BILL NUMBER: SB 717INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Walters FEBRUARY 18, 2011 An act to amend Sections 368 and 868.5 of the Penal Code, and to amend Sections 4689.2, 15660, and 16501 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to crimes. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 717, as introduced, Walters. Elder or dependent abuse. Existing law makes it a crime for a person who knows or reasonably should know that a person is an elder or dependant adult, under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm or death, to willfully cause or permit any elder or dependent adult to suffer, or inflict unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering thereon, or to cause or permit the elder or dependent adult to be placed in a situation in which his or her person or health is endangered, as specified. Existing law punishes a violation of this provision by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not to exceed $6,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 3, or 4 years. Under existing law, a person who knows or reasonably should know that a person is an elder or dependent adult and who, under circumstances or conditions other than those likely to produce great bodily harm or death, willfully causes an elder or dependent adult to suffer, or inflicts unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering thereon, or permits the health of the elder or dependent adult to be endangered is guilty of a misdemeanor. Existing law punishes a 2nd or subsequent violation of that provision by a fine not to exceed $2,000 or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment. The bill would instead provide that a violation of the above provisions shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not to exceed $6,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 3, or 4 years, without regard to whether or not the violation occurred under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm or death. This bill would accordingly delete the provisions regarding elder or dependent adult abuse under circumstances or conditions other than those likely to produce great bodily harm or death. This bill would make other conforming changes. By increasing the punishment for a crime, this bill would create 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. 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 368 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 368. (a) The Legislature finds and declares thatcrimes againstelders and dependent adults are deserving of special consideration and protection, not unlike the special protections provided for minor children and victims of domestic violence , because elders and dependent adults may be confused, on various medications, mentally or physically impaired, or incompetent, and therefore less able to protect themselves, to understand or report criminal conduct, or to testify in court proceedings on their own behalf. Elder and dependent adults are often financially dependent upon their abuser and feel that there is no alternative but to stay with the abuser. In addition, because much elder and dependent abuse is committed by family members, the victims often love the abuser and do not want the abuser to be prosecuted, which continues the cycle of abuse. (b)(1)Any person who knows or reasonably should know that a person is an elder or dependent adult and who, under circumstances or conditions likely to produce great bodily harm or death,willfully causes or permits any elder or dependent adult to suffer, or inflicts thereon unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or having the care or custody of any elder or dependent adult, willfully causes or permits the person or health of the elder or dependent adult to be injured, or willfully causes or permits the elder or dependent adult to be placed in a situation in which his or her person or health is endangered, is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not to exceed six thousand dollars ($6,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years.(2)(c) (1 ) If in the commission of an offense described inparagraph (1)subdivision (b) , the victim suffers great bodily injury, as defined in Section 12022.7, the defendant shall receive an additional term in the state prison as follows: (A) Three years if the victim is under 70 years of age. (B) Five years if the victim is 70 years of age or older.(3)(2) If in the commission of an offense described inparagraph (1)subdivision (b) , the defendant proximately causes the death of the victim, the defendant shall receive an additional term in the state prison as follows: (A) Five years if the victim is under 70 years of age. (B) Seven years if the victim is 70 years of age or older.(c) Any person who knows or reasonably should know that a person is an elder or dependent adult and who, under circumstances or conditions other than those likely to produce great bodily harm or death, willfully causes or permits any elder or dependent adult to suffer, or inflicts thereon unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or having the care or custody of any elder or dependent adult, willfully causes or permits the person or health of the elder or dependent adult to be injured or willfully causes or permits the elder or dependent adult to be placed in a situation in which his or her person or health may be endangered, is guilty of a misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation of this subdivision is punishable by a fine not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.