Health and Public Social Services

Abortion
AIDS
Cancer
Alzheimer's Disease
Medi-Cal
Mental Health
Developmentally Disabled
Tobacco Products
Health Facilities
Health Professionals
Foster Care
Public Social Services
Other Public Health and Safety Legislation

Abortion

SB 251 (Haynes-R) Vehicles: "Choose Life" special interest license plates

Requires the State Department of Motor Vehicles to design and make available for issuance special interest license plates that bear a design containing the words "Choose Life" and requires funds collected to be expended for certain purposes related to preventing abortion and placing children for adoption.

(In Senate Transportation Committee)

SB 780 (Ortiz-D) Protection of the exercise of constitutional rights

Enacts state criminal and civil penalties for interference with rights to reproductive health services and religious worship.

Chapter 899, Statutes of 2001

SJR 3 (Karnette-D) Reproductive rights: Roe v. Wade

Memorializes the President of the United States and the Congress to take necessary action to preserve the integrity of the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.

Resolution Chapter 112, Statutes of 2001

SJR 23 (Speier-D) Medi-Cal and family planning services

Requests the President and the Congress of the United States to enact the Family Planning State Empowerment Act of 2001.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

ACA 5 (Wyman-R) Abortion: parental notification

Prohibits, except in the case of an emergency, an abortion from being performed on an unemancipated minor until the physician has first notified one of her parents or her legal guardian pursuant to specified requirements, or a court has permitted waiver of these requirements, if any of certain circumstances are found to exist. Entitles this amendment the Family Communication and Parental Responsibility Act.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AIDS

SB 446 (Vasconcellos-D) Health care coverage: AIDS vaccine

Requires health plans, disability insurers, and the State Public Employees' Retirement System's self-funded plans to cover a vaccine for AIDS that is approved for marketing by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Chapter 634, Statutes of 2001

AB 937 (Koretz-D) Health care: HIV treatment: reimbursement

Requires, beginning July 1, 2002, health care service plans that cover hospital, medical and surgical expenses, and pay their providers on a capitation basis, and the State Department of Health Services, to develop risk-adjusted, capitated provider reimbursement rates for the treatment of HIV infected enrollees.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1263 (Migden-D) AIDS: HIV: rapid testing programs

Authorizes the State Department of Health Services to participate in a rapid HIV test research program conducted with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chapter 324, Statutes of 2001

ACR 55 (Migden-D) HIV and AIDS drug treatments

Urges the Public Employees' Retirement System, in its capacity as a shareholder of specified pharmaceutical companies, to introduce a shareholder resolution to develop and implement a policy, as specified, to provide HIV and AIDS drug treatments to less developed countries.

(In Assembly Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee)

HR 24 (Migden-D) HIV/AIDS epidemic

Provides that the Assembly marks with a moment of silence the occasion of the 20th year of the AIDS epidemic, honors all those lost in this tragedy, honors all those who are battling HIV disease and rededicates itself to providing prevention, treatment, and social services to bring the HIV/AIDS epidemic to an end as rapidly as possible.

Adopted

Cancer

SB 224 (Speier-D) Breast and cervical cancer: treatment services

Creates the California Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program to be administered by the State Department of Health Services. Also requires the department to submit a Medi-Cal state plan amendment to the federal Health Care Financing Administration for obtaining federal matching funds under the optional categorically needy eligibility group described in the federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act. Expands and simplifies eligibility for individuals with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level and expands the scope of benefits to include all Medi-Cal services.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 417 (Vasconcellos-D) Cancer: alternative treatment project

Requires the Cancer Research Program, administered by State Department of Health Services, to establish an alternative treatment cancer research project to test the effect of behavioral changes on the reduction and reversal of illness and disease. Appropriates $3 million for the project.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

SB 646 (Ortiz-D) Cancer: clinical research trials registry

Requires the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to conduct a study to determine the feasibility, efficacy, and cost of establishing and maintaining a state registry listing, to the extent possible, of all cancer clinical research trials that are in operation, or soon to be in operation, in California. Requires, to the extent funds are available, DHS to establish a program to promote the participation of adults with cancer in clinical research trials.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 683* (Ortiz-D) Public health information: confidentiality

Provides for the confidentiality of information reported to the California Cancer Registry and the Birth Defects Monitoring Program.

