(a) In order to protect the health and safety of persons receiving care or services from individuals or facilities licensed by the state or from individuals certified or approved by a foster family agency, the following information may be shared:

(1) The California Department of Aging, State Department of Public Health, State Department of Health Care Services, State Department of Social Services, and the Emergency Medical Services Authority may share information with respect to applicants, licensees, certificate holders, or individuals who have been the subject of any administrative action resulting in the denial, suspension, probation, revocation, or rescission of a license, permit, or certificate of approval, or in the exclusion of any person from a facility, certified family home, or resource family home who is subject to a background check, as otherwise provided by law.

(2) The State Department of Social Services and county child welfare agencies may share information with respect to applicants, licensees, certificate holders, or individuals who have been the subject of any administrative action resulting in the denial, suspension, probation, revocation, or rescission of a license, permit, or certificate of approval, or in the exclusion of any person from a facility, certified family home, or resource family home who is subject to a background check, as otherwise provided by law.

(b) The State Department of Social Services shall maintain a centralized system for the monitoring and tracking of final administrative actions, to be used by the California Department of Aging, State Department of Public Health, State Department of Health Care Services, State Department of Social Services, the Emergency Medical Services Authority, and county child welfare agencies as a part of the background check process. The State Department of Social Services may charge a fee to departments under the jurisdiction of the California Health and Human Services Agency and to county child welfare agencies sufficient to cover the cost of providing those departments with the final administrative action specified in subdivision (a). To the extent that additional funds are needed for this purpose, implementation of this subdivision shall be contingent upon a specific appropriation provided for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.

(c) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the other departments under the jurisdiction of the California Health and Human Services Agency, may adopt regulations to implement this section.

(d) For the purposes of this section and Section 1499, “administrative action” means any proceeding initiated by the California Department of Aging, State Department of Public Health, State Department of Health Care Services, State Department of Social Services, Emergency Medical Services Authority, and county child welfare agencies to determine the rights and duties of an applicant, licensee, certificate holder, or other individual or entity over which the department has jurisdiction. “Administrative action” may include, but is not limited to, action involving the denial of an application for, or the suspension, revocation, or rescission of, any license, special permit, certificate of approval, administrator certificate, criminal record clearance, exemption, or exclusion.

(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 222, Sec. 1) by Stats. 2017, Ch. 732, Sec. 18. (AB 404) Effective January 1, 2018.)