BILL ANALYSIS
AB 52
Page 1
Date of Hearing: March 23, 1999
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Dion Aroner, Chair
AB 52 (Cedillo) - As Amended: March 16, 1999
SUBJECT : Noncitizens
SUMMARY : Provides that individuals who would otherwise have
been eligible for various health programs but for their
immigration status, shall continue to be eligible for those
programs. Specifically, this bill :
1)Provides that any person who was eligible for certain public
benefit programs under the eligibility requirements in effect
on July 16, 1996, shall continue to be eligible for those
programs regardless of immigration status, as long as he or
she meets all other applicable eligibility requirements.
2)Applies continued eligibility to the following programs:
California Children's Services;
Genetically Handicapped Person's Program;
Alzheimer's Disease Program;
Traumatic Brain Injury Project;
Brain Damaged Adults Program;
Children's Mental Health Services;
Services for the Developmentally Disabled;
Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care;
Community Mental Health Services;
Early Mental Health Initiative; and,
Medi-Cal Long-term care.
EXISTING LAW
1)Provides for various mental health programs administered by
the State Department of Mental Health.
2)Provides for services to persons with developmental
disabilities through the State Department of Developmental
Services and regional centers.
3)Provides for federal funding to assist in the provision of
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special education services and other services for children
with disabilities.
4)Provides Medi-Cal benefits to documented aliens and state-only
long-term care to undocumented aliens.
5)Precludes, under federal law, the provision of federally
funded benefits, with specified exceptions, to certain aliens.
Precludes, with specified exceptions, these aliens from
receiving benefits funded exclusively from state or local
funds without enactment of new state legislation after August
22, 1996.
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FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)This bill reintroduces AB 2031 (Cedillo) which was vetoed by
then-Governor Wilson last year. The Governor stated in his
veto message that the bill violated the intent of the federal
policy to discourage illegal immigration by removing
incentives for it and that the specified programs did not fall
within those he excluded for "compassionate reasons."
2)The federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity and
Reconciliation Act of 1996 prohibits, with certain exceptions,
the payment of state or local public benefits to nonqualified
aliens unless the state enacts a law which affirmatively
provides for such eligibility. In response to the federal
legislation, Governor Wilson identified over 200 benefit
programs as being covered by this requirement of the federal
law and, through an Executive Order, instructed state agencies
to implement regulations terminating eligibility for
nonqualified aliens. The Executive Order is still in effect.
3)This bill is intended to re-enact eligibility for nonqualified
aliens for public benefit programs that provide health and
other benefits to disabled persons and children. The effect
is to continue benefits to individuals who would have been
eligible to receive those benefits prior to the enactment of
the federal law, provided they would otherwise qualify for
those benefits.
4)Supporters state that Governor Wilson's proposal to eliminate
nonqualified aliens' eligibility for the identified programs
and the failure to re-enact legislation authorizing the
programs will endanger all Californians. They state that
immigrants who are forced to survive without essential
treatment can become a danger to themselves and others. They
also point out that the rehabilitative and preventive services
identified in this bill are more cost-effective than long-term
hospitalizations. Finally, they note the burdensome
verification requirements necessary to establish who is a
nonqualified alien create a delay of critical services for all
consumers and increase the costs of providing services.
5)The sponsors of the bill, the California Immigrant Welfare
Collaborative, state that the public benefit programs
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identified in this bill provide crucial services to some of
the most vulnerable individuals including, for example,
seniors disabled by Alzheimer's disease, developmentally
disabled adults, those with brain injury who can be treated at
home and avoid institutionalization, and children with severe
mental and emotional problems.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative (Sponsor)
California Coalition of United Cerebral Palsy Associations
City and County of San Francisco
California Catholic Conference
National Senior Citizens Law Center
Friends Committee on Legislation
PLEASE SEE CONTINUATION PAGES
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Curtis Child / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2247
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| The Following Organizations and Individuals Support AB 52: |
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|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| Organization | Contact | Location |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Aids Legal |Eileen Hansen |San Francisco |
|Referral Panel | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Asian American |Diane Matarazzo |Los Angeles |
|Drug Abuse | | |
|Program, Inc. | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Asian Law Alliance |Richard Konda |Santa Cruz |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Asian American |Nelson Fong |Santa Ana |
|Senior Citizens | | |
|Service Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Asian & Pacific |John Manzon-Santos |San Francisco |
|Islander Wellness | | |
|Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Association of |Stephen P. Jiang |Oakland |
|Asian Pacific | | |
|Community Health | | |
|Organizations | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Barron's |Maritza |Calexico |
|Enterprises |Hurtado-Guilin | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|California Church |Scott Anderson |Sacramento |
|Impact | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Californians for |Abdi Soltani |Oakland |
|Justice | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Cambodian |Him S. Chhim |Santa Ana |
|Association of | | |
|America | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Casa Del Pueblo |Juan Manuel |Santa Ana |
| |Ferreira | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
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|CARECEN - Los |Angela Sambrano |Los Angeles |
|Angeles | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Catholic Charities |Loc Nguyen |Los Angeles |
| | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Catholic Charities |Rick Mockler |Sacramento |
|of California | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Center on Poverty |Luz Buitrajo |Oakland |
|Law & Economic | | |
|Opportunity | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Centro Legal de la |Victor Ochoa |Oakland |
|Raza | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Charity Cultural |Harrison B. Lim |San Francisco |
|Services Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Children's |Kathryn Dresslar |Sacramento |
|Advocacy | | |
|Institute/Center | | |
|for Public | | |
|Interest Law | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Chinese American |Lawrence Wong |San Francisco |
|Citizens Alliance | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Chinese |Gordon Mar |San Francisco |
|Progressive | | |
|Association | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Citizenship |Miton Cadena |Santa Clara |
|Program | | |
|Santa Clara County | | |
| | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Cl?nica para las |Manuel Criollo |Los Angeles |
