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 disability insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or disability insurer to allow an individual to enroll in or change their health benefit plan as a result of a specified triggering event. This bill would make pregnancy a triggering event for purposes of enrollment or changing a health benefit plan. Because a willful violation of this provision by a health care service plan would be a crime, 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.
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 coverage by health care service plans and health insurers for various screening and treatment services with respect to cancer. This bill would require a large group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy that is issued, amended, or renewed on and after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage for scalp cooling, when prescribed by a health care provider to reduce the incidence or severity of alopecia before, during, or after chemotherapy in which alopecia-inducing chemotherapeutic agents are used. The bill would define scalp cooling for these purposes. Because a violation of these provisions with respect to a health care service plan would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law also 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 pursuant to a schedule of benefits, including various cancer screenings and benefits relating to cancer treatment. Subject to the extent that federal financial participation is available and not otherwise jeopardized, and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained, this bill would expand the Medi-Cal schedule of benefits to include scalp cooling, when prescribed by a health care provider to reduce the incidence or severity of alopecia before, during, or after chemotherapy in which alopecia-inducing chemotherapeutic agents are used. The bill would subject scalp cooling to utilization controls and medical necessity. 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.
Existing law establishes the California Children's Services (CCS) program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and counties, to provide medically necessary services, based on financial eligibility, for persons under 21 years of age who have certain medical conditions, including, among others, cystic fibrosis or hemophilia. Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the 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. Existing law authorizes the department to establish a Whole Child Model program, under which managed care plans served by a county organized health system or Regional Health Authority in designated counties provide CCS treatment services to Medi-Cal eligible CCS children and youth. In implementing the program, existing law requires the department to, among other things, establish a statewide Whole Child Model program stakeholder advisory group and to consult with that advisory group on the implementation of the Whole Child Model program, as specified. Existing law terminates the advisory group on December 31, 2026. This bill would rename the statewide Whole Child Model program stakeholder advisory group to the California Children's Services (CCS) advisory group. The bill would require the advisory group to have specified membership, including no more than 6 representatives of CCS clients not enrolled in a managed care plan or enrolled in a managed care plan, but not on a family advisory committee, former CCS clients, and caregivers of former CCS clients, among others. The bill would also require the department to consult with the advisory group on the implementation of the CCS Classic program and to consider the recommendations of the advisory group in developing monitoring processes and outcome measures for the CCS program. The bill would require the department to publish two summary reports on its internet website by specified dates that describe the department's progress and actions on specified matters relating to the CCS program. The bill would delete the December 31, 2026, sunset date, and would instead make the provisions relating to the stakeholder advisory group and the related reporting requirement inoperative on January 1, 2037. This bill would make conforming changes to reflect the renaming of the advisory group.
Existing law, the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act, requires every local public agency to establish within its jurisdiction a basic emergency telephone system that includes, at a minimum, police, firefighting, and emergency medical and ambulance services. Existing law establishes the Office of Emergency Services within the office of the Governor and requires the office to be responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services, as specified. Existing law requires the office, at specified intervals, to consult with, among others, the State Fire Marshal and the State Department of Public Health in order to review and update technical and operational standards for public agency systems. Existing law requires a public safety agency that provides "911" call processing services for emergency medical response to, by January 1, 2027, provide prearrival medical instructions to "911" callers requiring medical assistance, as specified. This bill would require a public safety agency described above that was not providing prearrival instructions to the "911" callers described above on or before January 1, 2027, to report to their local emergency medical services agency the status of their compliance with the above-described requirement on or before January 31, 2027.
The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors. This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and would instead require that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that incorporates, at least once per school or program year, an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which health care services are provided to qualified, low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes a county board of supervisors to establish a commission to negotiate an exclusive contract with the department to provide, or arrange for the provision of, health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Pursuant to the authority described above, the County of Orange established a commission and existing law established the governance of that commission, known as the Orange County Health Authority or CalOptima, to provide health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Existing law prescribes who can serve on the 10-member governing body of the commission and requires each member to serve a 4-year term, except as described. This bill, for terms commencing after January 1, 2027, would impose one-, 2-, and 4-year terms of office, as specified. The bill would also prohibit specified voting members from serving more than two consecutive terms and from serving in that capacity for more than 10 consecutive years. The bill would require the governing body of the Orange County Health Authority to authorize and pay for an independent external audit of its governance procedures and practices, including the roles and responsibilities of the governing body, executive leadership, and staff, among others. The bill would require the audit to be completed by July 1, 2027, and would require that a copy of the report be provided to the Legislature and made public. Because this bill would impose a unique requirement on how services are provided on a local government and would require additional duties of county authorities, 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 County of Orange. 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. 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.
