these children. This bill would authorize the State Department of Health Care Services to enter into a contract with the Health Care Options Broker of the department for purposes of managed care enrollment activities and would make other changes related to the implementation of these provisions. (3) Existing law requires, to the extent required by federal law, and beginning January 1, 2013, through and including December 31, 2014, that payments for primary care services provided by specified physicians be no less than 100% of the payment rate that applies to those services and physicians as established by the Medicare Program, for both fee-for-service and managed care plans. This bill would provide that payment increases made pursuant to these provisions shall not apply to certain provider rates of payment. (4) One of the methods by which Medi-Cal services are provided is pursuant to contracts with various types of managed care health plans. Existing law, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, and pursuant to a demonstration project or waiver of federal law, requires the State Department of Health Care Services to establish demonstration sites, as defined, in up to 8 counties no sooner than March 1, 2013, to enable beneficiaries eligible under both the Medi-Cal and Medicare programs to receive a continuum of services that maximizes access to the continuum of long-term services and supports and behavioral health services. Existing law requires the department, with exceptions, to enroll dual eligible beneficiaries into a demonstration site unless the dual eligible beneficiary makes an affirmative choice to opt out of enrollment or is already enrolled in specific entities, as specified. This bill would modify the criteria that must be met to be excluded from enrollment in the demonstration project and would modify the provisions relating to the disclosure of information relating to beneficiaries who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to ensure and improve the care coordination and integration of health care services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries residing in counties participating in the demonstration project. This bill would delete the requirement under these provisions that the Department of Managed Health Care monitor whether beneficiaries are able to receive timely access to primary and specialty care services as prescribed. (5) Existing law requires the department to enter into an interagency agreement with the Department of Managed Health Care to conduct financial audits, medical surveys, and a review of the provider networks of the managed care plans participating in a certain demonstration project and provide consumer assistance to beneficiaries affected by certain provisions. This bill would additionally require the department to enter into an interagency agreement with the Department of Managed Health Care to conduct financial audits, medical surveys, and a review of the provider networks in connection with the expansion of Medi-Cal managed care into rural counties. (6) Existing law requires the department to pay capitation rates to health plans participating in the Medi-Cal managed care program using actuarial methods and authorizes the department to establish health-plan- and county-specific rates, as specified. This bill would provide that as the department adds additional factors, such as managed care plan costs, to the Medi-Cal managed care plan default assignment algorithm, it shall consult with the Auto Assignment Performance Incentive Program stakeholder workgroup, as specified. (7) Existing law authorizes, to the extent consistent with federal law, the State Department of Health Care Services to defer payments to Medi-Cal managed care health plans and providers, as applicable, contracting with the department, as specified, which are payable to the plans during the final month of the 2012–13 state fiscal year, if certain conditions are satisfied. This bill would modify these provisions to eliminate the limitation of the deferral to the 2012–13 state fiscal year and would additionally authorize the State Department of Health Care Services to defer fee-for-service payments under these provisions. (8) Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Public Health, and in consultation with stakeholders, to develop polices and guidance on the transition of persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from programs funded under the federal Ryan White Act to the Low Income Health Program (LIHP) . This bill would, for purposes of implementing LIHP, authorize the State Department of Public Health to share relevant data related to a beneficiary's enrollment in federal Ryan White Act funded programs who may be eligible for LIHP services, and would authorize a participating entity, as defined, to share relevant data relating to persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS with the State Department of Public Health, as prescribed. (9) This bill would appropriate $1,000 to the State Department of Health Care Services for administration. (10) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.
Existing law provides for 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 authorizes a state, subject to federal approval of a state plan amendment, to offer health home services, as defined, to eligible individuals with chronic conditions. This bill would authorize the department, subject to federal approval, to create a health home program for enrollees with chronic conditions, as prescribed, as authorized under federal law. This bill would provide that those provisions shall not be implemented unless federal financial participation is available and additional state general funds are not used to fund the administration and service costs, except as specified. This bill would require the department to ensure that an evaluation of the program is completed, if created by the department, and would require that the department submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature within 2 years after implementation of the program.
Existing law requires all money collected under the Fish and Game Code, including money received as a result of the sale of licenses issued under the code, to be deposited into the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, unless otherwise provided. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Game to issue tags, stamps, and licenses for the hunting of antelope, elk, upland game birds, deer, wild pigs, bears, and bighorn sheep upon payment of a fee, to be deposited into the fund. Existing law establishes the Big Game Management Account within the fund to permit separate accountability for the receipt and, subject to appropriation, the prescribed expenditure of revenues from antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, and bighorn sheep tags, including fundraising tags. This bill would require the department to authorize a nonprofit organization designated by the department, that is associated with the sale of deer, elk, antelope, or bighorn sheep tags that are sold on behalf of the department for the purpose of raising funds for specified programs and projects, to retain a vendor fee of 2% of the amount for which the tag is sold. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions.
