California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 449


Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez, Maienschein, Steinorth, and Waldron)

(Coauthors: Senators Allen and Anderson)

February 23, 2015


An act relating to public social services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 449, as introduced, Irwin. Individuals with disabilities: savings accounts.

Existing law provides for the State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (SSP), which requires the State Department of Social Services to contract with the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments to SSP recipients to supplement supplemental security income (SSI) payments made available pursuant to the federal Social Security Act. Existing law also declares that an array of services and supports should be established that is sufficiently complete to meet the needs and choices of each person with developmental disabilities to support their integration into the mainstream life of the community. Existing federal law, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, would create tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The ABLE Act aims to ease financial strains faced by individuals with disabilities by making tax-free savings accounts available to cover qualified expenses.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would implement the federal ABLE Act in California to ensure that people with disabilities can save for the future to achieve greater independence.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
2legislation that would implement the federal Achieving Better Life
3Experience (ABLE) Act in California to ensure that people with
4disabilities may save for the future to achieve greater independence.



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