(1) Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law, subject to federal approval, imposes a quality assurance fee, as specified, on certain general acute care hospitals from July 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive. Existing law, subject to federal approval, requires the fee to be deposited into the Hospital Quality Assurance Revenue Fund, and requires that the moneys in the fund be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for certain purposes, including, among other things, paying for health care coverage for children and making supplemental payments for certain services to private hospitals, increased capitation payments to Medi-Cal managed care plans, and increased payments to mental health plans. This bill would, subject to federal approval, impose a hospital quality assurance fee, as specified, on certain general acute care hospitals to be deposited into the Hospital Quality Assurance Revenue Fund. This bill would, subject to federal approval, provide that moneys in the Hospital Quality Assurance Revenue Fund shall be continuously appropriated during the first program period of January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016, inclusive, and available only for certain purposes, including paying for health care coverage for children, as specified, and making supplemental payments for certain services to private hospitals and increased capitation payments to Medi-Cal managed care plans. The bill would also require the payment of direct grants to designated and nondesignated public hospitals in support of health care expenditures funded by the quality assurance fee for the first program period. The bill would, for subsequent program periods, authorize the payment of direct grants for designated and nondesignated public hospitals and require that the moneys in the Hospital Quality Assurance Revenue Fund be used for the above-described purposes upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. The bill would require the department to make available all public documentation it uses to administer and audit these provisions. The bill would require the department to post specified documents on its Internet Web site relating to these provisions. (2) Existing law provides that any county, other political subdivision of the state, or governmental entity in the state may elect to transfer funds in the form of cash or loans to the department in support of the Medi-Cal program. Existing law provides the department discretion to accept or not accept any elective transfer from a county, political subdivision, or other governmental entity for purposes of obtaining federal financial participation. This bill would authorize the Director of Health Care Services to maximize federal financial participation to provide access to services provided by hospitals that are not reimbursed by certified public expenditure, as specified, by authorizing the use of intergovernmental transfers to fund the nonfederal share of supplemental payments as permitted under federal law. (3) Existing law requires that the California Medical Assistance Commission be dissolved after June 30, 2012, and requires that, upon dissolution of the commission, all powers, duties, and responsibilities of the commission be transferred to the Director of Health Care Services. Existing law provides that upon a determination by the director that a payment system based on diagnosis-related groups, as described, has been developed and implemented, the powers, duties, and responsibilities conferred on the commission and transferred to the director shall no longer be exercised, except as specified. This bill would add to those exceptions by authorizing the director to continue to administer and distribute payments for the Construction and Renovation Reimbursement Program, which provides supplemental reimbursement to hospitals that contract under the selective provider contracting program or with a county organized health system, as specified. The bill would provide that maintaining or negotiating a selective provider contract or a contract with a county organized health system shall cease to be a requirement for a hospital's participation in the Construction and Renovation Reimbursement Program. (4) Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments to be reduced by 1% or 5%, and provider payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 1%, for dates of service on and after March 1, 2009, and until June 1, 2011. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, Medi-Cal provider payments and payments for specified non-Medi-Cal programs to be reduced by 10% for dates of service on and after June 1, 2011. This bill would require that reimbursement for services provided by skilled nursing facilities that are distinct parts of general acute care hospitals be determined, for dates of service on or after October 1, 2013, without application of the reductions and limitations set forth in those provisions. The bill would also require the department to develop, in consultation with the hospital community, proposed modifications to the quality assurance fee provisions to collect additional fees for increasing managed care plan rate range increases for the purpose of increasing payments to private hospitals and nondesignated public hospitals in counties that do not have designated public hospitals. The bill would also require the department to develop a process by which a private general acute care hospital located outside the state that serves Medi-Cal beneficiaries may opt in to pay the quality assurance fee and receive supplemental payments, as specified. (5) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
