Government Relations Update

By Rebecca Gonzales, Director of Government Relations and Political Affairs

We are now two-thirds of the way through the Legislative session for the year. Along with my legislative committee, we have selected roughly 100 measures that we are supporting or opposing this year. The Legislature has until September 11 to send bills to the Governor for his signature. At this point in the legislative session, bills that are still moving have passed their first house and are being heard in the policy and fiscal committees of the second house. Below is an update of some key bills that we are supporting this year.

LOBBY DAYS BILLS

SB 3 (Leno) Minimum Wage
Gradually raises the minimum wage to $13 an hour by July 2017. After January 2019, the minimum wage will be indexed to inflation.
Status: Will be heard in the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee on July 8.

SB 4 (Lara) Healthcare 4 All 
Expands access to health care regardless of immigration status. Has been amended to allow immigrants, who are ineligible for Medi-Cal because of their income, to purchase their own health insurance under Covered California without subsidies if the state secures a waiver from the federal government. The bill also allows immigrant children, ages 19 and under, who would otherwise qualify for Medi-Cal based on their family income, to receive coverage under that program. Also extends eligibility for either limited scope or full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to individuals 19 years of age or older if there is sufficient funding in the budget.
Status: Will be heard in the Assembly Health Committee on July 14.

SB 23 (Mitchell) Maximum Family Grant
Eliminates the Maximum Family Grant in CalWORKs. NOTE: The Legislature had supported this policy in the budget but it was removed from the final budget deal that the Governor signed. Advocates are still advocating for this bill to apply additional pressure on the Governor to support this policy.
Status: Will be heard in the Assembly Human Services Committee on July 14.

OTHER SUPPORT BILLS

AB 47 (McCarty)
Expands the state preschool program to all low income families who do not have access to one year of preschool or to transitional kindergarten, contingent on funding in the budget.
Status: In the Senate Education Committee on July 8.

AB 348 (Brown)
Establishes new timelines for investigating abuse and neglect reported at nursing homes.
Status: In the Senate Health Committee on July 15.

AB 474 (Brown and Thurmond)
Raises SSI/SSP grants for the aged and disabled for the 2015-2016 fiscal year to be equal to 112 percent of the federal poverty level.
Status: Failed in the Assembly Budget Committee.

AB 622 (R. Hernandez)
Expands instances when it is unlawful for an employer to use the E-Verify system to confirm the immigration status of a worker.
Status: In the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 6.

AB 830 (Eggman)
This bill applies existing law remedies for victims of gender-related violence to victims of sexual orientation-based violence. Also defines “gender” in accordance with the Unruh Civil Rights Act, to include “gender expression” and “gender identity.”
Status: On the Senate Floor.

AB 832 (Garcia)
Creates a uniform process for mandated reporters regarding consensual sex between minors. This will equalize homosexual sex with heterosexual sex so that there is not an unequal standard for reporting.
Status: On the inactive file.

AB 1025 (Thurmond)
Establishes a pilot program to encourage inclusive practices that integrate mental health, special education and school climate interventions.
Status: In the Senate Education Committee on July 8.

SB 29 (Beall) 
Increases police officer training in mental health.
Status: In the Assembly Public Safety Committee on July 14.

SB 124 (Leno) 
Limits solitary confinement for youth in juvenile facilities.
Status: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 128 (Wolk)
End of Life Options Act modeled after Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act which allows for an adult, who is mentally competent, terminally ill, and in the final stages of their disease progression, to request a drug from a physician to bring about a peaceful death.
Status: In the Assembly Health Committee on July 7.

SB 196 (Hancock)
Provides for elder abuse restraining orders for elders unable to advocate for themselves.
Status: In the Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee on July 7.

SB 238 (Mitchell), SB 253 (Monning), SB 484 (Beall)

Protects against the overuse of psychotropic medications for foster youth.
Status: All bills are in the Assembly Human Services Committee on July 14.

For a full list of the bills we are following, click here.