This measure would recognize the month of February 2016 as American Heart Month in California and February 5, 2016, as Wear Red Day in California in order to raise awareness of the importance of the ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke.
Existing law establishes in state government the Government Operations Agency, headed by the Secretary of Government Operations. The secretary is required to review the operations and evaluate the performance of each department, office, or other unit within the agency and seek to continually improve, among other things, the operating policies and the management of information systems of those entities within the agency. The agency includes, among other state government entities, the Department of General Services and the Department of Technology. The Department of Technology is under the supervision of the Director of Technology, who is also known as the State Chief Information Officer. Existing law generally requires the Department of Technology to be responsible for the approval and oversight of information technology projects by, among other things, consulting with state agencies during initial project planning to ensure that project proposals are based on well-defined programmatic needs. This bill would establish the Office of Digital Services, within a proposed Department of Customer Service, to be headed by a Director of Customer Service. The bill would require the office to, among other things, provide teams, on an as-needed basis, of technologists, engineers, designers, and other qualified individuals with technology skills to state agencies and departments to solve technology issues and create technology tools and platforms. The bill would make related legislative findings.
This measure would recognize February 2016 as Black History Month, urge all citizens to join in celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month, and encourage the people of California to recognize the many talents, achievements, and contributions that African Americans make to their communities.
Existing law establishes in state government the Government Operations Agency, headed by the Secretary of Government Operations. The secretary is required to review the operations and evaluate the performance of each department, office, or other unit within the agency and seek to continually improve, among other things, the operating policies and the management of information systems of those entities within the agency. The agency includes, among other state government entities, the Department of General Services and the Department of Technology. This bill would establish, within the Government Operations Agency, the Department of Customer Service to be headed by a Director of Customer Service, who would be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. The bill would require the director to engage the agency to promote an understanding of customer service and ensure the agency is making administrative decisions that serve customer needs. The bill would further require the director to, among other things, advise the Governor on the strategic development and management of state customer service programs, and consult with the Director of Technology, the Director of General Services, and the Director of Finance to establish customer service goals for state information technology. The bill would specifically require the director to annually report to the Director of Finance and specific committees of the Legislature regarding the cost savings achieved through improvements to customer service within the Government Operations Agency that were implemented by the department, and would further require the director to annually report on the customer service performance of the agency. The bill would require all state entities to reasonably cooperate with the requests of the director that relate to the duties of the director and the department. The bill would make related legislative findings.
This measure would declare that President Abraham Lincoln be honored on February 12, 2016, the anniversary of his birthday.
The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. Under existing law, regional centers purchase needed services for individuals with developmental disabilities through approved service providers or arrange for those services through other publicly funded agencies. Existing law establishes specified rates and wages to be paid to certain service providers and the rates to be paid for certain developmental services. Existing law requires that rates to be paid to other developmental service providers either be set by the department or negotiated between the regional center and the service provider. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced, as specified. This bill would appropriate a specified sum to the State Department of Developmental Services to, commencing July 1, 2016, among other things, increase rates and wages for certain developmental services providers and fund incentive payments for competitive integrated employment opportunities and internships for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill would require the department to submit a rate study to specified committees of the Legislature on or before March 1, 2019, regarding community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill would require each regional center to report specified information to the department regarding increased funding for regional center operations. The bill would, for dates of service on or after August 1, 2016, increase the payment rates for intermediate care facilities and skilled nursing facilities that provide services to developmentally disabled individuals under the Medi-Cal program, as specified. The bill would also prohibit the State Department of Health Care Services from seeking to retroactively implement certain Medi-Cal provider payment reductions and limitations with regards to reimbursements for services provided by skilled nursing facilities that are distinct parts of general acute care hospitals for dates of service on or after June 1, 2011, and on or before September 30, 2013, and from seeking to recoup overpayments, as specified. Existing law requires the department and regional centers to annually collaborate to compile specified data relating to purchase of service authorization, utilization, and expenditure by each regional center. Existing law requires each regional center to annually report to the department regarding the regional center's implementation of these requirements, including whether the data indicates a need to reduce disparities in the purchase of services among consumers in the regional center's catchment area and the regional center's recommendations and plan to promote equity, and reduce disparities, in the purchase of services. Existing law requires the department to consult with specified stakeholders to review the data, develop recommendations to help reduce disparities in purchase of service expenditures, and encourage development and expansion of culturally appropriate services, among other things, and to report the status of its efforts during the 2016–17 legislative budget subcommittee hearing process. The bill would also require the department, subject to available funding, to allocate funding to regional centers to assist in implementing specified recommendations and plans, including the recommendations and plans of the regional centers to promote equity, and reduce disparities, in the purchase of services. Existing law requires an entity that receives payments between $250,000 and $500,000 per year from one or more regional centers to obtain either an independent audit or an independent review report of its financial statements, and requires an entity that receives payments that are equal to or more than $500,000 per year to obtain an independent audit. This bill would instead require an entity that receives payments between $500,000 and $2,000,000 from one or more regional centers to obtain an independent review report of its financial statements, and would authorize these entities to apply for, and require the regional center to grant, a 2-year exemption from this requirement if the regional center does not find issues in the independent review report that have an impact on regional center services. The bill would require an entity that receives payments from one or more regional centers that are equal to or more than $2,000,000 to obtain an independent audit and would authorize these entities to apply for, and require the regional center to grant, a 2-year exemption from the audit requirement if the audit resulted in an unmodified opinion, an unmodified opinion with additional communication, or a qualified opinion with issues that are not material. The bill would require a regional center to annually report to the State Department of Developmental Services any exemptions granted pursuant to these provisions.
This measure would declare the month of January 2016 as Pet Care Education Month and would request Californians to observe the month by ensuring that their companion animals receive the proper preventative care by establishing a financial plan for pet health emergencies and by contributing to charitable organizations that provide low-cost spay and neuter services and vaccinations or funds to help low-income individuals pay for veterinary care.
The Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act requires a mandated reporter, as defined, to make a report to a specified agency whenever the mandated reporter, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observes a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. Existing law provides that "child abuse or neglect" for these purposes includes "sexual assault," that includes, among other things, the crimes of sodomy, oral copulation, and sexual penetration. This bill would provide that "sexual assault" for these purposes does not include voluntary sodomy, oral copulation, or sexual penetration, if there are no indicators of abuse, unless that conduct is between a person who is 21 years of age or older and a minor who is under 16 years of age.
