BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 215
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 215 (Beall)
As Amended June 27, 2011
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |51-25|(May 19, 2011) |SENATE: |36-0 |(August 29, |
| | | | | |2011) |
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Original Committee Reference: HEALTH
SUMMARY : Requires a county or court that has imposed a Vehicle
Code fine, as specified, to transfer earmarked penalty
assessment moneys to the Treasurer for deposit into the
Emergency Medical Air Transportation Act (EMATA) Fund on a
monthly basis.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version and instead:
1)Require the funds collected from the penalty assessment to be
transferred directly to the Treasurer for deposit in the
EMATA.
2)Repeal the requirement that the county establish a local EMATA
Fund and the authority to retain funds for administrative
expenses prior to transfer to the Department of Health Care
Services (DHCS).
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes Medi-Cal, administered by DHCS, to provide
comprehensive health care services and long-term care to
pregnant women, children, and people who are aged, blind, and
disabled.
2)Establishes the EMATA requiring a $4 fee to be assessed on
every Vehicle Code violation to be collected by each county
and transferred to DHCS for deposit in the EMATA Fund to be
used in the Medi-Cal Program to obtain federal funds and to
fund supplemental payments for emergency medical air
transportation services.
3)Establishes an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Penalty
Assessment of $2 for every $10 on every fine, penalty,
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forfeiture, or criminal offense and all offenses dealing with
the Vehicle Code except parking offenses for local Maddy EMS
Funds.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required each county to
submit a report regarding the EMATA, as specified, to DHCS and
to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature,
no later than March 1 of each year.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : AB 2173 (Beall), Chapter 547, Statutes of 2010, was
enacted to provide a mechanism for supplemental payments for air
ambulance providers who serve Medi-Cal patients. The revenue
generated by imposing a flat $4 fee on each motor vehicle
violation is to be matched with federal funds through the
Medi-Cal Program.
According to the author and the California Association of Air
Medical Services, the sponsor of this bill, it is more efficient
for counties to submit funds collected from the $4 penalty
assessment on Vehicle Code violations directly to the Treasurer
along with other fund transfers on a monthly basis. This is
done via the TC30 process, a form and submittal process used to
transfer and identify various funds provided to the state. The
current TC30 reporting process within the Controller's office
includes a detailed account of the funds transmitted by each
county. This is sufficient data to allow DHCS and interested
stakeholders to determine any fund trends and dynamics. The
author and sponsor contend that this bill will make it more
efficient for counties to transmit these funds, and remove a
redundant requirement that the counties provide a detailed
account of these funds, as this information can be accessed
through the Controller's office.
The Senate amendments accomplish the same purpose as the
Assembly version and are essentially similar.
Analysis Prepared by : Marjorie Swartz / HEALTH / (916)
319-2097
FN: 0001599
AB 215
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