May 19, 2017 Edition

Fiscal Discussions Continue

This week’s Appropriations hearings had packed agendas as the Legislative deadline for bills to be moved to the floor is May 26. Hundreds of bills have been sent to Suspense File, where they will await their final fate. The Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees will conduct their final business for bills in their house of origin during the early part of next week week and will conclude with Suspense File hearings.

CHEAC’s most recent bill chart can be viewed here.

 

Microenterprise Home Kitchens Bill to be Heard Next Week

AB 626 (E. Garcia) as amended on 5/2/17 – Oppose

Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia’s AB 626 will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, May 24 at 9:00 am. CHEAC, along with the Health Officers Association of California (HOAC), California State Association of Counties (CSAC), Urban Counties of California (UCC), and Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), have taken an oppose position to the bill. The measure would create a new type of food facility under the California Retail Food Code for “microenterprise home kitchens” and allow for the sale of foods directly to consumers from private homes. With the passage of this measure, the likelihood of foodborne illnesses, costly public health investigations, extensive medical care, and lost productivity stands to increase significantly.

We ask local health departments and public health advocates to contact members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee to express your opposition to AB 626 and educate your legislator(s) on the potential impacts to your jurisdiction, particularly as it relates to fiscal and economic impacts. View additional resources on AB 626 below:

CHEAC AB 626 Joint Letter of Opposition

CHEAC AB 626 Fiscal Fact Sheet

Assembly Appropriations Committee Roster

Feel free to contact CHEAC Staff if you have any questions about contacting your legislator(s) regarding AB 626.

 

Suspense File Bills Set for Next Week

Below are Suspense File bills CHEAC has an eye on next week:

Senate Appropriations Committee – May 25, 2017

SB 17 (Hernandez) – Watch – Health Care Coverage

SB 23 (Portantino) – Watch – Vital Records

SB 43 (Hill) – Watch – Communicable Disease

SB 138 (McGuire) – Watch/Bring Back – Chronic Disease

SB 171 (Hernandez) – Watch – Health Care Coverage

SB 179 (Atkins) – Watch – Vital Records

SB 185 (Hertzberg) – Watch – EMS

SB 210 (Leyva) – Watch – Chronic Disease

SB 222 (Hernandez) – Support – Jail Medical

SB 239 (Wiener) – Watch with Concerns – Communicable Disease

SB 244 (Lara) – Watch – LHD Administration

SB 250 (Hertzberg) – Watch – Health Equity

SB 323 (Mitchell) – Support – Health Care Coverage

SB 350 (Galgiani) – Watch – Jail Medical

SB 382 (Pan) – Support – Communicable Disease

SB 384 (Wiener) – Watch/Bring Back – Injury Prevention

SB 386 (Glazer) – Support – Tobacco

SB 426 (Pan) – Watch – Maternal & Child Health

SB 456 (Pan) – Watch – Health Care Access

SB 608 (Hernandez) – Watch – Drug & Alcohol Services

SB 623 (Monning) – Watch – Health Equity

SB 698 (Hill) – Watch – Cannabis

SB 708 (Skinner) – Support – Health Equity

 

