GOOD
AFTERNOON. I CALL THIS HEARING
OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
HUMAN SERVICES TO ORDER TODAY.
ONCE WE HAVE ESTABLISHED QUORUM,
WE HAVE TWO BILLS ON THE AGENDA.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE LIMIT
TESTIMONY TO TWO WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT AND TWO IN OPPOSITION.
EACH WITNESS HAS TWO MINUTES TO
TESTIFY. ALL ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES WILL BE LIMITED TO
STATING THEIR NAME OR
ORGANIZATION IF THEY AND IF THEY
PRESENT ONE, THEIR POSITION ON
THE BILL. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE
THAT WE ARE ACCEPTING WRITTEN
TESTIMONY THROUGH THE POSITION
LETTER PORTAL ON COMMITTEES
WEBSITES. MADAM SECRETARY, CAN
WE PLEASE Ó? OKAY, THEN WE WILL
START AS A SUBCOMMITTEE AND
START WITH FILE NUMBER NÓ. WE DO
HAVE. OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
TO ESTABLISH QUORUM. YEAH LEE.
HERE. AYE. SALLY CALDERON GIBSON
HERE. JACKSON. MATHIS HERE.
ARAMBULA HERE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND WE'LL START WITH
PROBLEM NUMBER ONE WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER RUBIO. AB 866.
WHENEVER YOU ARE READY. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, AB
866 IS A CONTINUATION OF OUR
EFFORTS TO FURTHER PROTECT OUR
FOSTER YOUTH, ESPECIALLY IN THE
FACE OF THE ONGOING OPIOID
CRISIS. JUST LAST YEAR, THE
STATE REVISED RESTRICTIONS ON
FEDERALLY APPROVED OPIOID USE
DISORDER TREATMENTS, WHICH CAN
BE ADMINISTERED OUTSIDE OF A
CLINICAL SETTING. THIS ALLOWED
YOUTH 16 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER
TO SEEK TREATMENT WITHOUT THE
STIGMA OR FEAR OFTEN ASSOCIATED
WITH SEEKING SAID SUPPORT. IN
CASES OF OPIOID ADDICTION,
RECEIVING TIMELY AND ACCESSIBLE
TREATMENT IS, WITHOUT
EXAGGERATION, A MATTER OF LIFE
AND DEATH. SINCE THE PASSAGE OF
AB 816 LAST YEAR, OUR COLLEAGUES
REPRESENTING FOSTER YOUTH IN THE
LEGAL SYSTEM HAVE FOUND THAT
THERE IS UNCERTAINTY IN THE
APPLICATION OF THE LAW, LEAVING
FOSTER YOUTH WITHOUT THE SAME
TREATMENT TREATMENT CERTAINTY AS
THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE FOSTER CARE
SYSTEM. WHILE IT'S TRAGIC, WE
EVEN NEED LEGISLACIÓN
LEGISLATION SUCH AS THIS. IT'S,
OR ITS PREDECESSOR FOR THAT
MATTER. THE REALITY IS, BY
ENSURING FOSTER YOUTH HAVE
ACCESS TO THESE TREATMENTS,
LIVES WILL BE SAVED BY
CLARIFYING THE ROLE OF COURT
OVERSIGHT IN THE CASE. IN THIS
CASE, THE MEASURE PROVIDES
CERTAINTY FOR FOSTER YOUTH WHO
COULD BENEFIT FROM AND
PROACTIVELY SEEK MEDICALLY
ASSISTED TREATMENT JUST AS
OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM
CAN. THIS MEASURE HAS A
COALITION OF FOSTER YOUTH
ADVOCATES AND SUPPORT, HAS NO
OPPOSITION, AND ENJOYED
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. I HAVE AN
CORK HERE POLICY ATTORNEY WITH
OUR SPONSOR, CHILDREN'S LAW
CENTER, TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND WITNESS CAN PROCEED. TWO
MINUTES PLEASE. JUST FOR
TECHNICAL Ó JUST HERE TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. VERY
GOOD. DO WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES
IN THE PUBLIC, IN THE ROOM, IN
THE PUBLIC? WHO WISH TO TESTIFY
IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL? SEEING
NONE ANY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL? SEEING NONE. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO
TESTIFY AGAINST THE BILL. PLEASE
COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
SEEING NONE, I WILL BRING IT
BACK TO THE DÍAS. ANY QUESTIONS?
ALL RIGHT, MR. MATHIS, FROM WHAT
I'M READING IN THE SUMMARY, WE
HAVE HERE, YOU'RE WANTING TO
LOWER THE THRESHOLD FROM AGE 12
DOWN TO TEN. IS THAT CORRECT?
NO. SO? SO EXISTING LAW ALREADY,
CHILDREN THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE
FOSTER CARE SYSTEM ALREADY HAVE.
