Existing federal law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , enacts various health care coverage market reforms that take effect with respect to plan years on or after January 1, 2014. Among other things, PPACA requires each health insurance issuer that offers health insurance coverage in the individual or group market in a state to accept every employer and individual in the state that applies for that coverage and to renew that coverage at the option of the plan sponsor or the individual. PPACA prohibits a group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage from imposing any preexisting condition exclusion with respect to that plan or coverage. PPACA allows the premium rate charged by a health insurance issuer offering small group or individual coverage to vary only by rating area, age, tobacco use, and whether the coverage is for an individual or family and prohibits discrimination against individuals based on health status. PPACA requires a health insurance issuer that offers coverage in the small group or individual market to ensure that the coverage includes the essential health benefits package, as defined. However, guidance issued under PPACA grants transitional relief to health insurance coverage in the individual or small group market in effect on October 1, 2013, that is renewed for a policy year starting between January 1, 2014, and October 1, 2014, and exempts that coverage from certain PPACA reforms, as specified. 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. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law implements the PPACA reforms described above under the Knox-Keene Act and the laws governing health insurance. This bill would allow an individual or small employer health benefit plan in effect on October 1, 2013, that does not qualify as a grandfathered health plan under PPACA to be renewed until October 1, 2014, and to continue to be in force until December 31, 2014. The bill would exempt an individual or small employer health benefit plan in effect on October 1, 2013, that does not qualify as a grandfathered health plan under PPACA and that is renewed between January 1, 2014, and October, 1, 2014, from various provisions of state law that implement the PPACA reforms described above. The bill would require that these provisions be implemented only to the extent permitted by PPACA. The bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to classify personal property for differential taxation or for exemption by means of a statute approved by a 23 vote of the membership of each house. Pursuant to this constitutional authorization, this bill would, for the January 1, 2014, lien date to, and including, the January 1, 2024, lien date, exempt qualified property, as defined, for use in space flight. By imposing new duties upon local tax officials with respect to the personal property tax exemption described above, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make a legislative finding and declaration as to the public purpose served by the bill. 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. Section 2229 of the Revenue and Taxation Code requires the Legislature to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding Section 2229 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
This measure would proclaim March 26, 2014, as Purple Day to increase epilepsy awareness.
This measure would memorialize the Congress and President of the United States to restore federal funding cuts, due to sequestration, to senior nutrition programs, and to declare senior nutrition services and programs exempt from further budget cuts.
This measure would declare February 6, 2014, as Ronald Reagan Day.
This measure would recognize the month of February 2014 as American Heart Month in California and recognize February 7, 2014, as Wear Red Day in California.
This measure would declare that President Abraham Lincoln be honored on February 12, 2014, the anniversary of his birthday.
This measure would declare February 19, 2014, as a Day of Remembrance in order to increase public awareness of the events surrounding the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II.