Yesterday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees held their suspense file hearings, meeting today’s deadline for fiscal committees to meet and report bills to the floor. Both committees reviewed more than 600 measures combined, deciding the fate of a significant number of bills with just two weeks remaining in the legislative session. The California Legislature now enters a floor-only session ahead of its August 31 adjournment date.
Below, we highlight actions of interest from suspense file hearings to CHEAC Members. This week’s CHEAC Weekly Bill Chart is available here.
Environmental Health
AB 626 (E. Garcia) – Oppose – Do Pass
AB 626 by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia 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. The measure was advanced to the Senate Floor without amendments. CHEAC encourages members to submit letters to and contact their senator(s) expressing opposition to the bill.
SB 212 (Jackson) – Support – Do Pass
Establishes a comprehensive statewide pharmaceutical and sharps waste stewardship program.
Access to Health Services
SB 1125 (Atkins) – Support – Do Pass
Authorizes Medi-Cal reimbursement at FQHCs/RHCs for a maximum of two visits for a medical visit and a mental health or dental visit.
Chronic Disease Prevention and Wellness Promotion
AB 1335 (Bonta) – Support – Held on Suspense
Requires sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), vending machines, dispensing machines, and SSB point of purchase to bear the safety warning, “STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.”
AB 1871 (Bonta) – Support – Do Pass
Requires charter schools to provide needy pupils with at least one nutritionally-adequate free or reduced-price meal per school day.
AB 3043 (Berman) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Authorizes any educational entity participating in the federal School Breakfast Program to provide a universal breakfast program. Increases CDE grants to initiate or expand a school breakfast program or federal summer meals program.
Communicable Disease Control
AB 2892 (Quirk) – Support – Held on Suspense
Establishes the California Mosquito Surveillance and Research Program within CDPH.
Dental Health Services
SB 1464 (Wiener) – Support – Held on Suspense
Requires DHCS to provide a payment adjustment for Denti-Cal and dental managed care beneficiaries with special dental care needs.
Drug & Alcohol Services
SB 275 (Portantino) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Requires DHCS to convene and expert panel and adopt regulations to establish youth substance use disorder treatment, early intervention, and quality standards.
Health Coverage/Health Care Reform
AB 11 (McCarty) – Support – Do Pass
Requires EPSDT screening services to include developmental screening for individuals zero to three years of age.
AB 2275 (Arambula) – Support – Do Pass
Requires DHCS to establish a quality assessment and performance improvement program for all Medi-Cal managed care plans.
AB 2430 (Arambula) – Support – Held on Suspense
Increases Medi-Cal eligibility for seniors or disabled individuals up to 138 percent FPL.
AB 2965 (Arambula) – Support – Held on Suspense
Expands Medi-Cal to all undocumented adults under 26 years of age with income at or below 138 percent FPL.
SB 974 (Lara) – Support – Held on Suspense
Expands Medi-Cal to all undocumented adults 65 years of age and older with income at or below 138 percent FPL.
Health Equity
SB 918 (Wiener) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Requires the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to assume responsibilities related to identifying funding, policy, and practice gaps related to young people experiencing homelessness.
Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health
AB 2289 (Weber) – Support – Do Pass
Sets forth accommodation rights of pregnant and parenting pupils, including the provision of a minimum of eight weeks of parental leave for pregnant and parenting pupils.
AB 2785 (Rubio) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Requires all California Community Colleges and the California State University to provide reasonable accommodations on all campuses for a lactating student to express breastmilk, breastfeed an infant, or address other breastfeeding needs.
Public Health Emergency Preparedness
AB 2576 (Aguiar-Curry) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Allows for certain clinical services to be provided and reimbursed by Medi-Cal during and following a state of emergency.
Tobacco Control
AB 1097 (Levine) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Bans smoking and disposal of cigar/cigarette waste at a state coastal beach, state park, public campgrounds, monument sites, landmark sites, and sites of historical interest.
SB 835 (Glazer) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Bans smoking and disposal of cigar/cigarette waste at all state parks.
SB 836 (Glazer) – Support – Do Pass as Amended
Bans smoking and disposal of cigar/cigarette waste at all state coastal beaches.