Existing law vests in the State Department of Developmental Services jurisdiction over state hospitals hospitals, referred to as developmental centers centers, for the provision of residential care to individuals with developmental disabilities. Existing law requires the State Department of Developmental Services to comply with procedural requirements when closing a developmental center, including submitting a detailed plan to the Legislature and holding at least one public hearing. Under existing law, the department allocates funds to private nonprofit entities known as regional centers, which are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities.

This bill would require the department to close the Sonoma Developmental Center no later than December 31, 2018, and the Fairview Developmental Center no later than December 31, 2021. The bill would require the department to submit a plan, as specified, to the Legislature prior to the closure of the Sonoma Developmental Center or the Fairview Developmental Center.

Existing law requires the Director of General Services to lease specified property located at the Sonoma Developmental Center only for an agricultural or open-space purpose consistent with specified requirements. Existing provisions of the California Constitution, approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, establish the Budget Stabilization Account in the General Fund and require the Controller, commencing with the 2015–16 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, to transfer from the General Fund to the account a specified percentage of estimated General Fund revenues.

The bill would additionally require the director to lease all or part of the parcels at the Sonoma Developmental Center and the Fairview Developmental Center, as specified. The bill would require any use of these parcels to be ratified by a vote of the appropriate state and local government agencies with the authority over those local land use decisions, as specified. The bill would also require 50% of the net proceeds received by the state from the lease of these properties to go to the Budget Stabilization Account until the state’s debts to which that fund is obligated are paid and, after that time, to the General Fund and the rest to be deposited in the Lanterman Act Community-Based Services Fund, which is created by the bill. The bill would require all moneys in the Lanterman Act Community-Based Services Fund to be continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years to the State Department of Developmental Services to augment existing purchase of services funds used by regional centers to purchase services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

This bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to transfer current funding for the operations of the Fairview Developmental Center and the Sonoma Developmental Center to fund purchase of services at regional centers.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.