California Assembly Bill AB72 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 72AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Bonta and Atkins DECEMBER 18, 2014  An act to add Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 14184) to Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.   An act to add Article 4 (commencing with Section 32250) to Chapter 3 of Division 23 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care districts.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 72, as amended, Bonta.  Medi-Cal: demonstration project.   Eden Township Healthcare District: special taxes: authorization.   Existing law provides for the formation of local health care districts and specifies district powers. The California Constitution prohibits the Legislature from imposing taxes for local purposes, but allows the Legislature to authorize local governments to impose them.   This bill would authorize the Eden Township Healthcare District to impose special taxes, as provided.   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Eden Township Healthcare District.   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid provisions. Existing law provides for a demonstration project under the Medi-Cal program until October 31, 2015, to implement specified objectives, including better care coordination for seniors and persons with disabilities and maximization of opportunities to reduce the number of uninsured individuals.   This bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services to submit an application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver to implement a demonstration project that, among other things, continues the state's momentum and successes in innovation achieved under the demonstration project described above. The bill would require the department to consult with interested stakeholders and the Legislature in developing the waiver application. The bill would provide that the department only implement the waiver or demonstration project upon submittal of an implementation plan to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature at least 60 days prior to any appropriation.   This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.  Vote:  2/3   majority  . Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes   no  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Article 4 (commencing with Section 32250) is added to Chapter 3 of Division 23 of the   Health and Safety Code   , to read:   Article 4. Special Taxes 32250. (a) Subject to Section 4 of Article XIII A and Article XIII C of the California Constitution, the Eden Township Healthcare District may impose special taxes within the district pursuant to the procedures established in Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 50075) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code and any other applicable procedures provided by law. (b) For purposes of this section, "special taxes" means special taxes that apply uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within the district.   SEC. 2.   The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique circumstances of the Eden Township Healthcare District.   SECTION 1.   Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 14184) is added to Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: Article 5.5. Renewal of Health Care Coordination, Improvement, and Long-Term Cost Containment Waiver or Demonstration Project 14184. (a) The department shall submit an application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver to implement a demonstration project that does all of the following: (1) Furthers the delivery of high-quality and cost-efficient care for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. (2) Ensures the long-term viability of the delivery system following the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (3) Continues California's momentum and successes in innovation achieved under the 2010 "Bridge to Reform" Waiver. (b) In developing the waiver application, the department shall consult with interested stakeholders and the Legislature. (c) The department shall only implement the waiver or demonstration project upon submittal of an implementation plan to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature at least 60 days prior to any appropriation.   SEC. 2.   This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to make changes to state-funded health care programs at the earliest possible time, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.