Public Social Services

CalWORKs Program
Foster Care
Miscellaneous

CalWORKs Program

SB 65* (Murray-D) Transportation: public transit: CalWORKs recipients

Appropriates $20 million for demonstration grants to improve transportation services for those receiving aid under the CalWORKs program.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 259 (Wright-R) CalWORKs: child care

Requires paid CalWORKs child care to be available for any CalWORKs participant with a dependent child 12 years of age or younger.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 368 (Solis-D) CalWORKs: welfare-to-work activities

Requires the State Department of Social Services to fund a three-year study, to be conducted by an existing private nonprofit organization in Los Angeles County, which shall examine how the provision of assessment services at the commencement of welfare-to-work activity participation and prior to work-search, as well as other employment-related activities, affect a CalWORKs recipient's ability to acquire and maintain competitive skills and to define and reach career goals. Sunsets January 1, 2004.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 516 (Haynes-R) Needy families: job training

Requires the State Employment Development Department and the State Department of Social Services to adopt regulations interpreting a provision of federal law regarding state options to provide federal Department of Labor block grant and CalWORKs employment services through charitable, religious, or private organizations.

Chapter 551, Statutes of 1999

SB 659 (Wright-R) CalWORKs: food stamps: general assistance

Permits individuals convicted of certain drug offenses to receive CalWORKs and Food Stamp benefits, subject to specified conditions.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 869 (Schiff-D) CalWORKs: employment training programs

Expands the range of vocational training and employability options for at-risk youth.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1247 (Escutia-D) CalWORKs: electronic benefits transfer

Requires CalWORKs benefits issued through an electronic benefits transfer system to be issued over a three-day period.

Chapter 371, Statutes of 1999

SB 1249 (Escutia-D) Human services programs

An omnibus clean-up bill that clarifies CalWORKs policies and service availability. Changes include: clarifying that CalWORKs recipients who find work and need transportation to retain that employment are entitled to transportation services and requiring a county, before requiring a 16-year-old to enter into a welfare-to-work plan or sanctioning a family for not having a child regularly attending school, to provide an opportunity to the family to resolve the problem through counseling or mediation.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 250 (Wright-D) CalWORKs benefits: child support payments

Allows CalWORKs families to retain the first $75 of child support payments made on their behalf in a month, rather than the first $50 as authorized under current law.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 510 (Wright-D) Public social services: recipient reporting

Revises and recasts recipient interview and reporting provisions under the CalWORKs Program and the federal Food Stamp Program, including timelines for the required frequency of reports. Generally reduces the frequency of reports, but requires recipients to report certain changes in information that affects the recipient's eligibility under these programs.

Chapter 826, Statutes of 1999

AB 781 (Cedillo-D) Public social services: welfare-to-work activities

Requires CalWORKs and county general assistance recipients assigned to welfare-to-work employment to have the same rights as other workers at their assigned job site, including collective bargaining, comparable wage, health and workers' compensation benefits, and health and safety protections.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 871 (Pescetti-R) CalWORKs: recipient reporting

Requires each county that participates in the CalWORKs change reporting demonstration program, in cooperation with the district attorney, to evaluate the impact of the demonstration program on fraud prosecution.

Requires the Director of the State Department of Social Services to consider in making the decision of whether to continue, expand or terminate the demonstration program, to determine that the program does not deter fraud prosecution, based on input from the district attorney.

(Failed passage in Assembly Human Services Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1039 (Aroner-D) CalWORKs program

1. Authorizes the State Department of Social Services to approve demonstration projects, in up-to-five counties, to provide a wage-based subsidized employment program for CalWORKs recipients in lieu of, or in addition to, participating in community service.
2. Requires counties to notify recipients of their right, as provided in current law, to contest terms of a welfare to work plan.
3. Allows parents enrolled in a self initiated education program to count a specified amount of study time toward their weekly required hours of work activity.
4. Requires the district attorney to determine if certain former recipients have good cause for noncooperation with child support enforcement.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1060 (Strickland-R) CalWORKs benefit increases

Prohibits any CalWORKs recipient from receiving a grant increase, including a cost of living adjustment, if the recipient is out of compliance with his or her welfare-to-work plan.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1111* (Aroner-D) Social services