Chapter 444, Statutes of 2001

SB 689* (Perata-D) Public health: prostate cancer research

Creates the Prostate Cancer Research Project Act of 2001, which would require the State Department of Health Services to establish a prostate cancer research treatment project to provide, among other things, comprehensive classification of prostate tumors and specialized drug treatment for prostate cancer. Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the department for purposes of the bill.

(On Assembly Third Reading File)

SB 1080 (Bowen-D) Medical care providers: gynecological cancers

Adds an existing law requirement that specified medical care providers provide patients during their annual gynecological examination a summary of the symptoms and methods of diagnoses for gynecological cancers to the specific provisions of laws governing physicians (Medical Practice Act), and specifies that a violation of this requirement is subject to a cite and fine upon the second or subsequent complaint.

Chapter 730, Statutes of 2001

SB 1176 (Machado-D) Workers' compensation: cancer: peace and safety officers

Extends the cancer presumption under workers' compensation law to the following additional categories of peace officers: employees of the State Department of Fish and Game, employees of the State Department of Parks and Recreation, and investigators of the State Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1219 (Romero-D) Health coverage: cervical cancer screening test

Requires the coverage for an annual cervical cancer screening test provided pursuant to existing law to include the conventional Pap test and the option of any cervical cancer screening test approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Chapter 380, Statutes of 2001

AB 42 (Wayne-D) Colorectal cancer

Establishes the Colorectal Cancer Screening and Treatment Program in the State Department of Health Services for the purposes of providing screening, medical referral, diagnosis, treatment and outreach and education services to specified persons.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

The omnibus health budget trailer bill which, among others, repeals the breast cancer treatment program and establishes a similar program, expanded to include cervical cancer treatment services, operative January 1, 2002. Requires the State Department of Health Services to exercise a designated federal option to provide medical assistance during the period in which an individual under this program requires treatment for breast or cervical cancer. Also, beginning on January 1, 2002, requires providers or entities rendering breast and cervical cancer screening services under a grant made to the department to provide services only to individuals whose family income is determined to not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 480* (Robert Pacheco-R) Cancer

Provides that the Cancer Research Fund consist of money accepted by the State Department of Health Services from grants and donations from private entities and of public moneys transferred to the fund.

Chapter 246, Statutes of 2001

AB 890 (Cedillo-D) Medi-Cal eligibility: breast and cervical cancer

Expands Medi-Cal eligibility to include women who are at or below 250% of the federal poverty level and who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or cervical cancer.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

ACR 19 (Wayne-D) Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Designates the month of March 2001 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Resolution Chapter 20, Statutes of 2001

ACR 35 (Thomson-D) Skin cancer and melanoma awareness

Declares the month of May as Skin Cancer Awareness Month in California, and encourages all Californians to make themselves and their families aware of the risk of skin cancer and the preventive measures. Also proclaims May 7, 2001, as Melanoma Awareness Monday to increase public awareness of the importance of routine complete skin examination to detect early melanoma.

Resolution Chapter 37, Statutes of 2001

ACR 68 (John Campbell-R) Cure Children's Cancer Week

Declares July 9 to July 15, 2001, as Cure Children's Cancer Week.

Resolution Chapter 73, Statutes of 2001

ACR 103 (Nakano-D) Prostate cancer

Declares September 2001 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Resolution Chapter 133, Statutes of 2001

ACR 110 (Wayne-D) Breast cancer

Designates the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and designates October 19, 2001, as Breast Exam and Mammography Awareness Day.