Existing law provides for 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, commencing January 1, 2014, implement various provisions of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act) (Public Law 111-148) , as amended, by, among other things, modifying provisions relating to determining eligibility for certain eligibility groups. The bill would, in this regard, extend Medi-Cal eligibility to specified adults and would require that income eligibility be determined based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) , as prescribed. The bill would prohibit the use of an asset or resources test for individuals whose financial eligibility for Medi-Cal is determined based on the application of MAGI. The bill would also add, commencing January 1, 2014, benefits, services, and coverage included in the essential health benefits package, as adopted by the state and approved by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the schedule of Medi-Cal benefits. Because counties are required to make Medi-Cal 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 these statutory provisions.
The Budget Act of 2012 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2012–13 fiscal year. This bill would amend the Budget Act of 2012 by revising various items of appropriation and making other changes in the Budget Act of 2012. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill.
Existing law, the California Seed Law, regulates seed sold in California, and requires each container of seed that is sold within this state for sowing purposes to be labeled, unless the sale is an occasional sale of seed grain by the producer of the seed grain to his neighbor for use by the purchaser within the county of production. Existing law defines "person" for purposes of that law to mean an individual, partnership, trust association, cooperative association, or any other business unit or organization. This bill would clarify that definition of "person" to include corporations. The bill would also clarify the term "neighbor" for purposes of the labeling requirements specified above to mean a person who lives in close proximity, not to exceed 3 miles, to another. The bill would revise a statement of legislative intent to include ensuring that the amount of seed represented on a tag or label is properly identified.
Existing law imposes various limitations on emissions of air contaminants for the control of air pollution from vehicular and nonvehicular sources. Existing law generally designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution. Existing law requires the state board to adopt and implement motor vehicle emission standards, in-use performance standards, and motor vehicle fuel specifications for the control of air contaminants, including standards for off-road and nonvehicle engine categories. This bill would require the state board, for purposes of specified provisions relating to mobile source emissions reductions, as applied to the reduction of emissions of diesel particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and other criteria pollutants from certain in-use, diesel-fueled vehicles, to define "low-use vehicle" for purposes of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations as a vehicle that will be operated fewer than 5,000 miles in the state in any compliance year, as specified. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This measure would urge the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to officially recognize the importance of pollinators to our food supply and environment, to declare the urgency of Colony Collapse Disorder, and to promote healthy environments for all pollinators.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California (board) within the Department of Consumer Affairs (department) . Under existing law, the biennial license renewal fee for physicians and surgeons is required to be fixed by the board and may not exceed $790. This bill would create the Physician Health Program, administered by the Physician Health, Recovery, and Monitoring Oversight Committee within the department, with 14 members to be appointed as specified. The purpose of the program would be, among other things, to promote awareness and education relative to physician and surgeon health issues, including impairment due to alcohol or substance abuse, mental disorders, or other health conditions that could affect the safe practice of medicine, and to make treatment available to all physicians and surgeons subject to a written agreement with the program that includes agreement by the physician and surgeon to pay for expenses associated with the treatment. The bill would also provide for referral by the program of physicians and surgeons, as defined, to certified monitoring programs on a voluntary basis, governed by a written agreement between the participant and the program. The bill would require the department to select a contractor to implement the program, with the committee serving as the evaluation body for submitted proposals. The bill would require the program to report the name of a participant to the board and the committee when it learns of the participant's failure to meet the requirements of the program. The bill would require the committee to report to the department certain statistics received from the program, would require the department to report to the Legislature on the outcomes of the program, and would require regular audits of the program. This bill would, beginning July 1, 2013, increase the biennial license renewal fee by $39.50 for purposes of these provisions, except as specified. The bill would direct the board to transfer this revenue on a monthly basis to the Physician Health, Awareness, and Monitoring Quality Trust Fund, which the bill would create, and would specify that the use of these funds is subject to appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would provide that the trust fund be the only source of public funding and that the trust fund may receive private donations. The bill would require that the committee manage the program within the amount of resources provided. The bill would enact other related provisions and make other conforming changes.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA requires the lead agencies to make specified findings in an EIR. Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) in the Governor's office. Existing law requires OPR to assist with, among other things, the orderly preparation of programs of transportation. Existing law authorizes a local agency that determines that a project is not subject to CEQA pursuant to certain exemptions and approves or determines to carry out that project, to file notice of the determination with the county clerk in the county in which the project is located. This bill, until January 1, 2018, would exempt from CEQA a bicycle transportation plan for an urbanized area, as specified, and would also require a local agency that determines that the bicycle transportation plan is exempt under this provision and approves or determines to carry out that project, to file notice of the determination with OPR and the county clerk. This bill would require OPR to post specified information on its Internet Web site, as prescribed.
Read. Amended. Adopted. (Page 6436.).
Existing law authorizes the electronic transmission of any written notice required to be given or mailed to any person by an insurer relating to any insurance on risks or on operations in this state, as specified. This bill would authorize offers of renewal of automobile, property, or commercial insurance, as well as certain liability insurance, and any offer of coverage or renewal and any disclosure of earthquake coverage, to be provided electronically with the insured's consent, as specified.
