SB 1092: The Equitable Access to Services (EASe) Act

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SB 1092: The Equitable Access to Services (EASe) Act

What is SB 1092?

The Equitable Access to Services (EASe) Act, or SB 1092, is an important bill authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (Sanger) and co-sponsored by Disability Rights California, Disability Voices United, the Integrated Community Collaborative, Legal Aid Association of California, Public Counsel, and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

The Problem

People with developmental disabilities, particularly people of color, find the process to appeal decisions by their regional centers very difficult. Many people and families tell us that the “fair hearing” system is very confusing, complex, and biased. 

The Solution

Some of the key points of this bill include:

  • Ensuring the person served has a voice in the decision-making process
  • Making disputes easier to resolve
  • Making the hearing process more accessible and fair
  • Addressing equity, building trust with communities of color, and reducing barriers to justice

Where is the bill now?

  • SB 1092 was just heard in the Senate Human Services Committee on April 19, 2022, where it passed unanimously!
  • It also passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.
  • On May 19, 2022, SB 1092 passed through the Senate and is now headed to the Assembly.

We need your help to pass this bill! What can you do?

You can find sample support letters for you to submit here:

Please send your support letters to Vanessa.Cuellar@disabilityrightsca.org

More Resources

A November 2021 report, Unfair Hearings: How People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Lack Access to Justice in California, provides more information about why reform is needed. A copy of that report can be found here.

If you’d like to get involved in this campaign or check its status, please reach out to our Community Organizer, Vanessa Cuellar, at Vanessa.Cuellar@disabilityrightsca.org  

Virtual Town Hall: Legislation to Reform the Regional Center Fair Hearing Process

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Register for the Town Hall

After you register you will receive an email with the link to log into the event.