Existing law specifies certain agencies to which mandated reports of suspected child abuse or neglect shall be made. Existing law authorizes information relevant to the incident of child abuse or neglect to be given to an investigator from an agency that is investigating the case, as provided. Existing law also authorizes information relevant to the incident of elder or dependent adult abuse to be given to an investigator from an agency investigating the case, as provided. Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, prohibits a health care provider, a contractor, or a health care service plan from disclosing medical information, as defined, regarding a patient of the provider or an enrollee or subscriber of the health care service plan without first obtaining an authorization, except as specified. Existing law makes a violation of the act that results in economic loss or personal injury to a patient a misdemeanor. This bill would authorize a health care provider or a health care service plan to disclose information relevant to the incident of child abuse or neglect, or to the incident of elder or dependent adult abuse, that may be given to an investigator from an agency investigating the case, including the investigation report and other pertinent materials that may be given to the licensing agency. By changing the definition of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law prohibits providers of health care, health care service plans, and contractors from releasing medical information to persons authorized by law to receive that information if the information specifically relates to a patient's participation in outpatient treatment with a psychotherapist, unless the requester of the information submits a specified written request for the information to the patient and to the provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor. However, existing law excepts from those provisions specified disclosures that are made for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of a patient or that are made to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a reasonably foreseeable victim or victims. This bill would also except from these provisions disclosures that are specifically authorized by law, including, but not limited to disclosures made to the federal Food and Drug Administration of adverse events related to drug products or medical devices or disclosures that authorize a health care provider or a health care service plan to disclose information relevant to the incident of child abuse or neglect, or to the incident of elder or dependent adult abuse, in the report that may be given to an investigator from an agency investigating the case or by a mandated reporter, as provided. 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.
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Existing law authorizes a county to establish an emergency medical services fund for reimbursement of emergency medical services (EMS) related costs, and requires an annual report to the Legislature on the implementation and status of the fund, including the fund balance and the amount of moneys disbursed to physicians and surgeons, for hospitals, and for other emergency medical services purposes. This bill would require the report to provide additional information regarding the moneys collected and disbursed, including, but not limited to, a description of the other medical services purposes, and the total amount of allowable claims, if the moneys are disbursed to hospitals on a claims basis, and the names and contact information of the entity responsible for the collection and disbursement of prescribed funds. By increasing the duties of local officials, 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, 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 provides that it is an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 and by specified community service, to evade the payment of any fare of, or to engage in passenger misconduct on or in a facility or vehicle of, a public transportation system. Existing law authorizes the City and County of San Francisco and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to adopt and enforce an ordinance to impose and enforce civil administrative penalties for fare evasion or passenger misconduct, other than by minors, on or in a transit facility or vehicle in lieu of the criminal penalties, with specified administrative adjudication procedures for the imposition and enforcement of the administrative penalties, including an initial review and opportunity for a subsequent administrative hearing. Fare evasion and passenger misconduct violation penalties are deposited in the general fund of the City and County of San Francisco or the County of Los Angeles, as applicable. This bill would authorize the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the Sacramento Regional Transit District, Long Beach Transit, Foothill Transit, and the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District to adopt and enforce a similar administrative adjudication ordinance. Fare evasion and passenger misconduct violation penalties would be deposited in the general fund of the county in which the citation is administered. This bill would make various other changes to these provisions that would be applicable to all 7 agencies. The bill would limit the amount of the administrative penalty to the maximum fine that may otherwise be imposed if the conduct were to be charged as an infraction and would provide that a person receiving an administrative citation may not also be charged with that infraction. The bill would require an issuing agency to adopt a written procedure for a person receiving a citation to request an administrative hearing without first paying the amount due, upon satisfactory proof of an inability to pay. The bill would expand the notification to be provided to the person by the issuing agency upon denial of an initial review of the citation. This bill would incorporate changes to Section 640 of the Penal Code made by AB 2324, to become operative only if both this bill and AB 2324 are enacted, and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law creates the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2012, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $11,140,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. The bond act, among other things, would make $1,000,000,000 available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for expenditures, grants, and loans for projects to prevent or reduce the contamination of groundwater that serves as a source of drinking water, and would require funds appropriated pursuant to that authority to be available to the State Department of Public Health for groundwater contamination projects. Of that amount, the bond act would require not less than $100,000,000 to be available for projects that meet prescribed requirements and criteria, including addressing contamination at a site on a specified list maintained by the Department of Toxic Substances Control or a site listed on the National Priorities List. This bill would instead require not less than $100,000,000 to be available for costs associated with projects, programs, or activities that meet those prescribed requirements and criteria. The bill would require the Secretary of State to include the changes made by this bill when submitting the bond act to the voters at the November 6, 2012, statewide general election. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
This measure would recognize March 31, 2010, as the anniversary of the birth of César Chávez, and would call upon all Californians to participate in appropriate observances to remember César Chávez as a symbol of hope and justice to all persons.
This measure would recognize the contributions of the automotive aftermarket to the state and consumers and its efforts to educate the motoring public about the benefits of proper vehicle maintenance. The measure also would recognize and support the designation of April as National Car Care Month and encourage all citizens to participate in activities that promote proper vehicle maintenance.
This measure would recognize May 2010 as Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
This measure would declare the intent of the Legislature to ensure the preservation of home care and personal care services to seniors and people with disabilities through the In-Home Supportive Services program.
This measure would proclaim April 12 through April 18, 2010, as California Holocaust Memorial Week and would urge Californians to observe these days of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust in an appropriate manner.
This measure would encourage greater protections in federal and state law for domestic workers.