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, including pharmacy services and drugs. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law sets forth a schedule of benefits covered under the Medi-Cal program, including acupuncture, but only to the extent federal matching funds are provided for acupuncture. To the extent federal financial participation is available, this bill would require the Medi-Cal program to cover up to 24 acupuncture visits per beneficiary per calendar year and would state that additional visits per calendar year may be authorized based on medical necessity. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14132 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 350 and SB 944 to be operative only if this bill and either or both AB 350 and SB 944 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would make certain provisions operative only if both this bill and SB 944 is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2027.
The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. The act requests the Regents of the University of California, and requires the Trustees of the California State University, to require each campus in their respective segments to grant students the right to reenroll in their baccalaureate degree program after withdrawing or stopping out, if the student was in good academic standing with the university. This bill, commencing with the 2027–28 academic year, would require a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges, a private postsecondary educational institution, or an independent institution of higher education to adopt a written policy to allow a student to take a voluntary medical leave of absence for a period to be determined by the postsecondary educational institution, or for a period of up to one academic year, whichever is longer. The bill would prohibit the leave of absence policy from, among other things, requiring a student who takes a medical leave of absence to submit an official notice of withdrawal to the postsecondary educational institution. The bill would require a postsecondary educational institution, among other things, to post the medical leave of absence policy on the institution's internet website and notify students and faculty of the location of the posted policy on its internet website by sending an email at the beginning of each academic semester or term. These provisions would apply to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make them applicable. By imposing additional duties on community college districts, 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.
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to have general control of, and be responsible for, all aspects of the interscholastic athletic policies, programs, and activities in its school district, as provided, and requires the governing board of a school district to ensure that all interscholastic policies, programs, and activities in the school district comply with state and federal law. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to enter into associations or consortia with other governing boards for purposes of governing regional or statewide interscholastic athletics, as provided. Existing law describes the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) as a voluntary organization that consists of school and school-related personnel with responsibility for administering interscholastic athletic activities in secondary schools and states the intent of the Legislature that the CIF, in consultation with the State Department of Education, implement specified policies relating to interscholastic athletics. Existing law, the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program, declares the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program, to be administered by school districts with an emphasis on specific components, including, among other components, sports psychology. Existing law requires every high school sports coach to complete, at their own expense, a coaching education program that meets the guidelines established by the California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. This bill would add a component on mental health training, as specified, to the list of components to be emphasized by the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. The bill, commencing with the 2027–28 school year, would require a person who serves as a coach in an interscholastic athletic program at a high school, including a private school, that is a member of the California Interscholastic Federation to complete an initial training, and a subsequent training every 2 years, on mental health, as provided. The bill, commencing with the 2027–28 school year, would also require a school district, county office of education, or charter school that elects to offer an athletic program, other than an interscholastic athletic program, to ensure that the athletic program's coaches complete an initial training, and a subsequent training every 2 years, that covers sudden cardiac arrest, as provided, and youth athletics behavioral and mental health training, as provided. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 35179.1 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1626 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1626 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon the enactment of AB 1626 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
Existing law establishes 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, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes a schedule of benefits under the Medi-Cal program and provides for various services, including behavioral and mental health services that are rendered by Medi-Cal enrolled providers. Existing law authorizes a county, or an agency representing the county, to develop a peer support specialist certification program, subject to department approval. Existing law imposes specified requirements on applicants for certification as a peer support specialist, including that the applicant be at least 18 years of age and possess a high school diploma or equivalent degree. This bill would remove the requirement of possessing a high school diploma or equivalent degree from the requirements necessary for an applicant to receive certification.