The Omnibus Social Services trailer bill, for the purposes of implementing the Budget Act of 1999-2000. Provisions include the following:

1. Authorizes the Legislature to appropriate $5 million from the Employment Training Fund in the Budget Act of 1999-00 for welfare-to-work programs administered by the Employment Training Panel, and authorizes the transfer of $30 million from the fund to the State Department of Social Services to fund welfare-to-work activities provided under the CalWORKs program.
2. Increases the daily shelter allowance for the CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Program from $30 to $40, revises the timeline for receipt of these benefits, and authorizes a county to require individuals who receive benefits twice in a 24-month period to participate in a homelessness avoidance case plan.
3. Requires the State Department of Social Services to revise the method by which it allocates funds to counties for CalWORKs employment services, beginning in the 2000-01 fiscal year, and requires the Welfare Reform Steering Committee to review the effectiveness of the new methodology and recommend modifications.
4. Extends the sunset on the existing California Food Assistance Program by tying continuation of the program to continuation of federal Food Stamps benefits for certain legal noncitizens, requires deeming of a sponsor's income for three years for certain recipients, expands eligibility for one-year only to legal noncitizens who arrived in the United States on or after August 22, 1996, and requires that non-CalWORKs recipients meet federal food stamp work requirements rather than CalWORKs work requirements.

Chapter 147, Statutes of 1999

AB 1233 (Aroner-D) CalWORKs program

1. Exempts $7,500 of the equity value of one automobile from the CalWORKs resource limit and permits the State Department of Social Services to annually adjust the value and establish criteria for verification of value.
2. Revises the definition of disability-based income to include income from any benefit program that requires a determination of disability made by the agency administering the benefit program and conforms other disability definitions to that definition.
3. Makes modifications to the Child Support Assurance Demonstration Project.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

AB 1518 (Soto-D) CalWORKs: multidisciplinary services teams

Establishes pilot projects in Alameda, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties to develop an integrated case management system for the delivery of services to CalWORKs recipients.

Chapter 919, Statutes of 1999

AB 1534 (Runner-R) Microenterprise development

Authorizes the Trade and Commerce Agency to issue Microenterprise Technical Assistance Grants to microenterprise assistance providers who assist current and former CalWORKs program beneficiaries and parents eligible for a CalWORKs diversion program at the county level, including assistance in establishing a microenterprise. Provides that the bill shall be implemented only if funds are appropriated in the Budget Act and if matching private and public funds are available.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1699* (Olberg-R) CalWORKs eligibility

With respect to an individual whose eligibility for CalWORKs benefits is contingent upon his/her residing with a dependent child or the dependent child of a spouse, makes the individual ineligible for CalWORKs if convicted of child molestation or abuse or spousal abuse.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

Foster Care

SB 543 (Bowen-D) Children: psychotropic medication: foster care

1. Gives judicial court officers exclusive authority to authorize the administration of psychotropic medications for children who are dependents of the court.
2. Requires the Judicial Council to adopt rules and develop forms by July 1, 2000 to implement the above provision.
3. Requires the case plan for each child placed in foster care to include a health and education summary with specified information, including mental health records. Requires the child's caretaker to receive this summary within 30 days after initial placement and within 48 hours of each subsequent placement.

Chapter 552, Statutes of 1999

SB 802 (Haynes-R) Children: dependency proceedings: child welfare services

Revises the definition of "neglect" and "child abuse" under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and makes various revisions to procedures that are followed when a dependent of the juvenile court or a ward of the court is removed from the physical custody of his or her parent or guardian and placed in foster care.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 887 (Ortiz-D) Foster care

Modifies regulation of foster care group homes and establishes a fraud investigation bureau.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 903 (McPherson-R) Kinship support services

Establishes, effective July 1, 2001, a new requirement that a county have at least 25% of children within dependency jurisdiction in relative care placements in order to participate in the Kinship Support Services Program (KSSP). Specifically eliminates a provision in the KSSP requiring counties to have at least 40% of dependents in placement with relative caregivers in order to participate in the program.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 905 (Murray-D) Foster children: medication oversight committee

Establishes the Foster Care Medication Oversight Committee, under the State Department of Social Services' administration, for the purpose of investigating the excessive use of mood-altering medications to control the behavior of children in the state foster care system.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

SB 949 (Speier-D) Human services: foster care

Increases payments made to foster caregivers for the support and maintenance of children placed in their care by the juvenile courts. Establishes specialized education and training programs for licensed foster caregivers and provides a 10% increase in payments to those who undergo the additional training and obtain the certification.

