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Consider taking a position on state bills AB 60, AB 377, SB 287 and SCA 3 that are included within this agenda item and were reviewed by the County’s Legislative Committee on March 20, 2017 and referred to the full Board for consideration; and Receive an update from staff and the County’s State Legislative Advocate on the status of legislation relative to In-Home Support Services
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No ___X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No ___X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
Consider taking a position on state bills AB 60, AB 377, SB 287 and SCA 3 that are included within this agenda item and were reviewed by the County’s Legislative Committee on March 20, 2017 and referred to the full Board for consideration; and Receive an update from staff and the County’s State Legislative Advocate on the status of legislation relative to In-Home Support Services.
SUMMARY:
Staff will provide an overview of legislation considered by the Board’s Legislative Committee on March 20, 2017. The County’s Legislative Advocate, Karen Lange of Shaw/Yoder/Antwih, Inc., will provide an update on the status of legislation relative to In-Home Support Services and the state Budget. The informational items before the Board were reviewed by the County’s Legislative Committee and are discussed individually in the discussion section below.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The legislative program is designed to result in additional funding and cost avoidance relative to Solano County. The cost of preparing this report and compiling the information is a General Fund cost covered in the County Administrator’s administration budget.
DISCUSSION:
The County’s Legislative Committee Members, Supervisor Erin Hannigan and Supervisor John Vasquez met on March 20, 2017 to discuss both Federal and State issues. Joe Krahn, Hasan Sasour, and Tom Joseph of Waterman and Associates, the County’s Federal legislative advocacy team and Karen Lange of Shaw/Yoder/Antwih Inc., the County’s State legislative advocate participated in the meeting as well.
The County’s March 20, 2017 Legislative Committee agenda included a Federal update from Waterman and Associates as is provided in Attachment A. Also on the agenda were four State bills, AB 60, AB 377, SB 287 and SCA 3, which were considered by the Legislative Committee, each of which is discussed individually below. The County’s March 20, 2017 Legislative Committee agenda can be accessed through the link below.
<http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=26342>
Summary of legislative action considered by the Legislative Committee
AB 60 (Santiago) Subsidized child care and development services: eligibility periods
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer child care and development programs that offer a full range of services for eligible children from infancy to 13 years of age. Existing law requires the Superintendent to adopt rules and regulations on eligibility, enrollment, and priority of services needed to implement the act. The act, and regulations adopted pursuant to the act, set forth eligibility requirements for families to receive federal and state subsidized child development services and impose various time limits for receipt of services and recertification for continued services. This bill would require that a family, upon establishing initial eligibility or ongoing eligibility for services under the act, be considered to meet all eligibility requirements for those services for not less than 12 months, receive those services for not less than 12 months before having its eligibility redetermined, and not be required to report changes to income or other changes for at least 12 months, except as provided. The bill would revise the definition of “income eligible” and provide that the definition applies for purposes of establishing initial income eligibility for services under the act, and would add a definition of “ongoing income eligible” for purposes of establishing ongoing income eligibility for services under the act.
Megan Richards, Assistant Director for Solano First 5 introduced the bill which would modernize eligibility for subsidized early learning programs. guarantee 12-month child care assistance and provide a graduated phase-out for families whose income has increased at the time of re-determination, but that still does not exceed the federal income limit of 85 percent of State Median Income.
The Legislative Committee recommended a SUPPORT position on the bill.
AB 377 (Frazier) Child care subsidy plans: Counties of San Diego and Solano
The Child Care and Development Services Act has a purpose of providing a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop standards for the implementation of quality child care programs. Existing law authorizes the Counties of Alameda and Santa Clara, as a pilot project, to develop an individualized county child care subsidy plan, as provided. This bill would authorize, until January 1, 2025, the Counties of San Diego and Solano to develop and implement individualized county child care subsidy plans, as specified. The bill would require the plans to be submitted to the local planning council and their respective county boards of supervisors for approval, as specified. The bill would require the Early Education and Support Division of the State Department of Education to review and approve or disapprove the plans and any subsequent modifications to the plans. The bill would require the counties to annually prepare and submit to the Legislature, the State Department of Social Services, and the State Department of Education a report that contains specified information relating to the success of the counties’ plans.
Megan Richards, Deputy Director for Solano First 5 and Allan Kerzin, Executive Director for Children’s Network of Solano County (co-sponsor of the bill) noted that it would authorize the Counties of Solano and San Diego to develop and implement an individualized county child care subsidy plan pilot program. The authorization would sunset January 1, 2025. AB 377 maximizes allocated funding and uses child care subsidy funds to meet local needs so quality child care can be provided to children with more flexibility in the following areas: 1) Family and Child Eligibility, 2) Reimbursement Rates, 3) family fees and 4) Maximizing the efficient use of subsidy dollars, including the coordination of child care provider contracts.
The Legislative Committee recommended a SUPPORT position on the bill.
SB 287 (Dodd) Habitat restoration: invasive species: Phytophthora pathogens
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife and sets forth the powers and duties of the department with regard to the implementation and administration of, among other things, projects and programs to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat in the state.This bill would require the department, on or before December 31, 2019, to adopt regulations to minimize the risk of Phytophthora pathogens in plant materials used for habitat restoration projects authorized, funded, or required by the state.
Jim Allan, Director for the Department of Agriculture explained that Phytophthora are fungal-like organisms that can be very invasive, (Sudden Oak Death is caused by a Phytophthora). He noted, these organisms can be very destructive when introduced into native habitat. SB 287 (Dodd) would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt regulations to minimize the risk of Phytophthora pathogens in plant materials used for habitat restoration projects. The bill is supported by the local Native Plant Society.
The Legislative Committee recommended a SUPPORT position on the bill.
SCA 3 (Dodd) Local government financing: public libraries: voter approval
The California Constitution prohibits the ad valorem tax rate on real property from exceeding 1% of the full cash value of the property, subject to certain exceptions that include a tax rate to service bonded indebtedness incurred by a school district, community college district, or county office of education for school facilities and approved by 55% of the voters of the district or county voting on the proposition at an election. This measure would create an additional exception to the 1% limit for a rate imposed by a city, county, city and county, or special district to service bonded indebtedness incurred to fund public library facilities, that is approved by 55% of the voters of the city, county, city and county, or special district, as applicable, if the proposition meets specified requirements.
Bonnie Katz, Director for the Solano Library discussed the bill noting it would lower the vote threshold to approve the issuance of bonds by cities, counties, and special districts for the purpose of constructing, reconstructing, rehabilitating, or replacing public libraries, to 55% instead of two thirds of the voters voting in an election.
The Legislative Committee recommended a SUPPORT position on the bill.