text:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to obtain trustworthy information to connect funding allocated to prevent and end homelessness with established sheltering and housing resources and to provide state agencies with accurate information to allow for more accurate forecasting to target future investments. To advance these goals, the council shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, do both of the following:

(1) Conduct, or contract with an entity to conduct, a statewide homelessness assessment that will do all of the following:

(A) Identify all programs a state agency funds, implements, or administers for the purpose of providing unsheltered outreach services, emergency shelter, housing or housing-based services to persons experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness and do all of the following:

(i) Identify homelessness interventions and service categories available statewide and in geographically diverse regions across the state.

(ii) Compile the amount of funding distributed to local jurisdictions and its stated intent by the administering entity.

(iii) Identify the intended uses for the funds identified pursuant to clause (ii) by type of intervention as stated by local jurisdictions requesting funding made available for housing- or homelessness-related services.

(iv) Identify conditions or premise of the funds identified pursuant to clause (ii) as it relates to leveraging nonstate dollars.

(v) If applicable, reasons for the unavailability of data.

(B) Obtain the following information for each program identified in subparagraph (A) to the extent that data is available in local Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS), the Homeless Data Integration System (HDIS) or other readily available data sources:

(i) The number of permanent housing units that the program made available.

(ii) The amount of rental subsides, vouchers, or other forms of financial support intended to prevent homelessness or to rehouse individuals that the program made available.

(iii) The number of emergency shelter beds, vouchers, or units that the program made available.

(iv) The wrap around services that the program offered.

(C) Collect data, to the extent data it is available, on the numbers and demographics of persons served through the identified services, including, but not limited to, a quantification of the disparities across age, race, ethnicity, and other demographics based on the following subpopulation categories to describe the homelessness population relative to the general population:

(i) Young adults.

(ii) Unaccompanied minors.

(iii) Single adults experiencing either chronic or nonchronic patterns of homelessness, of first-time homelessness.

(iv) Adults over 50 years of age.

(v) Veterans.

(vi) Families experiencing either chronic or nonchronic patterns of homelessness, or first-time homelessness.

(D) For each program identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) that provides housing or homelessness-related services, collect and analyze the following data:

(i) The number of persons served annually by service or intervention type by age, gender, and racial subgroupings.

(ii) Typical service mix use to develop portrait of the “types” of system clients to better understand the holistic needs of people experiencing homelessness and to forecast future uses and policies of resources intended to address homelessness.

(iii) The service, services, or service mixes that are associated with individuals exiting homelessness.

(iv) The duration and frequency individuals accessed services, on average, and the length of time from program intake to the date the individual moves into permanent housing or resolves homelessness.

(v) Each type of housing and each type of intervention provided disaggregated by age, racial, and gender characteristics of recipients.

(vi) The number of individuals whose homelessness was prevented after accessing homelessness prevention services

(vii) Information about the people who accessed the resources identified in subparagraph (B) and disaggregated by demographic characteristics described in subparagraph (C).

(viii) Analyze the results of current permanent and interim housing programs by program type.

(ix) Additional data necessary to provide a comprehensive view of the homelessness response system.

(E) Provide the reasons for lack of data availability, if applicable.

(2) (A) For purposes of collecting data to conduct the assessment pursuant to paragraph (1), evaluate available data, including, but not limited to, HDIS, data from state agencies administering homelessness funds, statewide and local homeless point-in-time counts and housing inventory counts, and available statewide information on the number or rate of persons exiting state-funded institutional settings, including, but not limited to, state prisons and, to the extent possible, local jails, into homelessness.

(B) The council staff may work with a technical assistance provider from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to complete the assessment.

(C) For purposes of collecting data pursuant to paragraph (1), a local government may collaborate with the council staff or the entity conducting the statewide assessment to, if available, share existing data from existing local analyses of system needs or gaps to complement other data requested.

(D) The council staff shall submit an interim report by July 1, 2022, to the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee, the Assembly Committee on Budget, Senate Committee on Housing, and Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. The report submitted pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(E) The council shall report on the final assessment by December 31, 2022, to the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee, the Assembly Committee on Budget, Senate Committee on Housing, and Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. The report submitted pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(b) For purposes of this section, all of the following definitions apply:

(1) “Chronic homelessness” has the same definition as that in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as that section read on January 1, 2020.

(2) “State-funded institutional settings” include, but are not limited to, justice, juvenile justice, child welfare, and health care settings.

(3) “Young adult” means a person 18 to 24 years of age, inclusive.

(4) “Persons at risk of homelessness” means a person or family in the circumstances described in Section 11302(a)(5) of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(5) “Homeless” has the same meaning as defined in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as that section read on January 10, 2019.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 28, Sec. 114. (SB 170) Effective June 29, 2026.)


kind: section

code: WIC

text:
(a) The California Interagency Council on Homelessness shall be administered by an executive officer of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness.

(b) The executive council may delegate authority to the executive officer to act in the name of the executive council between meetings of the executive council.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2026, Ch. 28, Sec. 110. (SB 170) Effective June 29, 2026.)

division: 8. MISCELLANEOUS

path: 8. MISCELLANEOUS > 6.5. California Interagency Council on Homelessness


text:
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, for purposes of designing, collecting data for, and approving the assessment described in Section 8257.1, a state agency that has a member on the executive council shall, within 60 days of a request for data pertaining to that state agency, provide to the council staff, or the entity conducting the assessment, the requested data, including, but not limited to, the number or rate of persons exiting state-funded institutional settings into homelessness. State agencies shall be granted reasonable extensions beyond 60 days as necessary to produce high quality data. The state department or agency shall remove any personally identifying data provided pursuant to this subdivision, if any.

(b) The council staff shall provide the local data collected pursuant to Section 8257.1 to the respective administering state agencies overseeing those programs within 45 days of receipt.

(1) The council staff and the state agency receiving data pursuant to this subdivision shall work in collaboration to determine the format and timing of delivery of local data collected to comply with data security and privacy practices and availability of staff to execute requests.

(2) When feasible, the council staff shall notify the state agency receiving data pursuant to this subdivision at least seven days prior to sharing or publicly using or referencing the data, including, but not limited to, using the data for any substantive analysis summary statistics, or other findings.

(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Personally identifying information” has the same meaning as that in Section 1798.79.8 of the Civil Code.

(2) “State-funded institutional settings” include, but are not limited to, justice, juvenile justice, child welfare, and health care settings.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 28, Sec. 115. (SB 170) Effective June 29, 2026.)

chapter: 6.5. California Interagency Council on Homelessness


text: The provisions of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11150) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code apply to the council, and the executive officer is the head of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness within the meaning of those provisions. The executive officer shall perform all duties, exercise all powers, discharge all responsibility, and administer and enforce all laws, rules, and regulations under the jurisdiction of the council. The executive officer shall keep all books and records necessary for proper and efficient administration of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2026, Ch. 28, Sec. 111. (SB 170) Effective June 29, 2026.)


text:
(a) The council shall coordinate with representatives from LGBTQ+ communities, including, but not limited to, housing providers, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and researchers, to do all of the following:

(1) Identify recommended policies and best practices for providing inclusive and culturally competent services to LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness.

(2) Develop recommendations to do all of the following:

(A) Provide education, training, and resources to improve culturally competent services for LGBTQ+ people in state homelessness programs.

(B) Expand data collection to understand the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ people in state homelessness programs.

(C) Prevent discrimination, harassment, and violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community in state homelessness programs.

(b) For purposes of this section, “state homelessness programs” means those programs that are funded, in whole or in part, by the state with the express purpose of addressing or preventing homelessness or providing services to people experiencing homelessness.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 9795 of the Government Code, on or before July 1, 2027, the council shall submit a report on the recommendations required by subdivision (a) to the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development and the Senate Committee on Housing, or their successor committees.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 495, Sec. 1. (AB 678) Effective January 1, 2026.)


text: The executive officer may employ employees that the executive officer may need to discharge, in a proper manner, the duties imposed upon them by law. The executive officer shall prescribe their duties and fix their compensation in accordance with classifications made by the State Personnel Board.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2026, Ch. 28, Sec. 112. (SB 170) Effective June 29, 2026.)


text:
For the purposes of this chapter, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness has all of the following powers:

(a) To sue and be sued in its own name.