Resolution Chapter 138, Statutes of 2001

AJR 28 (Robert Pacheco-R) Pancreatic cancer

Provides that the State Legislature urge the President and the Congress of the United States to expand federally funded research efforts aimed at developing a reliable means of detecting pancreatic cancer in its early stages.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

HR 16 (Nakano-D) Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund Day

Proclaims Mother's Day, Sunday May 13, 2001, as "The Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund Day" in recognition of the official launch of the web site www.breastlink.com to serve all women.

Adopted by the Assembly

HR 17 (Daucher-R) Race for the Cure

Proclaims support for the Race for the Cure being held on Mother's Day, Sunday May 13, 2001, by encouraging all Californians to show their support, love, and commitment to someone who has battled breast cancer and to raise public awareness of the need for early breast cancer screening and treatment.

Adopted by the Assembly

HR 26 (Pescetti-R) Breast cancer awareness

Commends "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" for supporting the continuous fight against breast cancer, and recognizes the staff and hundreds of volunteers of the American Cancer Society for their dedication and efforts with regard to the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk.

Adopted by the Assembly

Alzheimer's Disease

SB 639 (Ortiz-D) Alzheimer's disease and related disorders

Requires the Health and Human Services Agency to develop a strategic plan for improving access to mental health services by persons with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. Appropriates $85,000 from the General Fund to the agency, without regard to fiscal year, for purposes of the bill.

Chapter 692, Statutes of 2001

AB 1347 (Pescetti-R) Dementia caregiver training

Establishes dementia-specific orientation and "in-service" program requirements for the Certified Nurse Assistant staff of skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities.

Chapter 339, Statutes of 2001

Medi-Cal

SB 98 (Kuehl-D) Medicaid: services for persons with dual diagnoses

Permits certain cities and counties to contract jointly with the State Department of Mental Health and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to provide specified services, through the Medi-Cal program, to persons with dual diagnosis of serious, persistent mental illness and an alcohol or drug dependence.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 146 (Haynes-R) Medi-Cal: payments

Requires the State Department of Health Services to use an online verification and billing process for pharmacists and physicians for Medi-Cal payments, under certain conditions. Also requires the Medi-Cal program to pay the copayments for drugs and office visits of persons who are eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal, that would otherwise be required under the terms of the health care plan in which they are enrollees, but not allowed under existing Medi-Cal law.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 167 (Alpert-D) Medi-Cal disproportionate share hospitals: capital projects

Permits Children's Hospital of San Diego to remain eligible for Medi-Cal supplemental reimbursements for capital improvements if certain conditions are met.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 231 (Ortiz-D) Medi-Cal: local education agency services

Requires the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to amend the Medicaid state plan with respect to the billing option for services by Local Education Agencies to ensure that schools are reimbursed for all eligible services they provide that are not precluded by federal requirements. Requires DHS to regularly consult with specified entities to assist in the formulating of the state plan amendments. Permits DHS to enter into a sole source contract to comply with the requirements of this bill. Authorizes DHS to undertake all necessary activities to recoup matching funds from the federal government for reimbursable services that have already been provided in the state's public schools.

Chapter 655, Statutes of 2001

SB 276 (Speier-D) Health care

Requires selected school districts to ask the parent or guardian of each pupil each year, as part of the process for updating parental and pupil information, whether or not they would like the school to provide information and assistance in obtaining free or low-cost health insurance.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 285 (Soto-D) Medi-Cal

Restricts and defines state authority to recover Medi-Cal costs from dependents, distributees, heirs, and surviving family of a deceased Medi-Cal recipient.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 402 (Ortiz-D) Health care

Provides no-cost Medi-Cal to 19- and 20-year-olds in families with incomes up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level and also makes 19- and 20-year-olds eligible for the Healthy Families Program.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 443 (Perata-D) Medi-Cal: substance abuse

Expands the definition of Medi-Cal drug services to include outpatient drug-free services provided in the community setting, day care rehabilitative and residential services, medication management and other related services. Changes the Medi-Cal drug program from the clinic option to the rehabilitation option offered under federal Medicaid law. Requires the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, with the approval and assistance of the State Department of Health Services, to expand federal financial participation for alcohol and drug treatment services under Medi-Cal.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 493 (Sher-D) Health programs

Implements a simplified eligibility process as part of the Food Stamp Program to expedite the enrollment of individuals and families in the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Program.

