AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 1, 2025

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 3, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

Introduced by Assembly Member Bains

February 20, 2025

An act to add and repeal Section 9114.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to older adults.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law, the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, establishes, among others, the California Department of Aging in the California Health and Human Services Agency, also known as CalHHS and headed by the Secretary of CalHHS, and sets forth its mission to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of long-term health care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities, by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires, among other things, the department to administer the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) program.

No later than July 1, 2026, this bill would require the Secretary of CalHHS, in coordination with various state departments, offices, and other entities, as specified, to develop a working group to make recommendations regarding the evacuation and sheltering needs of older adults and persons with disabilities living in long-term care facilities during natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies. The bill would require the Secretary of CalHHS to submit the recommendations no later than July 1, 2026, 2027, and would repeal that requirement on January 1, 2030.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 9114.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

9114.5.

(a) No later than January 1, July 1, 2026, the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency shall develop a working group to make recommendations regarding the best policies and practices for the evacuation and sheltering needs of older adults and persons with disabilities living in long-term care facilities during emergencies, including, but not limited to, mutual aid evacuations, in coordination with all of the following:

(1) The California Department of Aging.

(2) The California Department of Rehabilitation.

(3) The Emergency Medical Services Authority.

(4) The Office of Emergency Services.

(5) The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

(6) The State Department of Public Health.

(7) The State Department of Social Services.

(8) Stakeholders representing long-term care facility operators, staff, and residents, local government, foundations, and academic researchers.

(b) No later than July 1, 2026, 2027, the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency shall submit the recommendations of the workgroup to the Office of the Governor and to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of statutory and regulatory changes that are needed to implement the evacuation and sheltering needs of older adults and persons with disabilities living in long-term care facilities.

(c) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2030.