BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          AB 52
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing: April 28, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

          AB 52 (Cedillo) - As Amended: March 16, 1999

Policy Committee:                              HealthVote:9-3

Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local  
Program:YesReimbursable:          Yes

  SUMMARY  :

This bill makes individuals eligible for certain health  
care-related services regardless of immigration status, provided  
they would have been eligible for program services as of July  
16, 1996 and currently meet all other eligibility requirements.   
Specifically, the bill reinstates services for legal California  
residents under the following programs:

1)California Children's Services Program
2)Genetically Handicapped Person's Program
3)Alzheimer's disease diagnostic and treatment centers
4)State and local mental health programs
5)Developmental disabilities services, including in regional  
  centers.
6)Special education programs and other services for children  
  with disabilities.

The bill also makes California residents who are unable to  
document their immigration status eligible for nursing home care  
under the Medi-Cal program.

  FISCAL EFFECT  :

GF costs, potentially in the range of $20 million annually.  For  
example, Medi-Cal long-term care services for individuals  
covered by this bill are budgeted to cost $16.6 million in  
1999-00.  For some of these programs, there would be limited  
offsetting savings by reducing administrative costs to verify  
citizenship or date of entry into the United States.

  COMMENTS  :









                                                          AB 52
                                                          Page  2

  1)Purpose of the Bill .  According to the author, this bill is  
  intended to reverse regulations issued by Gov. Wilson to deny  
  critical health care services for legal immigrants.  The bill  
  is sponsored by the California Immigrant Welfare  
  Collaborative, which notes that unless the Legislature enacts  
  this bill, immigration screens will be imposed in programs  
  that are essential for the health of vulnerable California  
  residents - including seniors, persons with disabilities, and  
  children.  The sponsor states that denying these services will  
  force immigrants to survive without essential treatment and  
  thereby endanger all Californians, will result in higher costs  
  for the state, and will create an administrative burden that  
  will threaten the delivery system serving all residents.

  2)Benefit Cut-off For Legal Residents  .  On August 22, 1996,  
  President Clinton signed the "welfare reform" law, which  
  prevents states from providing certain services for most legal  
  restricts, unless subsequent legislation is passed in each  
  state.  In response, Governor Wilson issued an executive order  
  to eliminate eligibility for legal residents for the numerous  
  state programs, including those addressed by this bill.  The  
  executive order remains in effect.

  3)Related Legislation  .  This bill is a re-introduction of AB  
  2031, also by this author, from the 1997-98 legislative  
  session.  AB 2031 was vetoed by the governor because it would  
  continue services beyond those he chose to continue "for  
  compassionate reasons" in his executive order. 

  In this session, SB 82 (Vasconcellos) would legally  
  re-authorize prenatal care for undocumented pregnant women.

  Analysis Prepared by  : William Wehrle / APPR. / (916) 319-2081