Transit operators: paratransit: recertification of eligibility.

In a measure led by Assembly Member Papan, California would create a streamlined, five-year recertification framework for paratransit eligibility under the Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act, applying to transit operators that receive public funding and provide dial-a-ride or paratransit services. The bill defines “eligible persons” as individuals who rely on paratransit due to a disability and whose disability and ability to access the fixed-route system are not reasonably expected to improve over time, as determined by the person’s licensed medical professional and by the transit operator.

Under the proposal, transit operators must establish a streamlined recertification process by the start of 2027, and beginning June 1, 2027, eligible individuals would be recertified through that streamlined process unless certain conditions apply. The streamlined process may use telephone interviews, mail-in forms, teleconferencing, or online surveys and would collect only verification-related information, including physical and mailing addresses, emergency contact, telephone number, updated mobility devices, disability status and changes, name, and date of birth. Operators may request an updated photo if photos were used in the initial eligibility determination. Recertification would occur at least every five years, with individuals able to request recertification sooner and complete the five-year cycle thereafter.

Beginning in 2027, the streamlined recertification would be the default for eligible persons unless one of four conditions triggers a departure from the streamlined process: a review to broaden eligibility due to disability progression or the addition of a disability; temporary eligibility; service changes or improvements affecting eligibility; or a change of physical address reasonably expected to affect eligibility. The bill preserves the transit operator’s final decision on eligibility, even if the operator contracts out the recertification process. It also clarifies that non-eligible individuals may be subject to different recertification processes.

The measure interacts with existing law by anchoring the streamlined framework to federal ADA principles for complementary paratransit while adding state-specific procedures and data elements. It notes potential local costs and the possibility for state-mandated local program reimbursement should the Commission on State Mandates determine costs are mandated by the state; however, no explicit appropriation is provided in the bill. Operationalizing the framework would require transit operators to develop policies, train staff, implement data collection and privacy safeguards, and potentially update information systems to track five-year cycles and the enumerated exceptions. The policy context situates the changes within the public funding structure for paratransit and seeks to standardize recertification while preserving local control over final eligibility determinations and ensuring coordination with healthcare providers for establishing disability permanence.