(b) To have an official seal and to alter it at its pleasure.

(c) To make and execute contracts and all other instruments necessary or convenient for the exercise of its powers and functions.

(d) To provide advice, technical information, and consultative and technical services as provided in this chapter.

(e) To enter into agreements or other transactions with any governmental agency.

(f) To appear on its own behalf before boards, commissions, departments, or other agencies of local, state, or federal government.

(g) To establish any regional offices necessary to effectuate the council’s purposes and functions.

(h) To provide bilingual staff in connection with services of the council and make available council publications in a language other than English when necessary to effectively serve groups for which the services or publications are made available.

(i) To do any and all things necessary to carry out its purposes and exercise the powers expressly granted by this chapter.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2026, Ch. 28, Sec. 113. (SB 170) Effective June 29, 2026.)


citation: WIC § 8259

text:
The Legislature finds and declares as follows:

(a) Runaway and homeless youth are young people 12 to 24 years of age, inclusive, who have the least access to essential opportunities and supports.

(b) The prevalence of runaways and homelessness among youth is staggering. Studies suggest that between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth up to 24 years of age in the United States experience homelessness every year. A disproportionate number of young people experiencing homelessness are youth of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

(c) California has the second highest rate of unsheltered young people experiencing homelessness in the nation, and the number is growing.

(d) Thirty-one percent of all young people experiencing homelessness in the United States live in California, yet two-thirds of the state’s counties lack basic services for young people experiencing homelessness, including shelter, mental and behavioral services, family maintenance and strengthening, and substance abuse treatment programs.

(e) Research indicates that young people experiencing homelessness are more likely to have used or to begin using drugs and alcohol due to their experiences of trauma and abuse prior to becoming homeless or as a result of homelessness, including commercial sexual exploitation.

(f) With the adoption by the voters of Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, there is an opportunity for new funding to support various programs and services for young people experiencing homelessness, including those with substance use disorders.

(g) In furthering the goal to prevent youth homelessness, the Legislature has created the Homeless Youth Act of 2018 to improve prevention and early intervention support services, low barrier and diverse housing opportunities, and posthousing and followup services for young people experiencing homelessness, including those with substance use disorders.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 841, Sec. 3. (SB 918) Effective January 1, 2019.)

chapter: 7. Homeless Youth Act of 2018

path: 8. MISCELLANEOUS > 7. Homeless Youth Act of 2018


citation: WIC § 8260

text:
The following definitions apply for purposes of this chapter:

(a) “Act” means the Homeless Youth Act of 2018 enacted by this chapter.

(b) “Continuum of care” has the same meaning as defined in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(c) “Council” means the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, formerly known as the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council as described in Section 8257.

(d) “Homeless youth” means an unaccompanied youth between 12 and 24 years of age, inclusive, who is experiencing homelessness, as defined in subsection (2) of Section 725 of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a(2)). “Homeless youth” includes unaccompanied youth who are pregnant or parenting.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 398, Sec. 6. (AB 1220) Effective January 1, 2022.)


citation: WIC § 8261

text:
(a) The council shall set and measure progress towards goals to prevent and end homelessness among youth in California by doing both of the following:

(1) Setting specific, measurable goals aimed at preventing and ending homelessness among youth in the state. These goals shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) Measurably decreasing the number of young people experiencing homelessness in the state.

(B) Measurably increasing permanency rates among young people experiencing homelessness by decreasing the length and occurrences of young people experiencing homelessness caused by a youth’s separation from family or a legal guardian.

(C) Decreasing the duration and frequency of experiences of homelessness among California’s youth.

(D) Decreasing barriers to services through promoting cross-systems partnerships to expedite access to services, including social services, child welfare services, regional center services, and mental health services.

(2) Defining outcome measures and gathering data related to the goals.

(A) The council shall develop and collect data on county-level and statewide measures, including, but not limited to, the number of young people experiencing homelessness in California and their dependency status, delinquency status, family reunification status, housing status, program participation, and runaway status.

(B) Data collection and sharing among state and county agencies and service providers shall be a condition upon the receipt of any state funding for programs related to youth homelessness and its prevention. All recipients shall be required to share with the council any relevant data from their Homeless Management Information Systems. Data collection and sharing pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted and maintained in accordance with all applicable state and federal privacy and confidentiality laws and regulations.

(C) The council shall seek data from any and all relevant sources, including the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), if available, in order to meet the requirements of this section.

(D) Providers of data shall do either of the following:

(i) Redact the names, dates of birth, and addresses of victims of domestic violence, as defined in Section 6211 of the Family Code, prior to reporting data to the council.

(ii) Obtain informed consent from a victim of domestic violence, as defined in Section 6211 of the Family Code and in accordance with all applicable state and federal confidentiality laws, before disclosing confidential information about that individual pursuant to this section.

(b) In order to coordinate a spectrum of funding, policy, and practice efforts related to young people experiencing homelessness, the council shall do both of the following:

(1) Coordinate with young people experiencing homelessness, the State Department of Social Services, other appropriate state and county agencies and departments, and other stakeholders to inform policy, practices, and programs.

(2) To the extent that funding is made available, provide technical assistance and program development support to increase capacity among new and existing service providers to best meet statewide needs, particularly in areas where services for young people experiencing homelessness have not been established, and provide support to service providers in making evidence-informed and data-driven decisions.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 50, Sec. 18. (AB 169) Effective July 2, 2024.)


citation: WIC § 8262

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Research has found that women and men who experienced food and housing insecurity in the past 12 months reported a significantly higher 12-month prevalence of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner compared to women and men who did not experience food and housing insecurity.

(b) In a California study, women who experienced interpersonal violence in the last year had almost four times the odds of reporting housing instability than women who did not experience interpersonal violence.

(c) Research indicates that upward of 57 percent of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness. Additionally, 38 percent of all survivors of domestic violence become homeless at some point in their lives.

(d) A survivor of domestic violence will often leave the person causing harm multiple times before finally escaping the violence, therefore experiencing multiple periods of homelessness.

(e) The violence and experience of homelessness not only impacts the adult survivors of domestic violence, but also their children. Among mothers with children experiencing homelessness, more than 80 percent had previously experienced domestic violence.

(f) The state’s Homeless Data Integration System (HDIS) shows that in 2020, 33,686 Californians experiencing homelessness were victims of domestic violence, and that women, transgender, and gender nonconforming people were 43 percent of those experiencing homelessness.

(g) Unaccompanied women are individuals who identify as women, 18 years of age and older, who are experiencing homelessness while not in the company of children or other dependents.

(h) Unaccompanied women constitute 29 percent, or nearly one in three of all adult individuals experiencing homelessness in the United States, for a total of 120,015 women, constituting over one-half of all unhoused women nationally, according to Point-in-Time data summarized in the 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR).

(i) California has the single largest population of women experiencing homelessness in the nation. According to HDIS, 102,112 women experienced homelessness in California in 2020. According to the 2020 AHAR, 53,505 women were experiencing homelessness as individuals in California. Unaccompanied women constitute one in three of all unhoused Californians, and 40 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness.

(j) Unaccompanied women endure high rates of first-time homelessness, longer spells of homelessness, and higher barriers in accessing stable housing. Unaccompanied women are disproportionately women of color, particularly Black women, and they report extremely high incidence of trauma, whether physical, sexual, or psychological in nature, that is compounded by their ongoing homelessness.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 665, Sec. 2. (SB 914) Effective January 1, 2023.)

path: 8. MISCELLANEOUS > 8. Homeless Domestic Violence Survivors and Homelessness Data Systems


citation: WIC § 8263

text:
The following definitions apply for purposes of this chapter:

(a) “Continuum of care” has the same meaning as defined in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) “Victim service provider” has the same meaning as defined in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(c) “Unaccompanied woman” means an individual who identifies as a woman who is 18 years of age or older, who is experiencing homelessness, as defined in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11302), and who is not accompanied by children or other dependents.

chapter: 8. Homeless Domestic Violence Survivors and Homelessness Data Systems


citation: WIC § 8264

text:
(a) Cities, counties, and continuums of care receiving state funding to address homelessness on or after January 1, 2024, shall include families, including women with children; people fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence; and unaccompanied women within the vulnerable populations for whom specific system supports are developed to maintain homeless services and housing delivery.

