BILL NUMBER: AB 1792 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 23, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 1, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gomez
FEBRUARY 18, 2014
An act to add Section 13084 to the Government Code, and
to add Section 2110.9 to, and to add Division 11 (commencing with
Section 19000) to, to amend Section 1095 of the
Unemployment Insurance Code, and to add Section 11026.5 to the
Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public benefits.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1792, as amended, Gomez. Public benefits: reports on employers.
Existing law establishes various health programs under which
low-income persons are provided health care services. These programs
include the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State
Department of Health Care Services.
Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, and
under which qualified low-income persons receive health care
benefits. The Medi-Cal program is governed, in part, by federal
Medicaid provisions.
Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), under which each county distributes
nutrition assistance benefits provided by the federal government to
eligible households. In California, federal nutrition assistance
benefits are administered through CalFresh. Existing law requires
that the eligibility of households be determined to the extent
permitted by federal law, and requires the State Department of Social
Services to establish a program of categorical eligibility for
CalFresh in accordance with federal law.
Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and
other social services to needy families through the California Work
Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using
federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant
program, state, and county funds.
This bill would require the Employment Development
Department to collaborate with the State Department of
Health Care Services, Services and the
State Department of Social Services, and the State
Department of Education to identify and compile a list of employers
of a beneficiary in this state who is enrolled in
Services to annually inform the Employment Development Department of
the names and social security numbers of all recipients of the
above-described public assistance programs. The bill would
define an employer as an individual or type of organization that
employs for wages or salary 25 or more persons to work in this state
require these departments to determine the average per
individual cost to the state to provide the benefits of each of
these public assistance programs and inform the Employment
Development Department and the Department of Finance of these costs
. The bill would require the Employment Development
Department to provide this list to the Department of Finance and
would require the Department of Finance to collaborate with
these departme nts and the Employment
Development Department to determine the total cost to the state of
the benefits aggregated public assistance
provided to each identified employer's employees under each
public assistance program and the total cost to the state of the
aggregated benefits provided to each identified employer's employees.
The bill would require the Employment Development
Department to prepare a report with this information and provide it
to the Department of Finance. The bill would
define an employer as an individual or organization that employs
25 or more beneficiaries of the above-described public assistance
programs.
The bill would also require the Department of Finance to, after
collaborating with obtaining specified
information from the Employment Development Department,
annually transmit to the Legislature and post on the department's
Internet Web site the a report no later
than April 15 of each year that, among other things, identifies
employers that employ 25 or more beneficiaries in the
state .
The bill would provide that an employer who discharges or
discriminates or retaliates against an employee who enrolls in a
public assistance program, as defined, or refuses to hire a
beneficiary of a public assistance program would be in violation of
specified provisions subject to criminal penalty. By creating a new
crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Under existing law, the information obtained in the administration
of the Unemployment Insurance Code is for the exclusive use and
information of the Director of Employment Development in the
discharge of his or her duties and is not open to the public.
However, existing law permits the use of the information for
specified purposes, and allows the director to require reimbursement
for direct costs incurred. Existing law provides that a person who
knowingly accesses, uses, or discloses this confidential information
without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill would require the Director of Employment Development to
permit the use of specified information in his or her possession by
the Department of Finance to prepare and submit the above-described
report. By requiring this information to be provided to the
Department of Finance for these purposes, this bill would expand the
crime of unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of this information,
and would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would prohibit an employer from discharging or in any
manner discriminating or retaliating against an employee who enrolls
in a public assistance program and from refusing to hire a
beneficiary for reason of being enrolled in a public assistance
program.
This bill would prohibit an employer from disclosing to a
nongovernmental entity that an employee receives or is applying for
public benefits.
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 no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) Public benefit programs are essential to provide Californians
with access to fresh, healthy food, quality health coverage, basic
needs, cash assistance, child care, and income supports, among other
benefits.
(2) The state needs to preserve and expand public benefit programs
to ensure that no Californian has to go hungry or forego medical
care because he or she cannot afford these basic life necessities.
(1)
(3) In 2013, California had the highest number of
working poor families in the country. More than one-third of the
state's working families are low income, making less than 200 percent
of the federal poverty line.
(2)
(4) When low wages and a lack of benefits leave workers
unable to make ends meet, they turn to public assistance programs
for health care, healthy food, and other basic
necessities.
(3)
(5) Employers that pay low wages and offer no benefits
shift the burden of keeping workers out of poverty
costs of doing business onto taxpayers.