(1) Existing law provides the Central Valley Flood Protection Board with the authority to construct and maintain various flood control works. Existing law authorizes the board to hold a hearing or partial hearing before a committee of one or more members of the board, or before the general manager or chief engineer of the board, at any place within the state. This bill would eliminate the authorization for the board to hold a hearing before the general manager and would authorize the board to hold a hearing or partial hearing before a qualified neutral hearing officer designated by the board president or the executive officer. (2) Existing law requires specified plans that contemplate the construction, enlargement, revetment, or alteration of any levee, embankment, canal, or other excavation in the bed of or along or near the banks of the Sacramento or San Joaquin Rivers or any of their tributaries or specified lands to be approved by the board before construction is commenced. Existing law authorizes the board, and the executive officer if delegated that authority, to issue an order directing a person or public agency to cease and desist from undertaking, or threatening to undertake, an activity that may encroach on levees, channels, or other flood control works under the jurisdiction of the board. Existing law requires the cease and desist order to be issued only if the person or public agency has failed to respond in a satisfactory manner to a prescribed notice provided, as specified. Existing law provides that a cease and desist order is effective upon its issuance and that copies are required to be served immediately by certified mail upon the person or agency subject to the order. This bill would repeal these provisions and provide that it is unlawful for any person or public agency to interfere with, obstruct the performance, maintenance, or operation of, or otherwise take actions that may adversely affect facilities of the State Plan of Flood Control, designated floodways, or streams that are regulated by the board. The bill would authorize the board, following notice and opportunity for a hearing, to order the removal or modification of an encroachment that was previously issued a permit by the board if the board makes a specified finding. This bill would authorize the board, the executive officer, the department, or certain local agencies to issue a notice of violation, as specified, if it is determined that any person or public agency has undertaken, is threatening to undertake, or maintains any encroachment, flood system, improvement, or activity in violation of certain provisions. If the board or executive officer determines that any person or public agency has failed to adequately respond to a notice of violation, the bill would authorize the board or executive officer to issue an order directing that person or public agency to cease and desist, as specified. The bill would require that if the board determines that any person or public agency has failed to correct a violation as required in a cease and desist order, the board shall hold an enforcement hearing and may, at the conclusion of the hearing, issue an enforcement order, as prescribed. This bill would provide the board, executive officer, Department of Water Resources, and local agencies that operate and maintain facilities and works on behalf of the board with the authority, as prescribed, to take administrative or civil enforcement actions to abate and remedy any interference or potential interference with facilities of the State Plan of Flood Control, designated floodways, or streams that are regulated by the board. The bill would establish the Flood Risk Management Fund in the State Treasury and require all funds received from these penalties to be paid into the fund and available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be expended by the board to carry out enforcement of these provisions. The bill would require the board to adopt emergency regulations necessary to implement these provisions.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as the 3 segments of public higher education in the state. Existing law exempts specified students from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University. This bill would additionally exempt a student who is a United States citizen who resides in a foreign country, and who meets all of the following requirements, from nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University: (A) demonstrates financial need for the exemption; (B) has a parent who has been deported or was permitted to depart voluntarily; (C) moved abroad as a result of that deportation or voluntary departure; (D) lived in California immediately before moving abroad; (E) attended a public or private secondary school in the state for 3 or more years; and (F) upon enrollment, will be in his or her first academic year as a matriculated student in California public higher education, as defined, will be living in California, and will file an affidavit with the institution stating that he or she intends to establish residency in California as soon as possible. The bill would request the regents to enact regulations and procedures to exempt similarly situated students of the University of California from nonresident tuition. This bill would incorporate changes proposed by both this bill and SB 150 to the provision relating to nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges, contingent on the prior enactment of that bill, as specified. (2) To the extent the provisions of this bill would place additional requirements on community college districts regarding the provision of postsecondary education benefits to additional categories of students, 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 these statutory provisions.
