AB 1604 (Holden) The Upward Mobility Act of 2022: boards and commissions: civil service: examinations: classifications. This bill would require that volunteer boards and commissions have at least one member from an underrepresented group, which could include persons with disabilities. It would also make CalHR responsible for conducting audits and investigations of personnel practices and discrimination complaints, subject to oversight and review by SPB. SPB would be required to include diversity and best practices in job qualifications and exam procedures. Departments would be required to record oral interviews and keep all examination materials for a specified period. Departments which fail to achieve goals for their upward mobility plans would be required to file a report explaining the reasons for that failure and CalHR would be required to develop model upward mobility goals which address diversity. Many of these reforms would benefit employees and applicants with disabilities.
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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1604
ACSED Position: Support
AB 1947 (Ting) Freedom from Hate Crimes Act
This bill would further define and clarify the meaning of a “hate crime.” Each state and local law enforcement agency would be required to use specific definitions of “protected characteristics.” The bill would require each law enforcement agency to provide its hate crime policy to the State Department of Justice (DOJ) and require DOJ to post information regarding each agency’s compliance. The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) would be required to develop a model hate crime policy.
The bill could positively impact persons with disabilities because it further defines and clarifies the precise definition of a hate crime based upon an actual or perceived protected characteristic, including mental or physical disability. This could result in more successful prosecutions for acts of hate perpetrated on people with disabilities.
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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1947
ACSED Position: Support
AB 1990 (Aramula) Department of Fair Employment and Housing: Californians with disabilities: Workgroup.
This bill, sponsored by Disability Rights California (DRC), would direct the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) to convene a workgroup that would be charged with reviewing existing laws and public policies and procedures related to several areas of concern, including among other things, (A) Improving integration and inclusion of people with disabilities in the broader community. (B) Ensuring that civil rights laws cover all sectors of society to the maximum extent possible. (C) Improving the effective enforcement of civil rights laws. (D) Ensuring that people with disabilities can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services from mobile, electronic, or internet-based sources with the same level of privacy and independence and equivalent ease of use as others. (E) Reducing the high unemployment rates, underemployment, and poverty among people with disabilities.
AB 1990, by itself, would not immediately impact people with disabilities. However, the findings and recommendations of the proposed workgroup could result in significant improvement in protections and opportunities for people with disabilities if those recommendations are well crafted and eventually lead to the adoption of legislation that expands the scope and enforcement of disability civil rights laws.
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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1990
ACSED Position: Support
AB 2164 (lee) Disability access: funding.
This bill would allow a portion of the funds collected from individuals applying to be certified Access specialists to provide financial assistance to small businesses, as defined, for the construction of physical accessibility improvements. This bill would help to improve physical access to private-sector businesses for all persons with disabilities. It would also benefit State employees with disabilities who work for Agencies and Departments that regulate these businesses by helping to ensure that they have access to those businesses to perform their duties.
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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2164
ACSED Position: Support
AB 2394. (Reyes) Long-term services and supports.
This bill would establish the California Long-Term Services and Supports Benefits Board (LTSS Board) to be composed of 10 specified members. The bill also would require the LTSS Board to manage and invest revenue deposited in the California Long-Term Services and Supports Benefits Trust Fund (LTSS Trust), which the bill would create in the State Treasury. In the future, when funds are appropriated to the LTSS Trust, they will be used to finance long-term services and supports for eligible older adults and individuals with physical and mental disabilities. The bill would also create the California Long-Term Services and Supports Advisory Committee to provide ongoing advice and recommendations to the LTSS Board. Long-term services and supports include a broad range of services that enable older adults and individuals with physical and mental disabilities to live independently in their communities. This legislation creates the infrastructure to administer such benefits, but it does not provide the necessary funding. That would require additional legislation in future years. Nevertheless, this bill is the first step toward creating an LTSS system that could assist State employees who cannot receive needed services through Medi-Cal or Medicare.
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https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2394
ACSED Position: Support