Bill Text: CA AB1326 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Public social services: county liaison for higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-10-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 570, Statutes of 2021. [AB1326 Detail]
Download: California-2021-AB1326-Chaptered.html
Assembly Bill
No. 1326
CHAPTER 570
An act to add and repeal Section 66027.9 of the Education Code, and to add Section 10006 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services.
[
Approved by
Governor
October 06, 2021.
Filed with
Secretary of State
October 06, 2021.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1326, Arambula.
Public social services: county liaison for higher education.
Existing law provides for the protection, care, and assistance for the people of the state, and the promotion of the welfare and happiness of all people in the state by providing appropriate aid and services to the needy and distressed. Under existing law, counties are responsible for administering the various public social services programs and related services, including, but not limited to, CalFresh and general assistance benefits.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as segments of public postsecondary education in
this state. Existing law establishes community college districts, locations of the California State University, and campuses of the University of California throughout the state.
This bill would require a county human services agency to designate at least one employee as a staff liaison to serve as a point of contact for academic counselors and other professional staff at a campus of an institution of public higher education located within the county. The bill would require any disclosure or sharing of personal information under the bill to be made in compliance with applicable state and federal confidentiality laws. The bill would require a county human services agency, with input from the public institutions of higher learning in the county, to develop protocols for engagement between the staff liaison and a campus of an institution of public higher education located within the county and would encourage those entities to consult with specified stakeholders in the
development of those protocols. The bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement its provisions by all-county letters or similar instructions. By requiring counties to perform new duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would also require the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and request the Office of the President of the University of California, in collaboration with county human services agencies, to conduct a survey to determine the effectiveness of the county liaison position and submit, on or before January 1, 2025, a report with the results of the survey to specified legislative committees and the State Department of Social Services. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2026.
The California Constitution requires the state to
reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) In a 2019 survey of California students conducted by the Student Aid Commission, 35 percent of respondents indicated that they experienced food insecurity, 35 percent of respondents indicated they experienced housing insecurity, and the survey further found that students of color experienced the highest levels of housing and food insecurity.
(b) County health and human services offices have a number of programs that could greatly benefit many students facing these challenges related to providing for their basic needs.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature to expedite the connection between students in need and critical county services.
SEC. 2.
Section 66027.9 is added to the Education Code, to read:66027.9.
(a) The Office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall, and the Office of the President of the University of California is requested to, in collaboration with county human services agencies, conduct a survey to determine the effectiveness of the county liaison position established pursuant to Section 10006 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The survey shall address, at a minimum, all of the following:(1) The barriers and opportunities faced by county staff liaisons in responding to the requests of counselors or other relevant professional staff.
(2) The barriers and opportunities faced by counselors or other relevant professional staff in engaging with county staff liaisons.
(3) The barriers and opportunities for increased collaboration between student assistance programs enabling cross referrals between different programs including, but not limited to, CalFresh, food pantries, and homeless student assistance.
(4) Any changes in counselors’ or other relevant professional staffs’ knowledge or awareness of county programs as a result of the county liaison position.
(5) The experiences of students connected to county services through counselors or other relevant professional staff.
(6) An estimated number of college students at each institution of public higher education likely eligible for but not receiving public assistance program benefits, including CalFresh, CalWORKs, and Medi-Cal.
(7) An estimated number of college students at each institution of public higher education that enrolled in public assistance programs, including, but not limited to, CalFresh, CalWORKs, and Medi-Cal, as a result of the engagement with the county liaison position.
(b) The Office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community
Colleges shall, and the Office of the President of the University of California is requested to, report the results of the survey described in subdivision (a) to the Senate Committees on Education and Human Services, the Assembly Committees on Higher Education and Human Services, the Assembly Committee on Budget, the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, and the State Department of Social Services on or before January 1, 2025.
(c) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2026.
SEC. 3.
Section 10006 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:10006.
(a) A county human services agency shall designate at least one employee as a staff liaison, as provided in this section. The staff liaison shall serve as a point of contact for academic counselors and other relevant professional staff at a campus of an institution of public higher education located within the county and provide information on programs and services offered by the agency that may be available to students attending a campus of an institution of public higher education within the county. This requirement is not intended to supersede or otherwise alter existing relationships between counties and campuses of an institution of public higher education, including, but not limited to, coordination related to CalWORKs welfare-to-work participants who are attending a campus of an institution of public higher education.(b) A county human services agency subject to this section, with input from the public institutions of higher education located within the county, shall develop protocols for engagement between the agency and a campus of an institution of public higher education located within the county. The agency and the public institutions of higher education located within the county are encouraged to consult stakeholders while developing the protocol, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) A representative from each campus of an institution of public higher education within the county. The representative shall be a staff member tasked with addressing students’ basic needs on
the campus.
(2) A counselor or other relevant professional staff from each campus of an institution of public higher education within the county.
(3) Relevant organizations representing the interests of students, faculty, and staff from each campus of an institution of public higher education within the county.
(c) Counties are encouraged to provide information to the campuses of an institution of public higher education located within their borders regarding the location and hours of county human services agency public offices, as well as information regarding online and telephone access to program applications. Each campus of an institution of public higher education is encouraged to disseminate
information regarding applying for human services programs and benefits to the campus administrator associated with student services or their designee.
(d) Any disclosure or sharing of personal information under this section shall be made in compliance with applicable state and federal confidentiality laws.
(e) For purposes of this section, “public higher education” has the same meaning as in Section 66010 of the Education Code.
(f) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the State Department of Social Services may implement this section by all-county letters or similar
instructions.