Chapter 897, Statutes of 2001

SB 534 (Ortiz-D) Medi-Cal: independent adults

Extends Medi-Cal eligibility to "independent adults," who are between 19 and 64 years of age, not pregnant, neither a parent or caretaker relative, and neither blind nor disabled for the purposes of Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program. Also requires the State Department of Health Services to maximize federal financial participation for Medi-Cal services to "independent adults" through seeking federal waivers.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 613 (Alarcon-D) Medi-Cal: notifications to managed care plans

Requires the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to prospectively notify a Medi-Cal managed care plan of the date of the regularly scheduled annual redetermination of a Medi-Cal beneficiary in a disabled aid category who is enrolled in that plan and where eligibility redetermination is the responsibility of DHS. Prohibits anything in this bill from providing a beneficiary with additional Medi-Cal coverage due to DHS's failure to provide this notice.

Chapter 742, Statutes of 2001

SB 615 (Ortiz-D) Medi-Cal: Healthy Families Program: temporary eligibility

Creates an expedited process for granting temporary eligibility for public health insurance programs to uninsured patients seeking care from hospitals which operate an emergency services department or community health clinics.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 720 (Margett-R) County administration of health services

Makes changes to the make-up of the appointees to the governing body of the commission that oversees Medi-Cal managed care in Los Angeles County and expands the provision that deems that members are not to be interested in a contract entered into by the commission, to include an amendment to a contract.

Chapter 143, Statutes of 2001

SB 833 (Ortiz-D) Medi-Cal program: eligibility

Requires the State Department of Health Services, by March 1, 2002 to submit a state plan amendment basing the definition of unemployment for purposes of Medi-Cal eligibility on the net nonexempt earned income of the principal wage earner only, and increasing the income level to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Vetoed by the Governor

SJR 23 (Speier-D) Medi-Cal and family planning services

Requests the President and the Congress of the United States to enact the Family Planning State Empowerment Act of 2001.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 59 (Cedillo-D) Health programs

Establishes a statewide pilot project to expedite Medi-Cal enrollment for children receiving free lunches through the National School Lunch Program, effective July 1, 2002. Also creates a process to authorize consent for the release of information on applications for free lunches to county welfare departments, and authorizes them to quickly enroll children in Medi-Cal upon receipt of such information from school districts.

Chapter 894, Statutes of 2001

AB 89 (Bates-R) IHSS: Medi-Cal: criminal record checks

Requires a criminal background clearance for individuals who provide IHSS and Medi-Cal personal care services.

(In Assembly Human Resources Committee)

AB 131 (Corbett-D) Medi-Cal: utilization controls

Prohibits the State Department of Health Services from establishing utilization controls on the number and frequency of certain types of Medi-Cal services, which are less than six visits in any three-month period, or limited by any additional time frames within the three-month period.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 275 (Aroner-D) Medi-Cal: emergency dental care

Requires the State Department of Health Services to process all dental service treatment authorization requests within a time frame that will prevent each beneficiary's dental condition from worsening or requiring more drastic dental treatment.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

The omnibus health trailer bill which, among others, permits licensed dental and vision plans to join health plans in providing application assistance directly to applicants acting on behalf of eligible children in the Medi-Cal program, extends the Medi-Cal to Health Families Bridge Program from one to two months, creates the Health Families to Medi-Cal Bridge Program and provides benefits for two months, establishes annual eligibility redetermination for adults in the Medi-Cal program, establishes accelerated Medi-Cal eligibility for children who are in the process of entering the foster care system, establishes the federal optional Medi-Cal Breast and Cervical Cancer program, implements accelerated enrollment of Healthy Families Program and Medi-Cal children through a single-point-of-entry centralized processing entity, establishes a limited emergency regulation authority in the Medi-Cal program, establishes a supplemental Medi-Cal reimbursement for Distinct Part/Skilled Nursing Facilities that are owned and operated by public entities, and establishes a supplemental rate adjustment to the Medi-Cal reimbursement rate for specific types of long-term care facilities.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 495* (Diaz-D) Health care coverage