(4) State public assistance programs are crucial to keeping
Californians out of deep poverty by providing income supports, health
care, and food.
(5) The increase in the numbers of the working poor stretches the
state safety net to the limit and burdens the state budget, programs,
and services.
(6) The Legislature continues to address the issues of a living
wage and the availability of affordable health coverage while
developing sound budget and programmatic priorities.
(6) Large, profitable employers should pay wages and benefits that
do not impoverish workers or shift costs onto taxpayers.
(7) Employers that shift the costs of their business expenses onto
taxpayers put responsible employers at a competitive disadvantage,
creating an unfair playing field for business in the state.
(7)
( 8) To promote a deeper
understanding of the causes and sources of underemployment, poverty
level wages, and the economic impacts on
Californians , business , and the state budget,
it is appropriate for policymakers to possess a broader set of
empirical data with which to make informed decisions.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to do all of
the following:
(1) Produce a report on employers that have employees enrolled in
public assistance programs and on the cost to the state of providing
those benefits.
(2) Use the report to analyze those employers that create the
greatest burden on the state by having the largest numbers of workers
enrolled in public assistance programs.
(2) Use the report described in paragraph (1), along with other
studies related to labor trends, to analyze practices within industry
sectors detrimental to economic competitiveness in the marketplace.
(3) Ensure that all Californians have access to public benefit
programs that safeguard their identity and privacy and ensure that
receipt of public benefits never is the cause of workplace
discrimination.
(3)
(4) Develop policies to decrease the number of working
poor in California by increasing the quality of jobs and employment
opportunities for Californians and informed
employment and training programs .
(4)
(5) Use the data contained within the report to promote
sound and reasonable policies to ensure that employers do not shift
the responsibility for providing health care and basic necessities
for their workers onto taxpayers through the use of the data
contained within the report to develop reasonable and sound policies.
(5)
(6) Ensure that no worker is discriminated or
retaliated against for the reason of being enrolled in a public
benefit program.
SEC. 2. Section 13084 is added to the Government Code, to read:
13084. (a) The For purposes of this
section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) "Beneficiary" means an individual who is both of the
following:
(A) Enrolled in a public assistance program, unless the individual
is enrolled by reason of disability or being over 65 years of age or
is employed in a CalWORKs subsidized private or public employment
(Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code).
(B) Employed by an employer for at least one quarter or three
months.
(2) (A) "Employer" means an individual or type of organization
that employs for wages and salary 25 or more beneficiaries to work in
this state and includes all of the members of a controlled group of
corporations as defined in Section 1563(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code, except that "more than 50 percent" shall be substituted for "at
least 80 percent" each place it appears in Section 1563(a)(1) of the
Internal Revenue Code, and the determination shall be made without
regard to Sections 1563(a)(4) and 1563(e)(3)(C) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(B) "Employer" shall include the state, a city, county, city and
county, district, or any other governmental employer.
(3) "Public assistance program" means the Medi-Cal program
(Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code), CalFresh (Chapter 10 (commencing
with Section 18900) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code), and CalWORKs program (Chapter 2 (commencing with
Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code).
(b) The department shall, after
collaborating with obtaining the information
from the Employment Development Department described in
paragraphs (1) to ( 4), inclusive , and
determining the total costs to the state pursuant to subdivision (c)
, annually transmit to the Legislature and post on the
department's Internet Web site no later than April 15 of each year,
the report described in Section 19001 of the Unemployment
Insurance Code a report that identifies each employer
. The report shall be submitted to the Legislature pursuant to
Section 9795. The report shall include all of the following:
(1) The employer's name.
(2) The employer's address, as filed with the Employment
Development Department.
(3) The total number of beneficiaries each employer employs.
(4) The percentage of the employer's total workforce in the state
that are beneficiaries.
(5) The total cost to the state of the aggregated benefits
provided to an identified employer's employees who are beneficiaries
under each public assistance program.
(6) The total cost to the state of the aggregated benefits
provided to each identified employer's employees who are
beneficiaries.
(c) The department, in collaboration with the Employment
Development Department, State Department of Health Care Services and
the State Department of Social Services, shall determine the total
costs to the state described in paragraphs (5) and (6) of subdivision
(b).
(d) (1) The report, and any list provided to the department, shall
not include the name or identifying information of an individual
beneficiary.
(b)
(2) The report shall remain available to the public on
the department's Internet Web site for at least five years.
