Existing law authorizes local health officers and the State Department of Public health to operate immunization information systems. Existing law, except as provided, authorizes health care providers and other agencies, including, among others, schools, childcare facilities, family childcare homes, and county human services agencies, to disclose specified immunization information with local health departments and the State Department of Public Health, and authorizes local health departments and the department to disclose that same information to each other and to health care providers, schools, childcare facilities, family childcare homes, and county human services agencies, among others, as specified. Existing law specifies the immunization, patient, or client information that may be disclosed, which includes, among other things, patient or client demographic information, immunization data, adverse reactions to the immunization, or other information needed to identify the patient or client or to comply with other laws. This bill would instead require health care providers and other agencies, including schools, childcare facilities, family childcare homes, and county human services agencies to disclose the specified immunization information, and would add the patient's or client's race and ethnicity to the list of information that shall or may be disclosed. By imposing new duties on schools and county human services agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires schools, childcare facilities, family childcare homes, and county human services agencies to maintain the confidentiality of the specified immunization information and to only use the information for specified purposes, including to carry out their responsibilities regarding required immunization for attendance or participation benefits, or both. This bill would, until January 1, 2026, additionally authorize schools, childcare facilities, family childcare homes, and county human services agencies to use the specified immunization information, for the COVID-19 public health emergency, to perform immunization status assessments of pupils, adults, and clients to ensure health and safety. 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.
Sponsored bills
(1) 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 establishes health care coverage requirements for contraceptives, including, but not limited to, requiring a health care service plan, including a Medi-Cal managed care 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 federal Food and Drug Administration approved, self-administered hormonal contraceptives when dispensed at one time for an enrollee or insured by a provider or pharmacist, or at a location licensed or authorized to dispense drugs or supplies. This bill, the Contraceptive Equity Act of 2022, would make various changes to expand coverage of contraceptives by a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on and after January 1, 2024, including requiring a health care service plan or health insurer to provide point-of-sale coverage for over-the-counter FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and products at in-network pharmacies without cost sharing or medical management restrictions. The bill would require health care service plans and insurance policies offered by public or private institutions of higher learning that directly provide health care services only to its students, faculty, staff, administration, and their respective dependents, issued, amended, renewed, or delivered, on or after January 1, 2024, to comply with these contraceptive coverage requirements. The bill would also require coverage for clinical services related to the provision or use of contraception, as specified. The bill would revise provisions applicable when a covered, therapeutic equivalent of a drug, device, or product is deemed medically inadvisable by deferring to the provider, as specified. This bill would also prohibit a health care service plan contract or disability insurance policy issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after January 1, 2024, with certain exceptions, from imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on vasectomy services and procedures, as specified, under conditions similar to those applicable to other contraceptive coverage. This bill would require a health benefit plan or contract with the Board of Public Relations of the Public Employees' Retirement System to provide coverage for contraceptives and vasectomies consistent with the bill's requirements, commencing January 1, 2024. The bill would prohibit the California State University and the University of California from approving a health benefit plan that does not comply with the contraceptive coverage requirements of the bill on and after January 1, 2024. 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. (2) Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) , establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, under the direction of the Director of Civil Rights, to enforce civil rights laws with respect to housing and employment and to protect and safeguard the right of all persons to obtain and hold employment without discrimination based on specified characteristics or status, including, but not limited to, race, age, sex, or medical condition. The FEHA makes certain discriminatory employment and housing practices unlawful, and authorizes a person claiming to be aggrieved by an alleged unlawful practice to file a verified complaint with the Civil Rights Department. The FEHA requires the department to make an investigation in connection with a filed complaint alleging facts sufficient to constitute a violation of the FEHA, and requires the department to endeavor to eliminate the