(b) Cities, counties, and continuums of care receiving state funding to address homelessness on or after January 1, 2024, shall develop analyses and goals with victim service providers to address the specific needs of the population described in subdivision (a) with data measures not included within the Homeless Management Information System, in accordance with federal policies and all of the following guidelines:

(1) Any local landscape analysis that assesses the current number of people experiencing homelessness and existing programs that address homelessness within the jurisdiction shall incorporate aggregate data from victim service providers, along with any other data sources.

(2) The analyses and goals shall ensure the responses to family homelessness include victim service providers, as these organizations consistently provide shelter and housing responses to survivors and their children.

(3) The analyses and goals shall address the nexus of homelessness and justice-involvement, particularly for women and survivors of domestic violence.

(4) The analyses and goals shall disaggregate the number of beds provided by victim service providers in the city, county, or region served by a continuum of care.

(c) (1) Cities, counties, and continuums of care that develop analyses and goals pursuant to subdivision (b) shall provide that information to the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

(2) The Interagency Council on Homelessness shall post the information developed by cities, counties, and continuums of care pursuant to subdivision (b) on its internet website.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 499, Sec. 1. (AB 790) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: WIC § 8265

text:
For purposes of improving the quality and accuracy of data about the homeless population, both of the following shall apply:

(a) In accordance with federal policies, victim service providers shall not be expected or required to enter client-level data into the statewide Homeless Data Integration System or the Homeless Management Information System.

(b) Commencing January 1, 2024, funding provided to cities, counties, and continuums of care, consistent with authorized program uses and limitations, may be utilized to support the development and maintenance of comparable databases as described in subdivision (a).


citation: WIC § 8266

text:
(a) The Interagency Council on Homelessness shall set and measure progress toward goals to prevent and end homelessness among women with children, domestic violence survivors and their children, and unaccompanied women in California by doing all of the following:

(1) Setting specific, measurable goals aimed at preventing and ending homelessness among domestic violence survivors and their children and among unaccompanied women in the state. These goals shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(A) Measurably decreasing the number of domestic violence survivors and their children and of unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness in the state.

(B) Decreasing the duration and frequency of experiences of homelessness among domestic violence survivors and their children and among unaccompanied women.

(C) Decreasing barriers to services through promoting cross-systems partnerships to expedite access to services, including social services, domestic violence services, regional center services, housing services, and mental health services.

(2) Defining outcome measures and gathering data related to the goals.

(3) (A) When funding is available, providing technical assistance to cities, counties, and continuums of care to support the development of local programs and plans that address the needs of domestic violence survivors and their children and of unaccompanied women.

(B) In addition to subparagraph (A), working with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide technical assistance to cities, counties, and continuums of care in furtherance of this section.

(b) The Interagency Council on Homelessness shall establish initial goals, as described in subdivision (a), by January 1, 2025, and evaluate these goals at least every two years to determine whether updated goals are needed.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 499, Sec. 2. (AB 790) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: WIC § 9000

text: This division shall be known, and may be cited, as the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, that reflects the policy mandates and directives of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, and sets forth the state’s commitment to older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers served by the programs administered by the California Department of Aging.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 1. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

chapter: 1. General Provisions

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9001

text:
The Legislature hereby finds and recognizes all of the following:

(a) Older adults constitute a fundamental resource of the state that previously has been undervalued and poorly utilized, and ways must be found to enable older adults to apply their competence, wisdom, and experience for the benefit of all Californians.

(b) There is a continuing increase in the number of older adults in proportion to the total population.

(c) Services to older adults are administered by many different agencies and departments at both the state and local level.

(d) Enhanced coordination reduces duplication, eliminates inefficiencies, and enhances service delivery for the consumer.

(e) The ability of the constantly increasing number of older adults in the state to maintain self-sufficiency and personal well-being with the dignity to which their years of labor entitle them and to realize their maximum potential as creative and productive individuals are matters of profound importance and concern for all of the people of this state.

(f) In June 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order No. N-14-19, calling for the creation of a Master Plan for Aging (MPA), which seeks to prepare local communities for the year 2030 when 10.8 million Californians—one in four residents—will be 60 years of age or older. The executive order affirms the priority of the health and well-being of older Californians and the need for policies that promote aging with dignity and independence.

(g) The state’s major demographic shift towards an older, more diverse population requires statewide systems and local structures that do all of the following:

(1) Offer, coordinate, and integrate increasingly complex social, medical, cognitive, and behavioral health supports.

(2) Respond to the needs of a growing number of older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.

(3) Affirm the important values of race, ethnicity, language, culture, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

(h) In preparing for the aging of California’s population, the state seeks to eliminate disparities and improve access to services and supports to meet the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers.

(i) It is the intent of the Legislature to reform provisions of the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act related to area agencies on aging with respect to all of the following:

(1) Geography and demographics.

(2) Governance, including area agency on aging designations and planning service area boundaries.

(3) Programs and services.

(4) Performance measures.

(5) Funding sources and capacities.

(6) Public awareness.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 2. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

division: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT


citation: WIC § 9002

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Programs shall be initiated, promoted, and developed through all of the following:

(1) Volunteers and volunteer groups.

(2) Partnership with local governmental agencies.

(3) Coordinated efforts of state agencies.

(4) Coordination and cooperation with federal programs.

(5) Partnership with private health and social service agencies, community benefit organizations, and health plans.

(6) Participation by older adults in the planning and operation of all programs and services that may affect them.

(b) It shall be the policy of this state to give attention to the unique concerns of older adults with the greatest social and economic needs.

(c) In recognition of the many governmental programs serving older adults, and as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 9102, the California Department of Aging should coordinate, as existing resources permit, with other state departments in doing all of the following:

(1) Promote clear and simplified access to information assistance and services arrangements.

(2) Ensure that older adults retain the right of free choice in planning and managing their lives.

(3) Ensure that health and social services are available to do all of the following:

(A) Allow older adults to live independently at home or with others.

(B) Provide for advocacy for expansion of existing programs that prevent or minimize illness or social isolation, and allow individuals to maximize their dignity and choice of living.

(C) Provide for protection of older adults from physical and mental abuse, neglect, and fraudulent practices.

(4) Foster both preventive and primary health care, including mental and physical health care, to keep older adults active and contributing members of society.

(5) Encourage public and private development of suitable housing.

(6) Develop and seek support for plans to ensure access to information, counseling, and screening.

(7) Encourage public and private development of suitable housing and recreational opportunities to meet the needs of older adults.

(8) Encourage development of efficient community services including access to low-cost transportation services, that provide a choice in supported living arrangements and social assistance in a coordinated manner and that are readily available when needed.

(9) Encourage and develop meaningful employment opportunities for older adults.

(10) Encourage the development of barrier-free construction and the removal of architectural barriers, so that more facilities are accessible to older adults.

(11) Promote development of programs to educate persons who work with older adults.

(12) Encourage and support intergenerational programming and participation by community organizations and institutions to promote better understanding among the generations.

(d) The California Department of Aging shall ensure that, to the extent possible, the services provided for in accordance with this division shall be coordinated and integrated with services provided to older adults by other entities of the state. That integration may include, but not be limited to, the reconfiguration of state departments into a coordinated unit that can provide for multiple services to the same consumers. Services provided under this division shall be managed, directly or through contract, by local area agencies on aging or other local systems.

(e) On or before September 30, 2027, and in consultation with area agencies on aging and stakeholders, the department shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify the core programs and services to be provided to older adults and family caregivers, as directed by the Older Americans Act by all area agencies on aging or their contracted service providers.

(2) Submit to the Legislature and the federal Administration for Community Living an update to the intrastate funding formula, based on any revised area agency on aging designations and any modifications to planning service area map boundaries, and other factors and weights that may be adopted or required under state and federal statute and regulations.

(3) Develop objectives, key results, and a performance measurement methodology for core programs and services identified in paragraph (1) for adoption by the area agencies on aging.

