Bill Text: CA AB1326 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 1326 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly April 15, 2021

Amended IN Assembly March 30, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1326

Introduced by Assembly Member Arambula

February 19, 2021

An act to add and repeal Section 66027.7 of the Education Code, and to add Section 10005 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1326, as amended, 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 ~~institutions~~ 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 to develop protocols for engagement between the staff liaison and a campus of an institution of public higher education ~~institutions~~ located within the county and would encourage the agency 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 College, 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 also request the Office of the President of the University of California to conduct that survey and to submit that report by January 1, 2025. 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.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

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 66027.7 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66027.7.
(a) The Office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community College, in collaboration with county human services agencies, shall conduct a survey to determine the effectiveness of the county liaison position established pursuant to Section 10005 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The survey shall address, at a minimum, all of the following:
(1) The challenges faced by county staff liaisons in responding to the requests of counselors or other relevant professional staff.
(2) The challenges or hurdles faced by counselors or other relevant professional staff in engaging with county staff liaisons.
(3) Any changes in counselors’ or other relevant professional staffs’ knowledge or awareness of county programs as a result of the county liaison position.
(4) The experiences of students connected to county services through counselors or other relevant professional staff.
(b) The Office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall report the results of the survey required by subdivision (a) to the Committees on Education and Human Services of both houses of the Legislature , the Assembly Committee on Budget, the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, and to the State Department of Social Services on or before January 1, 2025.
(c) The Office of the President of the University of California is requested to conduct the survey described in subdivision (a) and is requested to report the results of the survey to the Committees on Education and Human Services of both houses of the Legislature, the Assembly Committee on Budget, the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, and to the State Department of Social Services on or before January 1, 2025.
(d) (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. 2.SEC. 3.

Section 10005 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

10005.

(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 ~~institutions~~ 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 ~~institutions~~ within the county. This requirement is not intended to supersede or otherwise alter existing relationships between counties and ~~community colleges,~~ campuses of an institution of public higher education, including, but not limited to, coordination related to CalWORKs welfare-to-work participants who are attending ~~community college.~~ a campus of an institution of public higher education.

(b) A county human services agency subject to this section shall develop protocols for engagement between the agency and a campus of an institution of public higher education ~~institutions~~ located within the county. The agency is encouraged to consult stakeholders while developing the protocol, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

~~(1)The County Welfare Directors Association of California.~~
~~(2)The office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.~~
~~(3)The office of the Chancellor of the California State University.~~
~~(4)The office of the President of the University of California.~~
(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 from each campus of an institution of public higher education within the county.
~~(5)~~

(3) Relevant organizations representing the interests of students, faculty, and staff of ~~public higher education institutions.~~ a 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 ~~institutions~~ 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 ~~community college~~ campus of an institution of public higher education is encouraged to disseminate information regarding applying for human services programs and benefits to the ~~community college’s vice president of~~ 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.
~~(e)~~

(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.

SEC. 3.SEC. 4.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.