Transit operators: paratransit: recertification of eligibility.

Assembly Member Papan's paratransit legislation aims to modify eligibility recertification requirements for individuals with permanent disabilities who rely on specialized transportation services. Beginning January 1, 2027, transit operators receiving Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act funding would be prohibited from requiring eligibility recertification from passengers whose qualifying conditions are not expected to improve.

The bill creates two specific exceptions to this prohibition. Transit operators may conduct eligibility reviews when considering broadening an individual's service access due to worsening conditions or additional disabilities. They may also require recertification for those with temporary eligibility, which would be valid for either 180 days or until the date specified by a qualified medical professional, whichever comes first. The legislation caps temporary eligibility renewals at six consecutive times.

For transit agencies implementing these changes, the bill provides that any state-mandated costs would be eligible for reimbursement through established government procedures. This provision aims to address the fiscal impact on local agencies while maintaining consistent paratransit access for qualifying passengers across California's transit systems.