The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors. This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and would instead require that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that incorporates, at least once per school or program year, an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which 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 authorizes a county board of supervisors to establish a commission to negotiate an exclusive contract with the department to provide, or arrange for the provision of, health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Pursuant to the authority described above, the County of Orange established a commission and existing law established the governance of that commission, known as the Orange County Health Authority or CalOptima, to provide health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Existing law prescribes who can serve on the 10-member governing body of the commission and requires each member to serve a 4-year term, except as described. This bill, for terms commencing after January 1, 2027, would impose one-, 2-, and 4-year terms of office, as specified. The bill would also prohibit specified voting members from serving more than two consecutive terms and from serving in that capacity for more than 10 consecutive years. The bill would require the governing body of the Orange County Health Authority to authorize and pay for an independent external audit of its governance procedures and practices, including the roles and responsibilities of the governing body, executive leadership, and staff, among others. The bill would require the audit to be completed by July 1, 2027, and would require that a copy of the report be provided to the Legislature and made public. Because this bill would impose a unique requirement on how services are provided on a local government and would require additional duties of county authorities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for County of Orange. 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. 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 establishes 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, including pharmacy services and drugs. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law sets forth a schedule of benefits covered under the Medi-Cal program, including acupuncture, but only to the extent federal matching funds are provided for acupuncture. To the extent federal financial participation is available, this bill would require the Medi-Cal program to cover up to 24 acupuncture visits per beneficiary per calendar year and would state that additional visits per calendar year may be authorized based on medical necessity. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14132 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 350 and SB 944 to be operative only if this bill and either or both AB 350 and SB 944 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would make certain provisions operative only if both this bill and SB 944 is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2027.
The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. The act requests the Regents of the University of California, and requires the Trustees of the California State University, to require each campus in their respective segments to grant students the right to reenroll in their baccalaureate degree program after withdrawing or stopping out, if the student was in good academic standing with the university. This bill, commencing with the 2027–28 academic year, would require a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges, a private postsecondary educational institution, or an independent institution of higher education to adopt a written policy to allow a student to take a voluntary medical leave of absence for a period to be determined by the postsecondary educational institution, or for a period of up to one academic year, whichever is longer. The bill would prohibit the leave of absence policy from, among other things, requiring a student who takes a medical leave of absence to submit an official notice of withdrawal to the postsecondary educational institution. The bill would require a postsecondary educational institution, among other things, to post the medical leave of absence policy on the institution's internet website and notify students and faculty of the location of the posted policy on its internet website by sending an email at the beginning of each academic semester or term. These provisions would apply to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make them applicable. By imposing additional duties on community college districts, 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.
Existing law, the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, prescribes retirement benefits for members of specified county and district retirement systems. Existing law establishes the Deferred Retirement Option Program as an optional benefit program for specified safety members of those systems that, by ordinance or resolution by the county board of supervisors or the governing body, elect to adopt it. The program provides eligible members access, upon service retirement, to a lump sum or, in some cases, monthly payments in addition to a monthly retirement allowance, as specified. Existing law, the Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) , creates the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) for the purpose of providing pension benefits to state employees and employees of contracting agencies and prescribes the rights and duties of members of the system and their beneficiaries. Existing law vests management and control of PERS in its board of administration. PERS provides a defined benefit to members of the program, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. This bill would establish the Deferred Retirement Option Program as a voluntary program within PERS for employees of State Bargaining Units 5 (Highway Patrol) and 8 (Firefighters) , and certain supervisory or managerial employees of the Department of the California Highway Patrol or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The bill would require certain actions to occur, including completion of an actuarial analysis to determine the proposed program will be cost neutral, before the program becomes effective and applicable. The bill would require members who elect to participate in the program to meet certain requirements, including waiving any claims with respect to age and other discrimination in employment laws relative to the program. The bill would establish a program account for each participant and would require the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System to, among other things and at least once annually, provide a statement to the participant that displays the value or balance of the participant's program account. The bill would require PERS to commence paying the member their monthly retirement allowance as of the first day of the month following the deferred retirement date. The bill would authorize the participant to designate a person or persons as beneficiaries of the participant's program account at any time during the program period from their election date to the deferred retirement calculation date. Beginning on July 1 of the fiscal year the program is implemented, and every 5 years thereafter, the bill would require the Board of Administration of the Public Employees' Retirement System to submit a report of an actuarial analysis to specified entities. The bill would entitle participants who entered the program prior to the effective date of any modifications by the Legislature to elect whether to become subject to those modified provisions or to remain subject to the program as it existed on the participant's election date. The bill would specify that the Legislature reserves the right to suspend the program through legislative action ratified by the Governor under certain circumstances. If the Legislature and the Governor approve the program's suspension, the bill would terminate all participants' benefit accrual and would prohibit any participant, eligible spouse, or beneficiary from having any vested right to any prospective program benefit, as specified. The bill would require the member's spouse, as applicable, to execute a signed statement acknowledging the spouse's understanding of, and agreement with, the member's election to participate in the program together with an express statement of the spouse's understanding and agreement that benefits payable to the spouse may be reduced as a result of participation in the program. Existing law requires the board of administration of PERS to administer the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA) . PEMHCA further grants the board the power to approve health benefit plans and to contract with carriers offering health benefit plans. Under PEMHCA, an employee or annuitant may enroll in a health benefit plan approved or maintained by the board either as an individual or for self and family. Existing law defines an annuitant for purposes of receiving postretirement health benefits pursuant to PEMHCA and generally requires that a person retire within 120 days of separation from public employment, with specified exceptions. This bill would expand the definition of annuitant, thereby permitting a person, or a surviving family member of that person, as specified, whose deferred retirement date is within 120 days of separation from the Deferred Retirement Option Program and who receives a retirement allowance under any state retirement system to which the state was a contributing party to enroll in a health benefit plan under PEMHCA.
