4691.9. (Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 26, Sec. 15.)

(a) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, commencing July 1, 2008:

(1) A regional center shall not pay an existing service provider, for services where rates are determined through a negotiation between the regional center and the provider, a rate higher than the rate in effect on June 30, 2008, unless the increase is required by a contract between the regional center and the vendor that is in effect on June 30, 2008, or the regional center demonstrates that the approval is necessary to protect the consumer’s health or safety and the department has granted prior written authorization.

(2) A regional center shall not negotiate a rate with a new service provider, for services where rates are determined through a negotiation between the regional center and the provider, that is higher than the regional center’s median rate for the same service code and unit of service, or the statewide median rate for the same service code and unit of service, whichever is lower. The unit of service designation shall conform with an existing regional center designation or, if none exists, a designation used to calculate the statewide median rate for the same service. The regional center shall annually certify to the State Department of Developmental Services its median rate for each negotiated rate service code, by designated unit of service. This certification shall be subject to verification through the department’s biennial fiscal audit of the regional center.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), commencing January 1, 2017, regional centers may negotiate a rate adjustment with providers regarding rates if the adjustment is necessary in order to pay employees no less than the minimum wage as established by Section 1182.12 of the Labor Code, as amended by Chapter 4 of the Statutes of 2016, and only for the purpose of adjusting payroll costs associated with the minimum wage increase. The rate adjustment shall be specific to the unit of service designation that is affected by the increased minimum wage, shall be specific to payroll costs associated with any increase necessary to adjust employee pay only to the extent necessary to bring pay into compliance with the increased state minimum wage, and shall not be used as a general wage enhancement for employees paid above the increased minimum wage. Regional centers shall maintain documentation on the process to determine, and the rationale for granting, any rate adjustment associated with the minimum wage increase.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, commencing January 1, 2015, rates for personal assistance and supported living services in effect on December 31, 2014, shall be increased by 5.82 percent, subject to funds specifically appropriated for this increase for costs due to changes in federal regulations implementing the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 201 et seq.). The increase shall be applied as a percentage, and the percentage shall be the same for all applicable providers. As used in this subdivision, both of the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Personal assistance” is limited only to those services provided by vendors classified by the regional center as personal assistance providers, pursuant to the miscellaneous services provisions contained in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.

(2) “Supported living services” are limited only to those services defined as supported living services in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.

(e) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, commencing July 1, 2016, and to the extent funds are appropriated in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, rates for transportation services in effect on June 30, 2016, shall be increased by 5 percent. The increase shall be applied as a percentage to existing rates, and the percentage shall be the same for all applicable providers.

(f) This section shall not apply to those services for which rates are determined by the State Department of Health Care Services, or the State Department of Developmental Services, or are usual and customary.