(4) Develop a statewide consumer engagement plan. The statewide consumer engagement plan shall seek to raise public awareness of older adult and family caregiver programs and services, identify access points for information and assistance, provide consistent messaging to all audiences, and improve outreach to underrepresented communities and underserved populations, including rural Californians, Asian-Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, Native American and LGBTQ+ older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.

(f) (1) In consultation with area agencies on aging and stakeholders, the department shall develop and submit regulations to the Office of Administrative Law that address, at a minimum, all of the following:

(A) The application process to determine an area agency on aging designation.

(B) The criteria used for an area agency on aging designation.

(C) The criteria used to remove an area agency on aging designation.

(D) Substantive updates to the intrastate funding formula.

(2) At the conclusion of the rulemaking process identified in paragraph (1), the department may consider letters of intent from counties interested in being considered for designation as the area agency on aging that serves its local jurisdiction.

(3) The department shall submit a plan including the updated area agency on aging designations and any corresponding changes to the statewide planning and service area map to the Legislature at least 90 days before final adoption.

(g) (1) A change made pursuant to this section shall be made in accordance with applicable federal statutes and regulations.

(2) The department shall take reasonable steps to ensure minimal disruption in the provision of older adult and family caregiver services in affected counties.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 26, Sec. 14. (AB 152) Effective June 29, 2026.)


text:
The deliverables identified in Section 9002 shall be informed by data from validated sources, which may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(a) The United States Census.

(b) The Department of Finance.

(c) The Master Plan for Aging Data Dashboard.

(d) The Elder Index.

(e) The Healthy Places Index.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 4. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)


citation: WIC § 9003

text:
(a) If any section of this code relating to aging cannot be given effect without causing this state’s plan to be out of conformity with federal requirements, the section shall become inoperative to the extent that it is not in conformity with federal requirements.

(b) The planning, development, and implementation of changes in this division shall encourage and allow concurrent implementation and operation of a long-term care integration pilot project consistent with the intent of Article 4.05 (commencing with Section 14139.05) of Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9. In implementing changes to this division, the department shall work with the State Department of Health Services to ensure local determination and local designation of the most appropriate long-term care services agency for each Long-Term Care Integration Pilot Project site.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1097, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 1997.)


citation: WIC § 9004

text: Unless the context otherwise indicates, the definitions of the terms set forth in this chapter apply for purposes of this division.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1097, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 1997.)


text: “Adult day health care” means an organized day program of therapeutic, social, and health activities and services provided pursuant to this division to elderly persons with functional impairments, either physical or mental, for the purpose of restoring or maintaining optimum capacity for self-care. When provided on a short-term basis, adult day health care serves as a transition from a health facility or home health program to personal independence. When provided on a long-term basis, adult day health care services as an option to institutionalization in long-term care facilities, when 24-hour skilled nursing care is not medically necessary or viewed as desirable by the recipient or his or her family.


citation: WIC § 9005

text: “Advisory council” means a specific representative body of laypersons and service providers that represent the interests of older individuals within the boundaries of a planning and service area and that is officially recognized by the area agency on aging, the commission, and the department.


citation: WIC § 9006

text: “Area agency on aging” means a private nonprofit or public agency designated by the department that works for the interests of older Californians within a planning and service area, and engages in community planning, coordination, and program development and, through contractual arrangements, provides a broad array of social and nutritional services.


citation: WIC § 9007

text:
“Care or case management services” means:

(a) Client assessment, in conjunction with the development of a service plan with the participant and appropriate others, to provide for needs identified by the assessment.

(b) Authorization and arrangement for the purchase of services, or referral, with follow-up, to volunteer, informal, or third-party payer services.

(c) Service and participant monitoring to determine that services obtained were appropriate to need, adequate to meet the need, of acceptable quality, and provided in a timely manner.

(d) Followup with clients, including periodic contact and initiation of an interim assessment, if deemed necessary prior to scheduled reassessment.


citation: WIC § 9008

text: “Commission” means the California Commission on Aging.


citation: WIC § 9009

text:
(a) “Elder Economic Security Standard Index” means an index, available on the Internet, that quantifies the costs in the private market for meeting the basic needs of elders, including, but not limited to, the costs of essential household items, food, health care, shelter, transportation, and utilities.

(b) The Elder Economic Security Standard Index is updated biennially by the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Health Policy Research, using publicly available data sources on the costs to live in each county of the state.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 668, Sec. 3. (AB 138) Effective January 1, 2012.)


citation: WIC § 9010

text: “Comprehensive and coordinated system” means a program of interrelated social and nutrition services designed to meet the needs of older individuals in a planning and service area.


citation: WIC § 9011

text: “Department” means the California Department of Aging.


citation: WIC § 9012

text: “Director” means the Director of the California Department of Aging.


citation: WIC § 9013

text: “Frail elderly” means a person having those chronic physical or mental limitations that restrict individual ability to carry out normal activities of daily living and that threaten an individual’s capacity to live an independent life.


citation: WIC § 9014

text: “Greatest economic need” means the need resulting from an income level at or below the poverty threshold established by the Bureau of the Census.


citation: WIC § 9015

text: “Greatest social need” means the need caused by noneconomic factors that restrict an individual’s ability to perform normal daily tasks or that threaten an individual’s capacity to live independently. These factors include physical or mental disability, language barriers, and cultural or social isolation caused by, among other things, racial and ethnic status, sexual orientation, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, gender identity, or gender expression.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 132, Sec. 1. (SB 258) Effective January 1, 2022.)


citation: WIC § 9016

text: “Long-term care” means a coordinated continuum of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, supportive, and maintenance services that address the health, social, and personal needs of individuals who have restricted self-care capabilities. Services shall be designed to recognize the positive capabilities of the individual and maximize the potential for the optimum level of physical, social, and mental well-being in the least restrictive environment. Emphasis shall be placed on seeking services alternatives to institutionalization. Services may be provided by formal or informal support systems, and may be continuous or intermittent. “Long-term care” may include licensed nursing facility, adult residential care, residential facility for the elderly, private duty nursing, or home- and community-based services.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 242, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2002.)


citation: WIC § 9017

text: “Older Americans Act” means Chapter 35 (commencing with Section 3001) of Title 42 of the United States Code.


citation: WIC § 9018

text: “Older individual” or “elderly” means a person 60 years of age or older, except where this provision is inconsistent with federal requirements.


citation: WIC § 9019

text: “Personal and community support networks” means families, friends, neighbors, church groups and community organizations to which the elderly turn naturally to for assistance.


citation: WIC § 9020

text: “Planning and service area” means an area specified by the department as directed by the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended.


citation: WIC § 9021

text: “Preventive services” means services that avoid dependency and assist older persons in maintaining their good health, well-being, and growth.


citation: WIC § 9022

text: “Supportive services” means services that maintain individuals in home environments and avoid institutional care.


citation: WIC § 9023

text: “Systems of home and community based services” means an integrated continuum of service options available locally to older individuals and functionally impaired adults, through programs administered by the department who seek to maximize self-care and independent living in the home or homelike environment.


citation: WIC § 9100

text:
(a) There is in the California Health and Human Services Agency, the California Department of Aging.

(b) The department’s mission is to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments.

(c) (1) In fulfilling its mission, the department shall develop minimum standards for service delivery to ensure that its programs meet consumer needs, operate in a cost-effective manner, and preserve the independence and dignity of aging Californians. In accomplishing its mission, the department shall consider available data and population trends in developing programs and policies, collaborate with area agencies on aging, the commission, and other state and local agencies, and consider the views of advocates, consumers and their families, and service providers.

(2) The department shall report the California Elder Economic Security Standard Index data for each service area in its state plan and use it as a reference when making decisions about allocating its existing resources, but only if the California Elder Economic Security Standard Index is updated and made available to the department, and if the available public data used to calculate each California Elder Economic Security Standard Index data element is calculated and updated for each California county and made available to the department in a format that displays each county’s specific data.

(d) The minimum standards for the department programs shall ensure that the system meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Have the flexibility to respond to the needs of individuals and their families and caregivers.

(2) Provide for consumer choice and self-determination.