unlawful practice by conference, conciliation, mediation, and persuasion. With regard to unlawful employment practices, if conference, conciliation, mediation, or persuasion fails and the department has required all parties to participate in a mandatory dispute resolution, as specified, the FEHA authorizes the director, in their discretion, to bring a civil action in the name of the department on behalf of the person claiming to be aggrieved. This bill would revise the FEHA to include protection for reproductive health decisionmaking, as defined, with respect to the opportunity to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination. Among other provisions, the bill would prohibit specified discriminatory practices, based on reproductive health decisionmaking, by employers, labor organizations, apprenticeships and training programs, and licensing boards. The bill also would make it unlawful for an employer to require, as a condition of employment, continued employment, or a benefit of employment, the disclosure of information relating to an applicant's or employee's reproductive health decisionmaking. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12926 of the Government Code proposed by AB 1766 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1766 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (4) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12931 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2960 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2960 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (5) 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 Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, establishes the California Department of Aging in the California Health and Human Services Agency, and sets forth its mission to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments. Existing law requires the department to administer and implement the Aging and Disability Resource Connection program, in collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation and the State Department of Health Care services. This bill would establish the Dementia Care Navigator Grant Pilot Program, to be administered by the California Department of Aging, in partnership with organizations with expertise using community health workers, promotores, and health navigators. The bill would provide that the purpose of the pilot program is to incentivize organizations that provide services to local communities to provide dementia care navigation training services, as defined. The bill would authorize organizations with expertise using community health workers, promotores, and health navigators to apply for a grant. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis. The bill would require an organization that receives a grant pursuant to these provisions to provide to the department an annual report on the services provided on or before December 31 of the year the grant is received, as specified. The bill would make those provisions inoperative on July 1, 2027. The bill would also require the department to provide a report to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature on or before December 1, 2027. Implementation of these provisions would be contingent upon an appropriation and the provisions would repeal on January 1, 2028. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
The California Health Facilities Financing Authority Act authorizes the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (authority) to, among other things, make loans from the continuously appropriated California Health Facilities Financing Authority Fund to participating health institutions, as defined, for financing or refinancing the acquisition, construction, or remodeling of health facilities. Under existing law, the board of supervisors of each county may maintain in the county hospital or in any other hospital situated within or without the county, or in any other psychiatric health facility situated within or without the county, suitable facilities and nonhospital or hospital services for the detention, supervision, care, and treatment of persons who have a mental health disorder or a developmental disability, or who are alleged to be such. Existing law defines "county psychiatric hospital" as a hospital, ward, or facility provided by the county pursuant to certain provisions. This bill would establish the California Acute Care Psychiatric Hospital Loan Fund and would continuously appropriate moneys in that fund to the authority to provide loans to qualifying county or city and county applicants for the purpose of building or renovating acute care psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric health facilities, or psychiatric units in general acute care hospitals, as defined. The bill would require the authority to develop an application for county or city and county applicants by January 1, 2024. The bill would require initial preliminary applications for projects to be submitted to the authority by April 1, 2024, and would require the authority to approve the project based on specified criteria. The bill would provide for the return of any funds not encumbered by a loan recipient within a specified period and would require a loan recipient to maintain and operate the facility for the life of the loan. The bill would authorize the authority to charge a fee to cover the cost of administering the loan. The bill would also require the authority to provide a report to the Department of Finance and the budget and health committees of the Assembly and Senate by a specified date that would include, among other things, the number of projects that are receiving loans and their geographic distribution. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.
Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to acquire, study, design, develop, construct, and equip a state-owned and state-operated Southern California Veterans Cemetery in the County of Orange at one of 2 possible sites, as specified. Existing law requires the department to, after completing acquisition studies on both sites, consult with the Department of General Services to determine which site to pursue based on the economic feasibility, benefits to veterans and City of Irvine residents, and availability of each location. Existing law makes honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, and dependent children eligible for interment in the cemetery, as specified. This bill would delete those site selection requirements and would instead require the department to acquire, study, design, develop, construct, and equip a state-owned and state-operated Southern California Veterans Cemetery in the County of Orange. The bill would require the department to conduct an acquisition study, in consultation with the Department of General Services, to assess the feasibility and costs of construction of the cemetery. The bill would additionally create the Southern California Veterans Cemetery Study Donation Fund, and would authorize any local governmental entity or private organization in the County of Orange to donate to the fund. The bill would authorize the department, upon receipt of sufficient moneys, to conduct a study of the feasibility of a site formally proposed by a local government in the County of Orange for the purpose of establishing a Southern California Veterans Cemetery, as specified. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the fund to the department for these purposes. The bill would require any excess funds to be returned to the donor if requested, and to otherwise be used for the design, development, construction, and equipment of the cemetery. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of registered nurses, including nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives, by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law makes a violation of this act a crime. In order to perform an abortion by aspiration techniques under the act, a person with a license or certificate to practice as a nurse practitioner or a certified nurse-midwife is required to complete board-recognized training and adhere to standardized procedures that specify, among other conditions, the extent of supervision by a physician and surgeon with relevant training and expertise. This bill would revise those provisions by requiring, in order to perform abortion by aspiration techniques, a person with a license or certificate to practice as a nurse practitioner practicing pursuant to a standardized procedure, to practice as a certified nurse-midwife, or to practice as a qualified nurse practitioner functioning pursuant to certain advanced practice provisions to achieve clinical competency by successfully completing requisite training, as specified, in performing these procedures, as provided by certain board-approved programs, courses, and trainings. This bill would authorize a nurse practitioner who has completed training required by these provisions and who is functioning pursuant to certain advanced practice provisions to perform an abortion by aspiration techniques without supervision by a physician and surgeon. The bill would require a nurse practitioner to practice abortion by aspiration techniques consistent with applicable standards of care and within the scope of their clinical and professional education and training. By expanding the application of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law provides that it is unprofessional conduct for a nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife to perform an abortion by aspiration techniques without prior completion of training and validation of clinical competency. This bill would instead make a violation of the above-described provisions by a nurse practitioner or certified midwife unprofessional conduct. This bill would also prohibit certain persons authorized to perform abortion by aspiration techniques from being punished, held liable for damages in a civil action, or denied any right or privilege for any action relating to the evaluation of clinical competency of a nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife, as specified. 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 prohibits a person from driving a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than 100 miles per hour, and provides that upon a subsequent conviction of that offense within a certain number of years, the person shall be punished by a fine and the Department of Motor Vehicles shall suspend their privilege to operate a vehicle, as specified. Under existing law, a person who drives a vehicle upon a highway or in an offstreet parking facility in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving, which is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail or by the payment of a fine, or both imprisonment and a fine, as specified. Existing law defines the crime of vehicular manslaughter as the unlawful killing of a human being without malice while driving a vehicle under specified circumstances, including in the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to felony, with or without gross negligence, and provides that vehicular manslaughter is punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. This bill would specify a list of circumstances that may, based on the totality of the circumstances, constitute gross negligence for manslaughter, including, among other circumstances, when a person has participated in a sideshow or has sped over 100 miles per hour. By expanding the definition of 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 Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California. Existing law authorizes the board to take action against all persons guilty of violating the Medical Practice Act. Existing law requires the board to enforce and administer various disciplinary provisions as to physician and surgeon certificate holders. Existing law, the Osteopathic Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. Under existing law, the board has disciplinary functions pursuant to the act. Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of nursing by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law provides for the certification of nurse-midwives by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, establishes the Physician Assistant Board for the licensure and regulation of physician assistants. Existing law requires the Board of Registered Nursing and the Physician Assistant Board to enforce and administer various disciplinary provisions as to nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, and physician assistants. Existing law, the Reproductive Privacy Act, provides that every individual possesses a fundamental right of privacy with respect to their personal reproductive decisions. Under existing law, an abortion is unauthorized if either the person performing the abortion is not an authorized health care provider, as specified, or the fetus is viable. Under existing law, the failure of a physician and surgeon to comply with the Reproductive Privacy Act constitutes unprofessional conduct. This bill would prohibit the Medical Board of California and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California from suspending or revoking the certificate of a physician and surgeon solely for performing an abortion if they