BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2706
Page A
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2706 (Roger Hernández)
As Amended May 27, 2014
Majority vote
EDUCATION 5-1 HEALTH 13-6
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|Ayes:|Olsen, Gonzalez, |Ayes:|Pan, Ammiano, Chau, |
| |Nazarian, Weber, Williams | |Bonilla, Bonta, Chesbro, |
| | | |Gomez, Gonzalez, |
| | | |Roger Hernández, |
| | | |Lowenthal, Nazarian, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Wieckowski |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Chávez |Nays:|Maienschein, Chávez, |
| | | |Waldron, Nestande, |
| | | |Patterson, Wagner |
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APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, | | |
| |Bradford, | | |
| |Ian Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Eggman, Gomez, Holden, | | |
| |Pan, Quirk, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Weber | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Bigelow, Donnelly, Jones, | | |
| |Linder, Wagner | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires, for purposes of the 2015-16, 2016-17, and
2017-18 school years, a public school, including a charter
school, to add an informational item to its enrollment forms, or
amend an existing enrollment form in order to provide the parent
or legal guardian information about health care coverage options
and enrollment assistance; and repeals this requirement on
January 1, 2019. Specifically, this bill :
AB 2706
Page B
1)Requires, for purposes of the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18
school years, a public school, including a charter school, to
add an informational item to its enrollment forms, or amend an
existing enrollment form in order to provide the parent or
legal guardian information about health care coverage options
and enrollment assistance.
2)Specifies that a school may do either of the following:
a) Use a template developed by the State Superintendent of
Public Instruction.
b) Develop an information item or amend an existing
enrollment form to provide information about health care
coverage options and enrollment assistance.
3)Authorizes a school to include a factsheet with the enrollment
forms explaining basic information about affordable health
care coverage options for children and families; and, requires
the California Department of Education (CDE) to develop a
standardized template for both of the following:
a) The informational item or amendment required. This
template shall include a statement indicating that the
information disclosed shall only be shared with specified
entities or individuals who assist with health care
coverage enrollment and shall not be shared with any other
entities or individuals.
b) The factsheet described.
4)Requires the CDE to make any templates available on its
Internet Web site and shall, upon request, provide written
copies of the template to a school district.
5)Specifies that a school district shall not discriminate
against a pupil who does not have health care coverage or use
any information relating to a pupil's health care coverage or
interest in learning about health care coverage in any manner
that would bring harm to the pupil or the pupil's family.
6)Specifies that a school district is not liable for any civil
damages resulting from any act or omission that may arise from
the health care coverage secured by a parent or legal
AB 2706
Page C
guardian, or the lack thereof, as a result of the connection
to assistance provided by a school within the district.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires, effective January 1, 2014, under the federal Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), an individual to
have the option to apply for state subsidy programs, which
include the state Medicaid program, the state's Children's
Health Insurance Program, enrollment in a qualified health
plan through a state exchange, and a Basic Health Plan, if
there is one, either in person, mail, online, telephone, or
other commonly available electronic means.
2)Requires, under the ACA, individuals to maintain health
insurance or pay a penalty, with exceptions for financial
hardship, religion, incarceration, and immigration status.
3)Creates the California Health Benefit Exchange, known as
Covered California, as an independent state entity governed by
a five-member board, to be a marketplace for Californians to
purchase health care coverage and as a way to meet the
personal responsibility requirements of the ACA.
4)Permits school districts or county superintendents of schools
to incorporate into the School Lunch Program application
packet or notification of eligibility for the School Lunch
Program notification that the child may qualify for free or
reduced-cost health coverage under the California Health
Benefit Exchange.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, General Fund and Proposition 98 (1988) state-mandated
costs to school districts and charter schools, potentially in
the thousands. Local costs likely minimized to the extent local
education agencies utilize the standardized form developed by
the CDE. Minor costs to CDE to create a standardized template
and post on the department's Web site.
COMMENTS : According to the author, due to the expansion of
AB 2706
Page D
health care coverage options under the ACA, millions of
Californians are newly eligible for health care coverage, with
many being children under the age 18.<1> There is great
opportunity in 2014 to enroll these eligible children; however
notable barriers exist for eligible populations to enroll in
Medi-Cal including lack of awareness about the programs,
difficult application or re-enrollment processes, and stigmas
associated with enrolling in low-income health insurance and
other public programs.<2> While the ACA will dramatically reduce
the number of uninsured Californians, a significant number of
eligible children will be left behind in the absence of
proactive and practical solutions.
Previous Legislation: AB 422 (Nazarian), Chapter 444, Statutes
of 2013, adds information regarding health care coverage
available through Covered California, to notifications that may
be included at the option of the school district or county
superintendent on applications for the School Lunch Program,
effective January 1, 2014.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley and Jill Rice / ED. /
(916) 319-2087
FN:
0003859
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<1>"California Health Care Almanac Quick Reference Guide,
California's Uninsured: A Supplement to California HealthCare
Foundation's California's Uninsured: By the Numbers," California
HealthCare Foundation. May 2013.
<2> Laurel Lucia, Ken Jacobs, M. Miranda Dietz, Dave
Graham-Squire, Nadereh Pourat, and Dylan H. Roby. "After
Millions of Californians Gain Health Coverage Under the
Affordable Care Act, Who Will Remain Uninsured?" UCLA Center for
Health Policy Research, UC Berkeley Labor Center, CalSIM,
September 2012.