AB 2083

AB2083:v96#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2083

An act to add Chapter 35 (commencing with Section 10493) to Part 1.8 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to childcare.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2083, as amended, Jackson. Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District.

Existing law, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, provides the sole and exclusive authority and procedure for the initiation, conduct, and completion of changes of organization and spheres of influence for cities and special districts, including incorporation of cities and formation of districts. The act establishes a local agency formation commission in each county with various powers and duties, including to make certain determinations regarding, and to review and approve or disapprove, proposals for changes or organization or reorganization, as specified.

This bill, the Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District Act, would establish the Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District for a period of 5 years for the purpose of, among other things, expanding childcare capacity and access through the development, coordination, and operation of universal childcare programs. The bill would establish the district boundaries as the incorporated area of the City of Moreno Valley, the incorporated area of the City of Perris, and the officially adopted spheres of influence for each city as determined and updated by the County of Riverside local agency formation commission (LAFCO). The bill would establish a 5-member board to govern the district and specify that certain entities, including the City of Moreno Valley and the City of Perris, are charged with each appointing a member to the board. The bill would specify the duties of the board, including, among others, the duty to develop and submit a plan of services to LAFCO that details the scope of childcare services, the hours of operation, the governance and management structure, and funding sources and sustainability. The bill would also outline various powers of the board, including the authority to hire a general manager to oversee daily operations, and powers of the district, including the authority to designate, contract with, or directly operate child daycare facilities. The bill would authorize initial funding for the district to be provided by any of the entities authorized to appoint a board member, would require the board to call and conduct an election, consistent with applicable law, to seek voter approval for funding mechanisms necessary to formally establish and operate the district, and would prohibit the district from incurring bonded indebtedness until the district has completed formation, as specified.

The bill would require the district, between July 1, 2031, and January 1, 2032, to adopt an ordinance to determine whether the district should continue in existence beyond the initial 5-year period established in this act or if the district should be dissolved. If the district determines it should continue, the bill would require the district to submit an application to LAFCO for the formation of a special district and follow the procedures established in the Community Services District Law and in the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. If the district is dissolved, the bill would require that any revenue be returned to the entity in which the revenue originated, except as specified. By establishing a new special district and imposing new duties on that district, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 35 (commencing with Section 10493) is added to Part 1.8 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

CHAPTER 35. Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District Pilot Program Act

10493.

This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District Act.

10493.1.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “District” means the Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District established pursuant to Section 10493.2.

(b) “LAFCO” means the County of Riverside local agency formation commission.

10493.2.

(a) The Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District is hereby established for a period of five years.

(b) The purpose of the district is to do both of the following:

(1) Expand childcare capacity and access through the development, coordination, and operation of universal childcare programs, including, but not limited to, home-based and center-based care, with childcare services available 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

(2) Establish the district as a dependent special district, rather than an independent special district, to reduce administrative complexity and reliance on county-level administration for certain functions.

10493.3.

(a) (1) The district boundaries are the incorporated area of the City of Moreno Valley, the incorporated area of the City of Perris, and, in order to account for future annexations and population growth, the officially adopted spheres of influence for each city as determined and updated by LAFCO.

(2) LAFCO spheres of influence maps that were in existence on the date the act that added this section becomes operative may be used to prepare initial district boundary maps.

(b) A licensed land surveyor shall prepare a legal description of the district boundaries using metes and bounds.

10493.4.

(a) The district shall be governed by a board of five members, with one member appointed by each of the following:

(1) The City of Moreno Valley.

(2) The City of Perris.

(3) The Val Verde Unified School District.

(4) The Moreno Valley Unified School District.

(5) The Perris Elementary School District.

(b) The term for each member of the governing board shall be ____ five years.

(c) Each appointing authority shall establish procedures for removing members from office and for filling vacancies.

(d) The board of the district shall do all of the following:

(1) Vote on all matters related to the operation of the district.

(2) Approve policies regarding all of the following:

(A) New childcare development.

(B) Partnerships and contracts.

(C) Service delivery models.

(D) Budgeting and funding strategies.

(3) Ensure the district’s compliance with all applicable state and local laws.

(4) Develop and submit a plan of services to LAFCO that details all of the following:

(A) The scope of childcare services.

(B) The hours of operation, including care that is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

(C) The governance and management structure.

(D) Funding sources and sustainability.

(5) Meet established deadlines for securing funding.

(6) Adopt budgets and financial controls, consistent with dependent special district requirements.

(e) The board of the district may do all of the following:

(1) Hire a general manager to oversee daily operations and report to the board.

(2) Establish recruitment and hiring processes, consistent with best practices established by the California Special Districts Association.

(3) Budget for compensation and administrative costs.

10493.5.

The district may do all of the following:

(a) Designate, contract with, or directly operate child daycare facilities, as defined in Section 1596.750 of the Health and Safety Code. If the district exercises its authority under this subdivision, the district shall only contract with or employ union childcare workers, to the extent that there exists a union representing that category of childcare worker.

(b) Support the development of new childcare programs for children 10 years of age and younger.

(c) Coordinate with school districts, county agencies, First 5 California, local First 5 commissions, and other public or nonprofit partners.

(d) Address related childcare needs, including, but not limited to, workforce training, facilities planning, and service integration.

10493.6.

(a) Initial funding for the district may be provided by the entities identified in subdivision (a) of Section 10493.4 to support startup and administrative costs, including, but not limited to, district formation, planning and staffing, and preparation of the plan of services. Those entities may use a grant awarded pursuant to Chapter 36 (commencing with Section 10495) to provide initial funding.

(b) (1) The board of the district shall call and conduct an election, consistent with applicable law, to seek voter approval for funding mechanisms necessary to formally establish and operate the district.

(2) Long-term funding mechanisms shall not be imposed without voter approval.

(3) The district shall not incur bonded indebtedness until the district has completed formation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10493.7.

10493.7.

(a) The district shall adopt an ordinance between July 1, 2031, and January 1, 2032, to do either of the following:

(1) To determine that the district should continue in existence beyond the initial five-year period specified in subdivision (a) of Section 10493.2.

(2) To dissolve the district.

(b) If the district established pursuant to this chapter determines that it should continue in existence beyond the initial five-year period established in Section 10493.2, it shall submit an application to LAFCO for the formation of a special district and follow the procedures established in the Community Services District Law (Division 3 (commencing with Section 61000) of Title 6 of the Government Code) and in the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code).

(c) (1) If the district is dissolved pursuant to subdivision (a), any revenue provided by those entities identified in subdivision (a) of Section 10493.4, pursuant to Section 10493.6, shall return to the entity in which it originated, except as provided in paragraph (2).

(2) Any revenue pledged to pay off indebtedness incurred by the district shall remain pledged until the debt is paid.

(d) Following the formation of the district, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code) shall govern any change of organization.

10493.8.

Except as provided in this chapter, all other provisions of Division 3 (commencing with Section 61000) of Title 6 of the Government Code apply to the district.

SEC. 2.

The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique circumstances in the area that will constitute the Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District and because of the need to pilot the effectiveness of a childcare special district before expanding the establishment of childcare special districts statewide.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.