(c)
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize an employer to discourage or prevent an employee from
enrolling or continuing enrollment in a public benefit program while
employed nor to discriminate against an applicant for employment or
employee for applying to be or being enrolled in a public assistance
program.
(d)
(f) The department shall be permitted access to and be
provided data and information from other state agencies as required
to implement this section, to the extent not prohibited by state and
federal confidentiality statutes and regulations. The department may
enter into interagency agreements or adopt regulations as are
reasonably necessary to implement this section.
(g) (1) An employer shall not discharge or in any manner
discriminate or retaliate against an employee who enrolls in a public
assistance program and shall not refuse to hire a beneficiary for
reason of being enrolled in a public assistance program.
(2) An employer shall not disclose to a nongovernmental entity
that an employee receives or is applying for public benefits.
SEC. 3. Section 2110.9 is added to the
Unemployment Insurance Code, to read:
2110.9. (a) For purpose of this section, the following
definitions shall apply:
(1) "Beneficiary" shall have the same meaning as in Section 19000.
(2) "Employer" shall have the same meaning as in Section 19000.
(3) "Public assistance program" shall have the same meaning as in
Section 19000.
(b) An employer who discharges or in any manner discriminates or
retaliates against an employee who enrolls in a public assistance
program or refuses to hire a beneficiary for reason of being enrolled
in a public assistance program, is in violation of this chapter.
SEC. 4. Division 11 (commencing with Section
19000) is added to the Unemployment Insurance Code, to read:
DIVISION 11. Employers With Employees That Receive Public
Benefits
19000. For purposes of this division, the following definitions
shall apply:
(a) "Beneficiary" means an individual who is all of the following:
(1) Enrolled in a public assistance program, unless the individual
is enrolled by reason of disability or being over 65 years of age.
(2) Employed by an employer.
(b) "Department" means the State Department of Health Care
Services, the State Department of Social Services, and the State
Department of Education.
(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) "employer" means an
individual or type of organization that employs for wages or salary
25 or more persons to work in this state and includes all of the
members of a controlled group of corporations, as defined in Section
1563(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that "more than 50
percent" shall be substituted for "at least 80 percent" each place it
appears in Section 1563(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, and the
determination shall be made without regard to Sections 1563(a)(4) and
1563(e)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2) "Employer" does not include a state, city, county, city and
county, district, or any other governmental employer.
(d) "Public assistance program" means the Medi-Cal program
(Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code), CalFresh (Chapter 10 (commencing
with Section 18900) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code), CalWORKS (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code),
and the Women, Infants, and Children program (Article 2 (commencing
with Section 123275) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the
Health and Safety Code).
19001. (a) The Employment Development Department shall, to the
extent not prohibited by state and federal confidentiality and
privacy statutes and regulations, collaborate with a department to
identify and compile a list of employers of a beneficiary in the
state, that includes all of the following:
(1) The employer's name.
(2) The employer's address, as filed with the Employment
Development Department.
(3) The total number of each employer's employees who are
beneficiaries.
(b) The Employment Development Department shall provide the list
described in subdivision (a) to the Department of Finance. The
Department of Finance, in collaboration with the Employment
Development Department, shall determine both of the following:
(1) The total cost to the state of the benefits provided to each
identified employer's employees under each public assistance program.
(2) The total cost to the state of the aggregated benefits
provided to each identified employer's employees.
(c) The Employment Development Department shall, to the extent not
prohibited by state and federal confidentiality and privacy statutes
and regulations, prepare and provide to the Department of Finance a
report that includes the information described in subdivisions (b)
and (c).
(d) The list and the report shall not include the names or any
identifying information of any individual beneficiary under a public
assistance program and shall be subject to all state and federal
confidentiality and privacy laws and regulations.
SEC. 3. Section 1095 of the
Unemployment Insurance Code is amended to read:
1095. The director shall permit the use of any information in his
or her possession to the extent necessary for any of the following
purposes and may require reimbursement for all direct costs incurred
in providing any and all information specified in this section,
except information specified in subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive:
(a) To enable the director or his or her representative to carry
out his or her responsibilities under this code.
(b) To properly present a claim for benefits.
(c) To acquaint a worker or his or her authorized agent with his
or her existing or prospective right to benefits.
(d) To furnish an employer or his or her authorized agent with
information to enable him or her to fully discharge his or her
obligations or safeguard his or her rights under this division or
Division 3 (commencing with Section 9000).
(e) To enable an employer to receive a reduction in contribution
rate.