Assembly Appropriations Committee – May 26, 2017

AB 15 (Maienschein) – Support – Dental Health

AB 40 (Santiago) – Support – Drug & Alcohol Services

AB 63 (Frazier) – Watch – Injury Prevention

AB 64 (Bonta) – Special Interest Bill – Cannabis

AB 74 (Chiu) – Special Interest Bill – Health Equity

AB 76 (Chau) – Watch – Cannabis

AB 82 (Medina) – Watch – Vital Records

AB 164 (Arambula) – Watch – Health Equity

AB 175 (Chau) – Support in Concept – Cannabis

AB 182 (Waldron) – Watch – Drug & Alcohol Services

AB 205 (Wood) – Watch – Health Care Coverage

AB 237 (Gonzalez Fletcher) – Watch – IHSS

AB 247 (C. Garcia) – Watch – Environmental Health

AB 263 (Rodriguez) – Watch with Concerns – EMS

AB 265 (Wood) – Watch – Health Care Coverage

AB 285 (Melendez) – Watch – Drug & Alcohol Services

AB 340 (Arambula) – Support – Health Care Coverage

AB 387 (Thurmond) – Watch – Public Health Workforce

AB 391 (Chiu) – Support – Health Care Coverage

AB 473 (Waldron) – Watch – Jail Medical

AB 587 (Chiu) – Watch – Health Care Access

AB 607 (Gloria) – Watch/Bring Back – Emergency Preparedness

AB 612 (Rubio) – Watch – Maternal & Child Health

AB 643 (Frazier) – Watch – Injury Prevention

AB 675 (Ridley-Thomas) – Watch – IHSS

AB 700 (Jones-Sawyer) – Watch – Drug & Alcohol Services

AB 715 (Wood) – Watch – Drug & Alcohol Services

AB 725 (Levine) – Support – Tobacco

AB 735 (Maienschein) – Watch – Injury Prevention

AB 882 (Arambula) – Watch – Chronic Disease

AB 885 (Rubio) – Watch – Chronic Disease

AB 909 (Steinorth) – Watch – EMS

AB 917 (Arambula) – Watch – Injury Prevention

AB 967 (Gloria) – Watch – Vital Records

AB 992 (Arambula) – Watch – Maternal & Child Health

AB 1092 (Cooley) – Support – Health Care Coverage

AB 1098 (McCarty) – Watch – Child Health

AB 1110 (Burke) – Watch – Chronic Disease

AB 1135 (Wood) – Watch – Cannabis

AB 1136 (Eggman) – Watch – EMS

AB 1227 (Bonta) – Watch – Injury Prevention

AB 1279 (Salas) – Watch with Concerns – Communicable Disease

AB 1316 (Quirk) – Watch – Maternal & Child Health

AB 1333 (Dababneh) – Watch – Mandates

AB 1406 (Gloria) – Watch – Health Equity

AB 1520 (Burke) – Watch – Health Equity

AB 1591 (Berman) – Support – Health Care Access

AB 1643 (Bonta) – Watch – Health Care Coverage

AB 1650 (Mainschein) – Watch – EMS


May Revise Items Heard by Budget Subcommittees

This week, the Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees on Health and Human Services, Sub. 3 and Sub. 1 respectively, convened hearings on May Revise items, in addition to voting on items previously before the Subcommittees. Highlights are provided below.

Note, that in order to meet the June 15 Constitutional deadline for the Governor to sign the budget, the Senate and Assembly Subcommittees will close out remaining items next week. The budget Conference Committee will then work to reconcile differences between the two houses, followed by full Budget Committee hearings.

 

CCI/IHSS

Both Subcommittees heard the Governor’s revised CCI/IHSS proposal as outlined in the May Revision (see page 1 of the CHEAC May Revise Memo). The Administration provided an overview of the proposal remarked that updated proposal accomplishes three key considerations related to concerns put forth by counties:

  • No longer shifts $623 million to counties, but instead through General Fund assistance, significantly decreases the costs counties will bear;
  • Provides counties with predictability through establishing an new MOE structure; and
  • Allows time for counties to ease into assuming increased costs by providing a higher amount of General Fund relief in the initial years (years 1 and 2).

The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) presented their recommendations based on their understanding of the proposal. They recognized that it does achieve some county priorities, however noted the Administration’s proposal is very complex and limited details are currently available. The LAO did question the policy bases behind the MOE as they recommend matching the fiscal responsibility with the level of control the state and county would have over the costs of the program. Additionally, the LAO put forth two potential short-term options for consideration:

  1. Provide some level of General Fund relief to counties for two years, which would not require changes to 1991 Realignment during those years.
  2. Adopt the Governor’s proposal for two years.

CSAC testified before the Subcommittees, thanking the Administration for their continued conversation and willingness to mitigate the impact to counties. They provided support for the first two years of the Administration’s proposal, but noted the out-years would have devastating impacts counties and the services we provide. They emphasized that reopening the agreement before the out-years it critical for counties. CSAC’s budget letters can be found here and here.

Both Subcommittees held the item open. A vote is expected next week.

 

CCS Medical Therapy Program

Both the Subcommittees heard the Administration’s trailer bill related to the provision of medically necessary physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) services within the California’s Children’s Services (CCS) Medical Therapy Program (MTP) (TBL No 642). During the Administration’s overview, they alluded to litigation and challenges at the state level requiring the CCS program to continue MTP services beyond those that are medically necessary, when included in the child’s individual education program (IEP). The proposed trailer bill clarify the provision of these services are limited to those deemed medical necessity and would further require the CCS appeals process to be used for disputes. CHEAC has taken a SUPPORT position on the trailer bill, given litigation and challenges at the local level. Our letter of support can be viewed here and here.

The Senate Subcommittee No. 3 rejected the Administration’s proposal after raising concerns around ensuring children have adequate access to services. The Assembly Subcommittee No. 1 held the item open.