Existing law establishes grounds for suspension or revocation of certain business and professional licenses. This bill would subject those business licenses to suspension or revocation, with a specified exception, if the licensee has been determined by the Labor Commissioner or the court to have violated specified law and the court or Labor Commissioner has taken into consideration any harm such a suspension or revocation would cause to employees of the licensee, as well as the good faith efforts of the licensee to resolve any alleged violations after receiving notice. The bill would subject a licensee of an agency within the Department of Consumer Affairs who has been found by the Labor Commissioner or the court to have violated specified law to disciplinary action by his or her respective licensing agency. The State Bar Act establishes specific causes for the disbarment or suspension of a member of the State Bar. This bill would make it a cause for suspension, disbarment, or other discipline for any member of the State Bar to report suspected immigration status or threaten to report suspected immigration status of a witness or party to a civil or administrative action or his or her family member, as defined, to a federal, state, or local agency because the witness or party exercises or has exercised a right related to his or her employment. Existing law establishes various rights and protections relating to employment and civil rights that may be enforced by civil action. This bill would provide that it is not necessary to exhaust administrative remedies or procedures in order to bring a civil action enforcing designated rights. Under the bill, reporting or threatening to report an employee's, former employee's, or prospective employee's suspected citizenship or immigration status, or the suspected citizenship or immigration status of the employee's or former employee's family member, as defined, to a federal, state, or local agency because the employee, former employee, or prospective employee exercises a designated right would constitute an adverse action for purposes of establishing a violation of the designated right. Because a violation of certain of those designated rights is a misdemeanor, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by changing the definition of a crime. Existing law prohibits an employer from discharging an employee or in any manner discriminating against any employee or applicant for employment because the employee or applicant has engaged in prescribed protected conduct relating to the enforcement of the employee's or applicant's rights. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for an employer to take adverse employment action against employees who file bona fide complaints. This bill would also prohibit an employer from retaliating or taking any adverse action against any employee or applicant for employment because the employee or applicant has engaged in protected conduct. The bill would expand the protected conduct to include a written or oral complaint by an employee that he or she is owed unpaid wages. The bill would subject an employer to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation of these provisions. Existing law entitles an employee to reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages and benefits if the employee has been discharged, demoted, suspended, or in any way discriminated against because the employee engaged in protected conduct or because the employee made a bona fide complaint or claim or initiated any action or notice, as prescribed. This bill would similarly grant these entitlements to an employee who is retaliated against or subjected to an adverse action. Existing law prohibits an employer from making, adopting, or enforcing any rule, regulation, or policy preventing an employee from disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of state or federal statute, or a violation or noncompliance with a state or federal rule or regulation. Existing law further prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee for such a disclosure. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions by an employer is a crime. This bill would additionally prohibit any person acting on behalf of the employer from making, adopting, or enforcing any rule, regulation, or policy preventing an employee from disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, as provided, and would extend those prohibitions to preventing an employee from, or retaliating against an employee for, providing information to, or testifying before, any public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry. Because a violation of these provisions by an employer would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1102.5 of the Labor Code proposed by SB 496 that would become operative if this bill and SB 496 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, provides for the involuntary commitment and treatment of persons with specified mental disorders and for the protection of the persons so committed. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature, with regard to this act, to end inappropriate, indefinite, and involuntary commitment of mentally disordered persons, developmentally disabled persons, and persons impaired by chronic alcoholism, and to eliminate legal disabilities and to protect mentally disordered persons and developmentally disabled persons, among other things. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature, additionally, to provide consistent standards for protection of the personal rights of persons who are subject to involuntary detention and to provide services in the least restrictive setting appropriate to the needs of the person, as well as making technical changes. This bill would encourage each city or county mental health department to post on its Internet Web site a current list, to be updated at least annually, of ambulatory services and other resources for persons with mental health and substance use disorders in the city or county that may be accessed by providers and consumers of mental health services. Under existing law, when a person, as a result of mental disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled, he or she may, upon probable cause, be taken into custody by a peace officer, member of the attending staff of an evaluation facility, designated members of a mobile crisis team, or other designated professional person, and placed in a facility designated by the county and approved by the State Department of Social Services as a facility for 72-hour treatment and evaluation. Existing law specifies advisements that are to be given to the person prior to involuntary commitment. This bill would authorize a county health director to develop procedures for the county's designation and training of professionals who will be designated to perform functions relating to the 72-hour treatment and evaluation. The bill would require the facilities for treatment and evaluation to be licensed or certified as mental health treatment facilities by the State Department of Health Care Services or the State Department of Public Health. The bill would require assessment and evaluation, as defined, to be provided on an ongoing basis and would authorize crisis intervention to be provided concurrently with assessment, evaluation, or any other service. The bill would also authorize a professional person in charge of a facility for evaluation and treatment to take custody of a person for this purpose. The bill would make prescribed changes to the advisements given when the person is taken into custody and when the person is admitted to the facility, and would require that the facility keep a record of the advisement. By requiring local mental health facilities to provide and maintain this additional information, 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.