Existing law authorizes an unmarried person who is under 18 years of age to marry upon obtaining a court order granting permission and the written consent of at least one of the parents or the guardian of each underage party to the marriage, as specified. Existing law requires the court, if it considers it necessary, as part of the court order granting permission to marry, to require the parties to the prospective marriage of a minor to participate in premarital counseling, as specified. Existing law provides that 2 unmarried, unrelated adults who have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring may establish a domestic partnership by filing a declaration with the Secretary of State, if certain requirements are met. Existing law provides that a person under 18 years of age who, together with the person with whom the person proposes to establish a domestic partnership, meets the requirements for a domestic partnership other than the requirement of being at least 18 years of age, is capable of consenting to and establishing a domestic partnership upon obtaining a court order granting permission to the underage person or persons to establish a domestic partnership. Under existing law, registered domestic partners have the same rights, protections, and benefits as spouses. This bill would repeal the authorization for a person under 18 years of age to be issued a marriage license or to establish a domestic partnership, thereby prohibiting a person under 18 years of age from being issued a marriage license or from establishing a domestic partnership. The bill would make conforming changes. Existing law requires the State Registrar to create a document, no later than March 1, 2020, concerning marriage certificates in which one or both of the parties were minors at the time of solemnization of the marriage. Existing law requires the State Registrar to update that document annually, as specified. Existing law requires the local registrar to submit specified information for the purposes of that report. This bill would repeal those provisions.
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's requirements a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law sets forth specified coverage requirements for health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies. Existing law requires an individual or small group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2017, to include, at a minimum, coverage for essential health benefits pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Existing law requires an essential health benefit to be provided only to the extent that federal law does not require the state to defray the costs of the benefit. This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, that provides coverage for the application of fluoride varnish as a pediatric oral care benefit to provide coverage without cost sharing for the application of fluoride varnish as medically necessary regardless of whether the service is billed as a dental benefit or as a medical benefit, except as specified. If this coverage requirement creates an obligation for the state to defray costs for an individual, the bill would not require coverage unless there is an appropriation for this purpose, as specified. Because a willful violation of this provision by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which health care services are provided to low-income individuals. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law establishes a schedule of benefits under the Medi-Cal program and provides for various services, including certain dental services, that are rendered by Medi-Cal enrolled providers. Under existing law, silver diamine fluoride treatments are a covered benefit for eligible children 0 to 6 years of age, inclusive, as specified, and application of fluoride or other appropriate fluoride treatment is covered for children 17 years of age and under. This bill would make the application of fluoride or other appropriate fluoride treatment, as defined by the department, a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program for children under 21 years of age. The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services, no later than July 1, 2027, to issue billing guidance and make any necessary updates to ensure the coverage policy for Medi-Cal beneficiaries under 21 years of age is consistent with certain federal benefits and would require that policy to allow the application of fluoride varnish, 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. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14132 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1949 and SB 944 to be operative only if this bill and either or both AB 1949 and SB 944 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law prohibits the Department of Corrections Rehabilitation from allowing any lack of care that would injure or impair the health of an incarcerated person. Existing law prohibits the department from modifying or canceling the medical treatment of an incarcerated person if a physician certifies that the medical treatment is required to prevent certain violations of law or to prevent serious and imminent harm to the health of an incarcerated person, as specified. This bill would prohibit a supervisor, administrator, or employee of the department from interfering with or refusing to implement prescribed health care, as specified, that results in substantial emotional distress or serious bodily injury, as defined.
Existing law, the Physical Therapy Practice Act, establishes the Physical Therapy Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure, approval, and regulation of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Existing law prescribes specified fees for licenses issued by the board. Existing law authorizes the board to decrease or increase the fee amounts, and establishes specified maximum amounts of license fees. Existing law repeals the board and its authority to employ an executive officer on January 1, 2027. This bill would extend the board's authority to enforce and administer the act and to appoint an executive officer until January 1, 2031. The bill would increase specified fees for licenses issued by the board and would increase the maximum amount to which the board may increase the fees, as specified. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to those fee provisions. Existing law authorizes a person whose license has been revoked or suspended, or who has been placed on probation, to petition the board for reinstatement or modification of a penalty after a specified period of time has elapsed. Existing law prohibits the board from considering a petition while the petitioner is under sentence for any criminal offense, including any period of court-imposed probation or parole, or while there is an accusation or petition to revoke probation pending against the petitioner. This bill would further prohibit the board from considering a petition if the applicant is required to register as a sex offender, as specified. The bill would except from this prohibition an applicant whose requirement to register as a sex offender is based solely on a misdemeanor conviction. The bill would also prohibit the board from considering a petition if the conduct underlying the petitioner's conviction involved certain sexual misconduct.
Existing law finds and declares that prenatal and postpartum care, among other things, are essential services necessary to ensure maternal health. Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health, and vests the department with certain duties relating to maternal health, including maintaining a program of maternal and child health, as provided. This bill would require the department to include on its internet website information advising individuals to discuss pelvic floor concerns with their health care provider during their postpartum care visit.