performed the abortion in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Practice Act and the Reproductive Privacy Act. The bill would also prohibit those boards from denying an application for licensure as a physician and surgeon, or suspending, revoking, or otherwise imposing discipline upon a physician and surgeon because the person was disciplined in another state in which they are licensed or certified solely for performing an abortion in that state, or the person was convicted in that state for an offense related solely to the performance of an abortion in that state. The bill would additionally prohibit the Board of Registered Nursing and the Physician Assistant Board from suspending or revoking the certification or license of a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant for performing an abortion if they performed the abortion in accordance with the provisions of the Nursing Practice Act or the Physician Assistant Practice Act, as applicable, and the Reproductive Privacy Act. The bill would also prohibit those boards from denying an application for certification or licensure as a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant, or suspending, revoking, or otherwise imposing discipline upon a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant because the person was disciplined in another state in which they are licensed or certified solely for performing an abortion in that state, or the person was convicted in that state for an offense related solely to the performance of an abortion in that state. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
(1) Existing law authorizes reproductive health care service providers, employees, volunteers, and patients to complete an application to be approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of enabling state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing a program participant's residence address contained in any public record and otherwise provide for confidentiality of identity for that person, subject to specified conditions. Existing law requires an applicant seeking address confidentiality under this program due to their affiliation with a reproductive health care services facility to provide a certified statement signed by a person authorized by the reproductive health care services facility stating that the facility or any of its providers, employees, volunteers, or patients is or was the target of threats or acts of violence within one year of the date of the application. Under existing law, any person who makes a false statement in an application is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would authorize an applicant seeking address confidentiality under this program to submit a certified statement by the employee, patient, or volunteer for a reproductive health care services facility that they have been the target of threats, harassment, or acts of violence, or a workplace violence restraining order issued because of threats or acts of violence connected with a reproductive health care services facility, as specified, instead of a certified statement from a representative of the reproductive health care services facility. This bill would also expand the address confidentiality program to include other individuals who face threats of violence or violence or harassment from the public because of their work for a public entity. The bill would require an individual seeking to make their address confidential under these provisions to complete the application in person at a community-based assistance program designated by the Secretary of State. The bill would require the application process to include a requirement that the applicant meet with a counselor and receive orientation information about the program. By imposing new duties on local public officials and expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law permits an individual to seek confidential voter status and have their residence address, telephone number, and email address declared confidential upon presentation of certification that the person is a participant in among other programs, the Address Confidentiality for Reproductive Health Care Service Providers, Employees, Volunteers, and Patients program. This bill would include individuals who work for a public entity and who participate in the expanded address confidentiality program described above within the category of people eligible for confidential voter status. (3) Existing law requires an election official to post a list of all polling places and precinct board members at specified times before an election. Existing law requires this list to be posted at the elections official's office and on their official website. Existing law requires an election official to include the political party affiliation for each listed precinct board member. This bill would eliminate the requirement to post the names of the precinct board members, but would still require the election official to post the political party preference for all precinct board members, as specified. (4) Existing law requires a county elections official, upon application of a public safety officer and if authorized by the county board of supervisors, to make confidential an officer's residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit of registration, as specified. Under existing law, an application for confidential voter status is required to contain a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that the person is a public safety officer and that a life-threatening circumstance exists to the officer or a member of the officer's family, as specified. This bill would create a similar program for qualified workers, as defined, that includes a requirement to submit an application, signed under penalty of perjury, that they are a qualified worker and that a life-threatening circumstance exists to the worker or members of the worker's family. By creating a new crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to the Legislature that includes the total number of applications received for the program, the number of program participants within each county, and any allegations of misuse of the program relating to election purposes, as specified. (5) 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. (6) 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. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law prohibits a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group from releasing a dog or cat to an owner seeking to reclaim it, or adopting out, selling, or giving away a dog or cat to a new owner, unless the dog or cat is or will be microchipped, as specified. Existing law subjects an agency, shelter, or group that violates these provisions on or after January 1, 2022, to a civil penalty of $100, except as specified. This bill would additionally require the owner or new owner of the dog or cat to be registered with the microchip registry company as the primary owner of the dog or cat. The bill would prohibit the agency, shelter, or group from being listed as the primary owner of the dog or cat. If a dog or cat has a preexisting microchip or if there is reasonable proof of ownership, the bill would also require an agency, shelter, or group to document and retain a record of all efforts made to contact a microchip's primary registrant or other demonstrated owner. The bill would expressly provide that a dog or cat that is temporarily housed under an emergency evacuation order is not subject to these provisions. The bill would also make a conforming change.