Bill Text: CA SB970 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Health Care Reform Eligibility, Enrollment, and

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2012-09-30 - In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. [SB970 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SB970-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 970	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 20, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 29, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 17, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 9, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Senator De León
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Alquist)
   (Coauthor: Senator DeSaulnier)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Hill, Portantino, Williams,
and Yamada)

                        JANUARY 17, 2012

   An act to add  and repeal  Section 15927  to
  of  the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating
to health and human services.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 970, as amended, De León. Health Care Reform Eligibility,
Enrollment, and Retention Planning Act: coordination with other
programs.
   Existing law, the Health Care Reform Eligibility, Enrollment, and
Retention Planning Act, requires the  California Health and
Human Services Agency   State Department of Health Care
Services  , in consultation with specified entities, to
establish standardized single, accessible application forms and
related renewal procedures for state health subsidy programs, as
defined, in accordance with specified requirements.
   This bill would  require   provide for the
transmittal to a county human services department  to
allow   of information about  an applicant
initially applying for, or renewing, health care coverage using the
single state application developed pursuant to the act,  with
the applicant's consent,   if the applicant consents
 to have his or her application information used to
simultaneously initiate applications for CalWORKs and CalFresh,
 as specified, unless   for initiation of the
application. This bill would authorize  the Secretary of 
California  Health and Human Services  determines that
to do so would delay the implementation of the single, standardized
application for state health subsidy programs, as defined by
specified existing law   to phase in implementation of
these provisions under certain circumstances  . The bill would
require the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a
workgroup of human services and health care advocates, legislative
staff, and other specified representatives, to  identify
other human services and work support programs that might be
integrated into this cross-application process  
consider the feasibility, costs, and benefits of integrating
application and renewal processes for additional human services and
work support programs with the single state application described in
the bill, and to provide, by July 1, 2013, specified details
regarding the workgroup to the appropriate fiscal and policy
committees of the Legislature  .  Implementation of the
process created by the bill would be required by December 31, 2015,
except as specified.   This bill would require that the
functionality necessary to implement the cross-application process be
achieved by the expiration of a specified federal waiver. This bill
would provide that those provisions would become inoperative under
certain circumstances. 
   By imposing new duties on counties, 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.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 15927 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read: 
   15927.  (a) At the time of initial application for, or renewal of,
health care coverage using the single state application described in
subdivision (c) of Section 15926, an individual may consent to have
his or her application information used by the appropriate county
human services department to initiate a simultaneous application for
the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
and CalFresh programs, and by other state or local departments, as
appropriate, for other human services or work support programs
identified by the workgroup established in subdivision (c).
   (b) If information used to renew a beneficiary's eligibility for a
state health subsidy program is sufficient to meet the requirements
for a CalWORKs or CalFresh semiannual report or annual
recertification, as specified in Sections 11265, 11265.1, 11265.2,
and 18925, the county human services department, with the beneficiary'
s consent, shall use that information to continue or recertify
CalWORKs or CalFresh benefits for all eligible individuals. Nothing
in this subdivision shall be construed to either require or prevent
the shortening of a CalFresh certification period. 
    15927.    (a) At the time of initial application
for, or renewal of, health care coverage using the single state
application described in subdivision (c) of Section 15926, if an
individual consents to have his or her health care application
information used to initiate a simultaneous application for the
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
program or the CalFresh program, that information shall be
transmitted to the applicable county human services department to
initiate the application.  
   (c) 
    (b)  The California Health and Human Services Agency
shall convene a workgroup of human services and health care
advocates, legislative staff, representatives of county human
services departments and county eligibility workers, and staff from
appropriate state and local departments, to consider  and
develop a plan for the integration of additional human services and
work support programs into the process described in subdivision (a)
  the feasibility, costs, and benefits of integrating
application and renewal processes for additional human services and
work support programs with the single state application described in
subdivision (c) of Section 15926. The California Health and Human
Services Agency, by July 1, 2013, shall provide to the appropriate
fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature details regarding the
workgroup convened pursuant to this subdivision  . 
   (d) This section shall be implemented by December 31, 2015.
 
   (e) Subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be inoperative if the Secretary
of Health and Human Services determines that the operation of these
subdivisions would delay the implementation of the single,
standardized application for state health subsidy programs as
described in subdivision (c) of Section 15926.  
   (c) The functionality necessary to implement subdivision (a) shall
be achieved no later than the expiration of the federal waiver for
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-87, which requires states
to evenly allocate the development costs for systems that are
federally funded and will be used to determine eligibility for
multiple programs.  
   (d) If the secretary determines that it is necessary, in order to
ensure timely and accurate decisions on applications for aid, to
phase in implementation of subdivision (a), implementation may be
phased in, provided that program eligibility shall not be reduced.
 
   (e) (1) If the secretary determines that the implementation of
subdivision (a) would prevent the timely implementation of the
single, standardized application for state health subsidy programs as
described in subdivision (c) of Section 15926, the secretary shall
report his or her recommendation to the Legislature, hold a public
hearing on the issue, and execute a declaration stating that he or
she has determined it is necessary to cease implementation of
subdivision (a). The secretary shall provide a copy of the
declaration to the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the
Assembly, and the Legislative Counsel, and post the declaration on
the California Health and Human Services Agency Internet Web site.
 
   (2) On the date the secretary executes a declaration pursuant to
paragraph (1), this section shall become inoperative, and shall be
repealed on the next January 1 that is at least two years after the
inoperative date, unless a later enacted statute extends or repeals
that date. 
  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.