Establishes the Children's Health Initiative Matching Fund and authorizes county agencies, local initiatives, and county organized health systems to seek and obtain funds to provide comprehensive health insurance coverage to children in families whose incomes do not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level, and who do not qualify for either Medi-Cal or the Healthy Families Program. Also authorizes the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) to administer the fund and requires the MRMIB and the State Department of Health Services to coordinate activities necessary to achieve federal approval and funding for the program.

Chapter 648, Statutes of 2001

AB 524 (Aroner-D) Personal care services: advance payment

Authorizes advance payments to eligible Medi-Cal Personal Care Services Program recipients, subject to availability of federal financial participation through Medicaid. Requires the State Department of Health Services to develop and submit a federal waiver request for this purpose.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 574 (Salinas-D) Medi-Cal: overpayment forgiveness

Authorizes the State Department of Health Services to forgive Medi-Cal overpayments for certain hospitals.

Chapter 649, Statutes of 2001

AB 648 (Corbett-D) Medi-Cal: claims processing

Eliminates the requirement that each local educational consortium pay an annual participation fee as a condition of participating in the Medi-Cal Administrative Claiming process, and appropriates $3,190,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Health Services.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 843 (Chan-D) Medi-Cal: managed care: reenrollment

Allows Medi-Cal applicants who were previously enrolled in a Medi-Cal managed care plan within the last 18 months to re-enroll in the managed care plan of their choice without having to repeat the Health Care Options process, which includes receiving a packet describing the managed care options available to them, and then choosing a plan, or having to attend a health care options presentation, when required.

(Held in Assembly Engrossing and Enrollment)

AB 890 (Cedillo-D) Medi-Cal eligibility: breast and cervical cancer

Expands Medi-Cal eligibility to include women who are at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level and who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or cervical cancer.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 903 (Alquist-D) Nonemergency transportation services pilot project

Establishes a three-year nonemergency medical transportation brokerage pilot project for Medi-Cal recipients in Santa Clara County.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 915 (Frommer-D) Medical transportation services

Codifies existing regulations from the State Department of Health Services (DHS), which include nonemergency medical transportation services under the scope of Medi-Cal benefits. Additionally, places into law the criteria necessary for approval of treatment authorization requests (TARs) for nonemergency medical transportation including litter-van and wheel chair van services, and provides for appeal of TAR denials. Furthermore, establishes time frames for processing TARs and appeals, and requires payment of claims if these time frames are not met by DHS.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 963 (Cardoza-D) Medi-Cal reimbursement

Requires Stanislaus County-operated community clinics to receive Medi-Cal reimbursement for use of their examination and treatment rooms, in addition to their payments for clinic services. Also requires that these clinics must have been previously licensed as a county-operated hospital with an outpatient department, prior to November 30, 1997. Furthermore, limits the payments to these clinics to no more than that which is received by surgery clinics.

Chapter 526, Statutes of 2001

AB 969 (Chan-D) In-home supportive services

Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2003, on the feasibility of adopting a pilot project for a sliding-scale system of universal eligibility for in-home supportive services, in counties as specified. Also, raises the maintenance need income level to reduce share-of-cost requirements in the Medi-Cal Medically Needy Program for individuals and families. Provides for additional deductions for medically needy individuals in long-term care.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1043 (Richman-R) Noninstitutional provider reimbursement rates

Requires Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for noninstitutional providers to be at least 80 percent of the comparable Medicare rate, effective January 1, 2002.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1480 (Aanestad-R) Medi-Cal reimbursement

Permits a hearing aid dispenser to perform the hearing aid evaluation required for Medi-Cal coverage and codifies related regulations.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1655 (Ashburn-R) Hospital reimbursement: Kern County