(f) To enable federal, state, or local government departments or
agencies, subject to federal law, to verify or determine the
eligibility or entitlement of an applicant for, or a recipient of,
public social services provided pursuant to Division 9 (commencing
with Section 10000) of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or Part A
of Title IV of the Social Security Act, where the verification or
determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the
administration of public social services.
(g) To enable county administrators of general relief or
assistance, or their representatives, to determine entitlement to
locally provided general relief or assistance, where the
determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the
administration of general relief or assistance.
(h) To enable state or local governmental departments or agencies
to seek criminal, civil, or administrative remedies in connection
with the unlawful application for, or receipt of, relief provided
under Division 9 (commencing with Section 10000) of the Welfare and
Institutions Code or to enable the collection of expenditures for
medical assistance services pursuant to Part 5 (commencing with
Section 17000) of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(i) To provide any law enforcement agency with the name, address,
telephone number, birth date, social security number, physical
description, and names and addresses of present and past employers,
of any victim, suspect, missing person, potential witness, or person
for whom a felony arrest warrant has been issued, when a request for
this information is made by any investigator or peace officer as
defined by Sections 830.1 and 830.2 of the Penal Code, or by any
federal law enforcement officer to whom the Attorney General has
delegated authority to enforce federal search warrants, as defined
under Sections 60.2 and 60.3 of Title 28 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, as amended, and when the requesting officer has been
designated by the head of the law enforcement agency and requests
this information in the course of and as a part of an investigation
into the commission of a crime when there is a reasonable suspicion
that the crime is a felony and that the information would lead to
relevant evidence. The information provided pursuant to this
subdivision shall be provided to the extent permitted by federal law
and regulations, and to the extent the information is available and
accessible within the constraints and configurations of existing
department records. Any person who receives any information under
this subdivision shall make a written report of the information to
the law enforcement agency that employs him or her, for filing under
the normal procedures of that agency.
(1) This subdivision shall not be construed to authorize the
release to any law enforcement agency of a general list identifying
individuals applying for or receiving benefits.
(2) The department shall maintain records pursuant to this
subdivision only for periods required under regulations or statutes
enacted for the administration of its programs.
(3) This subdivision shall not be construed as limiting the
information provided to law enforcement agencies to that pertaining
only to applicants for, or recipients of, benefits.
(4) The department shall notify all applicants for benefits that
release of confidential information from their records will not be
protected should there be a felony arrest warrant issued against the
applicant or in the event of an investigation by a law enforcement
agency into the commission of a felony.
(j) To provide public employee retirement systems in California
with information relating to the earnings of any person who has
applied for or is receiving a disability income, disability
allowance, or disability retirement allowance, from a public employee
retirement system. The earnings information shall be released only
upon written request from the governing board specifying that the
person has applied for or is receiving a disability allowance or
disability retirement allowance from its retirement system. The
request may be made by the chief executive officer of the system or
by an employee of the system so authorized and identified by name and
title by the chief executive officer in writing.
(k) To enable the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement in the
Department of Industrial Relations to seek criminal, civil, or
administrative remedies in connection with the failure to pay, or the
unlawful payment of, wages pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with
Section 200) of Part 1 of Division 2 of, and Chapter 1 (commencing
with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of, the Labor Code.
(l) To enable federal, state, or local governmental departments or
agencies to administer child support enforcement programs under
Title IV of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 651 et
seq.).
(m) To provide federal, state, or local governmental departments
or agencies with wage and claim information in its possession that
will assist those departments and agencies in the administration of
the Victims of Crime Program or in the location of victims of crime
who, by state mandate or court order, are entitled to restitution
that has been or can be recovered.
(n) To provide federal, state, or local governmental departments
or agencies with information concerning any individuals who are or
have been:
(1) Directed by state mandate or court order to pay restitution,
fines, penalties, assessments, or fees as a result of a violation of
law.
(2) Delinquent or in default on guaranteed student loans or who
owe repayment of funds received through other financial assistance
programs administered by those agencies. The information released by
the director for the purposes of this paragraph shall not include
unemployment insurance benefit information.
(o) To provide an authorized governmental agency with any or all
relevant information that relates to any specific workers'
compensation insurance fraud investigation. The information shall be
provided to the extent permitted by federal law and regulations. For
the purposes of this subdivision, "authorized governmental agency"
means the district attorney of any county, the office of the Attorney
General, the Contractors' State License Board, the Department of
Industrial Relations, and the Department of Insurance. An authorized
governmental agency may disclose this information to the State Bar,
the Medical Board of California, or any other licensing board or
department whose licensee is the subject of a workers' compensation
insurance fraud investigation. This subdivision shall not prevent any
authorized governmental agency from reporting to any board or
department the suspected misconduct of any licensee of that body.
