Legislature Approves Transportation Funding before Departing for Spring Recess

Transportation has consumed the Legislature and Governor’s focus this week as the Legislature passed SB 1 (Beall) and ACA 5 (Frazier) yesterday evening. The bills are headed to the Governor for signature and would increase transportation funding by $5.2 billion per year for the next decade.

Meanwhile, a few bills of interest were heard in policy committee hearings this week and are noted below. The Legislature departed for Spring Recess and will return to Sacramento on Monday, April 17. This week’s bill chart is available here.

Jail Medical

SB 222 (Hernandez) as introduced on 2/2/17 – Support

SB 222 by Senator Hernandez was heard in the Senate Health Committee this week. The measure would increase the length of time an incarcerated Medi-Cal beneficiary’s coverage can be suspended from one year to the length of the beneficiary’s incarceration. The measure, sponsored by CWDA and Californians for Safety and Justice, passed with 7 ‘aye’ votes, 1 ‘no’ vote, and 1 abstention and will be heard next in the Senate Public Safety Committee.

Health Equity

AB 210 (Santiago) as introduced on 1/23/17 – Support

The Assembly Human Services Committee heard AB 210 by Assembly Member Santiago, which would allow counties to establish multidisciplinary teams to facilitate expedited identification, assessment, and linkage of individuals experiencing homelessness to housing and supportive services. The measure, sponsored by Los Angeles County, passed unanimously and now moves to the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee.

Communicable Disease Control

AB 511 (Arambula) as amended on 3/27/17 – Support

AB 511, by Assembly Member Arambula, was heard in Assembly Health Committee this week. This measure would update existing statute that requires certain individuals, including those who work with children, to have a tuberculosis test to instead receive a tuberculosis risk assessment. The measure, sponsored by HOAC, passed  with 9 ‘aye’ votes and 6 abstentions. AB 511 now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.