Provides adoption assistance to adoptive parents without reduction for their income and assets, and permits the juvenile court to waive confidentiality of its proceedings and records to facilitate the adoption of a child.

Creates an Office of Family Foster Care and Adoptive Parent Outreach at the State Department of Social Services, to improve the quality of care provided to foster children, to increase opportunities for their permanent placement as adopted children, and to assist foster families in adopting children in their care.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 999* (Bowen-D) Care of children

Provides an unspecified percentage rate increase for Foster Family Homes or approved home of a relative or unrelated legal guardian on January 1, 2000.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1089 (Bowen-D) Post traumatic stress disorder: education

Requires that post traumatic stress disorder and its causes, symptoms and treatment in children be included in training child abuse reporters and child welfare personnel in public and private agencies.

Chapter 211, Statutes of 1999

SB 1238 (Hughes-D) Foster care: grandparents

Allows AFDC-FC grants to be provided on the behalf of children residing with a grandparent, whether or not the child is otherwise eligible for federal financial participation.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 118 (Washington-D) Foster care liability

Extends the statute of limitations for foster children to file claims against the state for abuse or neglect while in foster care, in certain circumstances, and makes related changes.

Chapter 620, Statutes of 1999

AB 247 (Kuehl-D) Minors

Confers on foster parents specified rights relating to a child in the foster parent's care, such as the right to receive notice of, be admitted to, and present testimony at specified hearings concerning a foster child. Requires social workers who prepare a report for the court concerning a foster child to include information provided by the foster parent. Revises the waiver criteria for alcoholism and drug abuse treatment facilities licensed by the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 278 (Honda-D) Foster care providers: child care payments

Permits a county to establish an optional program for the payment of the cost of licensed day care that is used by foster parents or relative caregivers who are supervising foster children through the age of 12. Makes implementation of the program contingent on the availability of federal financial participation.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 607 (Aroner-D) Foster Children's Health Care Services Act

1. Provides that all children in foster care shall receive mental health assessments, as specified, and shall be entitled to receive an annual physical examination, without prior approval.
2. Requires the State Health and Human Services Agency to oversee, and coordinate the responsibilities of various state agencies involved in social services and health care for foster children.
3. Requires child welfare service workers to obtain information about a child's health status upon removal from the home.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 740 (Steinberg-D) Dependent children: sibling groups

Permits a court to limit the time in which family reunification services are offered and in which parental rights are terminated in cases of sibling groups.

Chapter 805, Statutes of 1999

AB 1020 (Corbett-D) Special education: foster parents

Allows a foster parent, guardian, pupil advocate, or designated adult representative to request that a foster child be assessed for special education services. Allows the foster parent or guardian to participate in the child's individual education plan process. Requires the court to limit the right of a parent or guardian to make educational decisions for a child under certain circumstances.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1111* (Aroner-D) Social services

The Omnibus Social Services Trailer Bill, for the purposes of implementing the Budget Act of 1999-2000. Among others:

1. Requires the State Department of Social Services to develop statewide guidelines and outcome measures for the Independent Living Program, and requires county departments of social services to report annually on the use of federal and state funds allocated for program implementation and the characteristics of foster youth served in the program.
2. Delays the operative date of the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (Kin-GAP) to January 1, 2000; sets the monthly Kin-GAP payment equal to the applicable age-adjusted foster care rate; excludes Kin-GAP payments from the income of the kinship guardian for the purposes of determining eligibility for other aid programs, unless required by federal law as a condition of receiving federal financial participation; and makes other statutory changes to implement Kin-GAP.
3. Specifies that foster family homes in counties that have set payment rates above the statewide rate schedule will receive 100% of the statutory 2.36% cost-of-living adjustment, for 1999-00 only.
4. Provides a 2.36% cost-of-living adjustment for foster family agencies, effective July 1, 1999. Provides an additional 2.36% rate increase for foster family homes, foster family agencies, and group homes, effective January 1, 2000.

