Legislature Continues Bill Hearings, Reaches Deadline for Non-Fiscal Bills
This week, the California Legislature continued a steady pace of committee hearings as it begins to shift its focus toward floor sessions and budget deliberations which will occur throughout the month of May. Today marks the deadline for bills without a fiscal impact to be heard in policy committees and advanced to the floor of their house of origin. Recall, bills with a fiscal impact had to be acted upon by last Friday’s deadline. While the bulk of measures proposed by lawmakers have a fiscal impact, a number of non-fiscal measures made their way through committees this week.
Below, we highlight several actions on bills of interest to CHEAC Members. The latest edition of the CHEAC Weekly Bill Chart is available here.
Access to Health Services
AB 1494 (Aguiar-Curry) as amended April 11, 2019 – SUPPORT
AB 1494 by Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry would require Medi-Cal reimbursement for services provided by community clinics or fee-for-service providers via telehealth, telephone, or off-site (such as a shelter or home) during or within 90 days after expiration of a state of emergency. The measure was set for hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry waived presentation, and the measure was placed on the Suspense File.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
AB 1544 (Gipson) as amended April 22, 2019 – OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED
Assembly Member Mike Gipson’s AB 1544 would enact the Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination Act to allow local emergency medical services agencies (LEMSAs) to develop local community paramedicine programs. The measure requires LEMSAs to use or establish local emergency medical care committees (EMCCs) and establishes the Community Paramedicine Medical Oversight Committee to advise the EMS Authority on and to approve minimum medical protocols for all community paramedicine programs, among other activities. The measure was scheduled for hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Assembly Member Gipson waived presentation, and the measure was placed on the Suspense File.
SB 438 (Hertzberg) as amended May 2, 2019 – OPPOSE
SB 438 by Senator Robert Hertzberg was heard in the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday. The measure would restrict the use of non-governmental-operated public safety answering points (PSAPs), including 9-1-1 EMS dispatching centers. The measure would allow municipal agencies providing EMS services in their jurisdictions to circumvent existing medical control oversight responsibilities of LEMSA medical directors. Witnesses from CSAC, EMSAAC, and EMDAC provided lead testimony in opposition to the bill. CSAC, RCRC, UCC, CHEAC, EMSAAC, and EMDAC are all opposed to the measure. The measure was advanced to the Senate Floor on a unanimous 9-0 vote.
Health Coverage/Health Care Reform
AB 4 (Bonta) as amended March 28, 2019 – SUPPORT
Assembly Member Rob Bonta’s AB 4 would expand Medi-Cal coverage to all undocumented adults with income at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). The measure was scheduled for hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Assembly Member Bonta waived presentation, and the measure was placed on the Suspense File.
AB 414 (Bonta) as introduced on February 7, 2019 – SUPPORT
AB 414 by Assembly Member Rob Bonta was set for hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. The measure would establish a state-level individual health insurance coverage mandate in California and would require Covered California to determine a penalty for not obtaining health insurance. Revenues generated from fines would be directed toward improving the affordability of coverage in California. Assembly Member Bonta waived presentation, and the measure was placed on the Suspense File.
Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Services (MCAH)
SB 464 (Mitchell) as amended April 11, 2019 – SUPPORT
SB 464 by Senator Holly Mitchell would require specified health facilities providing perinatal care to implement an implicit bias program for all health care providers involved in perinatal care within those facilities. Hospitals would be required to provide patients with information on filing a discrimination complaint, and CDPH would be required to track and publish specified maternal morbidity and mortality data, among other activities. SB 464 was set for hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. Senator Mitchell waived presentation, and the measure was placed on the Suspense File.