Mark Leno on Education, Children & Foster Youth

Education, Children & Foster Youth

Here is a sample of some of the education bills I am currently working on in the state Assembly. I’ve also listed past legislation from previous years. For a complete review of my state legislative record, please visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.

2007

AB 1382: Improving Access to Food Stamps

Current law requires all applicants to the Food Stamp program to submit electronic fingerprints and photographs in order to obtain Food Stamps for themselves and their families. AB 1382 seeks to remove the fingerprinting requirement, eliminating what is widely regarded as an expensive, unnecessary barrier to low income families putting healthy food on their tables.

AB 1472: California Healthy Places Act of 2007

This bill would require state agencies to work together to address how urban development impacts the health of our communities, with special focus on children. Attention will be given to new policies that support childhood development, prevent injury, illness and chronic disease, and ensure environmental health as our communities grow.

AB 1482: Supplemental Instruction Funding

This bill would enable public and charter schools to assist at-risk and low-achieving students with the state’s High School Exit Exam and graduation requirements by providing more flexibility in the use supplement instruction (SI) funding. By removing the restriction on the use SI funding to only non-school hours and eliminating other administrative burdens, this bill will help schools deliver more effective instructional services students need to overcome academic hurdles.

AB 1578: Foster Youth Higher Education Preparation and Support Act of 2007

This is a comprehensive bill to ensure that California foster youth receive the academic preparation, financial assistance and the campus-based support services they need to access and succeed in higher education.

2006

AB 2781: Fair Child Support Collection Practices

AB 2781 would prohibit a private child support collector from engaging in any debt collection practices that are prohibited by the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It would also provide consumers with the option to opt out of a contract under specified circumstances.

AB 2488: Re-establishing Foster Youth Sibling Connections

AB 2488 establishes a process for reconnecting siblings that have been separated by adoption. By using a court-appointed confidential intermediary, the bill would eliminate the need for both siblings to independently file confidentiality waivers in order to reconnect with one another, and reduces the age when they may do so from 21 to 18.

AB 2489: Higher Education for Foster Youth

This is a comprehensive bill to ensure that California foster youth receive the academic preparation, financial assistance and the campus-based support services they need to access and succeed in higher education.

2005

AB 519: Reinstating Parental Rights for Legal Orphans

In cases of child abuse or neglect, existing law sets timeframes in which parents must make substantial progress in meeting the requirements of their family reunification plan or face termination of parental rights, thereby freeing the child for adoption. This bill allows the court to reinstate parental rights upon petition by the child or the child’s attorney only if, after three years past the termination of parental rights, the child still has not been adopted, and reinstatement of parental rights is found to be in the best interests of the child.

AB 1261: Improving Foster Youth Educational Outcomes

This bill clarifies legislative intent and makes technical corrections to a landmark 2003 legislation that promotes better educational outcomes for foster youth.

2004

AB 2674: Adoption Relinquishment Time Line

This measure would ensure that the filing of relinquishment papers is binding two business days after certified receipt by the Department of Social Services (DSS). Currently, the process often takes more than 30 days, forcing parents and their prospective adoptive children to wait unnecessarily.

2003

AB 942: Emergency Services for Children’s Diabetes

This bill would require that if a school nurse is not present, designated school personnel may help administer emergency assistance to a diabetic student. The bill would also allow students to monitor their blood glucose level or self-administer insulin in the school or any area of the school grounds.

-Mark

Mark Leno on Education, Children & Foster Youth

Education, Children & Foster Youth

Here is a sample of some of the education bills I am currently working on in the state Assembly. I’ve also listed past legislation from previous years. For a complete review of my state legislative record, please visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.

2007

AB 1382: Improving Access to Food Stamps

Current law requires all applicants to the Food Stamp program to submit electronic fingerprints and photographs in order to obtain Food Stamps for themselves and their families. AB 1382 seeks to remove the fingerprinting requirement, eliminating what is widely regarded as an expensive, unnecessary barrier to low income families putting healthy food on their tables.

AB 1472: California Healthy Places Act of 2007

This bill would require state agencies to work together to address how urban development impacts the health of our communities, with special focus on children. Attention will be given to new policies that support childhood development, prevent injury, illness and chronic disease, and ensure environmental health as our communities grow.

AB 1482: Supplemental Instruction Funding

This bill would enable public and charter schools to assist at-risk and low-achieving students with the state’s High School Exit Exam and graduation requirements by providing more flexibility in the use supplement instruction (SI) funding. By removing the restriction on the use SI funding to only non-school hours and eliminating other administrative burdens, this bill will help schools deliver more effective instructional services students need to overcome academic hurdles.