Chapter 147, Statutes of 1999

AB 1235* (Ashburn-R) Foster care: provider reimbursement rates

Increases by 2% the payment rate for children placed in licensed and approved foster family homes with a capacity of six or fewer, and the approved home of relatives or non-related legal guardians, effective July 1, 1999, and provides that the state reimburse counties share of cost for the rate increase.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1439 (Migden-D) Foster care

Requires counties to implement local foster care support programs to assist licensed foster parents, relative caregivers, and foster children to reduce the frequency of multiple placements, runaway children, and improve the stability and quality of out-of-home care.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1500* (Wesson-D) Family preservation services

Permits counties to renew contracts for family preservation services without re-bidding upon a county's board certification of prescribed requirements.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1659* (Assembly Human Services Committee) Care facilities

Modifies the State Department of Social Services authority to ensure that out-of-state group homes "accepting California children" meet all California group home licensing standards.

Chapter 881, Statutes of 1999

Miscellaneous

SB 70 (Murray-D) Residential care facilities for the elderly

Requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a certification process for agencies that refer, for a fee, individuals to residential care facilities for the elderly. Establishes standards for referral agencies, including that their employees may not refuse criminal background checks, directs the department to establish a code of conduct for referral agencies, and authorizes the establishment of a consumer complaint process. Authorizes the department to charge an annual fee of up to $750 to cover the costs of certification and regulation.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 261 (Haynes-R) Residential care facilities: complaints

Requires the State Department of Social Services to remove any complaint against a residential care facility for the elderly that has been determined to be and remains unfounded or, when the investigation of the complaint is inconclusive, on the date that is six months after its investigation is completed.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 268 (Rainey-R) Residential care facilities for the elderly

Eliminates the exemption in current law for residential care homes for the elderly from the requirement that the State Department of Social Services deny a license application for a new residential care facility if its location would be within 300 feet of an existing residential care facility.

(Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 286 (Wright-R) Residential care facilities for the elderly

1. Exempts from the state's criminal background clearance requirements:
   1. Residents of unlicensed independent senior housing facilities that are located in contiguous buildings on the same property as a residential care facility for the elderly.
   2. A spouse, significant other, or close friend of a client who is visiting a client or provides direct care and supervision to that client only.
   3. Specified volunteers.
2. Permits a licensee to require a criminal record clearance of exempt individuals, provided the individual has client contact.

Chapter 359, Statutes of 1999

SB 288 (Peace-D) IHSS program: administration

Requires counties to (1) establish an in-home supportive services advisory committee, and (2) establish or act as an employer for in-home supportive services providers by January 1, 2003. Deletes the task frequency mode of service delivery.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

SB 347 (Alpert-D) California Commission on Children, Youth, and Families

Establishes the California Commission on Children, Youth, and Families, requires the commission to evaluate programs related to children and families, and to make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature regarding related issues. Also deletes references in statute to the Child Development Policy Advisory Committee, and requires the commission to assume all duties and responsibilities of the advisory committee.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 500 (Solis-D) Family Planning Access Care and Treatment Program

Renames the State-Only Family Planning Program, deletes the sunset date of the program and expands the program.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 643 (Alpert-D) County children and families first commissions

Establishes a state-funded voluntary matching grant incentive program for county children and families first commissions, providing $1 of state funds to every $3 of county commission funds.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 657* (Ortiz-D) Area agencies on aging: funding

Provides that, in the absence of the enactment of the annual Budget Act by July 1, an amount be continuously appropriated from the Federal Trust Fund to the State Department of Aging to continue the programs operated by the local area agencies on aging. Authorizes the Director of the State Department of Finance, once the budget is enacted, to reduce the amounts appropriated in the budget by the amount advanced under the bill.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 659 (Wright-R) CalWORKs: food stamps: general assistance

Permits individuals convicted of certain drug offenses to receive California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) and Food Stamp benefits, subject to specified conditions.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 710* (Burton-D) IHSS: Budget Trailer Bill

Provides clean up to AB 1682 (Honda-D), the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Trailer Bill. Specifically, changes the state share of costs associated with IHSS public authorities to 80% of the nonfederal costs of hourly wage increases up to $0.50, for the 1999-2000 fiscal year only. Counties would be required to pay 20% of the nonfederal costs.

