CDCAN
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
DISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
#0021-2006  February 17, 2006 Friday
Advocacy Without Borders:
Connecting people with disabilities & seniors to rights and unified action
1225 8th Street Suite 480 - Sacramento, CA 95814  916/446-0013  Fax: 916/446-0026
Marty Omoto - director  email: martyomoto@rcip.com    website: www.cdcan.us
 
 California Legislative Update
* Senate Human Services Committee Hearing Set for March 14
* SB 1270 Developmental Services Study Set for Hearing
* Veterans With Disabilities Bill Set for Hearing March 28
* Senate Rules To Consider Governor's Board of Education Appointees

SACRAMENTO -  The State Senate Human Services Committee, chaired by Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara, 13th District), has scheduled a hearing on March 14, 2006, Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 PM in the State Capitol in Room 3191 and will consider several bills, including two that has some impact on people with disabilities and seniors, SB 1270 dealing with a developmental services study and SB 1214, relating to the Department of Community Services and Development.  Another bill, AB 1905,  dealing with people with disabilities who are veterans is set for hearing on March 28 before the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy on March 28, at 9 AM, in the State Capitol, Room 447.  No other bills impacting people with disabilities or seniors are currently set for hearing in either house, including controversial legislation dealing with the issue of assisted suicide, AB 651 by Assemblymember Patty Berg (D-Eureka, 1st District) which is in the Senate Judiciary Committee.  No hearing date has been set for that bill.

A CDCAN special report on on new bills introduced impacting people with disabilities and seniors will be issued this weekend. 

The Senate Rules Committee is scheduled to consider confirming three of Gov. Schwarzenegger's appointments to the State Board of Education on March 29, 2006, Wednesday, at 1:30 PM, in the State Capitol Room 113.  The State Board of Education, along with the California Department of Education, headed by State Schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell, oversees California K-12 schools, including over 700,000 students who are in special education programs in California. 

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES MARCH 14 HEARING
There are a total of 5 members of the Senate Human Services Committee:
Democratic Members (3): Chair Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara, 13th District), Sen. Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata, 2nd District) and Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles, 24th District)
Republican Members (2): Vice Chair: Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) and Sen. Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley)
Committee staff: Jack Hailey, Sue North
Committee office:  916/651-4112

There are currently five bills set for hearing for this committee on March 14, the other three dealing with child care or child welfare issues.  Hearing dates and bills set for hearing on any given date is subject to change. 

SB 1270  Developmental Services Study
Author: Sen. Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata)
Introduced: 02/09/06
Status: Set for hearing 03/14/06 at 1:30 PM Senate Human Services Committee (State Capitol, Room 3191)
What This Bill Proposes: 
* Requires the Department of Developmental Services (incorrectly cited in the bill as the "State Department of Developmental Disabilities"), with input from persons and organizations who are connected to services for people with developmental disabilities (including regional centers, area boards on developmental disabilities and community organizations) "to explore mechanisms for developing and expanding specified methods of providing services to consumers of services for persons with developmental disabilities" including all of the following:
* Nontraditional community-based models that provide consumers with an array of community-based options, including, but not limited to, participation in integrated educational, social, civic, volunteer, or recreational activities.
* Nontraditional community-based work activities, including, but not limited to, customized employment development, integrated job training, and employer provided job coaching.
* Use of existing ways of providing communitybased services, including, but not limited to, self directed services, vouchers, family teaching models, existing habilitation programs (supported employment and work activity programs), day programs, and supported vendors to
facilitate access to nontraditional community-based day programming and work activities.
* Required to submit recommendations to the Legislature (no date yet set in the bill)
Impact to People with Disabilities/Seniors:  Important.  This is currently a "study bill" meaning, if passed, it does not actually make any changes to state law or to services or supports provided to people with developmental disabilities.  However the study of these issues - and funding to support needed changes, especially in light of the Governor's budget proposal to continue freezing reimbursements and other cuts to community-based services, first imposed by Gov. Davis,  - is considered vitally  important by nearly everyone. 

