California Assembly Bill AB1015 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1015AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 14, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Charles Calderon FEBRUARY 18, 2011 An act to add Section 202.1 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to social services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1015, as amended, Charles Calderon. Child welfare services: county task force. Existing law provides for child welfare services, which are public social services directed toward, among other purposes, protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, including those in foster care placement. This bill would require each county to convene a task force by January 1, 2013, to identify and implement operational improvements in the administration of child welfare services. The bill would require the task force to, by January 1, 2014, submit a report to the  county  board  of supervisors  identifying and listing proposed operational improvements, would require the county to hold a public hearing within 30 days, and would require an annual report to the board and the public on the status of implementation efforts. By establishing these additional duties, 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 202.1 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 202.1. (a) By January 1, 2013, each county shall convene a task force to identify and implement operational improvements in the administration of child welfare services. (b) The task force members shall not be paid by the county or the state and shall not be reimbursed by the county or the state for their services, except that those task force members who are county employees may serve on the task force as a part of their county employment and be paid accordingly. (c) The task force shall, at a minimum, consist of a representative appointed by the bargaining unit representing children' s social workers, a representative of the county director of welfare, a representative of the board of supervisors of the county, a representative appointed by the law firm that represents foster children in the county, and a former foster youth residing in the county. (d) By January 1, 2014, the task force shall submit to the board for approval a report, at a minimum, identifying and listing proposed operational improvements  , including, but not   which may be implemented at a cost savings to the county or within existing resources. The report shall include, but shall not be  limited to, dates for  their  full implementation  of the proposals  . Within 30 days of receiving the report, the county shall conduct a public hearing regarding the report.  This subdivision does not limit the discretion of the task force or the county to identify and implement any reform or policy otherwise permitted by law, as the county or task force may, in its discretion, deem appropriate.  (e) Either the representative of the  county  director of welfare, the representative of the board of supervisors, or the law firm representative shall annually report to the board and the public as to whether the improvements have been implemented and, if not, the status of the implementation efforts, and the reasons for the lack of full implementation.  (f) This section may be implemented as part of the county's obligations pursuant to Section 10601.2, if the requirements of this section are met. This section does not prevent a county from convening a task force or issuing a report pursuant to this section covering more than one county, if the requirements of this section are met.  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.