THE LAW IS ALREADY TEN YEARS
OLD. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS
ALIGNING THE FOSTER CARE YOUTH
TO THE SAME LAW THAT ALREADY
EXISTS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER
QUESTIONS, MISS MATHIS, OR NO.
OKAY. VERY GOOD, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS? IF NOT,
THE BILL HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED
AND SECONDED. IT WAS MOVED BY
ASSEMBLYMAN GIBSON, SECONDED BY
ASSEMBLY ARAMBULA. I JUST WANT
TO THANK THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD. IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR FOSTER
YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME
LIFE SAVING MEASURES AS THEIR
PEERS. AND THIS REMOVES
UNNECESSARY BARRIERS FOR
TREATMENT. I PROPOSE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND THAT THE
ASSEMBLY CONCUR IN THE SENATE
AMENDMENTS AND OF COURSE, WE
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND,
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO
CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS. LI
I LI I AZALI CALDERON GIBSON.
GIBSON. I JACKSON. JACKSON. I
MATHIS. MATHIS. NÓ. ARAMBULA
ARAMBULA I. 4 TO 1 I WILL LEAVE
THE ROLE OPEN FOR ABSENT
MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. NEXT WE'LL GO TO FILE
ITEM NUMBER TWO AB 2496 BY
SIMILAR PELLERIN MOVED BILL
SECOND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE
I SHOULD SPEAK THEN, BUT, LET ME
FIRST ADDRESS UPFRONT THE UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE
INTRODUCTION OF THIS
LEGISLATION. THE SITUATION IS
URGENT AND DIRE. FOSTER FAMILY
AGENCIES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN
THE CARE OF SOME OF OUR
CALIFORNIA'S MOST VULNERABLE
CHILDREN. AND I INTRODUCED 2496
TO ENSURE FOSTER FAMILY AGENCIES
WOULD NOT LOSE THEIR LIABILITY
INSURANCE THIS YEAR, LEADING TO
THAT DISPLACEMENT OF OVER 9000
KIDS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE
NONPROFITS INSURANCE ALLIANCE OF
CALIFORNIA, WHICH INSURES 90% OF
FAS, ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK IT WILL
NOT RENEW INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR
ALL FAS IN THE STATE. SO THAT
MEANS THAT THESE THESE KIDS
WOULD BE REVERTED BACK TO THE
CARE OF THE COUNTY CUSTODY,
WHICH WOULD BE A DISASTER. SO,
AB 2496 IS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION
TO KEEP OUR MOST VULNERABLE
FOSTER KIDS IN THEIR CURRENT
HOMES. AND IT GOT OUT OF THE
SENATE FLOOR WITH 40 VOTES. AND
I DO HAVE WITH ME TODAY TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT AMANDA
KIRCHNER WITH THE COUNTY WELFARE
DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIA AND KIM LEWIS WITH
ASP.NET AND FFA. ALL RIGHT.
PLEASE PROCEED. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. JUST ONE QUICK. THEY WANT
TO QUIT. THEY WANT QUICK. NO.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THEY'RE
SAYING GO FAST. IN THE INTEREST
OF TIME. AMANDA KIRCHNER, COUNTY
WELFARE DIRECTORS. WE ARE IN
SUPPORT. THIS BILL GIVES US THE
FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO PORT
THE KIDS FROM AN FFA THAT CLOSES
OVER TO ANOTHER FFA, OR PUT THEM
BACK UNDER COUNTY JURISDICTION.
RIGHT NOW, THAT PROCESS IS
MONTHS. THIS WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE IT AND KEEP THEM PAID AT
THE SAME RATE, WHICH IS
INCREDIBLY KEY FOR US. ASK FOR
YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOUR NEXT
WITNESS, PLEASE. LEWIS,
REPRESENTING ESPERANZA. WE ARE
ONE OF THE FFA WHO ARE SUPPOSED
TO LOSE THEIR INSURANCE IN
DECEMBER OF. SORRY PLEASE
PROCEED. YES, YES. KIM LEWIS
REPRESENTING ASPIRE NET ONE OF
THE FFA WHO'S INTENDING TO ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE LOSING OUR
INSURANCE IN DECEMBER. WE'RE
WORKING DILIGENTLY TO FIND NEW
INSURANCE COVERAGE AND THE
LIABILITY PORTIONS, PARTICULARLY
IN SECTION ONE, ARE VERY
CRITICAL TO HELP RIGHT SIZING
THE BALANCE OF THE CONTRACTING
ROLES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. DANIELLE
SANCHEZ, ON BEHALF OF THE CHIEF
PROBATION OFFICERS AND SUPPORT,
AND WOULD ALIGN OUR COMMENTS
WITH THE NEEDS TO THAT OF OUR
CHILD WELFARE COLLEAGUES. THANK
YOU. FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC?