(3) Enable consumers to be involved in designing and monitoring the system.

(4) Be equally accessible to diverse populations regardless of income, consistent with state and federal law.

(5) Have consistent statewide policy, with local choice, control, and implementation.

(6) Include preventive services and home- and community-based support.

(7) Have cost containment and fiscal incentives consistent with the delivery of appropriate services at the appropriate level.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 5. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

chapter: 2. California Department of Aging

article: 1. General Provisions

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 2. California Department of Aging > 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9101

text:
(a) The department shall consist of a director, and any staff as may be necessary for proper administration.

(b) The department shall maintain its main office in Sacramento.

(c) The Governor, with the consent of the Senate, shall appoint the director. The Governor shall consider, but not be limited to, recommendations from the commission.

(d) The director shall have the powers of a head of a department pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11150) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall receive the salary provided for by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 11550) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(e) The director shall do all of the following:

(1) Be responsible for the management of the department and achievement of its statewide goals.

(2) Assist the commission in carrying out its mandated duties and responsibilities in accordance with Section 9202.

(3) Coordinate with other state agencies that provide services to older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers, including, but not limited to, the entities listed in subdivision (f).

(f) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services shall ensure effective coordination among departments of the agency in carrying out the mandates of this division. For this purpose, the secretary shall regularly convene meetings concerning services to older adults that shall include, but not be limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Social Services, the Department of Rehabilitation, the State Department of Public Health, and the department.

(g) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services shall also encourage other state entities that have other programs for older adults to actively participate in periodic joint meetings for the joint purpose of coordinating service activities. These entities shall include, but not be limited to, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Parks and Recreation in the Natural Resources Agency, the Transportation Agency, the California Arts Council, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 6. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text: In developing the Master Plan for Aging pursuant to Executive Order N-14-19, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services shall consider applying, on behalf of the State of California, to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 820, Sec. 3. (AB 1118) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9102

text:
The duties and powers of the department shall be as follows:

(a) To administer all programs under the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, and this division, including providing leadership and technical assistance to the local area agencies on aging, including ongoing oversight, monitoring, and service quality evaluation of those agencies to ensure that service providers are meeting standards of service performance established by the department. This shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Setting program standards and providing standard materials for training.

(2) Providing technical assistance to area agencies on aging, program managers, staff, and volunteers providing services.

(3) Development of the state plan on aging according to federal law.

(4) Maintain a clearinghouse of information related to the interests and needs of older individuals and provide referral services, if appropriate.

(5) Maintain a management information and reporting system; including a database on service utilization patterns and demographic characteristics of the older population to be cross-classified by age, sex, race, and other information required for the planning process, and eliminate redundant and unnecessary reporting requirements.

(6) Encourage and support the involvement of volunteers in services to older individuals.

(7) Seek ways to utilize the private sector to assume greater responsibility in meeting the needs of older individuals.

(8) Encourage internships to be coordinated with schools of gerontology or related disciplines, including internships for older individuals.

(b) The department shall have primary responsibility for dispersing information and providing technical assistance to the area agencies on aging.

(c) The department shall be responsible for activities that promote the development, coordination, and utilization of resources to meet the long-term services and supports needs of older adults and persons with disabilities, consistent with its mission. The responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) Conduct research in the areas of alternative social and health care systems for older individuals.

(2) As specified in Section 9002, coordinate with agencies and departments that administer health, social, and related services to older adults and people with disabilities for the purposes of policy development, development of care standards, consistency in application of policy, and evaluation of alternative uses of available resources toward greater effectiveness in service delivery, including seeking additional federal and private dollars to support achievement of program system goals in developing integrated, coordinated systems of care.

(3) Monitor and evaluate programs and services administered by the department, utilizing standardized methodology.

(4) Develop and implement training and technical assistance programs designed to achieve program goals.

(5) Establish criteria for the designation, sanctioning, and defunding of area agencies on aging.

(d) In conjunction with the management information and reporting system required under paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), beginning in the 2006 calendar year, the department shall annually submit by January 10 of each year, to the budget, fiscal, and policy committees of the Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst, all of the following information:

(1) The number of persons served statewide in each of the prior and current fiscal years for each state or federally funded program or service administered by the department. This information shall also be provided for each Area Agency on Aging service area.

(2) To the extent feasible, the number of unduplicated persons served statewide in the prior and current fiscal years for all state or federally funded programs and services administered by the department. To the extent feasible, this information shall also be provided for each Area Agency on Aging service area.

(3) Total estimated statewide expenditures in the prior, current, and budget fiscal years for each state or federally funded program or service administered by the department. This information shall also be provided for each Area Agency on Aging service area.

(e) The report required by subdivision (d) shall be suspended until the 2010–11 fiscal year. In lieu of that information, the department shall submit to the budget, fiscal, and policy committees of the Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst, by March 1 of each year, copies of the program factsheets for each state and federal program administered by the department. The department shall update the information included in the program factsheets annually, before submitting them as required by this subdivision.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 8. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9103

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Recent studies have shown that lifelong experiences of marginalization place lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults at high risk for isolation, poverty, homelessness, and premature institutionalization. Moreover, many LGBT older adults are members of multiple underrepresented groups, and, as a result, are doubly marginalized. Due to these factors, many LGBT older adults avoid accessing elder programs and services, even when their health, safety, and security depend on it.

(b) LGBT older adults often lack social and family support networks available to non-LGBT older adults. They may face particular health risks, as disease prevention strategies often ignore LGBT older adults, and HIV and AIDS drug trials generally do not include older participants.

(c) LGBT older adults are denied many vital financial benefits provided to heterosexual married couples. For example, surviving same-sex partners are denied the social security benefits that married couples are provided, and may face heavy taxes on the transfer of assets upon the death of a partner. Moreover, even under California law, LGBT older adults are denied equal long-term care insurance protections. This costs LGBT older adults hundreds of millions of dollars each year in lost benefits.

(d) The number of people 65 years of age and older in California is estimated to double to 6.5 million by the year 2020, thereby increasing the number of LGBT older adults who are receiving inadequate services.

(e) Ensuring that the needs of LGBT older adults as well as other underrepresented groups are adequately assessed during the planning and development of programs and services will increase access to the programs administered by the California Department of Aging and the area agencies on aging.

(f) California leads the nation in the protections it affords to LGBT persons. As the failure to meet the needs of LGBT older adults is a problem of national scope, including LGBT older adults and other underrepresented groups in need of assessment and area plan process will help the state to be a model for change in other states and at the federal level.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 9. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
(a) The department shall ensure all older adults have equal access to programs and services provided through the Older Americans Act and under this division in each planning and services area, regardless of physical or mental disabilities, language barriers, cultural or social isolation, including that caused by actual or perceived racial and ethnic status, including, but not limited to, African-American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, or any other basis set forth in Section 12921 of the Government Code, or by association with a person or persons with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, that restrict an individual’s ability to perform normal daily tasks or that threaten his or her capacity to live independently.

(b) This section is not intended to increase General Fund obligations for programs administered by area agencies on aging.

(c) The department shall require that each area agency on aging include the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender seniors in their needs assessment and area plans.

(d) The department shall provide technical assistance to the area agencies on aging regarding the unique needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender seniors.

(e) The department may adopt regulations to implement this section. If the department determines that adopting regulations is necessary, it shall do so only after consultation with the area agencies on aging and the California Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 829, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9104

text:
(a) Subject to an appropriation of funds for this purpose in the annual Budget Act, the California Department of Aging shall administer the Access to Technology Program for older adults and adults with disabilities, a pilot program to connect older adults and adults with disabilities to technology to help reduce isolation, increase connections, and enhance self-confidence.

(1) Funds appropriated for this program shall be provided to county human services departments that opt to participate in the pilot program.

(2) Grant amounts to counties shall be provided based on county size and whether the county is rural, urban, or suburban. The grant amounts for each county size and type shall be developed by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association.

(b) Allowable uses of the funds provided to counties that receive grant funding through the program include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Providing technology, which may include, but is not limited to, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, to older adults and adults with disabilities.

(2) Arranging for reliable internet access to older adults and adults with disabilities.