Chapter 91, Statutes of 1999

SB 846 (Escutia-D) Human services: individuals with disabilities

Establishes the Californians with Disabilities Act that requires the Health and Human Services Agency to work with the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing and State Department of Justice in implementing the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Requires the State Department of Rehabilitation to evaluate its order of selection process to ensure continuity of services.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 858 (Hughes-D) Guide, signal, and service dog food allowance

Permits recipients of federal social security disability insurance benefits, with incomes and resources not in excess of the federal poverty level, who have a guide, signal, or service dog to receive a dog food and other special need allowance of $35 per month.

Appropriates $69,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Social Services for implementation of the bill during the period commencing January 1, 2000 and ending June 30, 2000.

Chapter 906, Statutes of 1999

SB 909 (Murray-D) State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind, & Disabled

Establishes a cost-based payment rate for non-medical out-of-home care facilities.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 910 (Vasconcellos-D) Aging: strategic planning

Requires the University of California to compile information that addresses the impending demographic, economic, and social changes triggered by California's aging society.

Chapter 948, Statutes of 1999

SB 955 (Escutia-D) Child welfare services: out-of-home care

Requires the State Department of Social Services to review model child welfare services and state regulations, and increases the reimbursement rate for specified foster care group home providers.

Chapter 634, Statutes of 1999

SB 987 (Karnette-D) Community care and substance abuse facilities

Requires the State Department of Social Services, by July 1, 2000, to publish on its Internet website a directory of information regarding the community care referral agencies, state departments, or local government entities that assist local government agencies with respect to the location of specified residential facilities. Authorizes any local government entity, as part of its general plan, to conduct an assessment of the existing and unmet needs for residential services in community care facilities and alcoholism and drug abuse treatment and recovery facilities within its jurisdiction, using information available from the state, and authorizes the local government agency to produce a local siting plan for residential care facilities.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

SB 1005 (Escutia-D) Child welfare training

Requires the State Child Welfare Training Program to include training on learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children, and requires the State Department of Social Services to adopt an adult learning disabilities screening instrument.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1027 (Leslie-R) General assistance: health care

States legislative intent that, when a recipient of general assistance is sent by one county to another county for medical treatment, the sending county must pay for the cost of the treatment.

(At Assembly desk)

SB 1082 (Ortiz-D) Continuing care contracts

Provides residents of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) with access to financial information regarding the operation of the CCRC and additional state oversight.

Chapter 949, Statutes of 1999

SB 1246 (Escutia-D) California Health and Human Services Agency

Requires all departments within the Health and Human Services Agency to assess the ethnic and language diversity, and incidence and types of disabilities, among their client populations and develop a plan to address any disparities.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1248* (Johannessen-R) Residential care facilities for the elderly: terminally ill

Deletes one of seven requirements that must be met before a residential care facility for the elderly is permitted to allow a resident who has been diagnosed as terminally ill to remain in the facility. This is the requirement that the resident has resided in the facility for at least six months prior to the diagnosis ("physician's authorization for hospice services").

Chapter 114, Statutes of 1999

SB 1270 (Senate Health And Human Services Committee) Interstate adoption

Implements provisions of the Adoptions and Safe Families Act and authorizes the State Department of Health Services and the State Department of Social Services to negotiate an interstate adoptions assistance agreement(s) for the provision of adoptions assistance and medical benefits to interstate state-only adoptions.

Chapter 887, Statutes of 1999

SB 1289 (Schiff-D) Public social services: drug courts

Establishes, within the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, the High Risk Family Drug Court Partnership Program, a competitive grant program to provide matching funds to local drug court systems to supervise and treat parents of children who are dependents of juvenile court.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SR 15 (Burton-D) Social Security Program

Respectfully requests the federal government to take appropriate steps to encourage workers and their employers to save or invest for retirement to supplement the basic benefits of the Social Security Program, but not as a substitute for the core protections that are vital to American working families.

