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SB-471 • 2026

Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson.

Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Menjivar
Last action
2025-10-01
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 223, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact start date of when the new office will be operational is not specified in the provided official summary.

Office of Developmental Services Ombudsperson

The bill establishes a new Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson within the State Department of Developmental Services to oversee and improve services for people with developmental disabilities.

What This Bill Does

  • Replaces the existing Office of the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson with a new Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson within the State Department of Developmental Services.
  • Gives the new office responsibilities such as disseminating information, providing training and technical assistance to regional centers, and receiving and possibly investigating complaints made by or on behalf of individuals served by a regional center.
  • Prohibits the ombudsperson and their staff from being compelled to testify or disclose specified records in judicial or administrative proceedings.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People with developmental disabilities who receive services from regional centers.
  • Regional center staff and other service providers.
  • The State Department of Developmental Services and its director.

Terms To Know

Ombudsperson
A person appointed to investigate complaints and recommend changes in an organization or government agency.
Regional Center
An organization that provides services and support for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will start to be used.
  • It requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature because it limits what evidence can be used in criminal cases.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-01 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 223, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-01 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.

  4. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2827.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Urgency clause adopted.

  6. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  7. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3085.) Ordered to the Senate.

  8. 2025-09-04 California Legislative Information

    Ordered to third reading.

  9. 2025-09-04 California Legislative Information

    Read third time and amended.

  10. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  11. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  12. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  13. 2025-08-20 California Legislative Information

    August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  14. 2025-07-10 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. 2025-07-09 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 8).

  16. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  17. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  18. 2025-06-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  19. 2025-06-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD.

  20. 2025-06-05 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  21. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1522.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  22. 2025-06-02 California Legislative Information

    Ordered to special consent calendar.

  23. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  24. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  25. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1201.) (May 23).

  26. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  27. 2025-05-05 California Legislative Information

    May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  28. 2025-04-25 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 5.

  29. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 835.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  30. 2025-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 682.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  31. 2025-04-04 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 22 in JUD. pending receipt.

  32. 2025-03-13 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 7.

  33. 2025-02-26 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and JUD.

  34. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.

  35. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 471, Menjivar.
Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson.
Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Existing law requires the department to establish an Office of the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson to be headed by an individual to be known as the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson, who is appointed by the Director of Developmental Services. Existing law requires the office to be an independent and autonomous entity within the department and prescribes specified duties and rights of the office, including recommending to the department strategies for change and improvement of the program.
This bill would repeal the above-described provisions establishing the Office of the
Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson and instead establish the Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson as an independent and autonomous entity within the department for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of specified services for individuals served by a regional center, as defined. The bill would set forth the duties of the Office of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson, including, among other things, disseminating information and providing training and technical assistance, and receiving and possibly investigating complaints made by or on behalf of individuals served by a regional center. The bill would establish the position of the Developmental Services Ombudsperson to head the office and specify appointment procedures and the duties of that position.
Existing law provides that, except as otherwise provided by statute, all relevant evidence is admissible. The California Constitution provides for the Right to Truth-In-Evidence, which
requires a
2
/
3
vote of the Legislature to exclude any relevant evidence from any criminal proceeding, as specified.
This bill would prohibit the ombudsperson or their staff from being compelled to testify or be deposed, or to disclose specified records, in a judicial or administrative proceeding. Because this prohibition would affect the admissibility of relevant evidence in criminal proceedings, the bill would require a ⅔ vote of the Legislature.
Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.
This bill would make
legislative findings to that effect.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Current Bill Text

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