BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2556
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 21, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                 AB 2556 (Chau) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              Human  
          ServicesVote:7 - 0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill delays implementation of the Home Care Services  
          Consumer Protection Act (Act) from January 1, 2015 until January  
          1, 2016 and makes technical changes to comply with the  
          Department of Justice's (DOJ) criminal background process. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible fiscal cost to delay the implementation date.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . According to the author, when Governor Brown signed  
            AB 1217 (Lowenthal), Chapter 790, Statutes of 2013, he stated  
            he was signing it because "legislative leaders committed to  
            delay the bill's effective date by one year to January 1,  
            2016."  The Governor further stated the one year "delay,  
            coupled with other clarifying changes, will give the  
            Department of Social Services enough time to accomplish what  
            the bill seeks to achieve, and ultimately provide for smoother  
            implementation of these good consumer protections."  This bill  
            provides for the delayed implementation date.

           2)Background  . Last year's AB 1217 (Lowenthal), Chapter 790,  
            Statutes of 2013, enacted the Home Care Services Consumer  
            Protection Act to be implemented January 1, 2015, to regulate  
            the home care industry. This industry has existed for many  
            years but has been growing as the nation's elderly population  
            expands and the demand for in-home care increases Home care  
            providers provide basic daily non-medical living assistance,  
            such as cooking, cleaning, dressing, feeding, and other  








                                                                  AB 2556
                                                                  Page  2

            regular daily needs.  However, unlike their In-Home Supportive  
            Services (IHSS) and Home Health Agency (HHA) counterparts,  
            there are no requirements in current law that home care aides  
            to have minimum levels of training, undergo a criminal  
            background check, or comply with basic standards of service.  
            AB 1217 provided a structure by which established agencies and  
            individuals who provide home care services are held  
            accountable to the public.  

           3)Budget Trailer Bill Language  . The Department of Social  
            Services indicates the provisions of this bill are being added  
            to the human services trailer bill.


           Analysis Prepared by :    Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081