Caroline Menjivar
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 20
Author
Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Existing law requires the department to establish an Office of the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson to be headed by an individual to be known as the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson, who is appointed by the Director of Developmental Services. Existing law requires the office to be an independent and autonomous entity within the department and prescribes specified duties and rights of the office, including recommending to the department strategies for change and improvement of the program. This bill would repeal the above-described provisions establishing the Office of the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson and instead establish the Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson as an independent and autonomous entity within the department for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of specified services for individuals served by a regional center, as defined. The bill would set forth the duties of the Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson, including, among other things, disseminating information and providing training and technical assistance, and receiving and possibly investigating complaints made by or on behalf of individuals served by a regional center. The bill would establish the position of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson to head the office and specify appointment procedures and the duties of that position. Existing law provides that, except as otherwise provided by statute, all relevant evidence is admissible. The California Constitution provides for the Right to Truth-In-Evidence, which requires a 23 vote of the Legislature to exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding, as specified. This bill would prohibit the ombudsperson or their staff from being compelled to testify or be deposed, or to disclose specified records, in a judicial or administrative proceeding. Because this prohibition would affect the admissibility of relevant evidence in criminal proceedings, the bill would require a ⅔ vote of the Legislature. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Approved by the Governor.
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 223, Statutes of 2025.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2827.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Urgency clause adopted.
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3085.) Ordered to the Senate.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 8).
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1522.) Ordered to the Assembly.
Ordered to special consent calendar.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1201.) (May 23).
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
Set for hearing May 23.
May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Set for hearing May 5.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 835.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 682.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
Set for hearing April 22 in JUD. pending receipt.
Set for hearing April 7.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB471 | HTML |
| 02/19/25 - Introduced | |
| 05/23/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/24/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/02/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/10/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/02/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/04/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/13/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/01/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/03/25- Senate Human Services | |
| 04/16/25- Senate Judiciary | |
| 05/02/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/23/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/27/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 06/27/25- Assembly Human Services | |
| 07/04/25- Assembly Judiciary | |
| 08/18/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 09/03/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/05/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/09/25- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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