California Assembly Bill AB2397 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2397AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 5, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 25, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 24, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Allen FEBRUARY 24, 2012 An act to add and repeal Section 4140 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2397, as amended, Allen. Mental health: state hospitals:  ancillary clinical  staff-to-patient ratios. Existing law provides for state hospitals for the care, treatment, and education of mentally disordered persons. These hospitals are under the jurisdiction of the State Department of  Mental Health   State Hospitals  , which is authorized by existing law to adopt regulations regarding the conduct and management of these facilities. This bill would require the department to reimburse an independent entity to conduct a review and analysis of staffing ratios to determine the appropriate levels for effective patient treatment, and would require a report with findings to be submitted to the Legislature by August 1, 2013. This bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2015. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 4140 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 4140. (a) (1) To the extent permitted by the California Constitution and Section 19130 of the Government Code, the State Department of  Mental Health   State Hospitals  shall reimburse an independent entity for the purposes of conducting a review and analysis of staffing ratios to determine the appropriate levels for effective patient treatment. The State Department of  Mental Health   State Hospitals  shall provide information to this entity as necessary for it to complete its analysis and provide recommendations. It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Department of  Mental Health   State Hospitals  request the independent entity to complete this analysis by  March   June 1, 2013. A report shall be submitted to the Legislature by August 1, 2013, regarding the independent entity's findings to ensure state hospitals are making progress and to enable the Legislature to consider further action that may be necessary during the subsequent legislative year. (2) A report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2015, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2015, deletes or extends that date.