(d) Any person who is not a caretaker who violates any provision of law proscribing theft, embezzlement, forgery, or fraud, or who violates Section 530.5 proscribing identity theft, with respect to the property or personal identifying information of an elder or a dependent adult, and who knows or reasonably should know that the victim is an elder or a dependent adult, is punishablebyas follows: (1) B y imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison for two, three, or four years, when the moneys, labor, goods, services, or real or personal property taken or obtained is of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars($950); and by($950). (2) B y a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment, when the moneys, labor, goods, services, or real or personal property taken or obtained is of a value not exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950). (e) Any caretaker of an elder or a dependent adult who violates any provision of law proscribing theft, embezzlement, forgery, or fraud, or who violates Section 530.5 proscribing identity theft, with respect to the property or personal identifying information of that elder or dependent adult, is punishablebyas follows: (1) B y imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison for two, three, or four years when the moneys, labor, goods, services, or real or personal property taken or obtained is of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars($950), and by($950). (2) B y a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment, when the moneys, labor, goods, services, or real or personal property taken or obtained is of a value not exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950). (f) Any person who commits the false imprisonment of an elder or a dependent adult by the use of violence, menace, fraud, or deceit is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years. (g) As used in this section, "elder" means any person who is 65 years of age or older. (h) As used in this section, "dependent adult" means any person who is between the ages of 18 and 64, who has physical or mental limitations which restrict his or her ability to carry out normal activities or to protect his or her rights, including, but not limited to, persons who have physical or developmental disabilities or whose physical or mental abilities have diminished because of age. "Dependent adult" includes any person between the ages of 18 and 64 who is admitted as an inpatient to a 24-hour health facility, as defined in Sections 1250, 1250.2, and 1250.3 of the Health and Safety Code. (i) As used in this section, "caretaker" means any person who has the care, custody, or control of, or who stands in a position of trust with, an elder or a dependent adult. (j) Nothing in this section shall preclude prosecution under both this section and Section 187 or 12022.7 or any other provision of law. However, a person shall not receive an additional term of imprisonment under both paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) for any single offense, nor shall a person receive an additional term of imprisonment under both Section 12022.7 and paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) for any single offense. (k) In any case in which a person is convicted of violating these provisions, the court may require him or her to receive appropriate counseling as a condition of probation. Any defendant ordered to be placed in a counseling program shall be responsible for paying the expense of his or her participation in the counseling program as determined by the court. The court shall take into consideration the ability of the defendant to pay, and no defendant shall be denied probation because of his or her inability to pay. SEC. 2. Section 868.5 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 868.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a prosecuting witness in a case involving a violation of Section 187, 203, 205, 207, 211, 215, 220, 240, 242, 243.4, 245, 261, 262, 273a, 273d, 273.5, 273.6, 278, 278.5, 285, 286, 288, 288a, 288.5, 289, or 647.6, former Section 277 or 647a, subdivision (1) of Section 314, or subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 368 when the prosecuting witness is the elder or dependent adult, shall be entitled, for support, to the attendance of up to two persons of his or her own choosing, one of whom may be a witness, at the preliminary hearing and at the trial, or at a juvenile court proceeding, during the testimony of the prosecuting witness. Only one of those support persons may accompany the witness to the witness stand, although the other may remain in the courtroom during the witness' testimony. The person or persons so chosen shall not be a person described in Section 1070 of the Evidence Code unless the person or persons are related to the prosecuting witness as a parent, guardian, or sibling and do not make notes during the hearing or proceeding. (b) If the person or persons so chosen are also witnesses, the prosecution shall present evidence that the person's attendance is both desired by the prosecuting witness for support and will be helpful to the prosecuting witness. Upon that showing, the court shall grant the request unless information presented by the defendant or noticed by the court establishes that the support person's attendance during the testimony of the prosecuting witness would pose a substantial risk of influencing or affecting the content of that testimony. In the case of a juvenile court proceeding, the judge shall inform the support person or persons that juvenile court proceedings are confidential and may not be discussed with anyone not in attendance at the proceedings. In all cases, the judge shall admonish the support person or persons to not prompt, sway, or influence the witness in any way. Nothing in this section shall preclude a court from exercising its discretion to remove a person from the courtroom whom it believes is prompting, swaying, or influencing the witness. (c) The testimony of the person or persons so chosen who are also witnesses shall be presented before the testimony of the prosecuting witness. The prosecuting witness shall be excluded from the courtroom during that testimony. Whenever the evidence given by that person or those persons would be subject to exclusion because it has been given before the corpus delicti has been established, the evidence shall be admitted subject to the court's or the defendant's motion to strike that evidence from the record if the corpus delicti is not later established by the testimony of the prosecuting witness. SEC. 3. Section 4689.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 4689.2. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to require the filing of fingerprints of those individuals whose contact with consumers receiving services and supports from family home agencies, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 4689.1, and family homes, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 4689.1, may pose a risk to the consumers' health and safety. (b) As part of the vendor approval process for family home agencies and family homes, the State Department of Developmental Services shall secure from the Department of Justice and, if applicable, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a full criminal history to determine whether the applicant or any other person specified in subdivision (c) has ever been convicted of, or arrested for, a crime other than a minor traffic violation. If it is found that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (c), has been convicted of, or is awaiting trial for, a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the vendor application shall be denied, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f). If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the applicant and the State Department of Developmental Services with a statement of that fact. (c) In addition to the applicant, this section shall be applicable to criminal convictions of the following persons: (1) Adults responsible for administration or direct supervision of staff. (2) Any adult other than a consumer residing in the family home. (3) Any adult who provides assistance to the consumer in dressing, grooming, bathing, or personal hygiene. (4) Any staff person, employee, consultant, or volunteer who has frequent and routine contact with the consumer. In determining who has frequent contact, any consultant or volunteer shall be exempt unless the volunteer is used to replace or supplement staff or family home personnel in providing services or supports, or both, to consumers. In determining who has routine contact, staff and employees under direct onsite supervision of the family home agency and who are not providing direct services and supports or who have only occasional or intermittent contact with consumers shall be exempt. (5) The executive director of the entity applying for vendorization or other person serving in like capacity. (6) Officers of the governing body of the applicant, or other persons with a financial interest in the applicant, as determined necessary by the department by regulation. The criteria used in the development of these regulations shall be based on the person's capability to exercise substantial influence over the operation of the family home agency or family home. (d) (1) Subsequent to vendorization, any person specified in subdivision (c) and not exempted from fingerprinting shall, as a condition to employment, residence, or presence in a family home agency or a family home, be fingerprinted and sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal convictions. The vendor shall submit these fingerprints to the Department of Justice not later than four calendar days following employment, residence, or initial presence in the family home agency or family home. These fingerprints shall be on a card provided by the State Department of Developmental Services for the purpose of obtaining a permanent set of fingerprints. If fingerprints are not submitted to the Department of Justice, as required in this section, that failure shall result in a sanction and the fingerprints shall then be submitted to the State Department of Developmental Services for processing. Upon request of the vendor, who shall enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard for this purpose, the Department of Justice shall verify receipt of the fingerprints. (2) Within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the fingerprints, the Department of Justice shall notify the State Department of Developmental Services of the criminal record information, as provided in subdivision (b). If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the vendor and the State Department of Developmental Services with a statement of that fact within 15 calendar days of receipt of the fingerprints. If new fingerprints are required for processing, the Department of Justice shall, within 15 calendar days from the date of receipt of the fingerprints, notify the vendor that the fingerprints were illegible. (3) (A) Except for persons specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), the vendor shall endeavor to ascertain the previous employment history of persons required to be fingerprinted under this subdivision. If it is determined by the State Department of Developmental Services, on the basis of the fingerprints submitted to the Department of Justice, that the person has been convicted of, or is awaiting trial for, a sex offense against a minor, or has been convicted for an offense specified in Section 243.4, 273a, 273d, or subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 368 of the Penal Code, or has been convicted of a felony, the State Department of Developmental Services shall notify the vendor to act immediately to terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the family home, or bar the person from entering the family home. The State Department of Developmental Services may subsequently grant an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f). (B) If the conviction or arrest was for another crime, except a minor traffic violation, the vendor shall, upon notification by the State Department of Developmental Services, act immediately to do either of the following: (i) Terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the family home, or bar the person from entering the family home. (ii) Seek an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f). The State Department of Developmental Services shall determine if the person shall be permitted to remain in the family home until a decision on the exemption is rendered. (e) For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, a conviction means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action that the State Department of Developmental Services is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, or the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a of the Penal Code permitting the person to withdraw his or her plea of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the record of a conviction, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the court or by a judge of the court in which the conviction occurred, shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the arrest disposition report certified by the Department of Justice and, if applicable, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or documents admissible in a criminal action pursuant to Section 969b of the Penal Code, shall be prima facie evidence of the conviction, notwithstanding any other provision of law prohibiting the admission of these documents in a civil or administrative action. (f) After review of the record, the Director of Developmental Services may grant an exemption from denial of vendor approval pursuant to subdivision (b), or for employment in a family home agency or family home of residence or presence in a family home as specified in subdivision (c), if the director has substantial and convincing evidence to support a reasonable belief that the applicant and the person convicted of the crime, if other than the applicant, are of such good character as to justify vendor approval or granting an exemption for purposes of subdivision (c). Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, no exemption shall be granted if the conviction was for an offense specified in Section 220, 243.4, 264.1, subdivision (a) of Section 273a, Section 273d, 288, 289, or subdivision(a) or (b)(b) or (c) of Section 368 of the Penal Code, or for another crime against an individual specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code. The director may grant an exemption if the employee, prospective employee, or other person identified in subdivision (c) who was convicted of a crime against an individual in paragraph (1), (2), (7), or (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, has been rehabilitated as provided in Section 4852.03 of the Penal Code and has maintained the conduct required in Section 4852.05 of the Penal Code for at least 10 years and has the recommendation of the district attorney representing the employee's county of residence, or if the employee, prospective employee, or other persons identified in subdivision (c) has received a certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. (g) For purposes of compliance with this section, the department may permit an individual to transfer a current criminal record clearance, as described in subdivision (b), from one family home agency or family home to another, as long as the criminal record clearance has been processed through the State Department of Developmental Services. (h) If a family home agency or a family home is required by law to deny employment or to terminate employment of any employee based on written notification from the state department pursuant to subdivision (c) the family home agency or the family home shall not incur civil liability or unemployment insurance liability as a result of that denial or termination. SEC. 4. Section 15660 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 15660. (a) The Department of Justice shall secure any criminal record of a person to determine whether the person has ever been convicted of a violation or attempted violation of Section 243.4 of the Penal Code, a sex offense against a minor, or of any felony that requires registration pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code, or whether the person has been convicted or incarcerated within the last 10 years as the result of committing a violation or attempted violation of Section 273a or 273d, or subdivision(a) or (b)(b) or (c) of Section 368, of the Penal Code, or as the result of committing a theft, robbery, burglary, or any felony, and shall provide a subsequent arrest notification pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, if both of the following conditions are met: (1) An employer of the person requests the determination and submits fingerprints of the person to the Department of Justice. For purposes of this paragraph, "employer" includes, but is not limited to, an in-home supportive services recipient, as defined by Section 12302.2, an aged or disabled adult who is ineligible for benefits under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000), who receives care by a person as described in paragraph (2), any recipient of personal care services under the Medi-Cal program pursuant to Sections 14132.95 to 14132.97, inclusive, and any public authority or nonprofit consortium, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 12301.6. (2) The person is unlicensed and provides nonmedical domestic or personal care to an aged or disabled adult in the adult's own home. (b) (1) If it is found that the person has ever been convicted of a violation or attempted violation of Section 243.4 of the Penal Code, a sex offense against a minor, or of any felony which requires registration pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code, or that the person has been convicted or incarcerated within the last 10 years as the result of committing a violation or attempted violation of Section 273a or 273d, or subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 368, of the Penal Code, or as the result of committing a theft, robbery, burglary, or any felony, the Department of Justice shall notify the employer of that fact. If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the employer with a statement of that fact. (2) Any employer may deny employment to any person who is the subject of a report under paragraph (1) when the report indicates that the person has committed any of the crimes identified in paragraph (1). (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any employer to hire any person who is the subject of a report under paragraph (1) when the report indicates that the person has not committed any of the crimes indicated in paragraph (1). (c) (1) Fingerprints shall be on a card provided by the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining a set of fingerprints. The employer shall submit the fingerprints to the Department of Justice. Within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the fingerprints, the Department of Justice shall notify the employer of the criminal record information, as provided in this subdivision. If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the employer with a statement of that fact as soon as possible, but not later than 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the fingerprints. If new fingerprints are required for processing, the Department of Justice shall, as soon as