SB 1214  Department of Community Services and Development
Author: Senate Human Services Committee
Introduced: 01/30/06
Status: Set for hearing 03/14/06 at 1:30 PM  Senate Human Services Committee (State Capitol, Room 3191)
What This Bill Proposes: 
* Corrects obsolete provisions in state law and makes other technical changes in state laws relating to the Department of Community Services and Development  and community action agencies.
* Would also repeal the exception to the application of the conflict of interest of law to members of a community development district board
Background:
Existing state law provides that the Department of Community Services and Development is responsible for various functions including coordinating and assisting community action agencies (CAA) anti-poverty efforts and assistance to low income Californians.
Impact to People with Disabilities/Seniors: Watch.  The bill at this point only makes "technical" changes - meaning no major changes to existing state law.  However the bill does touch state laws impacting low income Californians - which includes people with disabilities and seniors on SSI/SSP, Medi-Cal and for that reason, it is important to monitor and watch this bill. 

ASSEMBLY JOBS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & THE ECONOMY COMMITTEE MARCH 28
There are a total of 6 members of this committee.
Democratic Members (4): Chair Assemblymember Juan Arambula (D-Fresno, 31st District), Assemblymembers Joe Baca Jr (D-Rialto, 62nd District), Joe Canciamilla (D-Pittsburg, 11th Districtg), Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach, 55th District)
Republican Members (2): Vice Chair: Assemblymember Guy Houston (R-Livermore, 15th District) and Assemblymember Bonnie Garcia (R-Cathedral City, 80th Distict)
Committee staff: Toni Symonds (chief consultant) and Tom Higgins
Committee office:  916/319-2090

There is  currently only one bill set for hearing for this committee on March 28.  Hearing dates and bills set for hearing on any given date is subject to change. 

AB 1905 Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises: Contracting Preferences
Author: Assemblymember Mike Villines (R-Clovis, 29th District)
Introduced: 01/25/06
Status: Set for hearing 03/28/06 at 9 AM, Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy
What This Bill Proposes: 
* Modifies the state law efinition of "disabled veteran business enterprise", and specify that a limited liability company may be certified as a disabled veteran business enterprise if that company is at least 51% owned by one or more veterans with disabilities..
Background:
Existing state law requires that any state government entity that awards contracts for professional bond services and for specified construction purposes is required to meet annual statewide participation goals by awarding at least 3% of its contracts to disabled veteran business enterprises, as defined. Existing state law provides that a limited liability company may be certified as a disabled veteran business enterprise if that company is wholly owned by one or more persons who are veterans with disabilities.
Impact to People with Disabilities/Seniors:  Important. 

SENATE RULES MARCH 29 HEARING - BOARD OF EDUCATION APPOINTEES
There are a total of 5 members of the Senate Rules Committee:
Democratic Members (3): Chair Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland, 9th District), Sen. Debra Bowen (D-Marina Del Rey, 28th District), Sen. Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles, 22nd District)
Republican Members (2): Vice Chair: Sen. Jim Battin (R-La Quinta, 37th District) and Sen.Roy Asburn (R-Bakersfield, 18th District)
Commitee office:  916/651-4120

Following Governor's appointees scheduled (required to appear)
03/29/06 at 1:30 State Capitol Room 113
* Alan D. Bersin - State Board of Education
* Yvonne Chan - State Board of Education
* Kenneth A. Noonan - State Board of Education
Impact to People with Disabilities/Seniors:  Important.  No direct or immediate impact to people with disabilities or seniors - but the State Board of Education has a role over the oversight and policy of over 700,000 students with special needs in California who are in special education, and also in state special school programs.

REMINDER
* CDCAN Disability Rights Townhall Telemeeting - FEB 21, 1PM to 2:30 PM, on Medi-Cal issues, including update on Medicare Part D, and major focus on impact of passage of the federal "Deficit Reduction Act" and its impact on Medi-Cal, and people with developmental and other disabilities and seniors, their families, workers, organizations.  Will feature officials from California Department of Health Services, including Stan Rosenstein, head of the state's Medi-Cal program.  Townhall telemeetings are free - and a means for people with disabilities, seniors, their families, workers, organizations and other advocates to participate in policy making no matter where they are.  CDCAN says it is part of their "Advocacy without borders" program.  To obtain toll-free number, go to the CDCAN website next week at www.cdcan.us. 

How To Receive CDCAN Capitol News Reports and Alerts
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to thousands of Californians with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain and other injures, seniors and their families, community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other advocates. These action alerts and news reports is for all of them.   If you would like to get on this distribution (and conversely, get off of  it) please send an email with that  request to:  martyomoto@rcip.com OR sign up via the NEW CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us  Sharing information is part of our organizing effort. Please feel free to forward or copy  this (attribution is nice but not necessary). We're all in this together!