(3) Developing or arranging for education and training for older adults and adults with disabilities on the use of technology.

(4) Conducting outreach about the program.

(5) Administration of the program, including data collection and reporting.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that counties that opt into the pilot program describe how they intend to leverage existing programs, if applicable, that provide one or more of the services listed in subdivision (b) in order to provide maximum benefit to the greatest number of residents.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 19. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9105

text: The department may adopt and promulgate regulations for the purpose of carrying out this division.

article: 1. General Provisions


text: The department, in partnership with the area agencies on aging, the Department of Rehabilitation, any independent living centers, any contractor selected to implement the federal Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-394), and any organization that serves older adults and people with disabilities, may develop and provide consumer advice regarding home modification for older adults and people with disabilities.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 10. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9106

text:
(a) The department shall administer the administrative cost limitation, as defined in applicable federal law or regulation on a statewide basis. This allocation shall be based on notices of grant award. The formula to be used for the allocation of those funds shall be as follows:

(1) Each planning and service area shall receive a base allocation of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(2) The remainder of the funds available up to the statewide limitation shall be distributed to area agencies on aging on the basis of the number of persons over the age of 60 years per planning and service area.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that in the event that an area agency on aging chooses to use other sources of funds for the administration of its area plan, the federal money made available to that area agency on aging for administration shall be used for the provision of direct services within its planning and service area.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9107

text: The department may accept gifts and grants from any source, public or private, to assist it in the performance of its functions, and these gifts and grants shall operate to augment any appropriation made for the support of the department.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9108

text: In addition to any nutrition programs conducted under the McCarthy-Kennick Nutrition Program for the Elderly Act of 1972 (Chapter 5.7 (commencing with Section 18325) of Part 6 of Division 9), the department, with the approval of the Department of Finance, may make funds available from Section 17 of Chapter 157 of the Statutes of 1976 and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 9200) to other nutrition projects serving the needs of individuals aged 60 or over and their spouses provided by public or private nonprofit persons or agencies upon such terms and conditions as the department specifies.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9109

text: The department shall, in consultation with nutrition site directors and area agencies on aging, develop policies and guidelines for senior nutrition sites that ensure food safety and that maximize the use of leftover meals and food products. The guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, senior education programs on good nutrition and handling, storage of leftover foods, and reviewing current nutrition site reservation procedures.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9110

text: (a) The department may make available state funds to fund senior nutrition programs that complement programs implemented pursuant to Title III of the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3021).

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9111

text:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a great disparity in the method by which the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3001, et seq.) and General Fund moneys are distributed to the 33 area agencies on aging in this state.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to correct these inequities in funding for nutrition and social service programs. It is further the intent of the Legislature that correction of these inequities be accomplished with minimal disruption to existing program services.

(c) The department, in consultation with the commission, the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council of California, the California Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and representatives of provider groups, shall review the existing intrastate funding formula, established pursuant to Section 9112, for the allocation of state and federal funds provided for programs under Title III of the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3021 et seq.). The department shall update the formula in accordance with federal regulations and shall submit a report thereon to the chairperson of the fiscal committee of each house of the Legislature and the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, no later than December 1, 1986. Changes to the intrastate funding formula may only be made by the Legislature.

(d) The department and commission shall hold hearings and present alternative criteria for public input relative to the funding formula provided for under subdivision (a).

(e) The department, based upon analysis and testimony provided for pursuant to subdivision (d), and information provided by the public, shall develop an implementation plan with cost factors to achieve parity amongst the area agencies on aging in California.

(f) The department shall ensure that priority consideration shall be given to criteria that reflect the state’s intent to target services to those in greatest economic or social need, including, but not limited to, the low-income, non-English speaking, minority, and frail elderly.

(g) The department shall report to the Legislature on the activities provided for in this section no later than December 1, 1986.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9112

text:
(a) The department shall implement an intrastate funding formula in accordance with all federal regulations. This formula shall apply to all federal and state funds allocated for programs provided for under Title III of the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3021, et seq.).

(b) The intrastate funding formula shall include all of the following:

(1) Assurances that all area agencies on aging shall have a fifty thousand dollar ($50,000) administrative base with the remainder of the allowable administrative dollars allocated to planning and service areas on the basis of number of persons over the age of 60 years.

(2) (A) When data is available, an annual update by the department for changes in population characteristics to include the number of persons per planning and service area over the age of 60 years and persons in greatest economic or social need as measured by all of the following variables which shall also be annually updated by the department:

(i) The number of persons over the age of 65 years receiving aid under the State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled, provided for under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3 of Division 9.

(ii) The number of persons over the age of 75 years.

(iii) The number of minority elderly over the age of 60 years.

(iv) The number of persons over the age of 60 years living alone.

(v) The number of non-English-speaking persons over the age of 60 years.

(B) The weight given to each variable shall simulate the weighting used in the Washington State intrastate funding formula adjusting for the geographic factor.

(3) A rural factor that guarantees a 105 percent allocation to rural planning and service areas.

(4) A hold-harmless factor that guarantees that no planning and service area shall have its federal and state allocation of funds under Title III of the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3021, et seq.), excluding area agency on aging administrative costs and funds carried over from the 1983–84 fiscal year, reduced below the 1984–85 fiscal year funding levels.

(c) In the event that additional federal or state funds, in excess of those appropriated under the 1984–85 Budget Act, or subsequent Budget Acts are made available for services, these funds shall be used to maintain existing service levels, with the remainder to be distributed to those planning and service areas which have been determined by the department to be under equity until parity is achieved.

(d) The department shall develop, in conjunction with the intrastate funding formula, a methodology for assuring compliance with the state targeting strategy on an intraplanning and service area basis. In developing this methodology the department shall provide assurances that as additional federal and state service dollars are allocated to the planning and service areas these dollars will be expended on those elderly individuals identified as in greatest economic or social need.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9114

text: The department may, where necessary to ensure the continued provision of services or program operation, advance available state funds to an area agency on aging in an amount up to one-sixth of the annual state and federal allocation to the area agency on aging.

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: WIC § 9115

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) According to a 2015 analysis of federal and state poverty data under the Supplemental Poverty Measure, 45 percent of adults over 65 years of age have incomes below 200 percent of the 2013 poverty threshold.

(b) Over one-third of households with an older adult face a high housing cost burden.

(c) As of 2016, 50 percent of homeless adults are over 50 years of age.

(d) Forty-four percent of all homeless older adults became homeless after 50 years of age.

(e) Older adults face special challenges when faced with housing insecurity, such as accessibility needs, physical limitations, cognitive limitations, and difficulty accessing benefits.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 13. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 2. California Department of Aging > 2. Senior Housing Information and Support Center


citation: WIC § 9116

text: The Director of the California Department of Aging shall appoint all necessary staff to carry out the provisions of this article.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 797, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2001.)

article: 2. Senior Housing Information and Support Center


citation: WIC § 9117

text: Implementation of this article shall be subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act.


citation: WIC § 9118

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The talents of our older adults will prove to be vital to the prosperity and well-being of California.

(b) California’s older adults possess experience and perspective that can be expanded through strong organizational associations.

(c) California’s older adults represent enormous civic potential, and they are underutilized.

(d) California’s older adults should be provided opportunities for civic involvement.

(e) The AARP reports that two-thirds of its senior corps volunteers reported a decrease in isolation upon volunteering.

(f) Sixty-seven percent of older adults who volunteer report that their social connectedness has increased because of the volunteer work.

(g) Volunteering has been shown to reduce self-reported symptoms of depression in older adults.

(h) Volunteer organizations maintain support for older adults and leverage individual interests and abilities through established community involvement

(i) Volunteering or donating time to nonprofit organizations may be an ideal low-cost strategy to help improve health among older adults.

(j) Volunteer roles that accommodate the variability of individual capabilities are likely to attract older volunteers who commit more and largely benefit from their experience.

(k) California’s older adults should be provided an array of volunteer opportunities to ensure the choice and flexibility of engagement.

(l) Extended periods of productivity in older adults contributes to improved health conditions and emotional well-being.

