Sen. Janet Nguyen

This measure would declare the month of September 2022 as California Emergency Preparedness Month.

Existing law authorizes any postsecondary higher educational institution with a medical center to establish diagnostic and treatment centers for Alzheimer's disease, and requires the State Department of Public Health to administer grants to the postsecondary higher educational institutions that establish a center pursuant to these provisions. This bill would require the department to establish the Office of the Healthy Brain Initiative to conduct all department activities relating to Alzheimer's disease and to implement the action agenda items in the Healthy Brain Initiative, as defined. The bill would also, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the office to establish a program in at least 10 local health jurisdictions, as specified, and award participating local health jurisdictions one-time grant funding, to develop local initiatives that are consistent with the Healthy Brain Initiative. The bill would require the office to conduct an evaluation of the program and produce a report describing best practices and making recommendations regarding which solutions and innovations are most feasible to replicate. The bill would require the office to provide a copy of the report to the Legislature by December 31, 2025, and to provide an updated copy of the report to the Legislature every 3 years thereafter. Existing law requires the Secretary of California Health and Human Services to be responsible for oversight and coordination of programs serving people living with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and their families. Existing law establishes the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee in the California Health and Human Services Agency, and specifies that the committee consists of 14 members, including, among others, one member who represents a consumer organization representing persons with Alzheimer's disease, and 2 people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, serving one-year terms. This bill would, in the provisions governing the committee, revise references to Alzheimer's disease to also refer to related disorders. The bill would also expand the membership of the committee to at least 21, but not more than 25, members and would specify that the additional members include a 2nd member representing a consumer organization representing persons with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, one member who represents first responders, one commissioner from the California Commission on Aging who has expertise regarding Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, one member who represents primary care physicians, one member representing local health jurisdictions, and 2 ex officio, nonvoting members, one of which is a Member of the Assembly and one of which is a Senator. The bill would remove the requirement that the 2 members who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders serve a one-year term.

Existing law establishes various commissions within state government. This bill would, until January 1, 2029, establish the California Commission on the United States Semiquincentennial in state government to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States of America. The bill would require the commission to plan and coordinate commemorations and observances of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The bill would require the commission to be solely supported by private or federal funds made available for the purpose of supporting the commission. The bill would require that these funds be deposited in the Semiquincentennial Fund, and would create that fund in the State Treasury. The bill would require funds in the Semiquincentennial Fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require the records, files, and other memoranda of the commission, other than any private possessions, to be deposited and filed with the State Archives before January 1, 2029, and would require the State Archives to receive those materials.

Existing law establishes within the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Parks and Recreation, which controls the state park system. Existing law provides a process for the establishment of recreation and park districts. Existing law authorizes a recreation and park district to accept any revenue, money, grants, goods, or services from any federal, state, regional, or local agency or from any person for any lawful purpose of the district. This bill would, to the extent not in conflict with the terms of an existing park grant program or applicable bond act, or the requirements of any other funding source, for any grant application submitted on and after January 1, 2023, prohibit the Department of Parks and Recreation, or any other state agency, from awarding any grant funds to a grant applicant for purposes of constructing or rehabilitating a playground or play structure, unless the playground or play structure that is proposed for construction or rehabilitation complies with the United States Department of Justice's 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The bill would, to the extent not in conflict with the terms of an existing park grant program or applicable bond act, or the requirements of any other funding source, for any grant application submitted on and after January 1, 2024, prohibit the Department of Parks and Recreation, or any other state agency, from awarding any grant funds to a grant applicant for purposes of constructing or rehabilitating a playground or play structure, unless the playground or play structure that is proposed for construction or rehabilitation complies with the United States Department of Justice's 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and the standards to be adopted by the Department of Parks and Recreation on or before January 1, 2024, as provided.

Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law charges the board with providing the statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in California's adult and juvenile criminal justice system. Under existing law, the board administers several grant programs, including a mentally ill offender crime reduction grant program, a medication-assisted treatment grant program, and a violence intervention and prevention grant program. This bill would establish two new grant programs: the Homeless and Mental Health Court Grant Program that would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, be administered by the Judicial Council and provide grants to counties for the purpose of establishing or expanding homeless courts and mental health courts, as specified; and the Transitioning Home Grant Program that would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, be administered by the board and provide grants to county sheriffs and jail administrators to fund programs aimed at reducing homelessness among inmates released from custody, as specified. The bill would require the board and council to prepare and submit reports to the Legislature, as specified, regarding the impacts of the grant program under their jurisdiction.

Under existing law, the State Department of Health Care Services is responsible for the administration and oversight of various health care programs, including those related to cancer screening and research. This bill, the California Childhood Cancer Research Fund Act, would request the Regents of the University of California to establish and administer the Childhood Cancer Research Grant Program to provide funding to various entities to support research and treatment for children impacted by cancer and the long-term effects of cancer treatment. The bill would create the Childhood Cancer Research Council composed of 7 members, including specialists in pediatric oncology, appointed by the Governor, Senate Committee on Rules, or Speaker of the Assembly, and would require the council to develop the strategic objectives and priorities of the program and make grant recommendations to the University of California in accordance with the program's goals. The bill would require the council to submit an annual report to the Legislature describing the grants made, grants in progress, program accomplishments, and future program directions. The bill would create the Andrew Hirschman Childhood Cancer Research Fund for the implementation and administration of the grant program, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would make these provisions operative until January 1, 2028.

Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing federal law establishes eligibility requirements, including specified income eligibility standards, for receipt of CalFresh benefits. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, on or before July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, to submit a request for a federal waiver to exclude the basic allowance for housing provided to specified uniformed service members from countable income in the determination of eligibility and benefit level for purposes of receiving CalFresh benefits. The bill would, upon federal approval of the waiver, require the department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California, advocates for CalFresh recipients, and the Military Department, to issue an all-county letter instructing counties on updated eligibility requirements and benefit calculations for uniformed service members receiving a basic allowance for housing. To the extent the bill would expand the duties of counties, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.