The Outdoor Advertising Act provides for the regulation by the Department of Transportation of advertising displays, as defined, within view of public highways. The act exempts from its provisions certain advertising displays that advertise the business conducted, services rendered, or goods produced or sold on the property upon which the display is placed, as specified. The act also exempts from its provisions specified advertising displays at an arena located on public land with a capacity of 5,000 seats or more that provides a permanent venue for professional sports, and that advertises products, goods, or services that are or will be sold on the premises of the arena on a regular basis pursuant to a specified agreement. This bill would recast the arena advertising exception to exempt from the act specified advertising displays authorized by local ordinance at the premises of an arena, defined as a venue with a capacity of 15,000 seats or more that is capable of providing a permanent venue for professional sports, or a contiguous development project or district encompassing or adjacent to the venue that extends not more than 1,000 feet from a structure connected to the venue, as specified. These advertising displays would be authorized to advertise any products, goods, or services sold within that area on a regular basis, or marketed or promoted in that area pursuant to a sponsorship marketing plan, as defined, except tobacco, firearms, or sexually explicit material, if specified conditions are met. The bill would additionally authorize, under similar conditions, up to 2 advertising displays that are not required to comply with the act, which the bill would require to be visible when approaching offramps from the interstate, primary, or state highways used to access the premises of an arena. The bill would require that certain conditions apply if the advertising display authorized by the bill is a message center display. The bill would require that if an advertising display is subject to a notice from the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, or other applicable federal agency to the state that the operation of that display will result in the reduction of federal funds, as provided, authorization of the display would cease 60 days after the state notifies the display owner of the receipt of the federal notice, and would require the display owner to remove all advertising copy within that time. The bill would provide for the imposition of a civil fine of $10,000 per day by the department on the owner for failure to remove advertising copy. The bill would require the local agency to have primary responsibility for enforcing its ordinance and these provisions, and to indemnify the state Department of Transportation for all costs incurred for failing to ensure that compliance, as specified. The bill would prohibit, among other things, the state Department of Transportation from assuming any liability in connection with cessation of operation or removal of an advertising display. In addition, the bill would require an advertising display lawfully erected on or before December 31, 2013, in conformity with the law relating to the exemption for advertising displays on arenas, as it existed on that date, to remain authorized, subject to the terms of that law.
Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with the approval of the State Board of Education, to develop an Academic Performance Index (API) to measure the performance of schools and school districts, especially the academic performance of pupils. Existing law, the Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act, requires the Superintendent to design and implement a statewide pupil assessment program, and requires school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education to administer to each of its pupils in grades 2 to 11, inclusive, certain achievement tests, including a standards-based achievement test pursuant to the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program and the California Standards Tests. Existing law makes the Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act inoperative on July 1, 2014, and repeals it on January 1, 2015. Existing federal law, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, contains provisions generally requiring states to adopt performance goals for their public elementary and secondary schools, and to demonstrate that these public schools are making adequate yearly progress, as measured by pupil performance on standardized tests as well as other measures, to satisfy those goals. Existing law requires the Superintendent, with approval of the state board, to develop the California Standards Tests, to measure the degree to which pupils are achieving academically rigorous content standards and performance standards, as provided. Existing law, the Early Assessment Program, establishes a collaborative effort, headed by the California State University, to enable pupils to learn about their readiness for college-level English and mathematics before their senior year of high school. This bill would, for the 2013–14 and 2014–15 school years, upon approval of the state board, authorize the Superintendent to not provide an API score to a school or school district due to a determination by the Superintendent that a transition to new standards-based assessments would compromise comparability of results across schools or school districts. The bill would extend the duration of the provisions of the Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act by 6 years so that they would become inoperative on July 1, 2020, and be repealed on January 1, 2021. The bill would delete the provisions establishing the STAR Program, and instead establish the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP) , commencing with the 2013–14 school year, for the assessment of certain elementary and