(m) Volunteer organizations are an investment in human capital and support the advancement of California’s older adults and community at large.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 337, Sec. 15. (SB 1249) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 3. Engaging Elders Through Volunteerism

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 2. California Department of Aging > 3. Engaging Elders Through Volunteerism


citation: WIC § 9120

text:
(a) There is hereby established an Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) program to provide information to consumers and their families on available long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs and to assist older adults, caregivers, and persons with disabilities in accessing LTSS programs at the local level through ADRC programs operated jointly by area agencies on aging and independent living centers.

(b) This article shall be administered and implemented by the California Department of Aging, in collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation and the State Department of Health Care Services.

(c) Area agencies on aging and independent living centers shall be the core local partners in developing ADRC programs. The California Department of Aging shall assist interested and qualified area agencies on aging and independent living centers in completing an application to be designated as an ADRC program.

(d) An ADRC program operated by an area agency on aging and an independent living center shall provide all of the following:

(1) Enhanced information and referral services and other assistance at hours that are convenient for the public.

(2) Options counseling concerning available LTSS programs and public and private benefits programs.

(3) Short-term service coordination.

(4) Transition services from hospitals to home and from skilled nursing facilities to the community.

(e) An ADRC program operated by an area agency on aging and an independent living center shall do both of the following:

(1) Provide services within the geographic area served.

(2) Provide information to the public about the services provided by the program.

(f) (1) The California Department of Aging, in consultation with the Aging and Disability Resource Connection Advisory Committee within the California Department of Aging, shall develop a core model of ADRC best practices. These best practices shall be implemented by July 1, 2022, by all ADRC programs operated by area agencies on aging and independent living centers. To the extent feasible, the best practices shall be considered in the development and continued updating of the master plan on aging. In the development of these best practices, the department and advisory committee shall consider, at a minimum, all of the following practices:

(A) A person-centered counseling process.

(B) Public outreach and coordination with key referral sources, including, but not limited to, caregiver resource centers, the medical centers of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, acute care systems, local 211 programs, local multipurpose senior service programs, Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), adult day care services, and LTSS providers.

(C) A formal followup procedure to ensure that services for which a person received a referral were received and methods for correcting service provision if needed.

(D) A model for the best ways for area agencies on aging and independent living centers to share necessary data and client information.

(E) A model for the collection and reporting of data to the California Department of Aging, which shall include, but not be limited to, the demographic information for each individual counseled, the number of consumers served by category of service, and the number of caregivers served.

(2) The California Department of Aging shall review implementation of the ADRC Infrastructure Grants Program described in Section 9121 for consideration in developing and updating the best practices model.

(g) The implementation of this section is contingent on an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, or another act, for that express purpose.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 850, Sec. 1. (SB 453) Effective January 1, 2020.)

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 2. California Department of Aging > 4. Aging and Disability Resource Connection Program


citation: WIC § 9121

text:
(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, the California Department of Aging shall administer the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) Infrastructure Grants Program for the purpose of implementing a No Wrong Door System. Funds shall be awarded pursuant to the grant program to interested and qualified area agencies on aging and independent living centers, including area agencies on aging and independent living centers in rural areas, to complete the planning and application process for designation and approval to operate as an ADRC program pursuant to Section 9120. Grant funds may also be awarded to aid designated ADRC programs operated by area agencies on aging and independent living centers in expanding or strengthening the services they provide.

(b) For purposes of this article, “No Wrong Door System” means a system that enables consumers to access all long-term services and supports (LTSS) through one agency, organization, coordinated network, or portal, and that provides information regarding the availability of LTSS, how to apply for LTSS, referral services for LTSS otherwise available in the community, and either a determination of financial and functional eligibility for LTSS or assistance with assessment processes for financial and functional eligibility for LTSS.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 20. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021.)

article: 4. Aging and Disability Resource Connection Program


citation: WIC § 9122

text:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the No Wrong Door System described in Section 9121 serve seniors and individuals with disabilities by doing all of the following:

(1) Providing consumers and their caregivers access to information and services, regardless of income or benefit level.

(2) Enabling an Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) program to directly connect a client to appropriate local programs.

(3) Providing each consumer in California with access to individualized support and community resources to meet their needs and to enable them to continue living in their own homes, if desired.

(b) The Aging and Disability Resource Connection Advisory Committee, which has been established within the California Department of Aging, shall serve as the primary adviser to the California Department of Aging, the Department of Rehabilitation, and the State Department of Health Care Services in the ongoing development and implementation of the No Wrong Door System described in Section 9121. The advisory committee may utilize staff of the California Department of Aging, as needed, to accomplish its purposes. The California Department of Aging shall expand the membership of the advisory committee as necessary to include the perspective of all relevant stakeholders.

(c) The Aging and Disability Resource Connection Advisory Committee shall, upon the request of the California Department of Aging, or any task force appointed thereunder for the purpose of developing and updating a master plan on aging, consult with and offer input regarding the development and updating of that master plan.

(d) The California Department of Aging, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall do all of the following:

(1) Develop a plan for, and oversee the phased statewide implementation of, the No Wrong Door System that utilizes the ADRC program to assist older adults and people with disabilities to obtain accurate information and timely referrals to appropriate community services and supports. The plan shall include near- and long-term tactics for statewide implementation.

(2) Serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy development resource on the ADRC program and No Wrong Door System.

(3) Identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed for the No Wrong Door System.

(4) Create partnerships among state agencies and departments, local government agencies, the federal Administration for Community Living, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the federal Veterans Health Administration.

(5) Coordinate existing funding and applications for competitive funding, while also exploring avenues for future funding, including, but not limited to, Medicaid and federal Veterans Health Administration funding.

(6) Make policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature and other governmental entities.

(7) Consider the expansion of the “no wrong door” approach to programs and policies outside of the California Health and Human Services Agency.

(8) (A) Report to the Governor and the Legislature on the No Wrong Door System and the implementation of the system.

(B) Reports to be submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(e) The implementation of this section is contingent on an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, or another act, for that express purpose.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 850, Sec. 3. (SB 453) Effective January 1, 2020.)


citation: WIC § 9123

text:
(a) The State Department of Health Care Services, in consultation with the California Department of Aging, shall determine if the Medicaid administrative claiming process may be used to fund the No Wrong Door System, or activities associated with the No Wrong Door System, including, but not limited to, outreach, person-centered counseling, training, program planning, and quality improvement.

(b) If the State Department of Health Care Services identifies activities for which the Medicaid administrative claiming process is available, the State Department of Health Care Services may take necessary action to receive the funding to the extent possible.

(c) The implementation of this section is contingent on an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, or another act, for that express purpose.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 850, Sec. 4. (SB 453) Effective January 1, 2020.)


citation: WIC § 9156

text:
The Legislature finds all of the following:

(a) Across California, approximately 4,500,000 family caregivers support adult loved ones who seek to remain at home and avoid institutionalization. Of these, more than 1,100,000 family caregivers are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia, usually with little support or training.

(b) Caring for a loved one with a cognitive disorder or another disabling condition can be very challenging, causing financial pressure, health problems, and emotional distress.

(c) The California Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) provide services to family caregivers of adults affected by chronic and debilitating health conditions, including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular diseases, degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and multiple sclerosis, or traumatic brain injury, among others.

(d) California’s CRC system supports caregivers in their critical and increasingly complex roles through assessment, care planning, direct care skills, wellness programs, respite services, and legal or financial consultation. These supports are important in helping caregivers navigate the complex health and social needs of loved ones.

(e) The CRC network is vital to supporting California’s 4,500,000 diverse caregivers, which will only continue to grow as the state’s population ages.

(f) The state shall support family caregivers by funding and implementing the California CRCs.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 50, Sec. 39. (SB 187) Effective June 30, 2022.)

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 2. California Department of Aging > 5. Comprehensive Act for Families and Caregivers of Cognitively Impaired Adults


citation: WIC § 9157

text:
As used in this chapter:

(a) “Caregiver” means any unpaid family member or individual who assumes responsibility for the care of a cognitively impaired adult with chronic and debilitating health conditions, including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke or aneurysm, degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, or traumatic brain injury.

(b) “Cognitive impairment” means significant destruction of brain tissue with resultant loss of brain function. Examples of causes of the impairments include dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke or aneurysm, degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, or traumatic brain injury.

