Amended  IN  Assembly  March 10, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1961

Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel

February 10, 2022

An act to amend Section 440.10 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health facilities. An act to add Section 50408.2 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1961, as amended, Gabriel. Health facilities: billing disclosure. Affordable housing: Department of Housing and Community Development.
Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and makes the department responsible for administering various housing programs throughout the state, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program, and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program.
This bill would require the department to create an online database of affordable housing listings, information, and applications, as provided. The bill would also require the department to integrate information with the other state entities and departments within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, as well as local councils of governments and metropolitan planning organizations. The bill would make these provisions operable only upon appropriation by the Legislature. By expanding the duties of local councils of governments and metropolitan planning organizations, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.

Exiting law requires every health facility, within 7 days after completion of the patient’s itemized bill, to provide the primary attending health care practitioner a copy of the complete itemized charges for services rendered by the health facility to the health care practitioner’s patient, upon written request specifying the individual patient, when the primary attending health care practitioner is not employed by the health facility and is not a member of an integrated group practice that provided the health facility services. Existing law defines “health facility” for purposes of these provisions.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to the definition of “health facility.”

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NOYES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 50408.2 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

50408.2.
 (a) The department shall do both of the following:
(1) Create an online database of affordable housing listings, information, and applications, in coordination with state and local partners, including, but not limited to, the other departments and state entities within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, as well as councils of governments and metropolitan planning organizations. The database shall serve the purpose of improving access to affordable housing by making it easier for low-income households to find and apply for affordable housing across the state, and facilitate alignment in tenant preferences used in various jurisdictions to the extent possible. The database shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) Data necessary for prospective tenants to do all of the following:
(i) Submit electronic applications online.
(ii) Access instructional information in multiple languages, including Spanish and Vietnamese.
(iii) Store information online for reuse in applying for multiple apartment listings.
(iv) Request automatic notification by email of new affordable housing vacancy listings.
(v) Receive notification and a confirmation number for their application.
(vi) Obtain an updated status of their place on eligibility lists.
(B) Data necessary for managers of affordable housing developments to do all of the following:
(i) Access the database through a user account.
(ii) Create and update affordable housing vacancy lists.
(iii) View and respond to individual applications submitted by a prospective tenant.
(iv) Facilitate the application process based on preferences established by each jurisdiction.
(2) Cooperate and collaborate with the other state entities and departments within Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, as well as councils of governments and metropolitan planning organizations, as necessary, to draft and carry out a strategy to integrate information.
(b) This section shall become operative only upon appropriation by the Legislature of sufficient funds, including funds from private donations if available, to the department for the purposes of this section.

SEC. 2.

  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
SECTION 1.Section 440.10 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
440.10.

“Health facility,” as used in this part, means a general acute care hospital required to be licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2.