SEEING NONE, I'LL MOVE TO ANY
PERSONS WISHING TO TESTIFY IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. SEEING
NONE, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WISH TO TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION TO
THE BILL. PLEASE COME TO THE
MICROPHONE. SEEING NONE, WE'LL
BRING IT BACK TO THE DÍAS. ANY
QUESTIONS? MEMBERS ASSEMBLYMAN
MATHIS. THANK YOU. THIS IS THIS
IS NEEDED. I'VE SEEN THIS WITH
CÁC, WITH KIDS, WITH
DISABILITIES. AND I'VE ALSO SEEN
THIS WITHIN THE FOSTER SYSTEM.
AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEIR THAT THEY'RE SECURE AND
THAT IF THEY DO HAVE TO CHANGE A
HOME BECAUSE THAT DOES HAPPEN,
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE THEM
QUICKLY AND RAPIDLY AND
PREFERABLY KEEP THEM IN THE SAME
COUNTIES AND THE SAME SERVICES
AND THE SAME CAST MEMBERS AND
EVERYTHING ELSE. SO THIS IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I WOULD SAY
ADD ME AS A COAUTHOR, BUT I
DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN THROW THAT
HERE AT THIS POINT. THEN WE HAVE
TO GO BACK TO THE SENATE. SO
ANYWAY, STAY AT IT. YES,
UNFORTUNATELY TOO LATE FOR THAT
ASSEMBLY. MATHIS BUT I
APPRECIATE YOU SUPPORTING THIS
BILL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
WORKING ON THIS ISSUE THIS YEAR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT INSURERS ARE
CHOOSING TO NO LONGER RENEW FFA
POLICIES. FFA ARE AN IMPORTANT
ELEMENT TO OUR CHILD WELFARE
SYSTEM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THE RESOURCE FAMILIES THEY
CERTIFY ARE THE PILLAR OF OUR
CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. THIS BILL
ENSURES THAT RESOURCE FAMILIES
CAN SEAMLESSLY MAINTAIN
PLACEMENTS WHILE THEY'RE
ONGOING. WHILE THERE ARE ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS ON HOW TO ADDRESS
THE LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF
INSURANCE, I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING ON THIS ISSUE AS WE FIND
A RESOLUTION THAT IS CENTERED
AROUND THE NEEDS OF FOSTER
YOUTH, AND I PROPOSE THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND THAT THE
ASSEMBLY CONCUR IN THE SENATE
AMENDMENTS. THE BILL HAS BEEN
PROPERLY MOVED BY SENATOR
MATHIS, SECONDED BY SENATOR
GIBSON. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. OH I DIDN'T EVEN
OFFER YOU TO CLOSE OR PREVIOUS,
BUT IF YOU WANT TO QUICKLY ASK
FOR YOUR. I VOTE FOR THESE OVER
9000 VULNERABLE CHILDREN. THANK
YOU. FANTASTIC. MY APOLOGIES.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. THE
RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR. AND
SENATE AMENDMENTS. LI LI I
ASAELI CALDERON GIBSON. A
GIBSON. AYE. JACKSON. JACKSON.
AYE MATHIS. MATHIS. AYE.
ARAMBULA ARAMBULA. AYE 5 TO 0.
AND WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN
FOR ABSENT MEMBERS. WE WILL
STICK AROUND FOR A COUPLE MORE
MINUTES FOR ABSENT MEMBERS TO
ADD ON. IF SO, IF THEY SO WISH.
MURATSUCHI TO BROUGH. YEAH. I'M
LIKE, WHERE'S MY BAG? WHERE DO I
PUT IT? YOU GUYS DON'T NEED.
YES, YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. OF COURSE. YES. HAPPY
TO. YEAH. WE'RE GETTING THERE.
YEAH.
ON AB 866, THE CURRENT VOTE IS 4
TO 1. CALDERON CALDERON. AYE.
CURRENT VOTE 5 TO 1 ON AB 2496.
THE VOTE IS 5 TO 0. CALDERON
CALDERON. AYE. CURRENT VOTE 6 TO
0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD TO
SEE YOU. GOOD TO MEET YOU TOO.
THANKS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
ON AB 866, THE CURRENT VOTE IS 5
TO 1. AC LEE AS NON-VOTING. AC
LEE NOT VOTING. FINAL VOTE 5 TO
1 ON FILE ON AB 2496. CURRENT
VOTE IS 6 TO 0. EASILY. EASILY A
FINAL VOTE 7 TO 0.
THIS HEARING OF THE ASSEMBLY
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE IS NOW
ADJOURNED.