Existing law, the Small Business Procurement and Contract Act, grants a specified preference for small businesses and microbusinesses in the award of a contract for goods, services, or information technology to the state and in the construction of state facilities. Existing law defines small business and microbusiness for these and other purposes. Existing law permits a state agency and the California State University to award specified types of contracts with a value of between $5,000 and $250,000 to a certified small business, including a microbusiness and a disabled veteran business enterprise, without complying with certain competitive bidding requirements, provided the agency obtains price quotations from 2 or more small businesses, including microbusinesses, or 2 or more disabled veteran business enterprises. Existing law establishes the Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services and prescribes duties for the office, which include maintaining a bidders list of small businesses and disabled veteran businesses and noting which small businesses also qualify as microbusinesses. Existing law prescribes penalties for a small business or microbusiness that provides incorrect information or withholds information that leads to its incorrect classification as such an entity and is awarded a contract because of that classification. Existing law requires the Department of General Services to make available a report on contracting activity. This bill would, on and after October 1, 2018, grant an employment social enterprise a preference and status similar to a small business or microbusiness as described above. The bill would define an employment social enterprise as a California-based social purpose corporation, a benefit corporation, or a nonprofit corporation that earns 51% or more of its enterprise revenue from the production or assembly of goods or the provision of services and that demonstrates evidence in its articles of incorporation or bylaws of its mission to provide employment with on-the-job and life skills training to a direct labor force that is comprised of 80% or more of enterprise participants who face multiple barriers to employment. The bill would define an "enterprise participant who faces multiple barriers to employment" as an individual that meets certain criteria, including that he or she has employment barriers, is or was homeless, or is an out-of-school youth, as specified. The bill would require the above-described report by the department to include information relating to the level of participation of employment social enterprises in state contracting. The bill would require specified documents and facts to be certified under penalty of perjury. By expanding the crime of perjury, this 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. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 14837 and 14838 of the Government Code proposed by SB 1176 that would become operative if this bill and SB 1176 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill also would incorporate additional changes to Section 10111 of the Public Contract Code proposed by SB 159 that would become operative if this bill and SB 159 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Asm. Lorena Gonzalez
Sponsored bills
Existing law provides for the disposition of a testator's property by will. Existing law also provides for the disposition of that portion of a decedent's estate not disposed of by will. Existing law provides that the decedent's property, including property devised by a will, is generally subject to probate administration, except as specified. This bill would enact the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which would authorize a decedent's personal representative or trustee to access and manage digital assets and electronic communications, as specified. The bill would authorize a person to use an online tool to give directions to the custodian of his or her digital assets regarding the disclosure of those assets. The bill would specify that, if a person has not used an online tool to give that direction, he or she may give direction regarding the disclosure of digital assets in a will, trust, power of attorney, or other record. The bill would require a custodian of the digital assets to comply with a fiduciary's request for disclosure of digital assets or to terminate an account, except under certain circumstances, including when the decedent has prohibited this disclosure using the online tool. The bill would make custodians immune from liability for an act or omission done in good faith in compliance with these provisions.
Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act, an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, funds a system of county mental health plans for the provision of mental health services, as specified. Existing law provides for the operation and administration of various mental health programs at a statewide and county level, as specified. This bill, until January 1, 2022, would require the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, to create a grant program for public community colleges, colleges, and universities for purposes of improving access to mental health services on those campuses, as specified. The bill would require campuses that have been awarded grants under these provisions to report annually on the use of those grant funds and to post that information on their Internet Web sites. The bill would also require the commission to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the impact of the program, as specified. The bill would require that evaluation to be conducted by a public or private research university or institute in this state and would require the Department of Finance to assist the commission in issuing a request for proposal for that contract.
Existing law regulates the existence and disclosure of specified chemicals and components in consumer products, including phthalates and bisphenol A. Existing law also provides for the licensing and regulation of nail salons and manicurists by the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology within the Department of Consumer Affairs. This bill would require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to publish guidelines for cities, counties, and cities and counties to voluntarily implement local healthy nail salon recognition (HNSR) programs. The bill would allow the guidelines to include, but not be limited to, specified criteria, such as the potential for exposure of nail salon workers and customers to chemicals. The bill would also require the department to develop a consumer education program, present the guidelines to local health officers, local environmental health departments, and other local agencies, and post specified information on its Internet Web site.
