(a) Any proposal approved by the department pursuant to this article may be implemented immediately upon approval. Prior to submitting a proposal to the department, the regional center shall conduct a public hearing to receive comments on the proposal. Notice of the public hearing shall be given at least 10 business days in advance of the hearing. The public hearing shall be conducted in accordance with this section.
(b) Notice shall include a summary of the proposal, analysis of the effect of the proposal upon the regional center budget and the state budget, the impact on regional center services, and the impact on consumers served under the proposal, and a list of the statutes and regulations that will be waived under the proposal. No proposal approved under this article shall authorize a regional center to implement proposals that have not met all the requirements of this article. The department may not delegate its authority to review and approve proposals in accordance with this article.
(c) Each written comment submitted prior to the close of the final public hearing, and a summary of verbal testimony received, shall be considered by the regional center, and a summary of the responses to all comments shall be submitted as part of the proposal to the department. These comments and responses shall be made available, along with the proposal, for public review.
(d) A service delivery alternative shall be required to be implemented within the existing regional center funding allocation and shall be cost-effective to the state. No additional allocation shall be made to permit a regional center to implement a service delivery alternative. No proposal approved under this article shall authorize or give authority to a regional center to go forward with any other specific action or proposal that has not met all of the requirements of this article. The department may not delegate its authority to review and approve proposals in accordance with this article to a regional center or any other entity.
(e) Proposals approved by the department shall meet freedom of choice requirements pursuant to the assurances required in the home- and community-based services waiver under Section 1396n of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 745, Sec. 235. Effective October 12, 2001.)