Legislature Busy with Committee Hearings, AB 626 to be Heard Next Week
The California Legislature continued with a busy schedule of committee hearings this week, facing two upcoming deadlines on June 29 and July 6 for bills to be advanced out of their committees. The next several weeks will feature a flurry of actions on bills prior to the Legislature’s July summer recess.
Below, we highlight significant actions of interest on bills this week. For a full update, this week’s version of the CHEAC Weekly Bill Chart is available here.
Environmental Health
AB 626 (E. Garcia) as amended on June 13, 2018 – Oppose
AB 626 by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia will be heard in the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday, June 20. The measure would create a new type of food facility defined as a “microenterprise home kitchen” in the California Retail Food Code and allow the sale of potentially hazardous foods directly to consumers in private homes. These entities would be provided a significant number of exemptions related to enforcement, health, and sanitation provisions.
CHEAC and our county colleagues HOAC, CCDEH, CSAC, UCC, and RCRC continue to oppose the measure due to concerns about increased risk of foodborne illness and the ability for counties to inspect and enforce such microenterprise home kitchens. CHEAC will continue to provide updates on the measure as it is considered next week.
Cannabis
AB 3067 (Chau) as introduced on February 16, 2018 – Support
Assembly Member Ed Chau’s AB 3067 was heard in the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee this week. The measure would require advertising services not to market cannabis, cannabis products or businesses, or associated cannabis paraphernalia when an internet service or mobile application is directed to minors. Currently, similar prohibitions on advertising and marketing exist for alcohol, firearms and tobacco, spray paint, and tobacco. AB 3067 was unanimously advanced to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Chronic Disease Prevention and Wellness Promotion
AB 1871 (Bonta) as amended on May 25, 2018 – Support
AB 1871 by Assembly Member Rob Bonta was unanimously advanced from the Senate Education Committee to the Senate Appropriations Committee this week. The measure would require all charter schools, including those providing nonclassroom-based instruction lasting more than two hours, to provide needy pupils with one nutritionally adequate free or reduced-price meal per school day. Since 1975, low-income students at traditional public schools have been guaranteed one meal per school day, but the same guarantee has not been provided to students at charter schools.
Health Coverage/Health Care Reform
AB 2430 (Arambula) as amended on June 7, 2018 – Support
Assembly Member Joaquin Arambula’s AB 2430 was advanced from the Senate Health Committee to the Senate Appropriations Committee this week. The measure is part of the bill package proposed by the Assembly Select Committee on Health Care Delivery Systems and Universal Coverage and would increase Medi-Cal eligibility for seniors and disabled individuals up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Notably, funding for this expansion was not included as part of the Legislature’s approved budget package this week, setting up an uncertain fate for this bill.
Tobacco
SB 835 (Glazer) as amended on March 20, 2018 – Support
SB 836 (Glazer) as amended on May 15, 2018 – Support
SB 835 and SB 836 by Senator Steven Glazer were both advanced from the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee to the Assembly Appropriations Committee this week. SB 835 would ban smoking and disposal of cigar and cigarette waste at all state parks, and SB 836 would ban the same at all state coastal beaches.
AB 1097 (Levine) as amended on June 13, 2018 – Support
AB 1097 by Assembly Member Marc Levine was advanced from the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee to the Senate Appropriations Committee this week. The measure would ban smoking on state beaches and in state parks and impose a $50 violation fine. Recall, this measure is identical to a bill that was passed by the Legislature and vetoed by Governor Brown last year.