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. A willful violation of the act is a crime. Existing law requires a health care service plan to reimburse providers for emergency services and care provided to its enrollees, until the care results in stabilization of the enrollee. Existing law prohibits a health care service plan from requiring a provider to obtain authorization prior to the provision of emergency services and care necessary to stabilize the enrollee's emergency medical care, as specified. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Insurance Commissioner. Existing law requires a health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2014, that provides or covers benefits with respect to services in an emergency department of a hospital to cover emergency services without the need for prior authorization, regardless of whether the provider is a participating provider, and subject to the same cost sharing required if the services were provided by a participating provider, as specified. This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2017, to provide that if an enrollee or insured receives covered services from a contracting health facility, as defined, at which, or as a result of which, the enrollee or insured receives covered services provided by a noncontracting individual health professional, as defined, the enrollee or insured would be required to pay the noncontracting individual health professional only the same cost sharing required if the services were provided by a contracting individual health professional, which would be referred to as the "in-network cost-sharing amount." The bill would prohibit an enrollee or insured from owing the noncontracting individual health professional at the contracting health facility more than the in-network cost-sharing amount if the noncontracting individual health professional receives reimbursement for services provided to the enrollee or insured at a contracting health facility from the health care service plan or health insurer. However, the bill would make an exception from this prohibition if the enrollee or insured provides written consent that satisfies specified criteria. The bill would require a noncontracting individual health professional who collects more than the in-network cost-sharing amount from the enrollee or insured to refund any overpayment to the enrollee or insured, as specified, and would provide that interest on any amount not refunded to the enrollee or insured shall accrue at 15% per annum, as specified. Existing law requires a contract between a health care service plan and a provider, or a contract between an insurer and a provider, to contain provisions requiring a fast, fair, and cost-effective dispute resolution mechanism under which providers may submit disputes to the plan or insurer. Existing law requires that dispute resolution mechanism also be made accessible to a noncontracting provider for the purpose of resolving billing and claims disputes. This bill would require the department and the commissioner to each establish, by September 1, 2017, an independent dispute resolution process that would allow a noncontracting individual health professional who rendered services at a contracting health facility, or a plan or insurer, to appeal a claim payment dispute, as specified. The bill would authorize the department and the commissioner to contract with one or more independent dispute resolution organizations to conduct the independent dispute resolution process, as specified. Contracts entered into pursuant to these provisions would be exempt from specified statutory provisions and related state agency review and approval requirements. The bill would provide that the decision of the organization would be binding on the parties. The bill would require a plan or insurer to base reimbursement for covered services on the amount the individual health professional would have been reimbursed by Medicare for the same or similar services in the general geographic area in which the services were rendered pursuant to a specified methodology and would specify, among other responsibilities, the duties of health care service plans, their delegated entities, and health insurers in identifying and calculating the applicable reimbursement rates, as well as various related duties of the department and the commissioner. The bill would require the department and the commissioner to report on the data and information provided in the independent dispute resolution process to the Governor and other specified recipients by January 1, 2019. The bill would require a noncontracting individual health professional, health care service plan or delegated entity, or health insurer that disputes that claim reimbursement to utilize the independent dispute resolution process. The bill would provide that these provisions do not apply to emergency services and care, as defined. 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. Because a willful violation of the bill's provisions relative to 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 also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. 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 through, among other things, managed care plans licensed under the act that contract with the State Department of Health Care Services. Existing law requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2016, to provide coverage for women for all prescribed and FDA-approved female contraceptive drugs, devices, and products, as well as voluntary sterilization procedures, contraceptive education and counseling, and related followup services. This bill would require a health care service plan or a health insurance policy issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after January 1, 2017, to cover up to a 12-month supply of FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptives when dispensed at one time for an enrollee or insured at one time by a provider, pharmacist, or at a location licensed or authorized to dispense drugs or supplies. The bill would specifically provide that a health care service plan contract or an insurance policy is not required to cover contraceptives provided by an out-of-network provider, pharmacy, or other location, except as authorized by state or federal law or by the plan or insurer's policies governing out-of-network coverage. The bill would also prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer, in the absence of clinical contraindications, from imposing utilization controls limiting the supply of FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptives that may be furnished by a provider or pharmacist, or at a location licensed or otherwise authorized to dispense drugs or supplies to an amount that is less than a 12-month supply. The bill would include Medi-Cal managed care plans, as specified, in the definition of a health care service plan for purposes of these provisions, and would require the State Department of Health Care Services to seek federal approval, if necessary, and to issue all-plan letters or similar instructions to implement these provisions. Because a willful violation of the bill's requirements by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist to dispense not more than a 90-day supply of a dangerous drug other than a controlled substance pursuant to a valid prescription that specifies an initial quantity of less than a 90-day supply followed by periodic refills of that amount if the patient has met specified requirements, including having completed an initial 30-day supply of the drug. Existing law prohibits a pharmacist from dispensing a greater supply of a dangerous drug if the prescriber indicates "no change to quantity" on the prescription. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist to furnish self-administered hormonal contraceptives in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed and approved by both the board and the Medical Board of California, as specified. This bill would require a pharmacist to dispense, at a patient's request, up to a 12-month supply of an FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptive pursuant to a valid prescription that specifies an initial quantity followed by periodic refills. The bill would authorize a pharmacist furnishing an FDA-approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptive, pursuant to the authorization described above, to furnish up to a 12-month supply at one time at the patient's request. This bill would incorporate changes to Section 4064.5 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by both this bill and SB 253, which would become operative only if both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2017, and this bill is chaptered 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.