possible, but not later than 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the fingerprints, notify the employer that the fingerprints were illegible. (2) Fingerprints may be taken by any local law enforcement officer or agency for purposes of paragraph (1). (3) Counties shall notify any recipient of, or applicant for, in-home supportive services or personal care services under the Medi-Cal program, upon his or her application for in-home supportive services or personal care services or during his or her annual redetermination, or upon the recipient's changing providers, that a criminal record check is available, and that the check can be performed by the Department of Justice. (d) (1) The Department of Justice shall charge a fee to the employer to cover the costs of administering this section. (2) (A) If the employer is an in-home supportive services recipient, as defined in Section 123202.2, a recipient of personal care services under the Medi-Cal program pursuant to Sections 14132.95 to 14132.97, inclusive, or any public authority or nonprofit consortium as described in subdivision (a) of Section 12301.6, the fee shall be shared by the county and the state in the same ratio as described in Section 12306. (B) (i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and except as provided in clause (ii), the department shall, no later than January 1, 2009, implement subparagraph (A) through an all-county letter from the director. (ii) No later than July 1, 2009, the department shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions listed in subparagraph (A). (e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Justice charge a fee to cover its cost in providing services in accordance with this section to comply with the 30-calendar-day requirement for provision to the department of the criminal record information, as contained in subdivision (c). SEC. 5. Section 16501 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 16501. (a) As used in this chapter, "child welfare services" means public social services which are directed toward the accomplishment of any or all of the following purposes: protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, including handicapped, homeless, dependent, or neglected children; preventing or remedying, or assisting in the solution of problems which may result in, the neglect, abuse, exploitation, or delinquency of children; preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families by identifying family problems, assisting families in resolving their problems, and preventing breakup of the family where the prevention of child removal is desirable and possible; restoring to their families children who have been removed, by the provision of services to the child and the families; identifying children to be placed in suitable adoptive homes, in cases where restoration to the biological family is not possible or appropriate; and ensuring adequate care of children away from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be returned home or cannot be placed for adoption. "Child welfare services" also means services provided on behalf of children alleged to be the victims of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The child welfare services provided on behalf of each child represent a continuum of services, including emergency response services, family preservation services, family maintenance services, family reunification services, and permanent placement services, including transitional independent living services. The individual child's case plan is the guiding principle in the provision of these services. The case plan shall be developed within a maximum of 60 days of the initial removal of the child or of the in-person response required under subdivision (f) if the child has not been removed from his or her home, or by the date of the dispositional hearing pursuant to Section 358, whichever comes first. (1) Child welfare services may include, but are not limited to, a range of service-funded activities, including case management, counseling, emergency shelter care, emergency in-home caretakers, temporary in-home caretakers, respite care, therapeutic day services, teaching and demonstrating homemakers, parenting training, substance abuse testing, and transportation. These service-funded activities shall be available to children and their families in all phases of the child welfare program in accordance with the child's case plan and departmental regulations. Funding for services is limited to the amount appropriated in the annual Budget Act and other available county funds. (2) Service-funded activities to be provided may be determined by each county, based upon individual child and family needs as reflected in the service plan. (3) As used in this chapter, "emergency shelter care" means emergency shelter provided to children who have been removed pursuant to Section 300 from their parent or parents or their guardian or guardians. The department may establish, by regulation, the time periods for which emergency shelter care shall be funded. For the purposes of this paragraph, "emergency shelter care" may include "transitional shelter care facilities" as defined in paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code. (b) As used in this chapter, "respite care" means temporary care for periods not to exceed 72 hours. This care may be provided to the child's parents or guardians. This care shall not be limited by regulation to care over 24 hours. These services shall not be provided for the purpose of routine, ongoing child care. (c) The county shall provide child welfare services as needed pursuant to an approved service plan and in accordance with regulations promulgated, in consultation with the counties, by the department. Counties may contract for service-funded activities as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). Each county shall use available private child welfare resources prior to developing new county-operated resources when the private child welfare resources are of at least equal quality and lesser or equal cost as compared with county-operated resources. Counties shall not contract for needs assessment, client eligibility determination, or any other activity as specified by regulations of the State Department of Social Services, except as