AB 1578: Foster Youth Higher Education Preparation and Support Act of 2007

This is a comprehensive bill to ensure that California foster youth receive the academic preparation, financial assistance and the campus-based support services they need to access and succeed in higher education.

2006

AB 2781: Fair Child Support Collection Practices

AB 2781 would prohibit a private child support collector from engaging in any debt collection practices that are prohibited by the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It would also provide consumers with the option to opt out of a contract under specified circumstances.

AB 2488: Re-establishing Foster Youth Sibling Connections

AB 2488 establishes a process for reconnecting siblings that have been separated by adoption. By using a court-appointed confidential intermediary, the bill would eliminate the need for both siblings to independently file confidentiality waivers in order to reconnect with one another, and reduces the age when they may do so from 21 to 18.

AB 2489: Higher Education for Foster Youth

This is a comprehensive bill to ensure that California foster youth receive the academic preparation, financial assistance and the campus-based support services they need to access and succeed in higher education.

2005

AB 519: Reinstating Parental Rights for Legal Orphans

In cases of child abuse or neglect, existing law sets timeframes in which parents must make substantial progress in meeting the requirements of their family reunification plan or face termination of parental rights, thereby freeing the child for adoption. This bill allows the court to reinstate parental rights upon petition by the child or the child’s attorney only if, after three years past the termination of parental rights, the child still has not been adopted, and reinstatement of parental rights is found to be in the best interests of the child.

AB 1261: Improving Foster Youth Educational Outcomes

This bill clarifies legislative intent and makes technical corrections to a landmark 2003 legislation that promotes better educational outcomes for foster youth.

2004

AB 2674: Adoption Relinquishment Time Line

This measure would ensure that the filing of relinquishment papers is binding two business days after certified receipt by the Department of Social Services (DSS). Currently, the process often takes more than 30 days, forcing parents and their prospective adoptive children to wait unnecessarily.

2003

AB 942: Emergency Services for Children’s Diabetes

This bill would require that if a school nurse is not present, designated school personnel may help administer emergency assistance to a diabetic student. The bill would also allow students to monitor their blood glucose level or self-administer insulin in the school or any area of the school grounds.

-Mark

Mark Leno on Education, Children & Foster Youth

Education, Children & Foster Youth

Here is a sample of some of the education bills I am currently working on in the state Assembly. I’ve also listed past legislation from previous years. For a complete review of my state legislative record, please visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.

2007

AB 1382: Improving Access to Food Stamps

Current law requires all applicants to the Food Stamp program to submit electronic fingerprints and photographs in order to obtain Food Stamps for themselves and their families. AB 1382 seeks to remove the fingerprinting requirement, eliminating what is widely regarded as an expensive, unnecessary barrier to low income families putting healthy food on their tables.

AB 1472: California Healthy Places Act of 2007

This bill would require state agencies to work together to address how urban development impacts the health of our communities, with special focus on children. Attention will be given to new policies that support childhood development, prevent injury, illness and chronic disease, and ensure environmental health as our communities grow.

AB 1482: Supplemental Instruction Funding

This bill would enable public and charter schools to assist at-risk and low-achieving students with the state’s High School Exit Exam and graduation requirements by providing more flexibility in the use supplement instruction (SI) funding. By removing the restriction on the use SI funding to only non-school hours and eliminating other administrative burdens, this bill will help schools deliver more effective instructional services students need to overcome academic hurdles.

AB 1578: Foster Youth Higher Education Preparation and Support Act of 2007

This is a comprehensive bill to ensure that California foster youth receive the academic preparation, financial assistance and the campus-based support services they need to access and succeed in higher education.

2006

AB 2781: Fair Child Support Collection Practices

AB 2781 would prohibit a private child support collector from engaging in any debt collection practices that are prohibited by the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It would also provide consumers with the option to opt out of a contract under specified circumstances.

AB 2488: Re-establishing Foster Youth Sibling Connections

AB 2488 establishes a process for reconnecting siblings that have been separated by adoption. By using a court-appointed confidential intermediary, the bill would eliminate the need for both siblings to independently file confidentiality waivers in order to reconnect with one another, and reduces the age when they may do so from 21 to 18.

AB 2489: Higher Education for Foster Youth

This is a comprehensive bill to ensure that California foster youth receive the academic preparation, financial assistance and the campus-based support services they need to access and succeed in higher education.