Existing law provides that in administering the National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program in accordance with federal law and regulations, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development is required to strive, whenever feasible, to equitably distribute loan repayment awards between eligible urban and rural program sites, after taking into account the availability of health care services in the communities to be served and the number of individuals to be served in each program site. This bill would require the office to include all federally qualified health centers located in California in the program's certified eligible site list. As part of the application process for the program, the bill would require program sites to agree to provide matching funds.
Existing law, to be repealed on January 1, 2017, provides for the establishment of California American Indian education centers by any tribal group or incorporated American Indian association to meet specified objectives, and further provides for the administration of grants, upon application, by the State Department of Education for those purposes in accordance with specified provisions. Existing law requires each center to annually submit specified data to the department that reflects each center's ability to meet its stated objectives, and requires the department, on or before January 1, 2011, and again on or before January 1, 2016, to report consolidated results for all California American Indian education centers, provide information required to evaluate the results, and make recommendations for program improvement. This bill would instead require each center to submit data that reflects the center's progress toward meeting its stated objectives and any other objectives chosen by the center. The bill would require the department to report the information on or before January 1, 2021, and every 5 years thereafter, and would specify that the information shall be reported to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would also delete the January 1, 2017, repeal date.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and authorizes the governing board of a community college district to grant the use of college facilities or grounds for specified purposes. This bill would require a community college campus that has shower facilities for student use to grant access, as specified, to those facilities to any homeless student who is enrolled in coursework, has paid enrollment fees, and is in good standing with the community college district, and would require the community college to determine a plan of action to implement this requirement. 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 these statutory provisions.
Existing law, the Barbering and Cosmetology Act, establishes the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology for the licensure and regulation of barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, electrologists, and apprentices. Existing law requires the board to carry out a list of duties, including making rules and regulations, conducting and administering license examinations, issuing licenses to qualified applicants, and disciplining persons who violate the act. This bill would require that the board offer and make available all written materials provided to licensees and applicants in English, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Existing law requires the board to establish a Health and Safety Advisory Committee to provide the board with advice and recommendations on health and safety issues before the board. This bill would specify that the health and safety issues are those that impact licensees, including how to ensure licensees are aware of basic labor laws, as specified. Existing law requires every application for admission to examination and licensure to be verified by the oath of the applicant. This bill would additionally require every application for admission to examination and licensure and every electronic application to renew a license to include a signed acknowledgment that the applicant understands his or her rights as a licensee as outlined in informational materials on basic labor laws that the applicant is provided by the board with the application or renewal application. Existing law requires the licensure of any person, firm, or corporation operating an establishment engaged in a practice regulated by the board. Existing law requires a separate license for each location where the establishment operates. Existing law requires applicants to submit an application, accompanied by a prescribed fee. Existing law prohibits the board from issuing a license to any applicant who has committed specified acts or crimes which are grounds for denial of licensure in effect at the time the new application is submitted. This bill would require, as part of a complete application for a license to operate an establishment, and an electronic application to renew a license to operate an establishment, a signed acknowledgment that the applicant understands the informational materials on basic labor laws the applicant is provided by the board with the application or renewal application and that establishments are responsible for compliance with any applicable labor laws of the state. Existing law requires the board to keep a registration record of each licensee containing the name, address, license number, date issued, and any facts that the applicant may have stated in the application for examination for licensure. This bill would require the board to collect, through optional questions on a written application for a license and in an electronic application to renew a license, the language preference of the applicant. Existing law requires the board to admit to a licensing examination an applicant who meets certain qualifications, including having completed one or more courses, as specified, offered by a school approved by the board. Existing law requires the board to develop or adopt a health and safety course on hazardous substances that is required to be taught in schools approved by the board. Existing law requires course development to include pilot testing of the course and training classes to prepare instructors to effectively use the course. This bill would require the health and safety course that the board is required to develop or adopt to additionally cover basic labor laws, as specified. This bill's provisions would become operative on July 1, 2017.