April 29, 2021
California Federation of Republican Women
Sue Blair, President
Submitted by the CFRW Legislative Analyst Committee:
Gretchen Cox, Val Emick, Lou Ann Flaherty,
Elaine Freeman, Theresa Speake, & Arlene Wolgomuth
FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR CLUB MEMBERS IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS OR ON YOUR WEBSITES
Your Legislative Analysts Committee just grew!
We are pleased to welcome 2 new members of the team-
Arlene Wolgomuth, of East Valley RWF, and Theresa Speake of Exeter RWF.
Both have long histories of working in and researching state legislation. Welcome aboard, ladies!
EDUCATION
AB 101- Pupil Instruction: High School Graduation Requirements: Ethnic Studies- Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission to develop, and the State Board of education to adopt, modify, or revise, a semester course model curriculum in ethnic studies, completion of which would be a requirement for high school graduation in public and charter high schools beginning in the 2029-2030 school year.
It would require school districts, including charter schools, to offer a semester course in ethnic studies beginning with the 2025-26 school year. The existing law also encourages each school district and charter school to adopt (A) a model curriculum in ethnic studies developed by the IQC commission, (B) an existing ethnic studies course, (C) an ethnic studies course taught as part of a course that has been approved as meeting the A–G requirements of the University of California and the California State University, or (D) a locally developed ethnic studies course approved by the governing board of the school district or the governing body of the charter school.
This bill would expressly authorize local educational agencies, including charter schools to require a full year course in ethnic studies at their discretion. The bill would prohibit a course that does not use ethnic studies content as the primary content through which the subject is taught from being used to satisfy the ethnic studies course requirement. The curriculum will be based on the Calif. Dept. of Education Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum.
To see that document, click here: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/esmc.asp. HEARING DATE in Assembly Appropriations committee SCHEDULED FOR 04/28/21.
WATER
SB 223- Discontinuation of Residential Water Service- Existing Law prohibits a public water system that supplies water to more than 200 service connections from discontinuing residential water service for non-payment until a payment by a customer has been delinquent for at least 60 days. This bill would, on or after July 1, 2022, apply to a system that serves 200 or fewer connections by year-long residents.
This bill would further prohibit these systems from discontinuing service for non-payment from 60 to 90 days, or the total amount of delinquency (exclusive of late charges and interest) is at least $250 and would also prohibit discontinuing service for non-payment during a state or local emergency when the area of a declared emergency encompasses the customer’s residence. Existing law requires fees for reconnection but this bill would require the water system to waive fees for disconnection and reconnection service. Set for Hearing on 04/29/21.
HEALTH CARE
SB 473-Health care coverage: insulin cost-sharing. This bill would prohibit a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, from imposing cost-sharing on a covered insulin prescription, except for a copayment not to exceed $50 per 30-day supply of insulin, or $100 total per month, regardless of the amount or type of insulin needed to fill the enrollee or insured’s prescription or prescriptions. Currently in the Senate Health Committee.
JUVENILE JUSTICE
AB 87- Existing law establishes the Division of Juvenile Justice within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to operate facilities to house specified juvenile offenders. Existing law, commencing July 1, 2021, prohibits further commitment of wards to the Division of Juvenile Justice with certain exceptions.
This bill requires the closure of the Division of Juvenile Justice and transfers the wards to county-based custody by June 30, 2023 and requires counties to establish secure youth treatment facilities. Essentially, this bill transfers physical and financial responsibility of juvenile offenders from the state to counties.
The More We Know…
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Questions? Please e-mail legislativeanalysts@cfrw.org