2005

AB 519: Reinstating Parental Rights for Legal Orphans

In cases of child abuse or neglect, existing law sets timeframes in which parents must make substantial progress in meeting the requirements of their family reunification plan or face termination of parental rights, thereby freeing the child for adoption. This bill allows the court to reinstate parental rights upon petition by the child or the child’s attorney only if, after three years past the termination of parental rights, the child still has not been adopted, and reinstatement of parental rights is found to be in the best interests of the child.

AB 1261: Improving Foster Youth Educational Outcomes

This bill clarifies legislative intent and makes technical corrections to a landmark 2003 legislation that promotes better educational outcomes for foster youth.

2004

AB 2674: Adoption Relinquishment Time Line

This measure would ensure that the filing of relinquishment papers is binding two business days after certified receipt by the Department of Social Services (DSS). Currently, the process often takes more than 30 days, forcing parents and their prospective adoptive children to wait unnecessarily.

2003

AB 942: Emergency Services for Children’s Diabetes

This bill would require that if a school nurse is not present, designated school personnel may help administer emergency assistance to a diabetic student. The bill would also allow students to monitor their blood glucose level or self-administer insulin in the school or any area of the school grounds.

-Mark

Mark Leno on Health Care and AIDS

Health Care/AIDS

Here is a sample of some of the health care related bills I am currently working on in the state Assembly. I’ve also listed past legislation from previous years. For a complete review of my state legislative record, please visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.

2007

AB 1669: SF Trauma Recovery Center

This bill would ensure funding for the San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center which provides critical services to crime victims suffering from severe economic, psychological and other trauma-related symptoms.

AB 1201: Collective Bargaining for Direct Care Nurses

This bill would ensure that California’s direct care nurses preserve their collective bargaining rights, thereby preserving their rights under their existing contracts to challenge hospital staffing and effectively advocate for quality health care for their patients.

2006

AB 50: Trauma Recovery Center
AB 50 provides $1.3 million for fiscal year 2006-07 from the $100 million surplus in the Restitution Fund of the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board for the continued funding of the Trauma Recovery Center at San Francisco General Hospital.

AB 2280: Improved HIV Test Counseling

This bill directs the Department of Health Services to establish a new HIV counseling model that allows clinics to increase the number of people getting HIV tests and appropriately reimburses clinics for the services provided.

AB 2384: Healthy Food Purchase Pilot Program

AB 2384 requires the California Department of Health Services to develop and implement a Healthy Food Purchase Pilot Program that will improve access and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables for food stamp recipients in low-income communities.

AB 2968: Assisted Living Waiver
This bill creates a designated Medi-Cal reimbursement rate structure for community living support services in San Francisco that assist beneficiaries who would otherwise be homeless, living in shelters or institutionalized. In this way, it expands community-based options for beneficiaries who would otherwise require or be at high-risk of requiring more costly institutional care.

2005

AB 631: Mobile Methadone Treatment MediCal Reimbursement

San Francisco’s mobile methadone maintenance treatment program is the first of its kind in California, operating since March 2003 in close cooperation with the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The program is highly effective in treating the City’s estimated 15,000 to 17,000 heroin addicts by taking the services directly to where they reside in neighborhoods throughout the City. As a pilot, the program is not formally licensed, and thus not eligible for MediCal reimbursement. This bill would create a category of licensure for mobile methadone maintenance treatment programs to facilitate MediCal reimbursement for services, thereby encouraging its financial viability.

2004

AB 1796: Food Stamps Eligibility

Federal law currently prohibits individuals with a prior drug conviction from receiving federally funded food stamps. States have the ability to opt-out of this prohibition and 31 states have chosen to do so. This measure would opt-out California, making state eligible to receive this type of federal food stamp funding.

Denying public assistance is a significant barrier to successful re-entry into society to formerly incarcerated persons. Food assistance helps individuals attempting to reintegrate into society to better use their scarce economic resources.

AB 2660: Pharmacists

This measure would require pharmacists to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, who would recognize these pharmacists as “Mid-level Practitioners”. These pharmacists will then be able to provide regular and timely pain management care to those in need of end-of-life care.

2003

AJR 13: Medical Cannabis Resolution

Based on a letter signed by 50 state legislators, this resolution urges Congress to pass legislation that secures a state’s right to regulate medical cannabis and allows individual patients to possess and consume medical cannabis, and allows individuals deputized by states and localities to cultivate and distribute medical cannabis appropriately.

AB 685: HIV Rapid Test

This bill would exempt certain HIV counselors from the training requirements that currently prohibit them from administering a new HIV rapid test. The test offers same-day results and would reduce the number of people who do not return to pick up their results or learn their HIV status.

-Mark