Requires the State Department of Health Services to negotiate settlements with acute care hospitals in Kern County with psychiatric units that received Medi-Cal overpayments for psychiatric services provided during the period 1991 to 1995, inclusive, and that unintentionally violated Medi-Cal cost reimbursement policies or procedures, and to waive all or part of the overpayments made under the Medi-Cal program to the hospital in a manner consistent with the waivers provided to hospitals in Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

Mental Health

SB 30 (Chesbro-D) Mental health: Realignment Review Task Force

Requires the State Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to establish a Realignment Review Task Force composed of specified members, including the Secretary of the HHSA, or his or her designee. Requires the Realignment Review Task Force to present options regarding realignment to the Governor and the Legislature, on or before April 1, 2003.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 98 (Kuehl-D) Medicaid: services for persons with dual diagnoses

Permits certain cities and counties to contract jointly with the State Department of Mental Health and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to provide specified services, through the Medi-Cal program, to persons with dual diagnosis of serious, persistent mental illness and an alcohol or drug dependence.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 395 (Perata-D) Mentally disordered prisoners

Requires, when a prisoner's involuntary commitment is terminated, the State Department of Corrections and officials from the county in which a prisoner intends to reside, to develop a plan for the prisoner's release into the community.

(In Senate Public Safety Committee)

SB 414 (Perata-D) Mental health: dual diagnosis

Requires the State Department of Mental Health to establish a Dual Diagnosis Competitive Grant Program, to the extent that funding is provided through the annual Budget Act or another statute, for the purpose of awarding grants for existing dual diagnosis treatment programs for persons diagnosed with the co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance abuse, and for the establishment of new dual diagnosis treatment programs in counties throughout the state.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 620 (Ortiz-D) Suicide treatment and prevention

Establishes the Suicide Prevention Act of 2001, which requires the development of a statewide suicide prevention strategy, including specific objectives and timelines. Implementation is contingent on funding in the Budget Act or another statute.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 632 (Perata-D) Mental health training

Requires the State Department of Mental Health to implement the recommendations of the mental health task force funded by the Budget Act of 2000.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 643 (Ortiz-D) Mental Health Enhancement and Crime Prevention Act

Enacts the Mental Health Enhancement and Crime Prevention Act of 2001. Contingent upon an appropriation in the Budget Act, requires the State Board of Corrections to reimburse counties for the excess cost of providing psychotropic medications to county jail inmates for the purpose of reducing recidivism through more effective mental health treatment and post-release patient follow-up.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 931* (Burton-D) Mental health: local treatment programs

Enacts the Local Mental Health Treatment Improvement Program to award four-year grants to all counties to improve community-based treatment services for persons with mental illness who are being discharged from a period of, or are at risk of being, involuntarily committed. Appropriates an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the State Department of Mental Health for purposes of the bill.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 936 (Margett-R) Mental health: adults and older adults

Requires the State Department of Mental Health to employ a full-time physician with geriatric experience to oversee, monitor, and provide advice to participating counties regarding services for older adults under the Adult and Older Adults Mental Health System of Care Act.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

SB 1059 (Perata-D) Mentally ill offenders: Council on Mentally Ill Offenders

Establishes the Council on Mentally Ill Offenders, within the State Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, to investigate and promote cost-effective approaches to meeting the long-term needs of adults and juveniles with mental disorders who either are offenders or are likely to become offenders.

Chapter 860, Statutes of 2001

AB 213 (Nation-D) Records: licensed marriage and family therapists

Adds licensed marriage and family therapists to the list of providers who may approve the disclosure of information and records relating to services provided to mentally disordered and developmentally disabled patients, in instances in which the provider's patient designates persons to whom information or records may be released.

Chapter 37, Statutes of 2001

AB 328* (Salinas-D) Mental health realignment: reports

Requires the State Department of Mental Health to work cooperatively with specified entities to submit data on the current status of county mental health programs.

