BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 2160
                                                                  Page  1

           Date of Hearing:   April 16, 2008

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mark Leno, Chair

                    AB 2160 ( Carter) - As Amended: April 2, 2008 

          Policy Committee:                              Aging & LTC  
          Vote:6-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill clarifies current law by adding a definition of  
          "disability" to the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act (Act).  
          The definition created in the bill conforms to provisions of the  
          California Fair Employment and Housing Act (CFEHA). 

           FISCAL EFFECT

           No direct fiscal impact to conform the Act to CFEHA. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill, sponsored by the California Senior  
            Legislature, clarifies current law to ensure that individuals  
            served under the Older Californians Act enjoy current  
            protections provided in other California state codes and under  
            the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The  
            California Department of Aging administers the Older  
            Californians Act through 33 Area Agencies on Aging statewide  
            which serve as local administrators of an array of services.

           2)The California Senior Legislature  is a volunteer body whose  
            primary mission is to formulate state and federal legislative  
            proposals and present them to members of the state Legislature  
            or Congress. The annual focus of the Senior Legislature is a  
            four-day model legislative session held at the state capitol  
            in October. Following the session, the top ten state and top  
            four federal proposals are presented to state legislators or  
            members of congress. The California Senior Legislature has  
            conducted its annual legislative session and activities since  
            1981. 








                                                                  AB 2160
                                                                  Page  2


           3)Related Legislation  . AB 1373 (Daucher), Chapter 320, Statutes  
            of 2004, required the California Senior Legislature to hire an  
            executive director. These provisions were replaced in the  
            Senate by unrelated requirements addressing nursing homes. 
                      
             
           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081