Existing law, the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, establishes the California Department of Aging in the California Health and Human Services Agency and sets forth its mission 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 the least restrictive homelike environments. Existing law requires the department to designate various private nonprofit or public agencies as area agencies on aging to work within a planning and service area and provide a broad array of social and nutritional services. Existing law includes various findings and declarations relating to the purposes of the act.
This bill would update and revise those legislative findings and declarations, including recognizing the state's major demographic shift towards an older, more diverse population and declaring the intent to reform provisions of the act related to various functions of the area agencies on aging. The bill would require the department, by September 30, 2026, to take various actions, including, among others, identifying the core programs and services to be provided to older adults and family caregivers, and developing a statewide consumer engagement plan. The bill would require the department to develop regulations that address specified topics relating to area agency on aging designations. The bill would require those deliverables to be informed by data from validated sources, which may include, among others, the United States Census.
This bill would also recast and revise various other provisions of the act, including by replacing use of the word "senior" and similar terminology with the term "older adult." The bill would repeal obsolete provisions, such as the Senior Center Bond Act of 1984.
Existing law establishes the Senior Housing Information and Support Center within the department to serve as a clearinghouse for information for seniors and their families regarding available innovative resources and senior services, subject to appropriation for these purposes.
This bill would repeal the provisions establishing the Senior Housing Information and Support Center.

Statutes affected:
SB1249: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC
02/15/24 - Introduced: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC
04/16/24 - Amended Senate: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC
06/12/24 - Amended Assembly: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC
08/22/24 - Amended Assembly: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC, 9100 WIC, 9101 WIC, 9101.5 WIC, 9102 WIC, 9103 WIC, 9105.1 WIC, 9113 WIC, 9115 WIC, 9118 WIC, 9118.5 WIC, 9253 WIC, 9320 WIC, 9400 WIC, 9501 WIC, 9530.5 WIC, 9531 WIC, 9532 WIC, 9535 WIC, 9540 WIC, 9541 WIC, 9543 WIC, 9544 WIC, 9545 WIC, 9546 WIC, 9547 WIC, 9630 WIC, 9652 WIC, 9654 WIC, 9660 WIC, 9661 WIC, 9662 WIC, 9664 WIC, 9677 WIC, 9680 WIC, 9700 WIC, 9717 WIC, 9719 WIC
09/03/24 - Enrolled: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC, 9100 WIC, 9101 WIC, 9101.5 WIC, 9102 WIC, 9103 WIC, 9105.1 WIC, 9113 WIC, 9115 WIC, 9118 WIC, 9118.5 WIC, 9253 WIC, 9320 WIC, 9400 WIC, 9501 WIC, 9530.5 WIC, 9531 WIC, 9532 WIC, 9535 WIC, 9540 WIC, 9541 WIC, 9543 WIC, 9544 WIC, 9545 WIC, 9546 WIC, 9547 WIC, 9630 WIC, 9652 WIC, 9654 WIC, 9660 WIC, 9661 WIC, 9662 WIC, 9664 WIC, 9677 WIC, 9680 WIC, 9700 WIC, 9717 WIC, 9719 WIC
09/21/24 - Chaptered: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC, 9100 WIC, 9101 WIC, 9101.5 WIC, 9102 WIC, 9103 WIC, 9105.1 WIC, 9113 WIC, 9115 WIC, 9118 WIC, 9118.5 WIC, 9253 WIC, 9320 WIC, 9400 WIC, 9501 WIC, 9530.5 WIC, 9531 WIC, 9532 WIC, 9535 WIC, 9540 WIC, 9541 WIC, 9543 WIC, 9544 WIC, 9545 WIC, 9546 WIC, 9547 WIC, 9630 WIC, 9652 WIC, 9654 WIC, 9660 WIC, 9661 WIC, 9662 WIC, 9664 WIC, 9677 WIC, 9680 WIC, 9700 WIC, 9717 WIC, 9719 WIC
SB 1249: 9000 WIC, 9001 WIC, 9002 WIC