The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) Approximately 21 percent of nonelderly Californians lack health insurance coverage. Many are low-income individuals who are not eligible for existing public health coverage programs.

(b) One hundred eighty million dollars ($180,000,000) in federal funds will be available for three years to reimburse for public expenditures made under a Health Care Coverage Initiative for uninsured individuals. These funds are to be provided pursuant to the Special Terms and Conditions of California’s Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration project waiver number 11-W-00193/9 relating to hospital financing and health coverage expansion.

(c) California’s health care safety net system plays an essential role in delivering critical health services to low-income individuals.

(d) Local governments have the unique ability to design health service delivery models that meet the needs of their diverse populations and build on local infrastructures.

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 76, Sec. 2. Effective July 18, 2006. Inoperative on date prescribed in Section 15908. Repealed six months after inoperative date, pursuant to Section 15908.)