Existing law establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency consisting of the Departments of Aging, Child Support Services, Community Services and Development, Developmental Services, Health Care Services, Managed Health Care, Public Health, Rehabilitation, Social Services, and State Hospitals, among other entities. Existing law sets forth legislative findings and declarations regarding long-term care services, including that consumers of those services experience great differences in service levels, eligibility criteria, and service availability that often result in inappropriate and expensive care that is not responsive to individual needs. Those findings and declarations also state that the laws governing long-term care facilities have established an uncoordinated array of long-term care services that are funded and administered by a state structure that lacks necessary integration and focus. This bill, among other things, would create the Statewide Aging and Long-Term Care Services Coordinating Council, chaired by the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and would consist of the heads, or their designated representative, of specified departments and offices. The secretary would have specified responsibilities, including, but not limited to, leading the council in the development of a state aging and long-term care services strategic plan to address how the state will meet the needs of the aging population in the years 2020, 2025, and 2030. The bill would require the strategic plan to be submitted to the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the chairs of specified policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by July 1, 2018. The bill would authorize the Secretary of California Health and Human Services to accept grants or donations, real or in-kind, to support the operation of the Statewide Aging and Long-Term Care Services Coordinating Council and the development of the state aging and long-term care services strategic plan.
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Existing law authorizes an individual to contribute amounts in excess of his or her personal income tax liability for the support of specified funds, including the School Supplies for Homeless Children Fund. Existing law requires the moneys deposited in the School Supplies for Homeless Children Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be allocated to the State Department of Social Services for distribution to a designated nonprofit organization for the sole purpose of assisting pupils in California pursuant to the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as provided. Existing law provides that this voluntary contribution remain in effect only until January 1 of the 5th taxable year in which the fund appears on the tax return or when the amount of contributions by taxpayers does not meet the minimum contribution amount, whichever occurs first. This bill would authorize the designated nonprofit organization to provide school supplies and health-related products to homeless children and homeless youth residing in or receiving services from specified living centers and would extend the time period for the School Supplies for Homeless Children Fund to appear on the tax return to January 1, 2022, or when the amount of contributions by taxpayers does not meet the minimum contribution amount, whichever occurs first.
Existing law establishes the California Partnership for Long-Term Care Program administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. The purpose of the program is to link private long-term care insurance and health care service plan contracts that cover long-term care with the In-Home Supportive Services program and the Medi-Cal program and to provide Medi-Cal program benefits to certain individuals who have income and resources above the eligibility levels for receipt of medical assistance, but who have purchased certified private long-term care insurance policies. Existing law provides criteria for certification of a long-term care insurance policy, including a requirement that it provide protection against loss of benefits due to inflation. Existing law requires each organization issuing certified policies to contribute a specified amount to a fund to be used for common educational and marketing expenses, as specified. This bill would require the department to adopt regulations requiring that a long-term care insurance policy or health care service plan contract that includes long-term care services include nursing and residential care facility coverage only, home care and community-based care coverage only, or comprehensive coverage. The bill would also require that a health care service plan contract or long-term care insurance policy, as a condition of certification, include specified protections against loss of benefits due to inflation. The bill would also, until January 1, 2019, require the formation of an executive and legislative task force to provide advice and assistance in implementing reforms to the California Partnership for Long-Term Care Program and to consider other means to assist consumers in paying for long-term care services and supports, as specified. The task force would be composed of representatives of various state agencies and departments, including the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Social Services, and the California Department of Aging. The bill would, until January 1, 2019, authorize the department, under specified conditions, to use moneys in the fund described above to administer the task force, implement recommendations made by the task force, and facilitate review of policy forms for certification by the program and the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires long-term care insurance policies or certificates to provide certain coverage and to make certain disclosures, as specified. This bill would require an insurance policy, certificate, or rider that is offered under the California Partnership for Long-Term Care Program to be called a home and community-based services policy, certificate, or rider and for it to prominently display that it is for home and community-based services only, as specified. The bill would require those policies, certificates, or riders to provide specified coverage.
(1) Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district, and requests the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to foster youth or former foster youth, as defined. Existing law repeals these requirements on January 1, 2017. This bill would revise the definition of foster youth or former foster youth for these provisions. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions indefinitely. By extending the operation of requirements relating to student eligibility for priority registration at community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law requires each community college district, with respect to each campus in its jurisdiction that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to students in the Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services program and to disabled students who are determined to be eligible for disabled student programs and services, as provided. Existing law repeals these requirements on January 1, 2017. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions indefinitely. By extending the operation of requirements relating to student eligibility for priority registration at community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 66025.9 of the Education Code, proposed by AB 801, to be operative only if AB 801 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2017, and this bill is chaptered last. (4) 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 Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, among other things, established the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, which is funded by savings that accrue to the state from the implementation of the act. The act provides that, among other purposes, 25% of the funds shall be disbursed to the State Department of Education to administer a grant program to public agencies aimed at improving outcomes for public school pupils by reducing truancy and supporting pupils who are at risk of dropping out of school or are victims of crime. This bill would establish the Learning Communities for School Success Program for the purpose of implementing that grant program, subject to an appropriation to the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund in the annual Budget Act or another statute for the purposes of the bill. The bill would specify the administrative duties and responsibilities of the department with respect to the program, including administering grants and coordinating assistance to local educational agencies, as defined. The bill would set forth criteria to guide the department in awarding grants under the program, and would specify the purposes for which grant funds may be used. The bill would require the department to submit a final evaluation of the program to the Legislature on or before January 31, 2020. These provisions would become operative only if SB 527 of the 2015–16 Regular Session is chaptered and becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017.
(1) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The state board is required to approve a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020 and to adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum, technologically feasible, and cost-effective greenhouse gas emissions reductions. This bill would require the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. (2) This bill would become operative only if AB 197 of the 2015–16 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on or before January 1, 2017.
Existing law establishes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to oversee the state prison system. Existing law authorizes Security Housing Units for segregation of certain prisoners for disciplinary or security purposes, and because of gang membership or association. Existing law requires a prisoner of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to be awarded credit reductions from his or her term of confinement of 6 months for every 6 months of continuous confinement, as specified. Existing law provides for up to 6 weeks of additional credit in a 12-month period for the successful completion of certain rehabilitative programs, for certain inmates, as specified. Existing law makes a person who is placed in a Security Housing Unit, Psychiatric Services Unit, Behavioral Management Unit, or an Administrative Segregation Unit for specified misconduct, or upon validation as a prison gang member or associate, ineligible to earn credits pursuant to these provisions. This bill would repeal those provisions regarding ineligibility to earn credits and instead require the department, no later than July 1, 2017, to establish regulations to allow specified inmates placed in segregation housing to earn credits during the time he or she is in segregation housing.
This measure would recognize the year of 2016 as the 50th anniversary of California's community-based developmental services system, and would reaffirm the commitment of the Legislature to support this system. This measure would declare the importance of ensuring a sustainable system that protects the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities.
This measure would recognize March 2, 2016, as Read Across America Day and would call upon all Californians to observe this day by participating in appropriate ceremonies and activities.
This measure would recognize the month of September 2016 as Pain Awareness Month. The measure would also recognize September 23, 2016, as Women In Pain Awareness Day.