BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1710
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1710 (Yamada)
As Amended August 13, 2012
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |47-25|(May 3, 2012) |SENATE: |25-14|(August 20, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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Original Committee Reference: HEALTH
SUMMARY : Revises how nursing home administrator licensing fees
are to be adjusted so that fee revenue is sufficient to cover
the regulatory costs to the Department of Public Health (DPH),
and revises and increases DPH reporting requirements regarding
the Nursing Home Administrator Program (NHAP).
The Senate amendments :
1)Delete a requirement that DPH provide an annual fiscal year
NHAP fee report to the Legislature each January 15, and
instead requires DPH to prepare a report, by February 1 each
year. Requires the annual fiscal year NHAP fee report to be
submitted in accordance with existing law.
2)Require DPH to make a list of proposed NHAP fee adjustments
available to the public by submitting the list to the
appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature,
in accordance with existing law, and by posting it on the
DPH's Internet Web site.
3)Require DPH, within 30 days of the enactment of the annual
Budget Act each year, to publish a final fee list, with an
explanation of any adjustments, in the initial licensing
application package, by including a reference to the link on
DPH's Internet Web site address.
4)Make other technical and non-substantive amendments.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to the version passed by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee:
AB 1710
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1)Increased fee revenues, likely between $200,000 and $250,000
per year (Licensing and Certification Program Fund).
2)Minor administrative costs to adjust fee levels and report on
program activities, expenditures, and fee levels (Licensing
and Certification Program Fund).
COMMENTS : According to the author, this bill modernizes the way
NHAP fees are calculated in order to realistically reflect the
workload and program needs. The author maintains that the NHAP
funding was inadvertently omitted from the fee reform initiative
for "right-sizing" or adjusting licensing fees based on the
workload and costs for the Department of Health Services
Licensing and Certification Program (now DPH Licensing and
Certification Program) as a part of the fiscal year 2006-07
Budget Act. The author maintains this lack of integrated
funding, public accountability and resources, creates problems
for the NHAP to be able to fully implement its statutory
responsibilities to protect the health and safety of nursing
home residents by ensuring that NHAs meet professional licensing
standards. According to the author, as a result of lack of
resources, the program has not been able to do the following:
1) revise the state exam for NHAs; 2) investigate complaints in
a timely manner; 3) take disciplinary actions for violations of
professional standards; or, 4) conduct routine analysis to
determine any correlation between skilled nursing facility
violations and NHA responsibilities.
Analysis Prepared by : Tanya Robinson-Taylor / HEALTH / (916)
319-2097
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