|Am?ricas | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|County of San |David Ramos |Hollister |
|Benito | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|East Bay |Susan Bowyer |Oakland |
|Citizenship | | |
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|Network | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|East Bay Community |Ed Barnes |Berkeley |
|Law Center | | |
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| Organization | Contact | Location |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|El Rescate |Lesbia Henao |Los Angeles |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Emergency Services |James Thomas |Oakland |
|Network | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Family Resource |Sunny Chinn |Oakland |
|Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Fresno |Reverend Sharon |Los Angeles |
|Interdenominational|Stanley | |
| Refugee | | |
|Ministries | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Global Exchange |Sandra Alvarez |San Francisco |
| |Lisa Russ | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Health Care |Heather Zakson |Los Angeles |
|Consortium of |Alvarez | |
|Central Los | | |
|Angeles | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Hillview Mental |Eva McCraven |San Fernando |
|Health Center Inc. | | |
| | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|ILRL |Eric Cohen |San Francisco |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Immigrant Legal |Mark Silverman |San Francisco |
|Resource Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Immigrant Legal |Susan Lydon |San Francisco |
|Resource Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|IndoChinese Youth |Tom Tran |Gardena |
|Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Interfaith |Annetta Herskovits |San Francisco |
|Coalition for | | |
|Immigrant Rights | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
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|International |Patty Blum |Oakland |
|Human Rights Law | | |
|Clinic | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|International |Valerie O'Donnell |Oakland |
|Institute of the | | |
|East Bay | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Khmer Parent |Chan En-Hopson | |
|Association | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Korean American |Minah Park |Los Angeles |
|Coalition | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Korean American |Jane R. Pak |Sacramento |
|Community | | |
|Association | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Korean Resource |Dae J. Yoon |Los Angeles |
|Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|L.A. Coalition to |Frank Tamborello |Los Angeles |
|End Hunger and |Laura Barrera | |
|Homelessness |Bob Ehrembusch | |
| |Pete White | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|La Raza Centro |Pedro Rios |San Francisco |
|Legal | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Lao Vathana | |Los Angeles |
|Association | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Menno Nite Central |Mary Elizondo |Reedley |
|Committee |Miriam Cardenas | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Mercy Justice |Laureen Hally |Burlingame |
|Coordinator WMW | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|National Korean |Eun Sook Lee |Los Angeles |
|American Services | | |
|Education | | |
|Consortium | | |
|(NAKASEC) | | |
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| Organization | Contact | Location |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|National Center |Lucy Quacinella |San Francisco |
|for Youth Law | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|National Lawyers |Riva Enteen |San Francisco |
|Guild - SF Chapter | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|O.L.A. Raza Inc. |Roberto de la Rosa |Los Angeles |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Parent and Student |Jeanetta McAlpin |Santa Ana |
|Assistance Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Planning for |Julie Baron |San Francisco |
|Elders in the | | |
|Central City | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Rainbow Services |Marta Ceja Mora |Los Angeles |
|Ltd. | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Refugee Educators' |Nguyet Tham |Sacramento |
|Network/Southeast | | |
|Asia Community | | |
|Resource Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Rural Health |Caleb R. Arias |Fresno |
|Advocacy Institute | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Sacred Heart |Miriam Sachs |San Jose |
|Community Service |Martin | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|San Benito County |David Ramos |San Benito County |
|Citizenship | | |
|Project | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|San Francisco |Sima Shakhsari |San Francisco |
|Women Against Rape | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Santa Cruz County |Ted Rico |Santa Cruz |
|Citizenship | | |
|Expansion Task | | |
|Force | | |
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|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Scripps Otay |Maria Rubio |Chula Vista |
|Family Health | | |
|Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|SEIU Local 660 |Tanya Marie Akel |Los Angeles |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|SEIU Local 790 |Ruben Garcia |San Francisco |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Services Immigrant |Rudy Gonzalves |San Jose |
|Rights and | | |
|Education Network | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Sor Juana Ines |Clarissa Rojas |Burlingame |
|Services for | | |
|Abused Women | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|South Central |Jose Alvarez |Los Angeles |
|Family Health | | |
|Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|St. Anthony |Patrick Curran |San Francisco |
|Foundation | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|St. Teresa's |Reverend Peter J. |San Francisco |
|Church |Sammon | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Thai Community | |Los Angeles |
|Development Center | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|The Women's |Patti Chang |San Francisco |
|Foundation | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|UCP of San |Yvette Fang |San Francisco |
|Francisco | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|United Lao |Chongge S. Vang |Garden Grove |
|Movement For | | |
|Democracy | | |
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| Organization | Contact | Location |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Vietnamese Senior |Trac Pham |Sacramento |
|Association Inc. | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Vista Community |Barbara Maninno |Vista |
|Clinic | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Wellspring Women's |Sister Catherine |Sacramento |
|Center |Connell | |
| |Sister Mercedes | |
| |Braga | |
| |Sister Esther | |
| |O'Mara | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|Western Center on |Yolanda Vera |Los Angeles |
|Law and Poverty | | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
|WRAP Agency |Nancy Au |Los Angeles |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Jennifer Grant |San Francisco |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Mary Anne Foo |Orange County |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Reverend Norman |San Francisco |
| |Fong | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Patricia Erwin |San Francisco |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Vilma Guerrero |Santa Cruz |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Manuel Ruedas |Sacramento |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Miriam |San Jose |
| |Sachs-Martin | |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Judith Walters |San Diego |
|-------------------+-------------------+-------------------|
| |Hach Yasamura |Sacramento |
| | | |
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