BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2565
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
2565 (Salas)
As Introduced February 19, 2016
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Human Services |7-0 |Bonilla, Grove, | |
| | |Calderon, Lopez, | |
| | |Maienschein, Mark | |
| | |Stone, Thurmond | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonilla, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Roger | |
| | |Hernández, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Obernolte, | |
| | |Quirk, Santiago, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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AB 2565
Page 2
SUMMARY: Includes independent living centers (ILCs) that were
previously excluded, due to receipt of funding under Title
VII(c) of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, among ILCs
that are required to receive at least $235,000 in base grant
funds, as specified.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes the federal Rehabilitation Act, which, among other
things, empowers individuals with disabilities to maximize
employment, economic self-sufficiency, self-determination,
independence, inclusion and integration into society through
statewide workforce investment systems, independent living
centers and services, research, training, demonstration
projects and the guarantee of equal opportunity. (29 United
States Code (U.S.C.) Section 701 et seq.)
2)Establishes the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) within the
California Health and Human Services Agency, and designates
DOR the sole state agency charged with administration of the
state plan for vocational rehabilitation services. (Welfare
and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 19000 et seq.)
3)Requires DOR to oversee the Independent Living Services
Program and the state's 28 ILCs for the purpose of helping
people with disabilities live fuller and freer lives outside
of institutions. (WIC Section 19751, 19800 et seq.)
4)Allocates base grant funding of $235,000 to each ILC, with the
exception of those centers established and maintained using
federal funding under Title VII(c) of the federal
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (WIC Section 19806)
AB 2565
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FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill may result in ongoing costs of $705,000
(Federal funds/General Fund) annually to provide the three ILCs
with $235,000 in base grant funding.
COMMENTS:
Department of Rehabilitation (DOR): DOR operates under the
California Health and Human Services Agency and in accordance
with the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title
IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and,
as such, administers programs funded with federal and matching
state dollars. Vocational rehabilitation services are funded
with 78.7% federal dollars and 21.3% matching funds, part of
which are provided by the state General Fund and part by public
agencies through the DOR's cooperative program agreements. For
every $1 in funds the state contributes, the DOR receives $4 in
federal funds. The DOR's overall budget for the 2015-2016
fiscal year is $436 million; of that, $59 million is from the
General Fund.
Independent Living Centers: Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act
- Independent Living Services and Centers for Independent Living
- established a framework for the creation and funding of ILCs
across the nation. California currently has 28 ILCs which
provide services to people with disabilities, enabling them to
remain in their own homes and communities by supporting projects
and activities carried out in a manner consistent with the
principles of respect for individual dignity, personal
responsibility, and self-determination. Additionally, ILCs
support the pursuit of meaningful careers, based upon informed
choice of individuals with disabilities. An ILC is a
AB 2565
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consumer-centered, community-based, non-residential, private
non-profit entity that is designed and operated within a local
community by individuals with disabilities. Currently
California has 28 ILCs which serve approximately 100,000
California residents.
AB 204: In 1979, the State of California passed AB 204 (Bates),
Chapter 191, Statutes of 1979, which authorized the Department
of Rehabilitation to provide each ILC with $235,000 annually,
with the exception of the three specific ILCs discussed in this
bill, as they were already receiving large funding grants from
the federal government.
Federally Funded ILCs: In 1984, three ILCs, Independent Living
Center of Kern County (ILCKC), Disability Resource Agency for
Independent Living (DRAIL), and Placer Independent Living
Resources, applied directly for Title VII funding in order to
meet the needs of their consumers. Because these particular
ILCs received funding from the federal government and not the
state, they were subject to the waxing and waning of
Congressional appropriation of funds. The remaining ILCs were
funded by the State (and some federal dollars), and as such
received Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) over time such that
there arose funding inequities between ILCs funded by both the
state and ILCs funded solely by the federal government.
Today, DRAIL, ILCKC, and Placer Independent Living Resources are
among the lowest-funded ILCs in the state, receiving an annual
total in Title VII federal funds of $726,730, $481,750, and
$444,001, respectively. Still, due to initially seeking federal
funds instead of state funds, these three ILCs have larger
federal grants than any other ILC that has since applied for and
received federal funds in order to meet the needs of their
consumers.
AB 2565
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Need for this bill: According to the author's office, "By no
fault of their own, these 3 centers have been excluded from
receiving state funding. [This bill] corrects this inequity and
creates parity between all centers improving their ability to
operate and make long lasting positive impacts on the lives of
those they serve."
PRIOR LEGISLATION:
AB 204 (Bates), Chapter 191, Statutes of 1979, provided state
funding to maintain the services offered by existing independent
living centers and encouraged the establishment of new centers
to provide services to individuals with disabilities.
Analysis Prepared by:
Kelsy Castillo / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN:
0003224