BILL NUMBER: AB 238	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Beall

                        JANUARY 31, 2007

   An act to add Section 12304.7 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 238, as introduced, Beall. In-home supportive services: reading
services for blind and visually impaired recipients.
   Existing law provides for the county-administered In-Home
Supportive Services (IHSS) program, under which, either through
employment by the recipient, or by or through contract by the county,
qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons receive services
enabling them to remain in their own homes. Existing law permits
services to be provided under the IHSS program through the employment
of individual providers, a contract between the county and an entity
for the provision of services, a contract between the county and a
nonprofit consortium, or the creation by the county of a public
authority. Under existing law, county welfare departments are
required to provide visually impaired applicants and recipients with
information on, and referral services to, entities that provide
reading services to visually impaired persons, as specified.
   This bill additionally would require the provision of designated
reading assistance services to a recipient of services under the
In-home Supportive Services program who is blind or visually
impaired, or has another disability that affects his or her ability
to read. By expanding the scope of available services under the IHSS
program, this bill would impose 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, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   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 12304.7 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:
   12304.7.  A recipient of services under this article who is blind
or visually impaired, or who has another disability that affects his
or her ability to read, shall be provided with reading assistance
services for financial and other documents and forms.
  SEC. 2.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.