(p) To enable the Director of the Bureau for Private Postsecondary
Education, or his or her representatives, to access unemployment
insurance quarterly wage data on a case-by-case basis to verify
information on school administrators, school staff, and students
provided by those schools who are being investigated for possible
violations of Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 94800) of Part 59 of
Division 10 of Title 3 of the Education Code.
(q) To provide employment tax information to the tax officials of
Mexico, if a reciprocal agreement exists. For purposes of this
subdivision, "reciprocal agreement" means a formal agreement to
exchange information between national taxing officials of Mexico and
taxing authorities of the State Board of Equalization, the Franchise
Tax Board, and the Employment Development Department. Furthermore,
the reciprocal agreement shall be limited to the exchange of
information that is essential for tax administration purposes only.
Taxing authorities of the State of California shall be granted tax
information only on California residents. Taxing authorities of
Mexico shall be granted tax information only on Mexican nationals.
(r) To enable city and county planning agencies to develop
economic forecasts for planning purposes. The information shall be
limited to businesses within the jurisdiction of the city or county
whose planning agency is requesting the information, and shall not
include information regarding individual employees.
(s) To provide the State Department of Developmental Services with
wage and employer information that will assist in the collection of
moneys owed by the recipient, parent, or any other legally liable
individual for services and supports provided pursuant to Chapter 9
(commencing with Section 4775) of Division 4.5 of, and Chapter 2
(commencing with Section 7200) and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section
7500) of Division 7 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(t) To provide the State Board of Equalization with employment tax
information that will assist in the administration of tax programs.
The information shall be limited to the exchange of employment tax
information essential for tax administration purposes to the extent
permitted by federal law and regulations.
(u) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or
permit the use of information obtained in the administration of this
code by any private collection agency.
(v) The disclosure of the name and address of an individual or
business entity that was issued an assessment that included penalties
under Section 1128 or 1128.1 shall not be in violation of Section
1094 if the assessment is final. The disclosure may also include any
of the following:
(1) The total amount of the assessment.
(2) The amount of the penalty imposed under Section 1128 or 1128.1
that is included in the assessment.
(3) The facts that resulted in the charging of the penalty under
Section 1128 or 1128.1.
(w) To enable the Contractors' State License Board to verify the
employment history of an individual applying for licensure pursuant
to Section 7068 of the Business and Professions Code.
(x) To provide any peace officer with the Division of
Investigation in the Department of Consumer Affairs information
pursuant to subdivision (i) when the requesting peace officer has
been designated by the Chief of the Division of Investigation and
requests this information in the course of and as part of an
investigation into the commission of a crime or other unlawful act
when there is reasonable suspicion to believe that the crime or act
may be connected to the information requested and would lead to
relevant information regarding the crime or unlawful act.
(y) To enable the Labor Commissioner of the Division of Labor
Standards Enforcement in the Department of Industrial Relations to
identify, pursuant to Section 90.3 of the Labor Code, unlawfully
uninsured employers. The information shall be provided to the extent
permitted by federal law and regulations.
(z) To enable the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges,
in accordance with the requirements of Section 84754.5 of the
Education Code, to obtain quarterly wage data, commencing January 1,
1993, on students who have attended one or more community colleges,
to assess the impact of education on the employment and earnings of
students, to conduct the annual evaluation of district-level and
individual college performance in achieving priority educational
outcomes, and to submit the required reports to the Legislature and
the Governor. The information shall be provided to the extent
permitted by federal statutes and regulations.
(aa) To enable the Public Employees' Retirement System to seek
criminal, civil, or administrative remedies in connection with the
unlawful application for, or receipt of, benefits provided under Part
3 (commencing with Section 20000) of Division 5 of Title 2 of the
Government Code.
(ab) To enable the State Department of Education, the
University of California, the California State University, and the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, pursuant to the
requirements prescribed by the federal American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), to obtain quarterly wage
data, commencing July 1, 2010, on students who have attended their
respective systems to assess the impact of education on the
employment and earnings of those students, to conduct the annual
analysis of district-level and individual district or postsecondary
education system performance in achieving priority educational
outcomes, and to submit the required reports to the Legislature and
the Governor. The information shall be provided to the extent
permitted by federal statutes and regulations.