secondary pupils. The bill would specify that the MAPP would be composed of: a consortium summative assessment in English language arts and mathematics for grades 3 to 8, inclusive, and grade 11, as specified; science grade level assessments in grades 5, 8, and 10, measuring specified content standards; the California Alternate Performance Assessment in grades 2 to 11, inclusive, in English language arts and mathematics and science in grades 5, 8, and 10, as specified; and the Early Assessment Program. The bill would specify numerous policies and procedures with respect to the development and the implementation of the MAPP by the Superintendent, the state board, and affected local educational agencies. This bill would, commencing with the 2014–15 school year and for purposes of the Early Assessment Program, authorize the replacement of the California Standards Test and the augmented California Standards Tests in English language arts and mathematics with the grade 11 consortium computer-adaptive assessments in English language arts and mathematics, as provided. This bill would make conforming and other related changes and nonsubstantive changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 52052 of the Education Code, proposed by SB 344, to be operative only if SB 344 and this bill are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2014, and this bill is chaptered last. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 99301 of the Education Code, proposed by SB 490, to be operative only if SB 490 and this bill are chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2014, and this bill is chaptered last.
Existing law, the California Finance Lenders Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of finance lenders and brokers by the Commissioner of Corporations and makes a willful violation of its provisions a crime. Existing law regulates the charges a licensee may impose or receive on loans it makes, and authorizes a licensee to contract for and receive specified alternative charges and administrative and delinquency fees. Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2015, the Pilot Program for Affordable Credit-Building Opportunities for the purpose of increasing the availability of credit-building opportunities to underbanked individuals seeking low-dollar-value loans. Under the program, licensees must file an application with, and pay a fee to, the Commissioner of Corporations to participate in the program. Existing law authorizes a licensee approved by the commissioner to participate in the program to impose specified alternative interest rates and charges, including an administrative fee and delinquency fees, on loans of at least $250 and less than $2,500, subject to certain requirements. Existing law also authorizes licensees in the program to use the services of finders, defined as entities who, at the finder's physical location for business, bring licensees and prospective borrowers together for the purpose of negotiating loan contracts at the finder's location, subject to a written agreement meeting specified requirements. The Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 2 of the 2011–12 Regular Session provides that, on and after July 1, 2013, certain responsibilities of the Department of Corporations and the Commissioner of Corporations will be transferred to the Department of Business Oversight and the Commissioner of Business Oversight will be the head of the Department of Business Oversight. This bill would abolish the Pilot Program for Affordable Credit-Building Opportunities. The bill would, until January 1, 2018, establish the Pilot Program for Increased Access to Responsible Small Dollar Loans for the purpose of allowing greater access for responsible installment loans in principal amounts of at least $300 and less than $2,500. The bill would require licensees and other entities to file an application and pay a specified fee to the Commissioner of Business Oversight to participate in the program. The bill would authorize a licensee approved by the commissioner to participate in the program to impose specified alternative interest rates and charges, including an administrative fee and delinquency fees, on loans of at least $300 and less than $2,500, subject to certain requirements. This bill would also authorize a licensee in the program to use the services of finders, defined as entities who, at the finder's physical location for business, bring licensees and prospective borrowers together for the purpose of negotiating loan contracts, subject to a written agreement meeting specified requirements. The bill would establish the services a finder is authorized and required to perform, and would require a finder to comply with the laws applicable to the licensee relative to information security. The bill would require a licensee to notify the commissioner within 15 days of entering into a contract with a finder, would require a licensee to pay an annual finder registration fee to the commissioner, and would require a licensee to submit an annual report to the commissioner on the licensee's relationship and business arrangements with a finder, as specified. The bill would authorize the commissioner to examine the operations of a licensee and a finder to ensure that the activities of the licensee and the finder are in compliance with these provisions. The bill would make a licensee that uses a finder responsible for a violation of these provisions by a finder or a finder's employee, and would authorize the commissioner to impose administrative penalties against a finder for a violation of these provisions. The bill would authorize the commissioner, upon a violation of these provisions, to disqualify a finder from performing services, bar a finder from performing services at one or more specific locations of the finder, terminate a written agreement between a licensee and