(c) “Cognitively impaired adult” means a person whose cognitive impairment has occurred on or after 18 years of age.

(d) “CRC” means a caregiver resource center.

(e) “Department” means the California Department of Aging.

(f) “Family member” means any relative, partner, or court-appointed guardian or conservator who is responsible for the care of a cognitively impaired adult.

(g) “Respite care” means substitute care or supervision in support of the caregiver for the purposes of providing relief from the stresses of providing constant care and so as to enable the caregiver to pursue a normal routine and responsibilities. Respite care may be provided in the home or in an out-of-home setting, such as adult daycare centers or short-term placements in licensed residential care, skilled nursing, or inpatient facilities.

article: 5. Comprehensive Act for Families and Caregivers of Cognitively Impaired Adults


citation: WIC § 9158

text: The department shall administer this chapter and establish standards and procedures as the director deems necessary in carrying out the provisions of this chapter. The standards and procedures are not required to be adopted as regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).


citation: WIC § 9159

text:
(a) The department shall do all of the following:

(1) Maintain or enter into contracts directly with nonprofit CRCs to provide direct services to caregivers throughout the state in the existing geographic service areas.

(2) Require the CRCs to maintain a CRC Operations Manual that defines CRC services and procedures and identifies CRC duties and responsibilities.

(b) The department may enter into any contracts under this chapter on a bid or noncompetitive bid basis. These contracts shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.


citation: WIC § 9160

text:
(a) Agencies designated as CRCs by the department shall include in their governing or advisory boards, or both, as required by the department, persons who are representative of the ethnic and socioeconomic demographic of the area served and reflective of the client groups served in the geographic area.

(b) Criteria to be used in selecting CRCs shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Fiscal stability and sound financial management, including the capability of successful fundraising.

(2) Ability to obtain community support for designation as a CRC within the existing statewide regions recommended by the department.

(3) Ability to carry out the functions specified in Section 9161, particularly in delivering necessary programs and services to caregivers taking care of cognitively impaired adults, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 9157.


citation: WIC § 9161

text:
(a) The CRCs shall deliver services to and advocate for caregivers of cognitively impaired adults, as established in the CRC Operations Manual.

(b) These services shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) Specialized and accessible information on chronic and disabling conditions and diseases, aging, caregiving issues, and community resources.

(2) Family consultation. Professional staff shall work with families and caregivers to provide support, alleviate stress, examine options, and enable them to make decisions related to the care of cognitively impaired adults. Clinical staff shall provide an assessment of caregiver needs, short- and long-term care planning, and ongoing consultation.

(3) Respite care. The CRCs shall arrange respite services to relieve caregivers of the stress of constant care.

(4) Short-term counseling. The CRCs shall provide short-term individual or group counseling sessions to caregivers seeking emotional support, skill development, and strategies to better cope with their caregiving situation.

(5) Support groups. The CRCs shall offer support groups that enable caregivers to share experiences and ideas to ease the stress of their caregiving role.

(6) Legal and financial consultation, including professional legal assistance or referrals to professional legal assistance, that can help caregivers with a variety of issues, including estate planning, trusts, wills, conservatorships, and durable powers of attorney.

(7) Education and training. The CRCs shall organize and conduct education for groups of caregivers and community professionals on a variety of topics related to caregiving.

(c) The amount of each of the services specified in subdivision (b) that are provided shall be determined by local needs and available resources.

(d) Persons receiving services pursuant to this chapter may be required to contribute to the cost of services depending upon their ability to pay, but not to exceed the actual cost thereof.


citation: WIC § 9162

text: Each CRC shall submit progress reports on its activities as required by the department. These reports shall include, but not be limited to, a summary and evaluation of the activities of the CRC. Client, caregiver, service, and cost data shall be provided for each operating CRC.


citation: WIC § 9163

text: The department shall administer the statewide caregiver resource center program as a distinct state-level program separate from Title III of the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3021 et seq.).


citation: WIC § 9170

text:
(a) The department shall oversee a stakeholder process to support the development of findings and recommendations on how to best support older and aging immigrants in California, regardless of their immigration status. To help inform the stakeholder process, the department shall establish a panel. The director may, if appropriate, modify an existing panel for purposes of this article, subject to the requirements described in Section 9171.

(b) The department may contract with academic research entities to commission expert research and testimony to supplement the stakeholder process and support the development of findings and recommendations required by this article.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 364, Sec. 2. (AB 450) Effective January 1, 2026. Repealed as of January 1, 2029, pursuant to Section 9175.)

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 2. California Department of Aging > 6. Support for Older and Aging Immigrants Regardless of Immigration Status


citation: WIC § 9171

text:
(a) The panel established pursuant to Section 9170 shall invite stakeholders and subject matter experts, including representatives from the State Department of Social Services, clinics, researchers, housing advocates, trusted community partners, and nonprofit organizations to participate in the stakeholder process. As appropriate, the costs of the panel and the stakeholder process may be reduced by in-kind or other contributions from third parties.

(b) During the stakeholder process, the department and members of the panel shall consider issues including, but not limited to, affordability and guaranteed basic income, access to social services and housing, and access to health care services, including specialty care and language access.

(c) The first meeting of the panel shall be held no later than 120 days after funding becomes available for purposes of this section.

article: 6. Support for Older and Aging Immigrants Regardless of Immigration Status


citation: WIC § 9172

text:
(a) Upon completion of the stakeholder process required by this article, but by no later than July 1, 2028, the panel shall issue findings and recommendations to the department and the State Department of Social Services on the most effective ways to implement policies and programs to support older and aging immigrants in California, regardless of their immigration status.

(b) On or before December 31, 2028, the department and the State Department of Social Services shall jointly present a report including the findings and recommendations provided by the panel under subdivision (a) to the Legislature.


citation: WIC § 9173

text: For purposes of this article, “older and aging” means an adult 60 years of age or older.


citation: WIC § 9174

text: This article shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature for purposes of this article.


citation: WIC § 9175

text: This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 364, Sec. 2. (AB 450) Effective January 1, 2026. Repealed as of January 1, 2029, by its own provisions. Note: Repeal affects Article 6, commencing with Section 9170.)


citation: WIC § 9200

text:
(a) (1) There is in the state government the California Commission on Aging.

(2) The commission shall be composed of 18 persons, as follows:

(A) Twelve persons shall be appointed by the Governor. At least 2 of the 12 persons shall be appointed by the Governor from nominees submitted by, among others, area agency on aging directors and the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council of California, also known as the Triple-A Council of California.

(B) Three persons appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

(C) Three persons appointed by the Senate Rules Committee.

(3) The commission shall be comprised of a majority of members 60 years of age or older.

(4) The commission shall be comprised of actual consumers and providers of services under the federal Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 3001, et seq.), as amended, with professional, lived, or academic expertise both within and outside of the field of aging, including, but not limited to, health, behavioral health, Alzheimer’s and related dementias, long-term services and supports, long-term care, housing, transportation, independent living, workforce development, caregiving, elder justice, information technology, and economic security, among others.

(5) The commission shall be composed of representatives of the geographic, cultural, economic, and other social factors in the state.

(b) The commission composition requirements shall be complied with as vacancies occur.

(c) For the purposes of conducting meetings pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the commission is an “advisory commission” within the meaning of subdivision (b) of Section 11123.5 of the Government Code and, therefore, subject to Section 11123.5 of the Government Code.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 334, Sec. 1. (AB 2620) Effective January 1, 2025.)

chapter: 3. California Commission on Aging

path: 8.5. MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT > 3. California Commission on Aging


citation: WIC § 9201

text:
The term of office of members of the commission shall be three years. Members shall not serve more than two full terms and shall be appointed for staggered terms. The members shall select one of their members to serve as chairperson and one of their members to serve as vice chairperson on an annual basis.

A commissioner who fails to attend two consecutive monthly meetings or who fails to attend four meetings per year, without having given written excuse acceptable to the commission, shall cause the commission to notify the appointing authority, and the appointing authority may declare the position vacant.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 334, Sec. 2. (AB 2620) Effective January 1, 2025.)