specifically authorized in Section 16100. (d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect duties which are delegated to probation officers pursuant to Sections 601 and 654. (e) Any county may utilize volunteer individuals to supplement professional child welfare services by providing ancillary support services in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Department of Social Services. (f) As used in this chapter, emergency response services consist of a response system providing in-person response, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, as required by Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code for the purpose of investigation pursuant to Section 11166 of the Penal Code and to determine the necessity for providing initial intake services and crisis intervention to maintain the child safely in his or her own home or to protect the safety of the child. County welfare departments shall respond to any report of imminent danger to a child immediately and all other reports within 10 calendar days. An in-person response is not required when the county welfare department, based upon an evaluation of risk, determines that an in-person response is not appropriate. This evaluation includes collateral, contacts, a review of previous referrals, and other relevant information, as indicated. (g) As used in this chapter, family maintenance services are activities designed to provide in-home protective services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation, for the purposes of preventing separation of children from their families. (h) As used in this chapter, family reunification services are activities designed to provide time-limited foster care services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation, when the child cannot safely remain at home, and needs temporary foster care, while services are provided to reunite the family. (i) As used in this chapter, permanent placement services are activities designed to provide an alternate permanent family structure for children who because of abuse, neglect, or exploitation cannot safely remain at home and who are unlikely to ever return home. These services shall be provided on behalf of children for whom there has been a judicial determination of a permanent plan for adoption, legal guardianship, or long-term foster care, and, as needed, shall include transitional independent living services. (j) As used in this chapter, family preservation services include those services specified in Section 16500.5 to avoid or limit out-of-home placement of children, and may include those services specified in that section to place children in the least restrictive environment possible. (k) (1) (A) In any county electing to implement this subdivision, all county welfare department employees who have frequent and routine contact with children shall, by February 1, 1997, and all welfare department employees who are expected to have frequent and routine contact with children and who are hired on or after January 1, 1996, and all such employees whose duties change after January 1, 1996, to include frequent and routine contact with children, shall, if the employees provide services to children who are alleged victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal conviction, and shall provide a set of fingerprints to the county welfare director. (B) The county welfare director shall secure from the Department of Justice a criminal record to determine whether the employee has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation. The Department of Justice shall deliver the criminal record to the county welfare director. (C) If it is found that the employee has been convicted of a crime, other than a minor traffic violation, the county welfare director shall determine whether there is substantial and convincing evidence to support a reasonable belief that the employee is of good character so as to justify frequent and routine contact with children. (D) No exemption shall be granted pursuant to subparagraph (C) if the person has been convicted of a sex offense against a minor, or has been convicted of an offense specified in Section 220, 243.4, 264.1, 273d, 288, or 289 of the Penal Code, or in paragraph (1) of Section 273a of, or subdivision(a) or (b)(b) or (c) of Section 368 of, the Penal Code, or has been convicted of an offense specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code. The county welfare director shall suspend such a person from any duties involving frequent and routine contact with children. (E) Notwithstanding subparagraph (D), the county welfare director may grant an exemption if the employee or prospective employee, who was convicted of a crime against an individual specified in paragraph (1) or (7) of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, has been rehabilitated as provided in Section 4852.03 of the Penal Code and has maintained the conduct required in Section 4852.05 of the Penal Code for at least 10 years and has the recommendation of the district attorney representing the employee's or prospective employee's county of residence, or if the employee or prospective employee has received a certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. In that case, the county welfare director may give the employee or prospective employee an opportunity to explain the conviction and shall consider that explanation in the evaluation of the criminal conviction record. (F) If no criminal record information has been recorded, the county welfare director shall cause a statement of that fact to be included in that person's personnel file. (2) For purposes of this subdivision, a conviction means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action which the county welfare director is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, or the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a of the Penal Code permitting the person to withdraw his or her plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment. For purposes of this subdivision, the record of a conviction, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the court or by a judge of the court in which the conviction occurred, shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction. SEC. 6. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.