a finder, and, under specified circumstances, prohibit the use of the finder by all licensees. The bill would authorize a licensee participating in the program to appoint one or more branch managers with responsibility for multiple branch locations, subject to approval by the commissioner. This bill would require the commissioner to examine the performance of each licensee in the program at least once every 24 months, and would require the costs of examination to be paid by the licensee to the commissioner, as specified. The bill would also require the commissioner to conduct a random sample survey of borrowers under the program. The bill would require the commissioner to post a report on the commissioner's Internet Web site by July 1, 2015, and once again by January 1, 2017, summarizing utilization of the Pilot Program for Increased Access to Responsible Small Dollar Loans, as specified. This bill would make licensees of the abolished Pilot Program for Affordable Credit-Building Opportunities subject to the newly established Pilot Program for Increased Access to Responsible Small Dollar Loans. The bill would continue in existence any outstanding loans made under the abolished pilot program and the loans would remain subject to the terms and conditions that existed at the time the loan was made. Because a willful violation of these provisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would also make a clarifying change to the California Finance Lenders Law. 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.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP) , which is administered by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) , to provide major risk medical coverage to persons who, among other things, have been rejected for coverage by at least one private health plan. Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , each state is required, by January 1, 2014, to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange that makes available qualified health plans to qualified individuals and small employers. Existing state law establishes the California Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) within state government, specifies the powers and duties of the board governing the Exchange, and requires the board to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans through the Exchange by qualified individuals and small employers by January 1, 2014. Existing law also requires the board to undertake activities necessary to market and publicize the availability of health care coverage and federal subsidies through the Exchange and to undertake outreach and enrollment activities. This bill would require MRMIB to provide the Exchange, or its designee, with specified information of subscribers and applicants of MRMIP in order to assist the Exchange in conducting outreach to those subscribers and applicants. The bill would require the board governing the Exchange to provide a specified notice informing those subscribers and applicants that they may be eligible for reduced-cost coverage through the Exchange or no-cost coverage through Medi-Cal. (2) Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Chapters 3 and 4 of the First Extraordinary Session of 2013–14, to be effective on the 91st day after adjournment of that session, implement various provisions of PPACA relating to determining eligibility for the Medi-Cal program. This bill would authorize the department to implement some of those provisions by, among other things, all-county letters, until the time any necessary regulations are adopted. The bill would require the department to adopt regulations implementing those provisions by July 1, 2017. (3) Existing law, to be effective on the 91st day after adjournment of the First Extraordinary Session of 2013–14, requires the department, commencing January 1, 2014, to develop a program to implement provisions that would authorize individuals or their authorized representatives to select Medi-Cal managed care plans via the California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS) , as specified. In this regard, the program is required to include training of specialized county employees to carry out the program. This bill would, instead, require the program to include training of individuals, including county human services staff, to carry out the program. (4) Existing law requires the department to establish and maintain a County Administrative Cost Control Plan under which costs for county administration for the determination of eligibility for benefits are controlled, as specified. Existing law requires the department to develop and implement a new budgeting methodology for Medi-Cal county administrative costs to be used to reimburse counties for eligibility determinations for applicants and beneficiaries, and requires that the budgeting methodology include identification of the costs of eligibility determinations for applicants, and the costs of eligibility redeterminations and case maintenance activities for recipients, for different groupings of cases. This bill would instead provide that the budgeting methodology may include identification of the costs of eligibility determinations for applicants, and the costs of eligibility redeterminations and case maintenance activities for recipients, for different groupings of cases. The bill would authorize the development of the new budgeting methodology to include, among other things, county survey of costs, time and motion studies, and in-person observations by department staff. The bill would require that the new budgeting methodology be implemented no sooner than the 2015–16 fiscal year and that it reflect the impact of PPACA implementation on county administrative work. The bill would make other technical changes.
This measure would designate December 4, 2013, as Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court Day.