Adopted by the Senate

AB 11 (Cox-R) Public social services: crimes

Creates a new crime for public assistance recipients who fail to report in writing, within 10 days, any fact that would affect eligibility.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 16 (Honda-D) In-home supportive services

Increases the state's share of costs for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program in any county that establishes a Public Authority or nonprofit consortium to provide IHSS services and that increases wages and benefits for IHSS workers.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 27 (Nakano-D) Long-term care infrastructure blueprint

Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to: (1) develop a long-term care infrastructure blueprint to analyze how information technology could be used for specified purposes, (2) contract with a consulting firm for a technical analysis of long-term care infrastructure development costs, and (3) report its findings to the Legislature by January 1, 2001.

Chapter 950, Statutes of 1999

AB 65* (Ducheny-D) Indian Child Welfare Act

Prohibits the court from using the "existing Indian family doctrine" in determining the best foster care or adoption placement for an Indian child and requires application of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) for all Indian children, thereby requiring the court to follow the placement preferences set forth in ICWA rather than following the placement preferences otherwise set forth in state law.

Chapter 275, Statutes of 1999

AB 362 (Cedillo-D) Food Stamp recipients

Increases state funding for the Food Stamps Employment and Training program for counties that elect to not implement time limits as part of their General Assistance program, to the extent funds are appropriated in the annual Budget Act.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 373* (Robert Pacheco-R) Care facilities: patient transfers

1. Prohibits the State Department of Developmental Services from expending funds previously appropriated for the construction of security improvements at Lanterman Developmental Center.
2. Prohibits until July 1, 2000, the placement of any developmentally disabled forensic or severe behavior patients at Lanterman Developmental Center, the hiring of additional staff related to the transfer of these patients, or the construction of security improvements.

(Failed passage in Assembly Human Services Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 390 (Scott-D) Adoption assistance

Eliminates consideration of the family's income in relation to the statewide medical income in the negotiations to establish the payment level under the Adoptions Assistance Program. Also limits recovery of overpayments of adoption assistance payments to cases where the parents are no longer legally responsible for the child or the child is no longer receiving support from the adoptive family.

Chapter 547, Statutes of 1999

AB 472 (Aroner-D) Public assistance: child support services

Provides custodial and noncustodial parents with the right to a state fair hearing under the existing State Department of Social Services hearing process to address accounting, distribution and arrearage disputes concerning child support collections and modifies the Child Support Assurance Demonstration Program.

Chapter 803, Statutes of 1999

AB 480 (Ducheny-D) Workforce investment

Enacts provisions relating to the state administration of, and educational services under, the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 by a California Workforce Investment Board. Enacts provisions relating to the administration and distribution of funds, and relating to the participation in the program by state agencies and local school districts and county offices of education. Requires a report to the Legislature and the Governor by the California Workforce Investment Board on the restructuring, consolidation, elimination, and realignment of programs, departments and agencies delivering workforce development services.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

AB 515* (Wright-D) Public records: IHSS and personal care services

Prohibits information regarding persons paid by the state to provide in-home supportive services or personal care services from being publicly disclosed except that the names, addresses, and telephone information of these persons is required to be made available to an exclusive bargaining agent and to any labor organization seeking representation rights.

Chapter 804, Statutes of 1999

AB 575 (Aroner-D) Child welfare services

Codifies juvenile court and county probation requirements for eligible juvenile wards, under Welfare and Institutions Code 602, in out-of-home placement to comply with the federal Title IV-E of the Social Security Act and the Adoption and Safe Family Act of 1997 laws. Establishes protocols creating an evidentiary basis by requiring case planning and social studies reports for wards, and establishing guidelines for assessment of minors in out-of-home placement.

Chapter 997, Statutes of 1999

AB 608 (Cox-R) General assistance: property of recipient

Permits the board of supervisors in any county to require an applicant for General Assistance benefits to grant the county a lien on any property the applicant may acquire after he or she no longer receives benefits.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 629 (Vincent-D) Elderly and disabled persons: abuse prevention

Requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a procedure to prohibit the provision of services to elderly or dependent adults, including those persons receiving personal care services under the Medi-Cal program, unless the persons providing the services have a criminal background clearance. Requires the department to establish a procedure to ensure that any person receiving IHSS services, including personal care services under the Medi-Cal program, shall be provided with a telephone number through which that person may call for help if he or she believes that he or she is subject to abuse.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 686 (Aroner-D) Dependent children: termination of jurisdiction

Makes changes to the termination of court jurisdiction procedures for dependent children.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 812 (Machado-D) AFDC group home provider payment eligibility

Provides a host county the authority to deny the establishment of a rate [payment for services] for a new or expanded program serving Section 602 wards in a foster care group home, except as provided, based upon: (1) the host county be required to provide in-county or contiguous county placement for at least 60% of its adjudicated Section 602 wards and (2) the host county has at least 10% more Section 602 wards placed within the county than Section 602 wards the county adjudicates.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 873 (Assembly Human Services Committee) Rehabilitative services

Adds assistive technology to the services and referral requirements of Independent Living Centers.

