(a) The Exchange shall administer a program of financial assistance to help low-income and middle-income Californians access affordable health care coverage through the Exchange.

(b) The program may provide financial assistance to California residents with household incomes at or below 600 percent of the federal poverty level, and may provide other appropriate subsidies designed to make health care coverage more accessible and affordable for individuals and households.

(c) The Exchange shall adopt, and may amend, an annual program design for each coverage year to implement this section by resolution of the board of the Exchange. The resolution shall be adopted at a duly noticed meeting.

(1) A resolution adopted pursuant to this section shall not take effect until approved by the Director of Finance following 10 days notification in writing to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

(2) The requirements of paragraph (1) may be waived by the joint written consent of the Director of Finance and the Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to adopt a resolution that is deemed urgent. A resolution adopted pursuant to this paragraph shall take immediate effect.

(3) Until January 1, 2022, the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) shall not apply to the program design or a resolution adopted pursuant to this section.

(d) The program design adopted for a coverage year shall be based on funds appropriated to the program for that coverage year. An appropriation made for the program shall contain provisional language directing the Exchange to provide a certain proportion of the funds to specified income ranges as determined by the Legislature and may provide other parameters guiding the design of the program.

(e) The Exchange shall provide appropriate opportunities for stakeholders and the public to consult in the design of the program.

(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 38, Sec. 11. (SB 78) Effective June 27, 2019. Repealed as of January 1, 2023, pursuant to Section 100825.)