BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 2706
AUTHOR: Hernandez
AMENDED: May 27, 2014
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: June 25, 2014
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : Health care coverage options and enrollment
assistance.
SUMMARY
This bill requires schools to add to enrollment forms, for
the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 school years, information
about health care coverage options and enrollment
assistance.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
1) Establishes the California Health Benefit Exchange,
known as Covered California, as an independent state
entity to serve as the marketplace for Californians to
purchase health care coverage and as a way to meet the
personal responsibility requirements of the federal
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
2) Authorizes school districts and county offices of
education to incorporate into the School Lunch Program
application packet or notification of eligibility that
the student may qualify for free or reduced-cost
health coverage under the California Health Benefit
Exchange.
(Education Code § 49557.2)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires schools to add to enrollment forms, for
the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 school years, information
about health care coverage options and enrollment
assistance. Specifically, this bill:
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1) Requires 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 information about health care
coverage options and enrollment assistance.
2) Authorizes schools to either:
a) Use a template developed by the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).
b) Develop an informational item or
amend an existing enrollment form.
3) Authorizes a school to include a factsheet with its
enrollment forms explaining basic information about
affordable health care coverage options for children
and families.
4) Requires the California Department of Education (CDE)
to develop a standardized template for both of the
following:
a) The informational item or amended
existing enrollment form. This bill requires the
template to include a statement indicating that
the information disclosed is to be shared only
with specified entities or individuals who assist
with health care coverage enrollment and is
prohibited from being shared with any other
entity or individual.
b) The factsheet authorized by this
bill.
5) Requires the CDE to make the templates available on
its website and, upon request, provide written copies
of the template to a school district.
6) Prohibits a school district from discriminating
against a student who does not have health care
coverage or use any information relating to a
student's health care coverage or interest in learning
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about health care coverage in any manner that would
bring harm to the student or the student's family.
7) Provides 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 lack thereof, as a result of the connection
to assistance provided by a school.
8) Sunsets the provisions of this bill on January 1,
2019.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Provision of information . This bill requires schools
to provide information to parents about health care
coverage options and enrollment assistance. This bill
does not require schools to assist parents in
selecting coverage or in enrolling in health coverage.
Therefore, staff recommends amendments as follows:
a) Delete the requirement that the template
include a statement indicating that the
information disclosed is to be shared only with
specified entities or individuals who assist with
health care coverage enrollment and is prohibited
from being shared with any other entity or
individual.
b) Delete the provision 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 lack
thereof, as a result of the connection to
assistance provided by a school.
2) ALL IN for Health Campaign . The California Department
of Education's (CDE) website currently contains
information about the ALL IN for Health Campaign for
schools, early learning programs, and after school
programs. This information includes advice that
schools can provide information to families about
health coverage options.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr14ltr0310.asp
3) Due date ? This bill requires the CDE to make the
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templates available on its website and, upon request,
provide written copies of the template to a school
district. However, this bill does not provide a date
by which the CDE is to post the template on its
website. Staff recommends an amendment to require CDE
to post the template on its website by August 1, 2015.
4) Technical amendment . This bill authorizes a school to
use a template developed by the Superintendent of
Public Instruction (SPI) yet requires the CDE to
develop the template. Staff recommends an amendment
to strike reference to the SPI.
5) Fiscal impact . According to the Assembly
Appropriations Committee, this bill would impose
General Fund (Proposition 98) 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.
SUPPORT
California Coverage & Health Initiatives
Children Now
El Rancho Unified School District
PICO California
The Children's Partnership
United Ways of California
OPPOSITION
Association of California School Administrators