Chapter 493, Statutes of 1999

AB 912 (Maldonado-R) Caregiver background checks: fee waiver

Requires the fee charged by the State Department of Justice for the purposes of obtaining a criminal history report to be waived for employers who are recipients of personal care services under the Medi-Cal program, including those receiving services through the In-Home Supportive Service program.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 932 (Keeley-D) Residential care facilities for the elderly

Requires a residential care facility for the elderly that has at least three residents with specified medical conditions to contract with a full-time or part-time licensed nurse, as appropriate, to perform certain training and consultation. Requires the State Department of Social Services, on or before January 1, 2001, to develop and adopt regulations to establish adequate staffing requirements, with consideration to the needs of residents with specified medical conditions.

(In Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee)

AB 997 (Campbell-R) Community care facilities: operations

Requires a community care facility licensed as a group home for children to demonstrate that when a child assessed as seriously emotionally disturbed is placed in the facility he or she will be supervised in a fashion that protects the health, safety and security of the other children and the residents of the community. Also revises the procedures required of the State Department of Social Services for processing applications to operate a community care facility.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1025 (Havice-D) Community care facilities

Requires that a group home have either representatives on its board of directors or a community advisory board, that meets at least annually, and consists of the specified members. Requires the board of directors or the community advisory board members, in consultation with the local government, to promulgate community relations best practices and to annually, beginning July 1, 2000, report on how the group home is meeting the best practices. Provides that the host neighborhood shall consist of the vicinity within a 1,000 foot radius of the properties of the facility.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1064 (Strickland-R) General assistance: limitations

1. Prohibits a county from paying General Assistance benefits to any recipient beyond a cumulative total of 60 months.
2. Requires any month for which General Assistance is paid, beyond January 1, 2000, to be included in the 60-month cumulative period.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1111* (Aroner-D) Social services

The Omnibus Social Services Trailer Bill, for the purposes of implementing the Budget Act of 1999-2000. Provisions include the following:

1. Deletes existing authority for the Director of General Services to acquire facilities currently leased and occupied by the Health and Welfare Data Center at 3301 S Street and 1651 Alhambra Boulevard in Sacramento through the use of lease-purchase bonds.
2. Provides that Drug Court Partnership Program grants awarded in both 1998-99 and 1999-00 shall be for four years, subject to the appropriation of funds in subsequent budget acts.
3. Establishes the Comprehensive Drug Court Implementation Program to be administered by the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, which would provide funding to counties for the operation of drug courts for adults, juveniles, and parents of children who are detained by, or are dependents of, the child welfare system.
4. Exempts employees of child care centers from the background check fees charged by the State Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, effective January 1, 2000.
5. Specifies the use and allocation of funds appropriated in the Budget Act for various programs administered by the State Department of Aging.
6. Delays the operative date of the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (Kin-GAP) to January 1, 2000; sets the monthly Kin-GAP payment equal to the applicable age-adjusted foster care rate; excludes Kin-GAP payments from the income of the kinship guardian for the purposes of determining eligibility for other aid programs, unless required by federal law as a condition of receiving federal financial participation; and makes other statutory changes to implement Kin-GAP.
7. Repeals the requirement that, to the extent permitted by federal law, the State Supplementary Program payment rates in effect on June 30, 1995 be decreased by 4.9% in certain counties to reflect regional variations in housing costs.
8. Specifies a new allocation methodology for state child support incentives received by local child support agencies.
9. Specifies that the investigation of allegations of elder and dependent abuse under the enhanced Adult Protective Services Program shall be performed by county merit system civil service employees, and authorizes county agencies to use contracted telephone answering services after normal working hours, on weekends, and on holidays.
10. Requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a program of public health nursing in the Child Welfare Services Program, for the purposes of improving the mental, physical, dental, and developmental well-being of children in the child welfare system.
11. Extends the sunset on the existing Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants by tying continuation of the program to continuation of federal SSI benefits for disabled legal noncitizens, require deeming of a sponsor's income for five years for certain recipients, and expands eligibility for one-year only to legal noncitizens who arrived in the United States on or after August 22, 1996.
12. Revises the method for allocating incentive funds received by independent living centers serving individuals with disabilities.
13. Renames the State Independent Living Advisory Council to be the State Independent Living Council.
14. Extends the rate structure for supported employment and other services provided under the Habilitation Services Program until June 30, 2000 and authorizes the State Department of Rehabilitation to reduce the rates paid to all providers if the amount projected to be spent on these services in 1999-00 exceeds the amount appropriated in the Budget Act.

