Relative to the 60th anniversary of pilot regional centers.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ben Allen and 16 co-sponsors

SCR 174 honors California’s 60-year regional center model for I/DD, affirming ongoing commitment to community-based, person-centered services for about 500,000 people.

In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

#the60thanniversaryofpilotregionalcenters

Summary of SCR 174 (2025-2026)

Purpose and Intent

Recognizes 2026 as the 60th anniversary of California’s pilot regional centers for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Reaffirms the Legislature’s commitment to California’s community-based, person-centered service system for people with I/DD and to sustaining and renewing investment in that system.

Highlights the historical shift from state-operated centers to a statewide network of regional centers that serve the vast majority of individuals with I/DD in home/community settings.

Key Provisions

Acknowledges that in 1966 AB 691 established two pilot regional centers (Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center in Los Angeles and Golden Gate Regional Center in the San Francisco Bay Area) as groundwork for a statewide network of regional centers.

Notes that the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (AB 225, 1969) expanded regional center services statewide, creating a public-private partnership model that underpins California’s current system.

Emphasizes the evolution of services toward person-centered, culturally and linguistically appropriate supports within communities, rather than reliance on state-operated institutions.

States that, as of 2026, roughly 99% of children with I/DD live at home with families and about 300 of nearly 500,000 individuals with I/DD receive state-operated services, underscoring the prominence and presumed success of the regional center model.

Declares 2026 as the 60th anniversary of AB 691 and calls on the Legislature to reaffirm commitment to a sustainable future for California’s community-based service system.

Directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit copies of the resolution to key stakeholders and interested parties, including the Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center, Golden Gate Regional Center, the Association of Regional Center Agencies, the California Department of Developmental Services, and related institutions and advocacy groups (e.g., Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, USC UCEDD, The Arc San Francisco).

Who Would Be Affected

Public-benefit, nonprofit regional centers operating in California (21 regional centers) and their clients (approximately 500,000 individuals with I/DD and their families) through continued emphasis on community-based services.

State agencies and partner organizations involved in developmental services, as well as advocacy and service-provider groups connected to the regional center system.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

SCR 174 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution, recognizing the 60th anniversary in 2026.

Action history shows introduction in May 2026, subsequent committee referrals, and passage through the Legislature in May 2026 with full cross-chamber support (Ayes 36, Noes 0) and referral to the appropriate committee.

As a resolution, it expresses the Legislature’s recognition and intent rather than creating new statutory requirements or funding authorizations.

This summary captures the bill’s purpose, core historical context, intended message about the current service model, and the formal actions and timeline associated with SCR 174.