BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1470|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1470
Author: Assembly Budget Committee
Amended: 6/13/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE : 11-0, 6/14/12
AYES: Leno, Alquist, DeSaulnier, Evans, Hancock, Liu,
Lowenthal, Negrete McLeod, Simitian, Wolk, Wright
NO VOTE RECORDED: Emmerson, Anderson, Fuller, Gaines, La
Malfa
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not relevant
SUBJECT : State Hospitals Budget Trailer Bill
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill provides for statutory changes
necessary to enact the State Hospital provisions of the
Budget Act of 2012.
ANALYSIS : This is the State Hospitals Budget Trailer
Bill. It contains the necessary changes to enact the
Budget Act for 2012-13, as follows:
1. Establishes the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) .
Consistent with the transfer of community mental health
functions to other state departments, primarily the
Department of Health Care Services, makes various
technical statutory changes necessary to eliminate the
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Department of Mental Health (DMH) and establish the DSH,
which will have the singular focus of providing
oversight, safety, and accountability at the state's
five mental health hospitals and other psychiatric
facilities. The majority of the amendments contained in
this bill consist of changing statutory references to
DMH to DSH. In addition, various obsolete reporting
requirements are eliminated.
2. Increases county bed rate . Establishes that, if a
county has not contracted with the DSH by July 1 of any
given fiscal year, that each monthly reimbursement shall
be an amount equal to one-twelfth the number of beds
provided to the county the previous fiscal year
multiplied by the current state rate. This allows DSH
to recover, from counties, a greater share of the cost
of housing civil commitments and results in General Fund
(GF) savings of $20 million in 2012-13.
3. Expands the Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) Program .
Provides for expanded authority to treat IST patients in
county jails rather than in state hospitals. In 2007, a
pilot program to test a more efficient and less costly
process to restore competency for IST defendants by
providing services in county jails, in lieu of providing
them within state hospitals, was established in San
Bernardino County. The Legislative Analyst's Office
estimates that the state achieved approximately $1.2
million in savings from the San Bernardino County pilot
project. Expanding this program will result in $3
million in GF savings in 2012-13.
4. Deletes the time cap on exception to treatment for
probable cause sexually violent predators . For the
purpose of Department of Public Health Licensure,
removes a six-year limit for suspending treatment for
probable cause sexually violent predators at Coalinga
State Hospital, allowing for an indefinite suspension.
5. Legislative intent for staffing . States the
Legislature's intent that any changes in staffing ratios
at the state's mental hospitals address adequate staff
and patient safety standards, and that staffing ratios
may vary based on patient acuity.
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FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
CTW:k 6/14/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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