(ac) To provide the Agricultural Labor Relations Board with
employee, wage, and employer information, for use in the
investigation or enforcement of the Alatorre-Zenovich-Dunlap-Berman
Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975 (Part 3.5 (commencing with
Section 1140) of Division 2 of the Labor Code). The information shall
be provided to the extent permitted by federal statutes and
regulations.
(ad) (1) To enable the State Department of Health Care Services,
the California Health Benefit Exchange, the Managed Risk Medical
Insurance Board, and county departments and agencies to obtain
information regarding employee wages, California employer names and
account numbers, employer reports of wages and number of employees,
and disability insurance and unemployment insurance claim
information, for the purpose of:
(A) Verifying or determining the eligibility of an applicant for,
or a recipient of, state health subsidy programs, limited to the
Medi-Cal Program, provided pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with
Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code; the Healthy Families Program, provided pursuant to
Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2 of the
Insurance Code; and the Access for Infants and Mothers Program,
provided pursuant to Part 6.3 (commencing with Section 12695) of
Division 2 of the Insurance Code; where the verification or
determination is directly connected with, and limited to, the
administration of the state health subsidy programs referenced in
this subparagraph.
(B) Verifying or determining the eligibility of an applicant for,
or a recipient of, federal subsidies offered through the California
Health Benefit Exchange, provided pursuant to Title 22 (commencing
with Section 100500) of the Government Code, including federal tax
credits and cost-sharing assistance pursuant to the federal Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended
by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
(Public Law 111-152), where the verification or determination is
directly connected with, and limited to, the administration of the
California Health Benefit Exchange.
(C) Verifying or determining the eligibility of employees and
employers for health coverage through the Small Business Health
Options Program, provided pursuant to Section 100502 of the
Government Code, where the verification or determination is directly
connected with, and limited to, the administration of the Small
Business Health Options Program.
(2) The information provided under this subdivision shall be
subject to the requirements of, and provided to the extent permitted
by, federal law and regulations, including Part 603 of Title 20 of
the Code of Federal Regulations.
(ae) To provide any peace officer with the Investigations Division
of the Department of Motor Vehicles with information pursuant to
subdivision (i), when the requesting peace officer has been
designated by the Chief of the Investigations Division and requests
this information in the course of, and as part of, an investigation
into identity theft, counterfeiting, document fraud, or consumer
fraud, and there is reasonable suspicion that the crime is a felony
and that the information would lead to relevant evidence regarding
the identity theft, counterfeiting, document fraud, or consumer
fraud. The information provided pursuant to this subdivision shall be
provided to the extent permitted by federal law and regulations, and
to the extent the information is available and accessible within the
constraints and configurations of existing department records. Any
person who receives any information under this subdivision shall make
a written report of the information to the Investigations Division
of the Department of Motor Vehicles, for filing under the normal
procedures of that division.
(af) To enable the Department of Finance to prepare and submit the
report required by Section 13084 of the Government Code that
identifies all employers in California that employ 25 or more
employees who receive benefits from any of the following programs:
the Medi-Cal program (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of
Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code), CalFresh
(Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6 of Division 9
of the Welfare and Institutions Code), and CalWORKs program (Chapter
2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code). The information used for this purpose
shall be limited to information obtained pursuant to Section 11026.5
of the Welfare and Institutions Code and from the administration of
personal income tax wage withholding pursuant to Division 6
(commencing with Section 13000) and the disability insurance program
and may be disclosed to the Department of Finance only for the
purpose of preparing and submitting the report and only to the extent
not prohibited by federal law.
SEC. 4. Section 11026.5 is added to the
Welfare and Institutions Code , to read:
11026.5. (a) To the extent not prohibited by federal law, the
State Department of Health Care Services and the State Department of
Social Services shall annually inform the Employment Development
Department of the names and social security numbers of all recipients
of the benefits of the Medi-Cal program (Chapter 7 (commencing with
Section 14000)), CalFresh (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900)
of Part 6), and CalWORKs program (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
11200) of Part 3).
(b) The State Department of Health Care Services and the State
Department of Social Services shall determine the average per
individual cost to the state to provide the benefits of each program
described in subdivision (a). These departments shall then inform the
Employment Development Department and the Department of Finance of
these costs in order to calculate the information that is required to
be reported pursuant to Section 13084 of the Government Code.
SEC. 5. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.