BILL NUMBER: AB 2745	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  794
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 31, 2006
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 28, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 10, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 7, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 10, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 2, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 6, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jones

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2006

   An act to add Section 1262.4 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to health facilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2745, Jones  Hospitals: discharge plans: homeless patients.
   Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health
facilities by the State Department of Health Services. A violation of
these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires each hospital to
have in effect a written discharge planning policy and process that
requires appropriate arrangements for posthospital care and a process
that requires that each patient be informed, orally or in writing,
of the continuing care requirements following discharge from the
hospital, as specified.
   This bill would require each hospital to be represented, as
specified, in regional planning meetings, convened regionally as
defined by the 3 regional hospital associations or through smaller
geographic sections comprised of groups of hospitals in one or more
counties, to improve the posthospital transition of homeless
patients, as specified.  The bill would require each regional
hospital association, or smaller geographic grouping of hospitals, to
invite the county board of supervisors, law enforcement, and others
to participate. The bill would require, by January 1, 2008, the
development of a specified document based upon the regional planning
meetings.
   The bill would also prohibit a hospital from causing the transfer
of homeless patients from one county to another county for the
purpose of receiving supportive services from a social services
agency, health care service provider, or nonprofit social service
provider within the other county, without prior notification to, and
authorization from, the social services agency, health care service
provider, or nonprofit social service provider.
   By creating a new crime, this bill would result in a
state-mandated local program.
  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.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  (a)  Each hospital, as defined in subdivisions (a),
(b), and (f) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be
represented in regional meetings to address the posthospital
transition of homeless patients by the regional hospital association
designee within which the hospital is located. Regional meetings
shall include those convened by the three regional hospital
associations, and smaller geographic sections comprised of hospitals
in one or more county.
   (b) Topics of discussion within the regional meetings shall
include, but not be limited to, the identification of community-based
best practices for the posthospital transition of homeless patients,
methods to establish and support effective communications between
hospitals and stakeholders regarding this transition, and the
identification of the resources, including supportive services, that
are available or needed or both to assist with this transition.
   (c) Each regional hospital association or smaller geographic
grouping of hospitals, as determined by the regional hospital
associations, shall invite key stakeholders within the region to
address the regional planning meetings and provide relevant
information for the topics under discussion. Key stakeholders
include, but are not limited to, the county board of supervisors, law
enforcement, county social services agencies, county health care
service providers, continuum of care coordinators, as defined by the
federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, nonprofit social
service providers, and regional advocates for the homeless.
   (d) By January 1, 2008, each regional hospital association or
smaller geographic grouping of hospitals, as determined by the
regional hospital associations, shall develop a document that is a
compilation of recommendations based upon the regional planning
meetings. The document shall be made available to the public and key
stakeholders within a region.
   (e) The requirements of this section shall not be construed to
limit any other efforts of hospitals and key stakeholders to improve
the transition of homeless patients.
   (f) For purposes of this section, "homeless patient" means an
individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence, or who
has a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised publicly or
privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living
accommodations, or who is residing in a public or private place that
was not designed to provide temporary living accommodations or to be
used as a sleeping accommodation for human beings.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1262.4 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to
read:
   1262.4.  (a) No hospital, as defined in subdivisions (a), (b), and
(f) of Section 1250, may cause the transfer of homeless patients
from one county to another county for the purpose of receiving
supportive services from a social service agency, health care service
provider, or nonprofit social service provider within the other
county, without prior notification to, and authorization from, the
social service agency, health care service provider, or nonprofit
social service provider.
   (b)  For purposes of this section, "homeless patient" means an
individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence, or who
has a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised publicly or
privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living
accommodations, or who is residing in a public or private place that
was not designed to provide temporary living accommodations or to be
used as a sleeping accommodation for human beings.
  SEC. 3.  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.