BILL NUMBER: AB 866INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Yamada FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to add Section 5899 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 866, as introduced, Yamada. Community mental health: Mental Health Services Fund. Existing law contains provisions governing the operation and financing of community mental health services for the mentally disordered in every county through locally administered and locally controlled community mental health programs. Existing law, the Mental Health Services Act, an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs and requires the department to adopt regulations to implement the program. The act provides that it may be amended by the Legislature by a 2/3 vote of each house as long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the act, and that the Legislature may also clarify procedures and terms of the act by majority vote. This bill would authorize the department to specify alternative procedures for small counties for purposes of regulations relating to the act, and would define "small county" as a county with a population of less than 250,000 people according to the most recent Department of Finance projection. The bill would state the finding of the Legislature that the measure clarifies a term or procedure for purposes of the Mental Health Services Act. 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 5899 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 5899. In adopting regulations pursuant to Section 5898 the department may specify alternative procedures for small countries. For the purpose, "small county" means a county that has a population of less than 250,000 people according to the most recent Department of Finance projection. SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that this measure clarifies a term or procedure of the Mental Health Services Act within the meaning of Section 18 of that act.