Assisted Living – RCFE
AB 979 (Alvarez) Long-term care: family councils – Opposition Removed
AB 979 has passed both houses and is on its way to the Governor’s desk. This bill modernizes the existing family council statute for RCFEs and SNFs, primarily by recognizing virtual meetings and helping ensure designated individuals are aware of council meetings, among other things. CALA secured amendments to maintain the current response time for family council letters, maintain that “willful” interference is prohibited, and maintain that residents in RCFEs will not be prohibited from activities during family council meetings, among other things.
SB 875 (Glazer) Referral Agencies – Support
SB 875 is a reintroduction of AB 499 (Rubio, Blanca) from last session. CALA again supports legislation to require basic disclosure and consumer protections related to referral agencies. With some surprising opposition from the State Long Term Care Ombudsman, the bill was pulled from Senate Human Services Committee agenda and is now a two-year bill.
AB 839 (Addis) RCFE Financing – Support
AB 839 updates the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Act (CHFFA) to enable not-for-profit RCFEs to access CHFFA financing and funding programs. The CHFFA program currently serves community care facility settings but does not recognize similar stand-alone residential care facilities serving the elderly. Currently, only RCFEs that are associated with a skilled nursing facility have access to this program. AB 839 would correct that discrepancy. CALA secured amendments that enabled us to support this bill. It is now on the Senate Floor.
Criminal Background Checks
SB 809 (Smallwood-Cuevas) California Fair Employment and Housing Act: Fair Chance Act of 2023: conviction history – Oppose Unless Amended
CALA is part of a large CalChamber-led coalition in opposition to this burdensome background check bill. The bill was amended in the Senate Judiciary Committee and we expect amendments will restore the exemption for employers required by law to conduct background checks, but would still require a duplicative appeals and assessment process for an employer that has no discretion over decisions made by CPMB. Other concerns include workplace posting requirements and extensive information that would have to be included in every job advertisement. SB 809 moved out of Senate Judiciary this week with a party line vote with Democratic members voting for the bill and Republican members voting against the bill. The bill will be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Dementia/Alzheimer’s
AB 21 (Gipson) Police Officer Training – Support
This bill, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, is a reintroduction of last year’s AB 2583 (Mullin), and would require police officers receive dementia-specific training to help with interactions with people living with dementia. AB 21 is currently on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File.
AB 387 (Aguiar-Curry) Alzheimer’s disease – Support
AB 387 (Aguiar-Curry), sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, would expand the number and representation on the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee and rename it the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Conditions Advisory Committee. This bill was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee and will not be moving forward this year.
SB 639 (Limón) Alzheimer’s disease – Support
SB 639 (Limón), sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, would provide a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis, treatment and education of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias across the state and encourage the creation of diagnostic hubs to help secure access to new clinical therapies coming to market. This bill would also continue and expand upon the cognitive health assessment training and validated tool for Medi-Cal beneficiaries and provide information to persons diagnosed with dementia and their care partners about home- and community-based services. The bill was amended in the Assembly so any amendments must be approved by the Senate before it can move to the governor.
Elder Abuse
AB 1417 (Wood) Elder and dependent adult abuse: mandated reporting – Opposition Removed
CALA is supportive of provisions that streamline the complex elder abuse reporting process and appreciates the amendments that at least partially acknowledge situations involving dementia-related behaviors. CALA continues to have concerns about reporting dementia-related altercations to law enforcement, however, federal law that requires such reports for many LTC facilities has set a precedent. CALA will continue to work on ways to mitigate any possible negative impact on those with dementia. This bill had not yet been taken up as of release of this email Update.
Employer/Business
SB 375 (Alvarado-Gil) Employment: employer contributions: employee withholdings: COVID-19 regulatory compliance credit – Support
SB 375, which would provide a COVID compliance tax credit to employers, passed its first committee and will now be considered in Senate Appropriations Committee. This bill is supported by a broad coalition including CalChamber, the California Association of Winegrape Growers and California Association of Health Facilities.
SB 525 (Durazo) Minimum wage: health care workers – Oppose
This bill passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee today without amendments, but with significant opposition continuing. SB 525 would impose a $25 minimum wage for “health care workers” and result in significant cost increases throughout the healthcare sector and for senior living due to the direct impact and significant wage pressures. CALA is part of a large opposition coalition including hospitals, health providers, and employers of all sizes who will be impacted by higher health insurance costs. Thank you to members who wrote opposition letters and expressed opposition directly to legislators during CALA’s Day in Your District last month. Our efforts will continue as the bill moves to the Senate Floor.
2-YEAR BILLS
AB 21 (Gipson) Peace officers: training — Support
Would require dementia-specific training for police officers.
AB 423 (Maienschein) Wandering Taskforce — Support
Would create a wandering taskforce to make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature about unsafe wandering.
AB 770 (Kalra) 6 Beds
Would allow a six bed RCFE to add capacity consistent with the size of the home it’s located in, while still enjoying the exemption from conditional use permits and other related zoning requirements that currently apply to six beds. Recent amendments require 30% of beds over six to be set aside for low-income or SSI/SSP residents with no clarification of how low-income would be determined or documented or enforced or consideration of the RCFE’s economic viability. There were also other unanswered and unresolved issues related to this bill and its unintended consequences.
SB 375 (Alvarado-Gil) Employment: Employer Contributions: Employee Withholdings: COVID-19 Regulatory Compliance Credit — Support
Would provide a COVID compliance tax credit to employers.
SB 730 (Ochoa Bogh) Home Care Aides — Watch
Would expand care that home care aides are allowed to provide to include assisting clients with medication self-administration.
SB 809 (Smallwood-Cuevas) California Fair Employment and Housing Act: Fair Chance Act: conviction history — Oppose Unless Amended
Would require a duplicative appeals and assessment process for employers before they could decide not to hire someone with criminal history, regardless of whether the employer is required by law to conduct a background check and restrict employment based on certain criminal history.
