6sfa11

NOTE: * denotes urgency legislation

AIDS
Medi-Cal
Mental Health
Developmentally Disabled
Public Health and Safety
Seismic Safety
Health Professionals

AIDSSB 101 (Hughes-D) - Education: AIDS Prevention Instruction Authorizes school districts to offer AIDS prevention instruction to pupils in grades 5 and 6. (Died on Senate Inactive File) SB 1633 (Russell-R) - AIDS Provides that a physician or surgeon would not be subject to liability for a disclosure to the county health officer of identifying information about the person that may have been exposed to AIDS and identifying information about the patient believed to be infected provided that the physician believes in good faith that the patient poses a significant risk of harm of transmitting the infection to others or the patient consents to the disclosure. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 1944 (Polanco-D) - AIDS: Treatment States legislative intent that: 1. Eligible persons be given the broadest, most therapeutically appropriate access to drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV, 2. The Office of AIDS act as expeditiously as possible to make available all drugs known as "protease inhibitors" as they are approved by the FDA, and 3. The Office of AIDS maximize utilization of the most sophisticated HIV diagnostic procedures referred to as direct viral load assays. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1949 (Hayden-D) - HIV Provides that a physician who has the results of an HIV test would not be liable for disclosing the test results to a spouse, sexual partner or person with whom the patient has shared needles or to the county health officer. Permits the county health officer to alert those persons of possible exposure. (Died in Senate Judiciary Committee) SB 1976 (Watson-D) - Clean Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Project Requires the Department of Health Services (DHS) to authorize a one-for-one clean needle and syringe pilot project in the City and County of San Francisco and permits DHS to authorize pilot projects in other jurisdictions, upon the request of specified officials. Sunsets on January 1, 1999. (Died on Senate Inactive File) SB 2082 (Leslie-R) - HIV Tests Authorizes a limited exception to the confidentiality requirements for the results of HIV tests to allow release of such results to exposed emergency responders pursuant to federal law. Chapter 111, Statutes of 1996 AB 1284 (Lee-D) - AIDS Education and Prevention States legislative intent that the Departments of Corrections and the Youth Authority develop an expanded HIV education and prevention program. (Died in Assembly Public Safety Committee) AB 2147 (Rainey-R) - HIV Among other things, provides that anyone who exposes others to HIV under certain circumstances is guilty of a felony and subject to penalties as specified. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 2812 (Bordonaro-R) - Communicable Disease: AIDS 1. Provides that liability or criminal sanction is not imposed for disclosing an HIV test in accordance with any reporting requirement of the Department of Health Services (DHS) or the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a diagnosed case of HIV infection. 2. Removes the prohibition against a physician and surgeon from disclosing identifying information about an individual believed to be infected with HIV if the identifying information is disclosed to the county health officer. 3. Allows identification of any person to whom the disclosure of test results was made for the purposes of the list of reportable diseases maintained by the DHS. (Failed passage on Assembly Floor) AB 3186 (Martinez-D) - AIDS: HIV: Information and Counseling Requires the Office of AIDS of the Department of Health Services to present to the Legislature by July 31, 1997, a report summarizing current HIV testing confidentiality protections, and reviewing the establishment of a standard of care regarding the offering of annual voluntary and confidential HIV testing. Requires every medical care provider, as defined, primarily responsible for providing care to a patient from 15 to 54 years of age, inclusive, to offer the information and counseling to every patient. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3256 (Mazzoni-D) - Medicine: HIV Continuing Education Requires each licensed physician/surgeon whose practice consists of at least 25% in obstetrics and gynecology to complete education in the physical manifestations of HIV and AIDS as a part of his or her continuing education requirements. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3396 (Knox-D) - HIV Requires early intervention projects to provide administration of HIV diagnostic procedures commonly referred to as direct viral load assays including polymerase chain reaction and branch DNA tests. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3483* (Friedman-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill Requires drug manufacturers under the AIDS Drug Assistance Program to pay the state a 15% rebate for each drug, based on the average wholesale cost of the drug. Chapter 197, Statutes of 1996 Medi-CalSB 126 (Thompson-D) - Medi-Cal: Administration: Benefits Allows prior authorization for 2-year periods for 3 existing levels of intermediate care for the developmentally disabled, if federal approval for such a change is granted; and establishes a new Medi-Cal benefit: pediatric day health care. Chapter 446, Statutes of 1996 SB 204 (Maddy-R) - Long-Term Care Realignment Requires the Department of Health Services to establish 2 pilot projects to test the viability of county-based long-term care realignment. (Died on Senate Inactive File) SB 294 (Watson-D) - Bottled Water Makes bottled water a Medi-Cal benefit. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 478* (Solis-D) - Disproportionate Share Hospitals Provides for additional funding to public disproportionate share hospitals to be funded by a shift of moneys from children's and private disproportionate share hospitals. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) SB 519 (Haynes-R) - Drug Manufacturers Exempts from payment of the 10% Medi-Cal rebate those manufacturers who have provided an unspecified level of rebates under other rebate mechanisms. Any manufacturer which meets this threshold would have its drugs available without prior authorization. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 535 (Hughes-D) - Administrative Claiming Process Alters the date on which local agencies participating in the Medi- Cal Administrative Claiming process must notify the Department of Health Services of the amount of funding necessary to meet participation requirements. Changes the date from August 1 to July 1. (Died on Assembly Floor) SB 684 (Polanco-D) - Medi-Cal: Transitional Inpatient Care Adds licensed congregate living health facilities, that are certified to participate as a nursing facility in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, to those facilities that are eligible to participate in the transitional inpatient care (TIC) program. Clarifies that licensed skilled nursing facilities must also be certified to participate as a nursing facility in the Medicare and Medicaid programs in order to be eligible to participate in the TIC program. Chapter 564, Statutes of 1996 SB 737 (Haynes-R) - Medi-Cal State Plan Requires the Department of Health Service to publish in the California Regulatory Notice Register a summary of initial or revised state plan amendment requests or waiver requests submitted to the federal government, as well as any supplemental information requests from the federal government and the resulting state information submittals. Requires the department to provide full copies of these materials upon request. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 891 (Leslie-R) - Medi-Cal: Administrative Appeals Reduces the time limitations, from 300 days to the lesser of 60 days after receipt of a proposed decision or 240 days after closure of the administrative record, within which the Director of the Department of Health Services is required to adopt a proposed decision in an institutional provider audit appeal. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 948 (Watson-D) - Medi-Cal: Provider Reimbursement Requires all Medi-Cal audit reimbursements made to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers to be audited, within specified time frames, by the Department of Health Services (DHS), and specify the audit claim resolution process. Limits the amount DHS may withhold from interim payments and requires DHS to adjust interim payment rates. Requires DHS to approve all contracts between FQHCs and Managed Care contractors to ensure compliance with federal law. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) SB 1145* (Watson-D) - Disproportionate Share Providers Alters the due date for the Department of Health Services to issue the tentative listing of eligible disproportionate share hospitals. Changes the date from 60 days prior to start of new payment adjustment year to 30 days prior. Changes the release date of the final list from 5 days following start of new year to 30 days following start. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1147* (Watson-D) - Disproportionate Share Providers Permits hospitals who have submitted plans under the Medi-Cal capital projects funding program to submit revised plans through December 31, 1996 if the modifications in the revised plans result in no greater costs than under the original capital project. Chapter 55, Statutes of 1996 SB 1150* (Watson-D) - Medi-Cal: Pilot Projects Extends the authorized initial duration of Medi-Cal pilot projects from 4 to 5 years and extends the Director of Health Services' discretionary authority to extend such projects from 3 to 5 years. Eliminates the requirement that pilot programs be evaluated annually. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 1194 (Polanco-D) - Transitional Inpatient Care Permits transitional inpatient care to be provided by nursing facilities certified by the Department of Health Services for reimbursement of services under the federal Social Security Act. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1403 (Watson-D) - Drugs for Mental Health Disorders Specifies that if a manufacturer agrees to give its best price, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of serious mental disorder would be added to the Medi- Cal list of contract drugs without Medi-Cal Contract Drug Advisory Committee review. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 1453 (Leslie-R) - Drugs Provides unrestricted access to Medi-Cal reimbursement for all prescription drugs ordered by physicians. Deletes the 6 prescriptions per month per beneficiary limit on Medi-Cal drug reimbursement. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 1618 (Rosenthal-D) - Health Care for Indigents: Drug Treatment Revises the method of reimbursing providers for drug abuse services under the Medi-Cal Program. Establishes benefit levels for individual counseling sessions under the Medi-Cal Drug Treatment Program. Recasts the authorization to require the inclusion of provisions for the provision of services under the Medi-Cal Drug Treatment Program into the net negotiated contract with the county. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 1636 (Mountjoy-R) - Disproportionate Share Providers Permits a hospital, which meets the existing disproportionate share hospital criteria, and is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive/clinical cancer research facility, to participate in the Emergency Services and Supplemental Payments Fund. Chapter 529, Statutes of 1996 SB 1664 (Thompson-D) - Medi-Cal Providers Authorizes the Department of Health Services to provide for mandatory enrollment of Medi-Cal eligibles in a county operated fee-for-service managed care pilot program in the Counties of Sonoma, Placer, and San Luis Obispo. Requires boards of supervisors in participating counties to establish advisory committees to advise the counties on implementation and operation of the program, and specifies other requirements. Chapter 1114, Statutes of 1996 SB 1679 (Solis-D) - Contracts for Services and Case Management Deletes the existing method for reimbursing federally qualified health centers that serve Medi-Cal enrollees under managed care. Sets the centers' rates from managed care plans at the same rate as other contractors, but allows them to seek additional payments from the state to reach overall reimbursement based on reasonable costs as required under federal law. Requires interim reimbursement on a quarterly basis and an annual reconciliation occurring within 3 rather than 6 months of the end of the year. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 1943 (Watson-D) - Managed Care Plans and Local Initiatives Requires the Department of Health Services (DHS) to require Medi-Cal managed care contractors (i.e., commercial health care service plans and local initiatives) to pay valid safety net clinic claims within specified timeframes. Requires DHS in implementing the two-plan model to ensure the participation and broad representation of traditional and safety net providers within the county through the state contracting and regulatory process, requires local initiatives to maintain in their provider network the percentage of traditional and safety net providers described in their proposal submitted to, and approved by DHS, and requires both plans and local initiatives to ensure that members may choose participating safety net clinics as their primary care provider. Vetoed by the Governor SB 1984 (Maddy-R) - Disproportionate Share Hospitals Reduces the time permitted the Department of Health Services to determine refund amounts for transferring entities of the disproportionate share hospital payment adjustment program from 90 to 60 days and reduces the time permitted to return such refunds from 45 to 30 days. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 2053 (Mello-D) - Immigrants Provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, an alien shall be eligible for the full scope of Medi-Cal benefits, if the alien has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence or is otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law, except to the extent expressly prohibited by federal law. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 2054 (Mello-D) - Waivers Requires the Director of Health Services to develop and submit to the Legislature, no later than March 31, 1997, a plan for seeking a federal waiver for the purpose of accomplishing specified goals with respect to the Medi-Cal program. It would provide that, notwithstanding any other provision of state law, if at any time the federal government ceases to require a waiver for a program or service authorized under state law relating to the Medi-Cal program, that program or service shall remain in effect until the Legislature amends or deletes that authorization, and all contracts entered into pursuant to that authorization shall remain in force until their expiration date. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 2056 (Mello-D) - Service Levels States the Legislature's intent that Medi-Cal beneficiary levels be at least the equivalent of the level provided in 1995-96. (Died on Senate Inactive File) SB 2068 (Haynes-R) - Disproportionate Share Hospitals Increases the maximum federal limitation applicable to John F. Kennedy Medical Center to $3,498,722, and that applicable to the St. Francis Medical Center to $2,603,922 for the secondary supplemental payment adjustment for the 1995-96 adjustment year.. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 2135 (Johannessen-R) - Performance Audit Requires the Department of Health Services to contract with a private nonpartisan organization for the conducting of a performance audit of every component of the Medi-Cal program. Requires the completed audit findings to be submitted to the Legislature not later than January 1, 1998. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 2139 (Haynes-R) - San Diego County Pilot Project Makes a number of technical and policy amendments to the San Diego multi-plan managed care project. Chapter 717, Statutes of 1996 SB 2142* (Watson-D) - Los Angeles County Exempts members of the governing body of the Los Angeles County Local Initiative from conflict of interest laws as to not preclude the involvement of many board members in a number of major issues affecting the county's managed care "local initiative." (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 2158 (Leslie-R) - Third Party Payors Makes various revisions to bring California's Medi-Cal program into compliance with federal requirements relative to third party payors. (Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 24XX* (Solis - D) - Disproportionate Share Hospitals For the 1995-96 fiscal year, and subject to federal approval, modifies calculation of the amounts to be received under the Medi-Cal program by public and nonpublic hospitals, respectively. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 297 (Knight-R) - Voter Registration: Notification Deletes evidence of voter registration in California from the list of types of evidence which are by statute part of acceptable verification of California residence when applying for Medi-Cal benefits; also prohibits the use of voter registration as evidence of residence for purposes of public social service eligibility generally. (Failed passage in Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee) AB 326 (Knowles-R) - Pregnancy-Related Services Deletes pregnancy-related services from the scope of benefits available to undocumented aliens. Also repeals state-only funded, long-term care benefits to undocumented aliens. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 409 (Battin-R) - Evidence of Eligibility Deletes evidence of voter registration in California from the list of types of evidence which are by statute part of acceptable verification of California residence when applying for Medi-Cal benefits. (Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 668 (Knowles-R) - Medi-Cal: Aliens Eliminates the provision of pregnancy-related services to undocumented women and includes emergency labor and delivery within the definition of "emergency medical conditions." Eliminates continuation of long-term care and renal dialysis for aliens who have exhausted appeals to retain an entitlement to full Medi-Cal benefits (those currently receiving long-term care services would continue to do so). Allows aliens who are moved from a long-term care facility to a higher level of care to continue to be eligible for long-term services. (Died in conference committee) AB 994 (Katz-D) - Consumer Product Actions Authorizes the Director of Health Services to seek recovery from 3rd persons to recover the value of benefits provided to Medi-Cal recipients because of medical conditions caused by tobacco. (Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee) AB 1184* (Friedman-D) - Medi-Cal: Disproportionate Share Hospitals Increases payments in 1996-97 to disproportionate share hospitals under the Medi-Cal supplemental payments program. The increased payments are made to the extent that total payments do not exceed the $2.2 billion program cap after the initial round of payments which are based on 80% of each hospital's past year Medi-Cal days. Chapter 1099, Statutes of 1996 AB 1238 (Bordonaro-R) - Medi-Cal: Reimbursements Requires the Department of Health Services to enter into one or more contracts, covering the entire state, under which entities would be reimbursed for providing beneficiaries with medical equipment or supplies, if specified conditions are met. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1262 (Bustamante-D) - Medi-Cal: Beneficiary Notice Requires the Department of Health Services to notify a beneficiary when a medical health care provider is reimbursed for Medi-Cal services provided to that recipient. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1807 (Friedman-D) - Disproportionate Share Hospitals Permanently accelerates state receipt of 4th quarter federal fiscal year eligibility for payments to public and private hospitals under the SB 855 “disproportionate share hospital” payment program, resulting in an extra quarter of funding for the program on a one- time basis in 1995-96 (an additional $375 million). (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1913 (Knowles-R) - Primary Care Case Management Authorizes the Department of Health Services to impose additional sanctions against primary care case management plans (PCCMs) which violate terms of their contract and provides to PCCMs right to administrative appeal. (Died on Senate Inactive File) AB 2019 (Knight-R) - Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome Makes magnetic resonance imaging a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program when there is a medical diagnosis made that concludes that there is temporomandibular joint syndrome present and surgical procedure for the condition is determined to be necessary. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 2071 (Miller-R) - Drug Abuse Services Establishes uniform Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for narcotic replacement therapy (e.g., methadone maintenance): rates for drug ingredients, dispensing , and ancillary services. Rates are to be set based on Medi-Cal payment rates for similar services. Payments are limited to the lesser of the statewide rate or usual and customary charges to the general public for similar services. Also requires the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to automate the claiming process for drug treatment services provided under Medi-Cal, and take other measures together with the Department of Health Services to expedite reimbursement. Chapter 1027, Statutes of 1996 AB 2184 (Margett-R) - Prepaid Health Plans Requires, as of January 1, 1998, all Medi-Cal managed care contractors to accept, at the discretion of the medical provider, either electronic or paper hard copy claims for out-of-plan emergency medical services. Authorizes the Department of Health Services to exempt, for good cause, any managed care plan contract from electronic billing requirements. Vetoed by the Governor AB 2374 (Bates-D) - Alameda County Hospital Authority Allows Alameda County to revise the Alameda County Medical Center's capital project plan, if certain requirements are met, and permits the revised plans to qualify for supplemental reimbursement using the Medi-Cal inpatient utilization rate for the original plan, as specified. Chapter 816, Statutes of 1996 AB 2424 (Alby-R) - Medical Transportation Services Stipulates that medical transportation services, as an optional benefit under the Medi-Cal program, shall only be provided when "medically necessary." (Died on Senate Inactive File) AB 2434 (Knight-R) - Medi-Cal Providers Allows orthotists and prosthetists certified by the Board for Orthotist Certification to participate in the Medi-Cal program in the interim period between the date this bill would go into effect, January 1, 1997, and the point at which the Department of Health Services (DHS) adopts new regulations. States legislative intent that DHS consider scope of practice, training and education as they develop the new regulations. Chapter 1009, Statutes of 1996 AB 2484 (Firestone-R) - Santa Barbara Regional Health Authority Deletes statutory authority for the Department of Health Services to use relevant prior fee-for-service Medi-Cal program cost experience data or aid codes not covered by the Santa Barbara Regional Health Authority, to determine reimbursement rates within Santa Barbara. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 2490* (Villaraigosa-D) - Managed Care Provides that a current Medi-Cal beneficiary who does not make a choice of a managed care plan in the service area in which the beneficiary resides cannot be mandatorily enrolled in any plan until 30 days prior to the operational date of the designated local initiative contractor. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2565 (Goldsmith-R) - Medi-Cal Eligibility Makes any person who willfully and knowingly counsels an individual to make a false application for health care services under the Medi-Cal program liable for costs of any services rendered an ineligible applicant, to the extent permitted by federal law and the availability of federal financial participation. Chapter 837, Statutes of 1996 AB 2568 (Woods-R) - Dental Providers Authorizes suspension from the Medi-Cal dental program of any dental provider for provision of services below an accepted standard of care. Establishes the California Dental Association Guidelines for the Assessment of Clinical Quality and Professional Performance as the standard. Authorizes the Department of Health Services to employ dental provider records to investigate charges of substandard care. Chapter 838, Statutes of 1996 AB 2745 (Granlund-R) - Inpatient Adjustment Funding Includes inpatient days in the provision of transitional care services as a factor to be used in determining the supplemental disproportionate share provider payments. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 2804* (Granlund-R) - Disproportionate Share Hospitals Establishes a special supplemental payment to hospitals that provide a disproportionate share of care to Medi-Cal and other low income patients. Limits the total amount of payment to $200 million, but it could be less depending on the total amount of federal funds available for this purpose. Provides that the nonfederal share of these supplemental payments would come from University of California hospitals through a special transfer provision. Chapter 74, Statutes of 1996 AB 2842 (Escutia-D) - Managed Care Providers Requires the health care options contractor in each county in which there is a Medi-Cal managed care contract to establish and maintain a toll-free information number. Requires the information line to accommodate all languages spoken by consumers and is intended to provide information for Medi-Cal beneficiaries regarding the managed care program. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2843 (Escutia-D) - Transitional Inpatient Care Makes changes in the Medi-Cal transitional care program by requiring the attending physician and the receiving physician to document that the patient has been clinically stable for the preceding 24 hours in the medical record prior to admission to transitional inpatient care. Also specifies that if a patient does not meet this threshold, the acute care hospital shall continue to be reimbursed at the acute care rate, in which case the patient would be required to be reassessed for transfer to transitional inpatient care within 48 hours. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 2851 (KNOX-D) - Bottled Water Adds bottled water and water filters as a covered benefit under the Medi-Cal program. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2862 (Sweeney-D) - Technology Dependent Children Requires Medi-Cal to cover the in-home medical services of technology-dependent children, without regard to the income or resources of the parents, and without any share of cost based on any income the child may have. Children will qualify as long as the cost of care at home is less than the cost of care the child would otherwise require in a health facility. Authorizes the Department of Health Services to establish a schedule of parental contributions to defray the costs of care if permitted under federal law. Vetoed by the Governor AB 2876 (Davis-D) - Children's Convalescent Hospital of San Diego Exempts Children's Convalescent Hospital of San Diego from Medi-Cal requirements that hospitals must call all freestanding facilities within a 15-mile radius of the patient's home for 25 days in an attempt to place the patient in a lower cost nursing facility. (Withdrawn from enrollment; died at Assembly Desk) AB 2894 (Aguiar-R) - Children's Hospitals Defines, except as otherwise specified by law, the term "children's hospital", after June 1, 1996, for purposes of both the Health and Safety Code and the Welfare and Institutions Code as referring to specified hospitals. Chapter 824, Statutes of 1996 AB 2916* (Friedman-D) - Los Angeles County Pilot Project Extends the time period for the initial contract period for a Medi- Cal pilot capitated health care delivery project from 4 years to 5 years, and extends the renal period for these contracts from 3 years to 5 years. Chapter 475, Statutes of 1996 AB 3040 (Gallegos-D) - Foster Children: Medi-Cal Managed Care Excludes foster care children from enrollment in a managed care plan or in a county organized health system, with exceptions, until certain conditions are met. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3059 (Gallegos-D) - Child Health and Disability Prevention Program Requires any health care service plan that has a contract with the Medi-Cal program to provide services under the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program to make efforts to ensure that all children who are in the program and are located in the geographical area serviced by the plan receive all of the services provided by the plan pursuant to its contract with the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program. (Died in Assembly Health Committee AB 3138 (Aguiar-R) - Medi-Cal Capitation Rates Requires the establishment of an actuarial review advisory committee by the Department of Health Services (DHS) to prepare and submit to DHS a written review of the rate methodology utilized to establish capitation rates for Medi-Cal managed care plans. Vetoed by the Governor AB 3199 (Harvey-R) - Tulare County Allows Tulare County, until January 1, 2000, to include in their Medi-Cal managed care plan the coverage of children receiving services from the California Children's Services (CCS) program. Requires the Tulare County Local Initiative and the Department of Health Services to agree on a rate for CCS services that would result in no new General Fund costs. Chapter 1017, Statutes of 1996 AB 3266* (Brown-D) - Medi-Cal: Drugs Exempts from Medi-Cal's 6 prescription limit any drug prescribed for chronic diseases and conditions. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 3360 (Miller-R) - Medi-Cal: Drugs Exempts drugs prescribed for chronic diseases and conditions from prior authorization. Requires the Department of Health Services to determine what chronic diseases and conditions are generally treatable through drugs that may be prescribed for those conditions. Requires an annual reauthorization for drugs prescribed for chronic diseases and conditions. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 3373 (Villaraigosa-D) - Newborn Children Provides that newborn children in neonatal intensive care units more than 30 days shall be provided under the Medi-Cal program with discharge planning and case management services as necessary to enable them to be discharged to a family living situation where feasible with appropriate services for infant development and health stability. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3483* (Friedman-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill 1. Revises the eligibility requirements for Medi-Cal benefits for families who lose eligibility for Aid to Families with Dependent Children benefits due to the reuniting of separated spouses. 2. Revises the method of calculating the maximum allowable reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal drug treatment programs and requires the Department of Health Services to develop individual and group rates for extensive outpatient drug-free treatment counseling. 3. Until July 1, 1997, excludes hospice benefits from the scope of Medi-Cal benefits through specified managed care programs. 4. Suspends until January 1, 1999 the operative date for the establishment of a drug formulary. 5. Requires the Bureau of State Audits to prepare a report by January 1, 1998 on the drug program management techniques and the comparability of the program to other private sector third party payers. 6. Extends the authority to contract for single-source and multi- source drugs until January 1, 1999. 7. Extends the 10% supplemental rebate program to January 1, 1997. 8. Revises the targeted care management county contribution requirements to the state. 9. Extends provisions in current law stating that certain aged, blind or disabled persons are not responsible for "share of costs" for Medi-Cal benefits to reductions made during the 1996 portion of the 1995-96 Regular Session. 10. Establishes a State-Only Family Planning Program under the Medi-Cal Program, for a period of 3 years to provide family planning services, as described, to all persons with family incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, who have no other health care coverage, except as described, and are not otherwise eligible for Medi-Cal services without a share of cost. Chapter 197, Statutes of 1996 AB 3484* (Friedman-D) - Medi-Cal Reduces the state fee paid by public hospitals participating in the disproportionate share hospital program by $10 million. Chapter 198, Statutes of 1996 AB 3487* (Katz-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill: Proposition 99 Funds Extends the operation and effective period of the perinatal services and perinatal outreach, coordination and expansion services and the use of Proposition 99 funds for these services under the Medi-Cal program. Chapter 199, Statutes of 1996 Mental HealthSB 659 (Wright-R) - Mental Health Repeals existing pilot authority to establish adult mental health "system of care" demonstration programs. Establishes authority for new county systems of care for adults, in addition to continuing the funding of the 3 existing programs, so long as they achieve client and cost outcome goals specified in their contracts. Specifies that implementation is contingent upon budget act appropriations. Chapter 153, Statutes of 1996 SB 681 (Hurtt-R) - County Mental Health Account Reduces the mental health maintenance of effort by $25 million for the 1995-96 fiscal year. Chapter 6, Statutes of 1996 SB 1192* (Polanco-D) - Mental Health Managed Care Plans Amends current law to uniformly refer to mental health plans; delays the transfer of state matching funds for the remaining Medi-Cal fee-for-service mental health services; and alters current law regarding the small-county risk pool. Chapter 190, Statutes of 1996 SB 1365* (Haynes-R) - Community Treatment Facility Pilot Project Authorizes the Department of Social Services to license a secured community treatment facility, the Van Horn Regional Treatment Facility in Riverside County, as a community care facility. Provides that the facility will operate as a pilot community care facility for children who are wards of the court under Welfare and Institutions Section 602. Chapter 794, Statutes of 1996 SB 1551 (Johnston-D) - Stockton Developmental Center Appropriates $1,172,000 from the General Fund to the Department of General Services for pre-conveyance costs associated with the Stockton Developmental Center (SDC). Also authorizes alternative uses of a specified 2.33 acre parcel (adjacent to the existing SDC and whose use is currently limited to mental health purposes), subject to the approval of the public or nonprofit entity that has management and control of the center. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) SB 1608 (Wright-R) - Psychiatric Health Facilities Establishes civil sanctions that the Department of Mental Health (DMH) may take against operators of psychiatric health facilities for failure to comply with laws and regulations related to these facilities. Specifies that the sanctions include cease and desist orders and monetary sanctions. Requires DMH to issue emergency regulations to undertake the sanctions and establish administrative appeal procedures. Chapter 403, Statutes of 1996 SB 1667* (Wright-R) - Mental Health Care 1. Provides for a reappropriation of $7.125 million from the Budget Act of 1996, and appropriations in the 1997-98 and 1998- 99 fiscal years for statewide expansion of the Children's Mental Health Services Act. 2. Requires the Department of Mental Health to issue a request for proposals to counties in each year that additional funds are provided. 3. Requires that the selection of county proposals shall be subject to the amount of funding provided for expansion of services. 4. Requires the department to enter into training and consultation contracts as necessary to meet program requirements. Chapter 1167, Statutes of 1996 SB 2003 (Costa-D) - Mental Health: Patient Transfers Grants protection from civil and criminal liability to general acute care hospitals and physicians in such facilities who detain mentally disordered individuals up to 8 hours under certain conditions. Chapter 716, Statutes of 1996 SB 2029* (Wright-R) - Mental Health Funding Modifies the method of allocating mental health realignment growth account funding to adjust for social services caseload shortfalls. Vetoed by the Governor SB 2071 (Johnston-D) - Mental Health Services: Funding Requires that future allocations of state funds transferred for mental health services be based upon statewide Medi-Cal rates per eligible individual, by aid category, with regional price differentiation, within a reasonable time period after federal financial participation is no longer available on a fee-for-service reimbursement basis, as determined by the Department of Mental Health. Also deletes the conditional provisions for implementation of a capitated rate for payment for those services when federal financial participation is based on the capitated rate. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 708 (Goldsmith-R) - Involuntary Treatment Authorizes certification for an additional 30-day period of intensive treatment if a person poses a substantial risk of death or serious injury to himself, herself or others if left unsupervised in the community. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 1508 (Napolitano-D) - State Hospitals Establishes the Metropolitan State Hospital Master Plan Commission to review all aspects of the mission of the Metropolitan State Hospital and report on its recommendations for the best use of the facilities and property. Prohibits further transfers into the hospital of specified persons. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 2616* (Woods-R) - Mental Health Facilities Specifies that a psychiatric health facility (PHF) shall be eligible to participate in the Medicaid and Medicare programs and receive federal financial participation. PHFs would be required to meet the federal participation requirements for hospitals. Chapter 245, Statutes of 1996 AB 2726 (Woods-R) - Pupils: Mental Health Services Establishes procedures governing the referral of children with disabilities to county mental health departments and delineates the responsibilities of those departments. Specifies that, beginning July 1, 1997, counties shall be responsible for placement costs for children placed in other states which are now being paid by school districts. Chapter 654, Statutes of 1996 AB 2801* (Granlund-R) - Local Mental Health Services Makes various administrative changes relating to the Bronzan- McCorquodale Act providing for community-based mental health services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Chapter 515, Statutes of 1996 AB 3196 (Vasconcellos-D) - Mental Health Requires each community mental health program to have an older adult coordinator to assist in developing policies, planning and delivering mental health services for older adults. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3238 (Gallegos-D) - Adult Residential Care Facilities Establishes additional requirements for adult residential care facilities intended to provide improved treatment and care of persons who are mentally ill. Chapter 828, Statutes of 1996 AB 3483* (Friedman-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill 1. Limits the number of Penal Code-related patients to reside at Metropolitan State Hospital to 227 for the 1996-97 fiscal year. 2. Extends the date for one year, from July 1, 1996 to July 1, 1997, for the implementation of Medi-Cal mental health managed care. 3. States legislative intent that persons placed for mental health treatment through criminal proceedings be placed at Atascadero State Hospital in the 1996-97 fiscal year, unless there are unique circumstances. Chapter 197, Statutes of 1996 Developmentally DisabledSB 126 (Thompson-D) - Medi-Cal: Administration Allows prior authorization for 2-year periods for 3 existing levels of intermediate care for the developmentally disabled, if federal approval for such a change is granted. Chapter 446, Statutes of 1996 SB 571 (Peace-D) - Services: Developmentally Disabled Requires the Department of Developmental Services to ensure that the client master file for persons with developmental disabilities placed by regional centers is updated within 30 days of a client's changing residences. Chapter 434, Statutes of 1996 AB 2322 (Bates-D) - Children With Special Health Care Needs Permits a "child with special health care needs" to remain in a licensed foster family home after the age of 18 if certain conditions are met. Also revises the definition of a "child with special health care needs." Chapter 1007, Statutes of 1996 AB 2612 (Baugh-R) - Habilitation Services Extends the January 1, 1997 sunset for the Habilitation Services Program's supported work programs to January 1, 1999. These programs provide employment services for developmentally disabled clients and are administered by the Department of Rehabilitation. Also permits the department to provide higher rates for clients with special needs. Chapter 821, Statutes of 1996 AB 3091 (House-R) - Habilitation Services Extends the Habilitation Services Program from October 1, 1996 to January 1, 1999 and changes definitions, ratesetting and funding provisions. (Died in Assembly Human Services Committee) AB 3483* (Friedman-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill 1. Revises the time period for assessment to determine the level of service for which an applicant for regional center services is eligible. 2. Recasts the responsibilities of regional centers for the provision of services under a contract with the Department of Developmental Services. 3. Provides that the rate schedule for the 1996-97 fiscal year shall be increased based on the amount appropriated in the 1996 Budget Act and specifies that the increase be applied as a percentage for all contractors. 4. Specifies that regional centers shall not be subject to any law, regulation, or policy of state agencies pertaining to the planning and acquisition of information technology. 5. Requires the Department of Developmental Services to jointly develop guidelines with the Association of Regional Center Agencies for use in the expenditure of funds for information activities. Chapter 197, Statutes of 1996 Public Health and SafetySB 72 (Johannessen-R) - Community Care Facilities Establishes a 3-county pilot project to permit county probation officers to determine whether licenses of community care facilities caring for juvenile delinquents should be suspended or revoked, as specified. (Died in Senate Criminal Procedures Committee) SB 164 (Maddy-R) - Emergency Medical Services Permits service in a standby emergency department of a small/rural hospital to be reimbursed from the Emergency Medical Services Fund. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 250 (Haynes-R) - Abortion: Informed Consent Enacts the California Informed Choice Act of 1995 to prohibit abortions except with the voluntary and informed consent of the woman. Provides that consent is voluntary and informed only if specified information is provided to the woman at least 24 hours prior to the abortion. (Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 316 (Solis-D) - Nutrition Commencing July 1, 1996, requires the Department of Social Services to develop and implement an ongoing nutrition monitoring system, as specified, to determine “food security” and hunger conditions in the state. Provides that the implementation of this program is contingent upon funds being made available in the 1996 Budget Act. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 341 (Campbell-R) - Residential Child Care Facilities Establishes a pilot project in Santa Clara County to give county emergency shelters for juveniles greater authority to impose appropriate restrictions on minors placed in the facility. (Died on Assembly Inactive File) SB 365 (Watson-D) - Group A Streptococcal Infection Requires the Department of Health Services to develop a program to monitor clinical manifestations and changes in the epidemiology of Group A streptoccal infection. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 489 (Solis-D) - Cooperative Agreements Provides statutory authority for the Department of Health Services' Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program to utilize a simplified administrative mechanism to reimburse local health jurisdictions for MCH program activities. Deletes the sunset dates on requirements for submission of certain information necessary to monitor the cooperative agreement. Adds other programs to those covered by the Cooperative Agreement Act contract reform legislation enacted in 1993. Vetoed by the Governor SB 575* (Polanco-D) - Juveniles: Facilities Creates and defines a new community care facility licensing category, known as a "Juvenile Services Facility" to house and serve minors in need of highly structured programs and who are at risk of being placed in a California Youth Authority facility or a county camp/correctional facility. Creates a 3-year pilot project, operative until January 1, 2000, only in the Counties of Los Angeles and San Diego, that would permit status offenders who have violated a court order, as specified, to be held in a secure facility, other than a facility in which adults are held in secure custody, for not more than 6 months. Also permits status offenders and minors who are alleged to have committed crimes to be held in the same facility. Requires the preparation of an evaluation of the project, as specified. (Died at Senate Desk awaiting concurrence in Assembly amendments) SB 686 (Thompson-D) - Health Care Coverage: Children Requires health plans and insurers to cover immunizations for children consistent with the most current version of the Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule/United States. Chapter 556, Statutes of 1996 SB 929* (Petris-D) - Economic Poisons Enacts the Pesticide Poisoning Prevention Act of 1995 to prohibit the registration of any new use for an extremely hazardous pesticide after the effective date of the bill. Requires the Secretary for Environmental Protection to implement a plan to eliminate the use of extremely hazardous pesticides registered prior to the bill's effective date. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 949* (Watson-D) - Tobacco-Related Health Research and Education Extends target age groups for the public awareness media campaign and for school-based students. Extends the authorization sunset from 1996 to 2000 for tobacco education programs. Redirects funding from appropriations currently under litigation for research and education accounts. Eliminates research/health education funding for the Child Health Disability Program, clinic services, California Children's Services, Genetically Handicapped Persons Program, and Access for Infants and Mothers. Similar amounts are eliminated for fiscal year 1995-96. Restores funding to health education/research programs. Supplements Department of Education programs by $7 million; the media campaign by $9 million; competitive grants by $7 million; local lead agencies by $3 million and the research program by $21 million. Similar appropriations are made for fiscal year 1995-96. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 951 (Watson-D) - Sickle Cell Anemia Requires the Department of Health Services to report to the Legislature on current practices designed to prevent and diminish the occurrence of sickle cell anemia. Appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to the department for purposes of the report. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 967* (Watson-D) - Tobacco Education: Schools Directs that anti-tobacco education competitive grants offered by public schools be based on proven, effective methodologies. (Died in Assembly Education Committee) SB 1169 (Lockyer-D) - Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy Establishes a public awareness campaign concerning teen pregnancy targeted at high-risk minors. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) SB 1193 (Polanco-D) - Child Health Screening Requires the Department of Health Services to report to the Legislature, by October 15, 1995, on the county and managed care plan implementation of child health screening and specified aspects of follow-up. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1287 (Hayden-D) - Estrogen-Imitating Chemical Compounds Creates a multi-disciplinary task force to examine the relationship of estrogen-imitating compounds and cancer. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1290 (Hayden-D) - Health Facility Security Establishes a program to award contracts through a request for financial assistance to support security improvements at qualified women's health care clinics, as defined in the bill. Includes community clinics or county hospitals or clinics where at least half of the encounters for Medi-Cal recipients are for females. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1307 (Calderon-D) - Public Water Systems Restructures procedures required by the California Safe Drinking Water Act for adopting water standards and completing water quality reports. Chapter 755, Statutes of 1996 SB 1363* (Leonard-R) - Personal Right: Human Tissue Establishes a personal property right in human tissue and organs. Also provides that a person has a cause of action for conversion for the removal of human tissue or organs without informed consent. Establishes special damages for such a cause of action. Also provides that a person has a cause of action for conversion for the unauthorized removal, use, or fertilization of, or the unauthorized sale or gift of, an ovum, embryo or any derivative thereof. States legislative intent to overturn a portion of the California Supreme Court decision in Moore v Regents of University of California (51 California. 3d 120). (Died in Senate Judiciary Committee) SB 1419 (Maddy-R) - Health Facilities Modifies procedures for plan review and building inspection of medical clinics. Chapter 622, Statutes of 1996 SB 1446 (Mello-D) - Traumatic Brain Injury Demonstration Project Expands the current Traumatic Brain Injury demonstration project from 4 to 8 sites, and removes the cap on state penalty assessment funds available for the project's support beginning in 1997-98. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) SB 1486 (Calderon-D) - Health and Safety Delineates the circumstances under which a licensed contractor or registered asbestos abatement contractor meeting certain training requirements is authorized to take samples of suspected asbestos- containing materials. Chapter 526, Statutes of 1996 SB 1497* (Senate Health and Human Services Committee) - Reorganization of the Health and Safety Code Makes numerous technical and conforming cross-reference changes throughout the Health and Safety Code regarding the organization of the public health laws. Chapter 1023, Statutes of 1996 SB 1551 (Johnston-D) - Stockton Developmental Center Appropriates $1,172,000 from the General Fund to the Department of General Services for preconveyance costs associated with the Stockton Developmental Center. Also authorizes alternative uses of a specified 2.33-acre parcel (adjacent to the existing center and whose use is currently limited to mental health purposes), subject to the approval of the public or nonprofit entity that has management and control of the center. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 1554 (Kelley-R) - Hospitals: Health Care Districts: Conflict of Interest Provides that an officer of a municipal hospital, board of supervisors or a board or commission appointed by the board of supervisors for the operation of a county hospital, or local health care district shall not be deemed "financially interested" for purposes of Government Code 1090 in a contract entered into by any municipal, county or district body or board of which the officer is a member if certain conditions are met and the contract is among those specified. Chapter 447, Statutes of 1996 SB 1634 (Watson-D) - Health Requires physicians to inform patients 40 years and older who are undergoing prostate exams about the availability of the prostate specific antigen test. Also provides that an acute psychiatric hospital is eligible for a single consolidated license, subject to the same statutory criteria for general acute care hospital consolidation. Vetoed by the Governor SB 1649 (Mello-D) - Health Facilities: Disclosure Clarifies that all information required as part of the license application to the Department of Health (DHS) for a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility license is public information. Requires DHS to approve or disapprove the license application within 30 days after receipt, unless DHS, with just cause, extends the application review period. Chapter 567, Statutes of 1996 SB 1688 (Marks-D) - Residential Care Facilities Sets forth various provisions to ensure residents of residential care facilities are made aware of services and equipment available from the local telephone company for the deaf or hearing impaired or otherwise disabled. Chapter 448, Statutes of 1996 SB 1690 (Kopp-I) - Care Facilities: Over-concentration Requires the Directors of Social Services and of Alcohol and Drug Programs to deny an application for licensure for a residential care facility, including an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility, if granting the license would result in the facility's being within 300 feet of any existing community care facility or alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility. Provides that transitional shelter facilities, foster family homes and residential care facilities not be considered in determining whether to grant a license. Also creates the Care Facilities Task Force to analyze and review issues related to the integration and dispersal of residential care facilities and to examine state licensing responsibilities. Vetoed by the Governor SB 1848 (O'Connell-D) - Long-term Health Care Facilities Extends indefinitely the authority of an attending physician, after an interdisciplinary team review, to initiate medical intervention for a resident of a long-term care facility who lacks the capacity to provide informed consent. Also deletes an obsolete provision requiring the Department of Health Services to report on the above process by July 1, 1995. Chapter 126, Statutes of 1996 SB 1851 (Kelley-R) - Public Water Systems Amends the California Uniform Retail Food Facilities Law to define "potable water," and amends the California Safe Drinking Water Act to provide that it applies to a food facility only if the human consumption at the food facility includes the drinking water. Also revises and provides certain definitions under the California Safe Drinking Water Act. Chapter 874, Statutes of 1996 SB 1892 (Solis-D) - Community Care Facilities Authorizes the Department of Social Services (DSS) to issue a citation to a licensed community care facility believed to be in violation of the California Community Care Facilities Act. Requires DSS to develop a consumer provider guide to help potential residents of community care facilities to choose a suitable facility. Requires DSS to establish a task force to report to the Legislature by January 1, 1998 on the state regulation of community care facilities. Also requires licensed community care facilities to maintain for public inspection copies of all citation reports. (Died in Assembly Human Services Committee) SB 1922 (Wright-R) - Health Care Facilities Exempts the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) from lender liability when OSHPD insures a loan of a health facility under the California Health Facility Construction Loan Act; requires filings for judicial review of OSHPD final decisions within 30 days; authorizes OSHPD to purchase bonds to reduce interest costs; and authorizes OSHPD to vote on a post-bankruptcy plan on behalf of bond holders. Chapter 411, Statutes of 1996 SB 1971* (Watson-D) - Health Education and Research Makes changes in the tobacco education programs funded by Proposition 99 revenues. Also makes specific appropriations from the Health Education and Research Accounts created by the initiative. Includes the following program changes: 1. Extending the sunset date to 2005. 2. Revising the allocation formulas for school district funds. 3. Limiting reductions in health education or research funds that prevent them from falling below the 20% and 5% levels prescribed in the initiative. 4. Stricter requirement for tobacco-free schools. 5. Deleting the Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 1986* (Thompson-D) - Tobacco Products Surtax Fund Extends the sunset for tobacco education programs' Access for Infants and Mothers, perinatal services, expanded access to primary care, California Healthcare for Indigents, and County Medical Services Program, from July 1, 1996 to July 1, 1998. Repeals the tobacco-related disease research programs on July 1, 1998. Establishes the Comprehensive Perinatal Outreach Program to be funded through the Unallocated Account in the Cigarette and Tobacco Surtax Fund. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 1999 (Haynes-R) - Partial-birth Abortion: Ban Bans "partial-birth abortions prohibiting physicians from performing abortions using a technique known as intact dilation and evacuation (IDE) used in second-trimester abortions. Creates civil liability permitting the father or grandparent of a fetus, who was the subject of a "partial-birth abortion," to bring suit against the physician. Provides that the affirmative defense is available to a physician who reasonably believed that the procedure was the only choice to save the women's life. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) SB 2005 (Thompson-D) - Communicable Diseases Adds to the sharps injury documentation required of certain health facilities, the type and brand of device involved. Also establishes a 3-year pilot project, contingent upon available funding, to assess the feasibility of a statewide sharps injury surveillance system, and appropriates $145,000 from the General Fund for that purpose. Chapter 683, Statutes of 1996 SB 2011 (Killea-I) - Hospice Pilot Project Removes the sunset date of January 1, 1997 for the San Diego hospice pilot project and thereby permanently establishes the project as a special hospital administered by the Department of Health Services. Chapter 413, Statutes of 1996 SB 2026* (Watson-D) - Dental Health Establishes a Dental Clinic Health Care Unit in the Department of Health Services to administer a grant program for nonprofit clinics to improve access to dental care for underserved populations. Provides that the grants would support capital improvements, loan repayments for dentists, patient transportation, telemedicine systems, toll-free telephone numbers for specialty referral, case management, and regional dental access networks. Creates the Dental Access Fund and transfers an unspecified amount from the General Fund to it for unspecified purposes. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 2028* (Watson-D) - Tuberculosis Control Authorizes the Department of Health Services to issue grants to local health jurisdictions for secured housing for recalcitrant tuberculosis patients and to ensure completion of treatment through directly observed therapy in a secured setting. Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund for purposes of the bill. Vetoed by the Governor SB 2055 (Mello-D) - Long-term Health Care Facilities Establishes in state law the federal standards for the regulation of nursing facilities that were part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA 87) as amended and effective May 1, 1996, and applies them to all skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities as defined in current law. (Died on Senate Inactive File) SB 2059 (Johnson-R) - Orthotic Devices Makes it a misdemeanor to advertise an orthotic device for the treatment, cure or relief of specific disorders of the human body. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 2080 (O'Connell-D) - Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Enacts the Comprehensive Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act of 1996. Includes the following elements: 1. Duties of owners of pre-1978 residential rental property. 2. Responses to the identification of a lead-poisoned child. 3. Risk assessment and lead safe certification. 4. Disclosure and notice requirements. 5. Training and certification requirements for those involved in lead-related work. 6. Enforcement provisions that include authorization of local enforcement agencies with existing authority relating to the enforcement of building standards and enforcement and oversight authority of the Department of Health Services. 7. Civil and criminal liability of owners of dwellings and others for failure to comply with specified enforcement orders and for the violation requirements of the act. (Failed passage in Senate Appropriations Committee) SB 2102 (Senate Agriculture & Water Resources Committee) - Certified Farmers' Markets Repeals statutory guidelines which are to become effective January 1, 1997 relating to the display, handling and preparation of food at certified farmers' markets. Instead, permanently continues existing statutory guidelines beyond their current sunset date of January 1, 1997. Chapter 229, Statutes of 1996 SCR 29 (Solis-D) - Iron Deficiency Anemia Prevention Requests that the Department of Health Services convene a task force to examine the incidence of iron deficiency anemia among California's children; and to formulate a coordinated statewide effort to substantially lower the current rate of anemia among low-income children. (Failed passage in Assembly Rules Committee) SCR 62 (Thompson-D) - Tobacco-related Diseases: Costs of Treatment Requests the Attorney General to bring suit against all tobacco companies for the costs of providing treatment for tobacco-related diseases, and additional damages. (Died at Assembly Desk) SJR 52 (Watson-D) - Cure Breast Cancer Postal Stamp Donation Program Asks Congress and the President to enact legislation enabling postal stamp patrons to voluntarily donate 1 cent per stamp for supplemental breast cancer research. Resolution Chapter 50, Statutes of 1996 SB 1XXX (Mello-D) - Economic Poisons Extends the deadline for the completion of methyl bromide and pentachlorophenol health studies required by the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1984 from March 30, 1996 to December 31, 1997. Chapter 1, Statutes of 1995-96, Third Extraordinary Session Similar legislation is SB 1371* (Mello-D), which died on the Senate Inactive File, SB 2XXX (Monteith-R), which failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and AB 1XXX (Frusetta-R), which died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee. AB 230 (Tucker-D) - Emergency Medical Services: Funding Reduces the current surcharge on intrastate telephone calls currently used to fund the 911 emergency service, and redirects 70% of the funds for reimbursement to paramedics and ambulances and for poison control. (Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 244 (Morrow-R) - Motorcycles: Helmets Repeals the motorcycle safety helmet requirement for persons 21 years of age and older, leaving the requirement in effect for those persons under the age of 21. Also deletes references to safety in the description of such helmets. (Failed passage in Senate Transportation Committee) AB 476 (Escutia-D) - Communicable Disease: Tuberculosis Authorizes the Department of Health Services to distribute an annual subvention to any local health department that provides housing for homeless tuberculosis patients and inpatient and outpatient care to uninsured and underinsured tuberculosis patients. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 480 (Villaraigosa-D) - Child Health: Anemia Prevention Requires the Department of Health Services to award competitively up to 10 anemia prevention grants totaling $60,000 per year to local Child Health and Disability Prevention Programs in counties whose rates of iron deficiency anemia exceed the state average for any given year. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 487 (Brown-D) - Tattooing, Body Piercing and Permanent Cosmetics Requires the Department of Health Services to establish, and requires local health departments to enforce, sterilization, sanitation and safety standards for the practices of tattooing, body piercing and application of permanent cosmetics. Requires the department to chair a task force to recommend further legislation concerning licensing, training and other subjects pertinent to the health and safety of clients of these practitioners. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 505 (Villaraigosa-D) - Health Care: Change in Services Requires hospitals and providers of health care service plans to disclose to the public and the applicable administering agency any plan to restructure the delivery of health care. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 553 (Escutia-D) - Tuberculosis Subject to the availability of new federal funds, establishes a contingency fund within the Department of Health Services to provide secured housing for non-adherent tuberculosis patients (those unwilling or unlikely to complete treatment) and to treat multi-drug-resistant or other complicated tuberculosis cases. (Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 667 (Bustamante-D) - Telemedicine Establishes a Telemedicine Advisory Task Force, with the assent of the Regents of the University of California, to study the potential use of communication technology in the provision of health care to rural and urban underserved populations. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 899 (Knight-R) - Blood Donations: Consent Requires written consent of a parent or guardian in order for a 17- year-old to donate blood. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 974 (McDonald-D) - Health Facilities: Postpartum Depression Requires general acute care hospitals and maternity hospitals, as specified, to provide information to maternity patients regarding the nature of postpartum depression and a source for referral if the patient requires further information. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1162 (Speier-D) - Tobacco Prohibits outdoor billboard advertising of tobacco products within 1,500 feet of any public or private elementary, junior high or high school. Prohibits smoking in, or in any outdoor areas of, any state-controlled building or in any passenger vehicle, when the buildings or vehicles are used for specified state special schools. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1195 (Morrissey-R) - Occupational Lead Poisoning Requires the Department of Health Services to adopt regulations that define a de minimis amount of lead use or disturbance, and provides that any employer who is within this definition is exempt from payment of fees. Chapter 720, Statutes of 1996 AB 1291 (Alpert-D) - Mammography Equipment Directs the Department of Health Services to establish 2 separate levels of registration fees for mammographic x-ray equipment, the lower of which is for registration of equipment already accredited by an independent accreditation agency, if recognized under the federal Mammography Quality Standards Act. Chapter 1100, Statutes of 1996 AB 1352 (Knowles-R) - Community Care Facilities: Group Homes 1. Requires as a condition of group home licensure the prior approval of a city or county for a group home to house any person convicted of a serious or violent felony, or a residential burglary, and authorizes the Department of Social Services (DSS) to seek the license revocation at the city or county's request if this prior approval is not obtained. 2. Authorizes DSS to revoke group home licenses if the group home operator does not notify local law enforcement of the criminal background of the residents after a local law enforcement agency so requests. 3. Prohibits group homes from housing any juvenile who is a dependent of the court with a ward of the court. (Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 1416 (Gallegos-D) - Health Care Facilities: Loan Insurance Program Requires the development of unique criteria for reviewing applications from clinics for Cal-Mortgage loan insurance. Also makes equipment loans eligible for loan insurance, and requires the Advisory Loan Insurance Committee to meet quarterly. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 1447 (Baca-D) - Organ Donation Requires general acute care hospitals, near the time or at the time of death of a patient, to offer to pay the interment, cremation or other lawful funeral expenses for that patient if the individual or family or legal representative had made an anatomical gift. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1484 (Martinez-D) - Family Day Care Homes Permits property owners to require family day care homes on their own rented or leased property to obtain liability insurance. (Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 1954 (Sher-D) - Drinking Water: Treatment Technology Requires the Department of Social Services, after January 1, 2000, to adopt a finding of the best available technology for each water contaminant for which a recommended public health goal and a primary drinking water standard have been adopted. Requires a public hearing on the issue. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 2021 (Tucker-D) - Elder and Dependent Adults Makes various changes in current law with respect to short-term shelter for elderly or dependent adults. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 2056 (Alby-R) - Adult Day Health Care Eliminates the restrictions on an adult day health care center's governing board's authority to delegate primary responsibility for supervision of its adult day health program to a special board. Chapter 137, Statutes of 1996 AB 2080 (McPherson-R) - Public Beaches Requires county public health officers to post warning signs in visible locations at each primary beach access point when the waters off the beach fail to meet certain public health standards. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 2092 (Mazzoni-D) - Organ Donation Expands the role of organ procurement organizations (OPO's) relative to the existing protocols required of hospitals for seeking donations of organs. Provides for training by OPO's of hospital staff involved in dealing with potential donors, allows OPO's to communicate directly with patients or their representatives, and requires hospitals to cooperate with such organizations in allowing them to confirm compliance with the hospitals' protocols for organ donation. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 2120 (Burton-D) - Marijuana: Medicinal Use Changes the penalty for planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying or processing marijuana, or any part thereof, from a felony to a misdemeanor when an individual has written approval from a licensed physician and surgeon for medicinal use of marijuana. (Failed passage in Assembly Public Safety Committee) AB 2125 (Figueroa-D) - Female Genital Mutilation Provides that any person who knowingly and intentionally performs female genital mutilation, as defined, on a person under the age of 18 would be punished by an additional 1-year term in the state prison. Requires the Department of Health Services, in consultation with the Department of Social Services and the appropriate federal agency or department, to establish and implement education and outreach activities in communities and by focusing on new immigrant populations who traditionally practice female genital mutilation. Chapter 790, Statutes of 1996 AB 2142 (Knight-R) - Local Health Care Districts Authorizes the transfer, at fair market value of any part of a local health care district's assets to a for-profit corporation, joint venture, partnership or limited liability company, under certain circumstances. (Died on Assembly Inactive File) AB 2188 (Granlund-R) - Tobacco Sales to Minors Allows, until January 1, 2000, punishment for selling tobacco to a minor to be an infraction, increases the penalties of minors and includes possession of tobacco, and redirects 1/2 of fine revenues from the General Fund to local tobacco education programs. Vetoed by the Governor AB 2242 (Burton-D) - Food Facilities Amends the California Uniform Retail Food Facility Law to permit outdoor displays of prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous foods and uncut produce at food establishments. Chapter 92, Statutes of 1996 AB 2324 (Bates-D) - Real Property: University of California Requires that property owned by the Department of Health Services at 2151 Berkeley Way in the City of Berkeley, be offered for conveyance to the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and gives UC 2 years to decide if it desires to obtain the property before it can be disposed of as surplus property. If UC takes title to the property, requires it to sell, lease, or exchange a specified portion of the property for uses that are not exempted from taxes. Chapter 649, Statutes of 1996 AB 2338 (Rainey-R) - Health Facilities Authorizes the Director of Health Services to issue a single consolidated license for a general acute care hospital to Children's Hospital Oakland and San Ramon Regional Medical Center. Chapter 1141, Statutes of 1996 AB 2339 (Harvey-R) - Food Labeling Changes the fat content label disclosure for chopped or ground beef and hamburger, as specified. Chapter 468, Statutes of 1996 AB 2341 (Burton-D) - Transitional Patient Care Requires a separate certification for hospitals and nursing homes that provide inpatient transitional care. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2349 (Harvey-R) - Food Facilities Makes numerous minor clarifying amendments to the California Uniform Retail Food Facilities Law to reflect current technology and food service practices, including deletion of the descriptor "ambient" from the provision relating to a temperature above 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and the requirement that certain new machines designed for hot water sanitizing be equipped with a self-sealing temperature and pressure test plug. Chapter 1048, Statutes of 1996 AB 2389 (Morrow-R) - Emergency Medical Services Provides for a study to evaluate the caseloads and costs of emergency medicine. Also provides for a process to reduce the practice of defensive medicine. (Failed passage in Senate Judiciary Committee) AB 2454 (Baca-D) - Long-term Health Care Prohibits discrimination by a long-term care facility against a patient's representative, as defined. Specifies a minimum civil penalty of not less than $1,000 for violating this prohibition. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2488 (Alby-R) - Health Facilities Requires applicants for licensure as an intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled-habilitative or intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled-nursing to attend an orientation program as a condition of licensure. Chapter 471, Statutes of 1996 AB 2539 (Davis-D) - Food and Drug Inspections Requires the Legislative Analyst to conduct a study examining the Department of Health Services' Food and Drug Branch's regulation of pharmaceuticals, biological products, medical devices, and in vitro diagnosis; and to report the results to the Legislature by January 1, 1998. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 2665 (Thompson-R) - Abortion: Funding Prohibits, notwithstanding any provision of law, state funds from being used to perform, assist or encourage abortion except to the extent required by federal law. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2680 (Speier-D) - Vital Statistics Requires local registrars that have automated birth registration to electronically capture the mother's marital status in an electronic file. Prohibits transcription of this information onto the actual hard copy of the certificate of live birth. Precludes the disclosure of marital status information, except as prescribed. Chapter 514, Statutes of 1996 AB 2727 (House-R) - Drinking Water Amends the California Uniform Retail Food Facilities Law to define "potable water," and amends the California Safe Drinking Water Act to provide that it applies to a food facility only if the human consumption at the food facility includes the drinking water. Also revises and provides certain definitions under the California Safe Drinking Water Act. Chapter 875, Statutes of 1996 AB 2774 (Morrow-R) - Abortion: Informed Consent Establishes the "Women's Right to Know Act," which stipulates that no abortion shall be performed without the voluntary and informed consent of the woman, as specified. (Failed passage on Assembly Floor) Similar legislation is AB 196 (Morrow-R), which failed passage in the Assembly Health Committee. AB 2785 (Hauser-D) - American Indian Health Annually appropriates $1 million from the General Fund for the American Indian Health Program. Requires the Department of Health Services to award sole-source contracts to any American Indian-controlled, nonprofit corporation for specific purposes. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 2835 (Bordonaro-R) - Community Care Facilities Requires the Department of Social Services to adopt emergency regulations by February 1, 1997 to specify incidental medical services authorized to be provided by community care facilities. Chapter 517, Statutes of 1996 AB 2861 (Villaraigosa-D) - Anatomical Gifts Prohibits discrimination, in any part of the organ transplant process, against potential recipients of an anatomical gift on the basis of that person's disability, as defined in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Chapter 96, Statutes of 1996 AB 2878 (Friedman-D) - Cigarette Taxes: Breast Cancer Research Increases the upper income limit for eligibility for breast cancer screening if less than 60% of funds for the Breast Cancer Early Detection Program are spent on screening and referral. Raises the income limit from 200% of the poverty level to 225% if the 60% minimum is not met. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 2892 (Frusetta-R) - Long-term Health Care Facility Employees Makes it a misdemeanor for a person to provide care in a long- term health care facility if the person has been convicted of a listed set of crimes, either in California or in another state. Does not apply to persons with a certificate of rehabilitation or to persons convicted of misdemeanors who successfully complete probation and ask for the charge to be dismissed. (Failed passage in Senate Criminal Procedures Committee) AB 2915 (Friedman-D) - Breast Cancer Research Requires the State Auditor to conduct an audit of the Breast Cancer Research Program grant award process during 1996-97 to determine whether the program has adequate controls to safeguard the program's funds and to minimize any potential conflicts that may arise from the University of California's dual role as program administrator and grant recipient. Also makes technical changes in the law governing the research program. Chapter 543, Statutes of 1996 AB 2928 (Friedman-D) - Breast and Prostate Cancer: Reporting Requires the Health Policy and Data Advisory Commission to determine whether a reliable and informative consumer reference guide can be published on whether a breast or prostate cancer patient's source of health care coverage correlates to the quality of care received. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2931 (Vasconcellos-D) - Drug and Alcohol Abuse Creates a 23 member task force to study and report on drug and alcohol prevention programs, as specified. Requires the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to perform numerous functions in support of task force activities. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2932 (Vasconcellos-D) - Alcohol and Drug Programs Establishes a "Health Realization" pilot project in Santa Clara County to combat substance abuse and other social problems, and appropriates $150,000 annually from existing federal grants, as specified, for this purpose. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2933 (Vasconcellos-D) - Marijuana: Medicinal Use Decriminalizes the possession, planting, cultivation, harvesting, drying, or processing of marijuana for personal medicinal use or for the personal medicinal use of another of whom the person is an immediate family member or for whom the person is the legal guardian or primary caretaker when the medicinal use has been approved in writing by a licensed physician and surgeon for the treatment of AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, or multiple sclerosis. (Failed passage in Assembly Public Safety Committee) AB 2943 (Escutia-D) - Infant Safety Mandates the removal of all unsafe cribs from child day care facilities by January 1, 1997. Requires health facilities to provide free of charge information on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Requires the Department of Social Services to provide SIDS educational materials to child care providers. (Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 2976 (Gallegos-D) - Long-term Health Care Facilities Makes numerous changes regarding citations issued against long- term health care facilities, including increasing the civil penalties for Class "AA," "A," and "B" violations. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2984 (Margett-R) - Ban of Partial-birth Abortions Enacts the Partial-Birth Abortion Act which prohibits the use of an abortion procedure in which the human fetus is partially vaginally delivered before killing the fetus and completing the delivery. Makes physicians who perform the procedure subject to a civil penalty of $10,000 to $25,000 and a 1-year license suspension for the first violation, and a civil penalty of $50,000 to $100,000 and revocation of licensure for a subsequent violation. Exempts from the prohibition a physician who performs the partial-birth abortion if the physician reasonably believes both that it is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, and no other procedure would suffice. (Failed passage on Assembly Floor) AB 2987* (Katz-D) - Health Education and Research (1) Reauthorizes the Tobacco Control, Tobacco Use Prevention Education, and Tobacco-Related Disease Research programs associated with the Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act of 1988 (Proposition 99) through July 1, 1998; (2) appropriates General Fund Health Education Account and Research Account resources for specified programs; (3) modifies the authority of the Director of Finance to reduce programs in the event that resources are insufficient to sustain appropriated funding levels; and (4) makes various other non-substantive changes affecting the aforementioned programs. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 3007 (Brewer-R) - Residential Care Facilities Provides that provisions of law governing residential care facilities shall not be construed to prohibit local government from requiring a conditional use permit, as specified. Also applies to a licensed family care home, foster care home and certain group homes. (Died in Assembly Human Services Committee) AB 3037 (Cannella-D) - Smoking in the Workplace Extends the exemption for bars, taverns and game rooms from the general ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces, from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 1998. Chapter 989, Statutes of 1996 AB 3062 (Friedman-D) - Foster Family Homes Requires every licensed foster parent to complete a minimum of 12 hours of training as a condition to the placement of any foster children with the foster parent, and an additional minimum of 8 hours of training annually. Provides that no child shall be placed in a foster family home unless the foster parents in the home meet the training requirements. Chapter 1016, Statutes of 1996 AB 3094 (Kuehl-D) - Family Planning Requires the Department of Health Services to conduct an internal review of its family planning programs and strengthen those programs that have proven to be effective. Requires the department to take actions that reaffirm its commitment to family planning services for all Californians. Expresses the intent of the Legislature, for purposes of implementing these provisions, to increase or maintain at fiscal year 1995-1996 funding levels the funding for family planning services for fiscal year 1996-1997. (Died in Assembly Human Services Committee) AB 3096* (Campbell-D) - School Districts: Tobacco Use Reduction Grants a 1-time extension, from July 1, 1995 to February 15, 1996, for school districts and county offices of education which made a good faith effort to comply with the July 1, 1995 deadline to adopt and enforce a tobacco-free campus policy as a condition of receiving Cigarette and Tobacco Products Surtax funds (Proposition 99). (Urgency clause refused adoption on Assembly Floor) AB 3131 (Lee-D) - Security Bars: Fire Safety Prohibits the sale of security bars (or "burglar bars") unless specified labeling and packaging information is provided to consumers. Requires the State Fire Marshal to develop and adopt those regulations. Chapter 290, Statutes of 1996 AB 3145 (Granlund-R) - Coroner's Inquests: Organ Donation Requires organ procurement organizations to adopt protocols, subject to the coroner's approval, for organ recovery in coroners' cases. Chapter 827, Statutes of 1996 AB 3200 (Granlund-R) - Health Facility Inspections: Infant Protection Revises the procedures for inspection of health facilities to require inspections to ensure compliance with the requirement that each county develop protocols between county health departments, county welfare departments, and public and private hospitals regarding the application and use of an assessment and referral of substance-exposed infants to the county welfare department. Adds to the circumstances under which minors come within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court to that of when an infant at birth has suffered, or is at a substantial risk of suffering, imminent harm and defines when that circumstance exists. Enacts the Infant Health and Protection Act as a comprehensive home visitation demonstration program. Prescribes child abuse reporting provisions and child welfare training and services programs. Requires the Department of Social Services to adopt regulations, and appropriates specified amounts from the General fund and from the Federal Trust Fund to the department for the 1996-97 fiscal year. (Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee) AB 3218 (Brown-D) - Alcohol and Drug Treatment: State Support Requires alcohol or drug abuse treatment for specified persons under 18 years of age, and provides for a cigarette tax to fund the treatment. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3305 (Setencich-R) - Swimming Pool and Housing Safety Requires, as of January 1, 1998, that all newly constructed swimming pools at private, single-family homes, be equipped with specified safety equipment or warning devices. Also requires real estate disclosure statements to include whether or not these safety measures and other prescribed security safeguards are on the property. Chapter 925, Statutes of 1996 AB 3309 (Burton-D) - Health Facilities: Reporting of Unsafe Conditions Penalizes retaliation against employees and patients who report unsafe conditions in health facilities. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3383 (Knox-D) - Residential Care Facilities: Eviction Specifies the circumstances under which a resident of a residential care facility can be evicted, requires that the contract of admission to these facilities include a notification clause of these circumstances, and provides for an appeals process with rights for judicial review if the resident disputes the eviction. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 3423 (Escutia-D) - Tuberculosis Testing Requires the Department of Health Services to study the need for periodic tuberculin skin testing of California school children. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3449 (Hannigan-D) - Communicable Disease: Immunizations Provides that to comply with the immunization requirements of current law, every child shall have 2 sets of measles, mumps, and rubella immunizations. Requires that the first set of immunizations be given in the first 12 to 15 months of the child's life and the 2nd set of immunizations be given before the child enters school. Provides that in the event that federal funds for the 2nd set of measles, mumps, and rubella immunizations are no longer available, the state shall pay the costs to immunize children who have no private or public health insurance. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3459 (Thompson-R) - Birth Control: Minors Prohibits state funds from being used to offer, promote, provide, or sell birth control drugs or devices to an unmarried minor. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3483* (Friedman-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill 1. Establishes the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program within the Emergency Medical Services Authority, and states that no more than $120,000 per fiscal year be expended for the program. 2. Makes various revisions to the collection of fees under the California Safe Drinking Water Act. Chapter 197, Statutes of 1996 AB 3487* (Katz-D) - 1996 Budget Trailer Bill: Proposition 99 Funds Extends by 1 year the date by which school districts must have a tobacco-free district policy in place in order to apply for grants for projects to prevent tobacco-related diseases. Extends by 1 year the inoperative dates for the provisions requiring the implementation of the Tobacco Use Prevention Program and the Cigarette and Tobacco Product Surtax Medical Research Program. Requires the Rural Health Policy Council to develop and administer a competitive grants program for projects pertaining to the delivery of health and medical services in rural areas. Chapter 199, Statutes of 1996 ACR 76 (Frusetta-R) - Billing Procedures of Health Facilities Requests that, to the extent permitted by law, every health facility provide a patient with an itemized, understandable bill, in a timely manner, if the patient requests such. Resolution Chapter 75, Statutes of 1996 AJR 55 (Escutia-D) - Development and Approval of Drugs and Biologies Memorializes Congress to enact legislation that will facilitate the rapid review and approval of innovative new drugs, biological products, and medical devices, and new uses of existing drugs, without compromising patient safety or product effectiveness. Resolution Chapter 29, Statutes of 1996 AJR 60 (McPherson-R) - Safe Drinking Water Act Memorializes Congress to pass legislation to reauthorize the federal Safe Drinking Water Act with provisions that define and recognize the needs of small water systems, provide states the flexibility by which to tailor monitoring requirements to meet local needs, authorize affordable compliance alternatives, facilitate compliance, recognize the states as the primary enforcement authorities, and allow for adequate compliance time. Resolution Chapter 30, Statutes of 1996 Seismic SafetySB 495 (Alquist-D) - Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Technologies Requires the State Architect to develop by January 1, 1997, and update as needed, a list of new and emerging technologies for earthquake hazard mitigation. Requires the Seismic Safety Commission, the State Architect, and the Strong Motion Office of the Division of Mines and Geology of the Department of Conservation to encourage private and public investment in earthquake hazard mitigation technology. Requires a design professional to advise the owner of a structure regarding the standards contained in the California Building Standards Code as they relate to earthquake hazards, and regarding available earthquake hazard mitigating technology, when employed to provide services. (Died in Senate Housing and Land Use Committee) SB 577* (Rosenthal-D) - Seismic Gas Shutoff Devices: Water Heaters 1. Expands the type of gas shutoff devices certified and subject to standards developed by the State Architect to include gas shutoff devices activated by significant gas leaks or overpressure (i.e., pressure sensitive shutoff devices). 2. Exempts gas shutoff devices on gas systems owned or operated by public utilities from certification requirements. 3. Clarifies requirements for strapping hot water heaters by specifying that standards contained in the California Plumbing Code are minimum standards and makes other technical changes. Chapter 152, Statutes of 1996 SB 592 (Alquist-D) - California Seismic Retrofit Program Creates the California Seismic Retrofit Program within the California Housing Finance Agency for the purpose of providing tax-exempt financing of seismic retrofitting for non-public structures. (Died in Senate Toxics and Public Safety Management Committee) SB 786* (Polanco-D) - Earthquake Safety: Public Buildings Appropriates $173,485,000 from the Earthquake Safety and Public Buildings Rehabilitation Fund of 1990 to make vital earthquake safety improvements upon seismically unsafe state and local government buildings. (Died in Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee) SB 878 (Hayden-D) - Hospital Buildings Requires that hospitals, other than those operated by the University of California, notify patients, patients' families, and employees when a hospital is not required to meet post-1973 seismic safety standards. (Failed passage on Senate Floor) SB 1046 (Alquist-D) - Seismic Safety Commission Increases the membership of the Seismic Safety Commission from 17 to 19. (Died in Senate Rules Committee) SB 1864* (Alquist-D) - Center for Earthquake Engineering Research Revises the provision relating to the Seismic Safety Commission to establish a Center for Earthquake Engineering Research, and instead requests the University of California to establish the center, on or after July 1, 1996. Also transfers $1 million from the State Highway Account and $500,000 from the General Fund to the newly-created Earthquake Risk Reduction Fund. Chapter 966, Statutes of 1996 AB 1064 (Martinez-D) - Facilities: Schools and Colleges Requires the Division of State Architect to do the following: 1. Develop a procedure to identify public school buildings and community colleges that have the potential to collapse in an earthquake and to evaluate the seismic vulnerability of these buildings that were built prior to 1976. 2. Develop procedures for school districts and community college boards to identify and retrofit walkways, shelters and canopies that might endanger a pupil. (Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 1723 (Martinez-D) - Day Care Centers: Earthquake Safety Provides for an Earthquake Preparedness Checklist, to be established by the Department of Social Services, for use by day care centers and family day care homes. Chapter 643, Statutes of 1996 Health ProfessionalsSB 195 (Costa-D) - Sexual Harassment Defines the term "psychotherapist," for the purpose of imposing liability, as specified under existing law, for sexual harassment of a patient, as "a physician and surgeon specializing in the practice of psychiatry or practicing psychotherapy, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, a marriage, family, and child counselor, a psychological assistant, marriage, family, and child counselor registered intern or trainee, or associate clinical social worker." Chapter 150, Statutes of 1996 SB 255 (Killea-I) - Midwives Revises the current requirement that certified nurse-midwives be generally supervised by a physician to require, instead, collaboration under the direction of a physician. (Died on Senate Inactive File) SB 510 (Maddy-R) - Optometry Expands the scope of practice of optometry to specifically include “diagnosis” of eye disease and the treatment of eye disease with drugs. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 511 (Leslie-R) - Dentistry Makes changes in the law governing suspension and revocation of licenses for dentists and dental auxiliaries as follows: 1. Clarifies that any application for license may be denied for specified criminal offenses. 2. Allows probationary licenses in certain circumstances. 3. Allows transmittal of fingerprint images to the FBI. 4. Allows disciplining based on discipline imposed by other states. 5. Establishes a misdemeanor for practicing under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. 6. Allows dental schools to contract with health care service plans. Chapter 492, Statutes of 1996 SB 563 (Calderon-D) - Optometry: Ancillary Personnel Authorizes ancillary (unlicensed) personnel who work under the supervision of an optometrist to assist in the preparation of a patient and the preliminary collection of data. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 570 (Rosenthal-D) - Allied Dental Health Professionals Creates as a new category of allied dental health professional, a “registered dental hygienist in alternative practice,” to independently provide services to patients in schools, residences of the homebound and residential facilities and other institutions. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 638 (Alquist-D) - Point-of-Care Testing Authorizes certain health care providers, including physicians and surgeons and nurses, to utilize point-of-care laboratory testing devices, as defined, in a health facility or in any other site where a laboratory license or registration has been issued. Conditions the authority of a vocational nurse, medical assistant, and other health care personnel to utilize these devices on their completion of a preceptor program. (Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee) SB 668 (Polanco-D) - Optometry Expands the scope of practice of optometrists to provide for diagnosis and treatment of specified conditions or diseases of the human eye or its appendages, and to use “therapeutic pharmaceutical agents.” Chapter 13, Statutes of 1996 SB 777 (Polanco-D) - Psychologists: Prescribing Drugs Requires the Board of Psychology to establish a certification program to grant licensed psychologists the right to prescribe drugs. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 880 (Killea-I) - Social Workers: Continuing Education Prohibits the renewal of a clinical social worker's license without certification of completion of 36 hours of approved continuing education the preceding 2 years. Requires the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners to establish a procedure for approving providers of continuing education courses, assess specified fees by January 1, 1997, and report to the Legislature by January 1, 2001. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 890* (Leslie-R) - Healing Arts: Medicine and Optometry Repeals existing law requiring that physicians and surgeons and optometrists who are certified to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents to ensure that their patients have access to emergency medical care 24-hours per day, 7 days per week. Chapter 40, Statutes of 1996 SB 1119 (Watson-D) - Licensing Agencies: Discipline: Expert Witnesses Excludes court-appointed licensed psychiatrists or psychologists in child custody matters from disciplinary investigation or action by his or her licensing agency for any court-directed activity within the scope of the court appointment except acts of unprofessional conduct. (Died in Senate Judiciary Committee) SB 1127 (Watson-D) - Recreation: Therapy Provides that it is unlawful for any person to represent himself or herself as a recreational therapist, to represent the services that he or she performs as recreational therapy, or to use specified terms in relation to recreational therapy services, unless he or she meets specified requirements. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 1383 (Kelley-R) - Veterinary Medicine: Euthanasia Permits a public pound or humane society with an employee properly trained to administer sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia to apply for a license from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration authorizing the direct purchase of sodium pentobarbital. Also requires the Veterinary Medical Board to establish by regulation standards of proper training for employees to administer sodium pentobarbital. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) SB 1479 (Lewis-R) - Dentists: Licensure Establishes additional procedures relating to a licensee's participation in the Board of Dental Examiner's diversion treatment program for drugs or alcohol and the further investigation and discipline of those in the program. Chapter 257, Statutes of 1996 SB 1536* (Lewis-R) - Optometry Defines an optometric "individual practice association", and exempts an optometrist or an individual practice association from obtaining a branch office license if obtaining a branch office license was based solely on an optometrist's participation in or the creation or operation of an individual practice association. Chapter 312, Statutes of 1996 SB 1537 (Kelley-R) - Pharmacists: Performing Tests Authorizes licensed pharmacists to perform waived or moderately complex clinical laboratory tests, under specified circumstances. Chapter 113, Statutes of 1996 SB 1553 (Kelley-R) - Pharmacy Technicians Contains provisions, effective July 1, 1997, that would require pharmacy technicians who assist in filling prescriptions for inpatients of a hospital or inmates of a correctional facility to be registered. Exempts pharmacy technicians who work in a correctional facility for the 1st year of their employment from registration requirements. Chapter 798, Statutes of 1996 SB 1592 (Rosenthal-D) - Medicine Makes a number of changes concerning the operation of the Medical Board of California, including (1) elimination of the Committee on Affiliated Healing Arts Professions, (2) licensee change of address or name notification requirements, and (3) Hearing Aid Dispensers Examining Committee regulation adoption authority. Chapter 441, Statutes of 1996 SB 1634 (Watson-D) - Prostate Test Requires physicians to inform patients 40 years and older who are undergoing prostate exams about the availability of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. Vetoed by the Governor SB 1645 (Ayala-D) - Veterinary Medicine Raises the fee ceiling for the national examination required for veterinarians licensing in California from $250 to $325. Chapter 404, Statutes of 1996 SB 1665 (Thompson-D) - Telemedicine Enacts the Telemedicine Development Act of 1996, setting standards for the use of telemedicine by health care practitioners and insurers. Prohibits health insurers from requiring face-to- face contact between a health care provider and patient for services appropriately provided through telemedicine, subject to the terms of the contract. Chapter 864, Statutes of 1996 SB 1677 (Greene-D) - Prescribing Drugs or Treatments Revises the provisions of current law prescribing certain criminal sanctions to various healing arts licensees for repeated acts of clearly excessive prescribing to, instead, repeated acts of clearly inappropriate prescribing. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 1738* (Wright-R) - Nurse-Midwives Authorizes certified nurse-midwives to perform episiotomies if certain conditions are met. Chapter 158, Statutes of 1996 SB 1847 (Russell-R) - Physicians and Surgeons: Patient Advice Prohibits any person from penalizing a physician and surgeon for advocating on behalf of a patient, or from in any way discouraging a physician and surgeon from communicating information to a patient in furtherance of medically appropriate health care. Chapter 260, Statutes of 1996 SB 1962 (O'Connell-D) - Physical Therapy Increases the maximums for certain application, licensure, and approval fees for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Also establishes requirements for physical therapists' patient records, limits access to the physical therapist assistant applicant status, protects the use of the title "Physical Therapist Assistant," allows for a minimum time period before a disciplined licensee may petition for reinstatement, and requires that the fee for inactive respiratory care practitioner license be the same as the license renewal fee. Chapter 830, Statutes of 1996 SB 2081 (Leslie-R) - Medicine Revises the definition of "technical supportive services" relating to medical assistants to expressly include simple routine medical "functions" and "services." (Died in Assembly Health Committee) SB 2098 (Kopp-I) - Medicine 1. Expands current malpractice reporting requirements. 2. Authorizes the Medical Board of California to develop a proposed registration program that would permit physicians and surgeons and podiatrists located outside the state to practice medicine across state lines. 3. Upon implementation of the proposed registration program, expands the definition of "unprofessional conduct" to include practicing medicine across state lines without meeting the legal requirements of that state or country. Chapter 902, Statutes of 1996 AB 235 (Burton-D) - Physicians and Surgeons: Peer Review Reports: Unprofessional Conduct Provides that it is unprofessional conduct for a physician and surgeon to make a false report to a health facility or clinic peer review body about another physician, in order to benefit economically. Requires the Division of Medical Quality to request, and the health facility to provide, all records and documents relating to the peer review action, upon the filing of a complaint by a physician that another physician filed a false report. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 593 (Boland-R) - Crimes Against Social Workers Extends the application of penalties and enhancements, with regard to the assault of a peace officer, to those offenses committed against a social worker, child abuse investigator or other certified or licensed personnel working with child and family services within a social services department. (Died in Senate Appropriations Committee) AB 596 (Knight-R) - Volunteer Physicians and Surgeons: Liability Immunity Provides a conditional immunity from liability for personal injury or wrongful death to any physician and surgeon who "in good faith" and "without compensation or consideration" renders "voluntary medical services", as defined, at an "emergency shelter" or at transitional housing, as defined. (Failed passage in Senate Judiciary Committee) AB 753 (Morrow-R) - Podiatrist Assistants Authorizes a licensed physician assistant who is performing medical services under the supervision of a licensed physician to assist a podiatrist in the same medical group. Chapter 454, Statutes of 1996 AB 944 (Gallegos-D) - Clinical Psychologists Requires health facilities to include in their rules provisions for medical staff privileges for clinical psychologists and the use of the facility. Provides that medical staff status includes the right to practice full clinical privileges within the scope of licensure. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1077 (Hannigan-D) - Nursing Authorizes certified nurse practitioners to furnish a broader range of drugs and devices, including specified controlled substances, pursuant to standardized procedures and protocols, to a broader range of patients and in additional practice settings. Chapter 455, Statutes of 1996 AB 1147 (Friedman-D) - Medical Referral Services Prohibits the for-profit referral for diagnostic imaging services. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 1163 (Brown-D) - Pharmacy Permits a registered nurse who is employed by a home health agency to orally transmit a prescription to the furnisher, and requires the furnisher to record the name of the person who transmits the order. (Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee) AB 1176 (Cunneen-R) - Clinical Nurse Specialists Establishes clinical nurse specialist as protected title, effective July 1, 1997. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) AB 1727 (Bustamante-D) - Medical Board of California Requires the Medical Board of California to annually prepare and issue a report to inform the public of all awards of $50,000 or more against a licensee for acts of medical malpractice. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1825 (Escutia-D) - Healing Arts: Sexual Misconduct Provides that provisions of current law pertaining to sexual misconduct applying to psychotherapists and physicians and surgeons also apply to alcohol and drug treatment professionals. (Died in Assembly Public Safety Committee) AB 1969 (Isenberg-D) - Optometry Permits optometrists to use pharmaceuticals for examining and treating the human eye or its appendages and adnexa for any disease or pathological condition. Authorizes an optometrist to write a prescription and to furnish drugs and devices under certain conditions, which is similar to the authority for dentists, podiatrists, and veterinarians. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 1974* (Friedman-D) - Medicine: Peer Review Procedure Requires peer review bodies to report to the Medical Board of California's diversion program regarding the initiation and completion of investigations concerning physicians who may be impaired by a mental or physical condition. Requires the Medical Board to investigate peer review reports under specified circumstances and within 30 days. Chapter 644, Statutes of 1996 AB 2443 (Speier-D) - Health Care Referrals Revises the Physician Ownership and Referral Act of 1993 to provide additional exemptions from the current prohibition against certain health care referrals by health care licensees who have a defined "financial interest" in the person or entity receiving a referral. Chapter 817, Statutes of 1996 AB 2513 (Speier-D) - Physicians and Surgeons: Assisted Reproduction Requires physicians who remove sperm or ova from a patient to obtain a prescribed written consent before using the material other than for re-implantation in the patient or implantation into the patient's spouse. Chapter 863, Statutes of 1996 AB 2580 (Ducheny-D) - Social Workers Effective January 1, 2000, prohibits any person from using the title "social worker" unless he or she possesses a degree from an approved school of social work or from an institution that is in candidacy status as determined by the Council on Social Work Education. (Died in Assembly Inactive File) AB 2588 (Morrow-R) - Clinical Laboratory Services Revises the clinical laboratory itemized disclosure requirements to patients and the penalty for a first offense for violations under specified circumstances. Chapter 1035, Statutes of 1996 AB 2669 (Sher-D) - Physicians and Surgeons: Patient Advice Provides that health care service plans may not enter into a contract with a physician and surgeon that limits the ethical and legal responsibility of the physician and surgeon to fully advise patients about alternative treatment options or services. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 2771 (Alpert-D) - Optometry Revises the optometry license renewal period from an annual to a biennial basis, and makes conforming changes to the maximum renewal fee. Chapter 328, Statutes of 1996 AB 2802 (Granlund-R) - Pharmacy Repeals the existing pharmacy law and reenacts it as revised and reorganized. Relocates, to the Medical Practice Act, some provisions of an existing code section that require a physician to obtain informed consent from a patient prior to treatment with DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) under particular circumstances. Chapter 890, Statutes of 1996 AB 2853 (Bordonaro-R) - Recreation Therapy Prohibits any person who does not meet certain educational and private certification requirements from (a) representing himself or herself as a recreational therapist or recreational therapist assistant, (b) representing his or her services as recreational therapy, or (c) using specified titles or abbreviations in connection with his or her services, name or place of business. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) AB 2934 (House-R) - Medical Assistants Allows trained medical assistants, under the supervision of a licensed physician, to administer topical anesthetic agents used for ophthalmic purposes (eyedrops). Prohibits medical assistants from removing a foreign body from the eye. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3013 (Alby-R) - Health Care Providers: Patient Advice Prohibits health care service plans from contractually limiting a physician and surgeon or other licensed health care provider from fully advising patients about treatment options. Chapter 1089, Statutes of 1996 AB 3073 (Granlund-R) - Marriage, Family and Child Counselors Authorizes the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners to issue a license to any person who has held a license for at least 2 years issued by a similar board in another state, provided that the education and supervised experience requirements are substantially equivalent to those of California. Chapter 739, Statutes of 1996 AB 3089 (House-R) - Veterinary Medicine: Poultry License Authorizes the Veterinary Medical Board to issue a special license limited to the practice of veterinary medicine in the commercial poultry industry, as defined. (Died in Senate Business and Professions Committee) AB 3109 (Margett-R) - Clinical Laboratories Allows persons licensed in any of 7 specified health care personnel classifications to use point-of-care laboratory testing devices and to report the results of all tests that are within the capacity of the device, if the person has been found by the laboratory director to be competent to perform those tests and report those test results. Chapter 1029, Statutes of 1996 AB 3111 (Margett-R) - Physician Assistants Specifies that physicians may delegate, and that persons trained as orthopedic physician assistants who are working under the supervision of the physician may perform, tasks authorized under existing law and that licensure as a physician assistant is not required. Chapter 1030, Statutes of 1996 AB 3141 (Gallegos-D) - Health Facilities: Clinical Psychologists Requires state-owned health facilities to consider an application by a clinical psychologist for medical staff membership and clinical privileges. Precludes the Public Employment Relations Board from creating any additional bargaining units for the purpose of exclusive representation of state psychologist employees as a result of this bill. Chapter 826, Statutes of 1996 AB 3171 (Martinez-D) - Medicine: Continuing Education Requirements Requires the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California in determining physician continuing education requirements to consider including a course in the special care needs of individuals and their families facing end-of-life issues. Chapter 382, Statutes of 1996 AB 3188 (House-R) - Psychology Restricts a school district's authority to hire persons other than credentialed school psychologists to administer psychological tests or engage in other psychological activities. Chapter 661, Statutes of 1996 AB 3226 (Gallegos-D) - Health Care Prohibits health care businesses from retaliating against caregivers who advocate for their patients. (Failed passage in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3256 (Mazzoni-D) - Medicine: HIV Continuing Education Requires each licensed physician and surgeon whose practice consists of at least 25% in obstetrics and gynecology to complete education in the physical manifestations of HIV and AIDS as part of his or her continuing education requirements. (Died in Assembly Health Committee) AB 3265 (Gallegos-D) - Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons: Diversion Program Establishes additional procedures relating to an osteopathic physician's voluntary participation in the Osteopathic Medical Board of California's diversion treatment program, the investigation and disciplining of a program participant, and the release of a participant's diversion records. Chapter 149, Statutes of 1996