Chapter 147, Statutes of 1999

AB 1225* (Ashburn-R) Adoption Assistance Program

Effective July 1, 1999, increases the maximum reimbursement of an adoption agency fee from $3,500 to $5,000 for the placement of an Adoption Assistance Program eligible child, and makes procedural changes for licensed adoption agencies, including the State Department of Social Services, as specified.

Chapter 905, Statutes of 1999

AB 1259 (Strom-Martin-D) Human services: pilot program

Permits Humboldt, Mendocino and Alameda Counties to establish a program for the funding and delivery of services through an integrated and comprehensive health and social services delivery system.

Chapter 705, Statutes of 1999

AB 1339 (Shelley-D) Older individuals: screening and assessment

Subject to funding in the Budget Act of 2000, requires the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency to develop and implement a set of common data elements to determine eligibility, funding sources and service referral for all programs under its jurisdiction that serve older individuals and adults with disabilities, as specified.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1442 (Shelley-D) Residential care facilities for the elderly

Prohibits the physical or chemical restraint of residents in a residential care facility for the elderly, except as specified. Sets forth certain requirements regarding the admissions agreements entered into by facilities and residents, rate increases for items or services, and the transfer or eviction of residents. Also requires the State Department of Social Services to develop and establish a consumer information service system, with access by a toll-free telephone number, through the Internet, and at district offices of the Community Care Licensing Division of the department, to provide updated and accurate information to the general public and consumers regarding residential care facilities for the elderly in their communities.

(In Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee)

AB 1445 (Wright-D) Residential facilities: administrators

Eliminates the $100 certification renewal fee paid by administrators of adult residential facilities and residential care facilities for the elderly every two years.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1682* (Honda-D) Human services

The In-Home Supportive Services Budget Trailer Bill which makes changes to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program administered by the State Department of Social Services for the purposes of implementing the Budget Act of 1999-00. Specifically:

1. Reinstates the statute that provides for county relief from a portion of the required administrative match in the IHSS program, through June 30, 2001.
2. Provides for a state share of cost for public authorities or nonprofit consortia and requires the state, for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and all future fiscal years, to reimburse counties that have public authorities, nonprofit consortia, or contracts for the cost of increased wages and benefits for IHSS workers, provided the county spends at least the amount it accrues in savings during that fiscal year due to the receipt of federal funding for IHSS share-of-cost recipients.
3. Requires each county to act as, or establish, an employer for IHSS personnel for purposes of collective bargaining and requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a timetable for implementation of this requirement.
4. Requires each county that has not established a public authority for the provision of IHSS services to establish an advisory committee that will provide (a) recommendations on preferred modes of service to be used in the county, and (b) ongoing advice and recommendations regarding IHSS.
5. Eliminates the task frequency mode of service delivery.
6. Repeals the dollar cap on the amount of services that can be received by IHSS participants who are being served in a mode of delivery other than the individual provider mode.
7. Eliminates the In-Home Supportive Services Registry Model Subaccount in the Sales Tax Account of the Local Revenue Fund, and transfers any remaining funds in the subaccount to the General Fund.

Chapter 90, Statutes of 1999

HR 34 (Steinberg-D) Social Security Program

Respectfully requests the federal government to take appropriate steps to encourage workers and their employers to save or invest for retirement to supplement the basic benefits of the Social Security Program, but not as a substitute for the core protections that are vital to American working families.

(In Assembly Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee)

Index (in Bill Order)