Chapter 367, Statutes of 2001

AB 334 (Steinberg-D) Mental health funding: local grants

Makes various changes to current law relating to community-based mental health treatment programs (i.e., county systems of care). Revises requirements for training, consultation, and technical assistance that the State Department of Mental Health (DMH) is currently required to provide to participating counties. Revises program service standards to include services to specified persons at risk of homelessness, but who do not require the full range of services, and also revises outreach requirements. Expands the evaluation report DMH is required to annually submit to the Legislature to include the extent to which funded programs are making a measurable and significant difference.

Chapter 454, Statutes of 2001

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

The omnibus health trailer bill which, among others, permits increasing the patient population of Patton State Hospital, permits patients in state mental hospitals to save all or any portion of his/her monthly amount of aid provided for personal and incidental needs, repeals the sunset on mental health rehabilitation centers, extends the Mental Health Respite Project sunset until June 30, 2004, and repeals the sunset on the state only Institute for Mental Disease ancillary services.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 590 (Vargas-D) Mental health: adults and older adults

Encourages the State Department of Mental Health to provide a mental health care provider with training in geriatrics to assist and monitor county mental health programs serving older adults.

Chapter 677, Statutes of 2001

AB 789 (Salinas-D) Mental health: children: county grant program

Establishes a system of mental health services for seriously emotionally disturbed children not covered by public or private health insurance.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 971 (Steinberg-D) Pupil behavioral problems: grant program

Establishes the Safe and Healthy Schools Program to award grants to local collaboratives for preventive mental health and early intervention services.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1141 (Cox-R) Lanterman-Petris-Short Act

Changes current law to a preference that peace officers respond to a "5150" call in unmarked cars and plain clothes, rather than to do so whenever possible.

(In Senate Public Safety Committee)

AB 1421 (Thomson-D) Mental health: involuntary treatment

Enacts "Laura's Law". Authorizes a new type of involuntary commitment order to get intensive outpatient treatment to adults whose mental illness currently prevents them from seeking or accepting help. Authorizes, in participating counties, a court to order a person into an assisted outpatient treatment program (AOT), if the court finds that the individual either meets existing "5150" involuntary commitment requirements (is gravely disabled or is a danger to self or others), or the person meets other criteria, including that the person has a psychotic disorder or other severe mental illness and has been offered, but failed to engage in treatment, is substantially deteriorating, and AOT would be the least restrictive placement necessary to ensure the person's recovery and stability. Requires the State Department of Mental Health to award grants to counties that can provide specified services for persons with the most persistent and severe mental illness. Funding for AOT grants are subject to appropriation in the budget. Sunsets this bill January 1, 2006.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1422 (Thomson-D) Mental health advocacy

Creates the California Mental Health Advocacy Commission for five years to promote improved access to mental health services and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness. Establishes human resource development programs for professionals and other service providers in mental health.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1423 (Thomson-D) Mental health

Includes licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed clinical social workers services within the scope of Medi-Cal covered benefits, to the extent that federal matching funds are provided for those services.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1424 (Thomson-D) Mental health: involuntary treatment

Expands family involvement in the Lanterman-Petris-Short involuntary commitment process; adds patient's medical and psychiatric records to the list of "historical" information that must be considered in involuntary commitment proceedings; and prohibits disability insurers, health plans and the Medi-Cal program from conditioning services eligibility on a patient's legal status.

Chapter 506, Statutes of 2001

AB 1425 (Thomson-D) Mental health services

Permits a firm, partnership, association, or corporation to provide both housing and mental health support services to residents, if certain requirements are met, and permits counties to contract with agencies or individuals to assist mental health clients in securing their own homes to provide clients with the supports needed to live in their own homes. Also provides that, if the State Department of Mental Health (DMH) has reason to believe that a resident in independent housing has an unmet need for care and supervision in the form of mental health treatment services, DMH shall contact a county mental health representative to obtain a clinical assessment.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1454 (Thomson-D) Mental health

Allows the State Department of Mental Health (DMH) to renew county contracts for mental health services for a period of three years, rather than one. Requires a criminal record check of certain individuals applying for employment in facilities licensed by DMH, and specifies terms under which DMH is allowed or required to deny employment.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1479 (Salinas-D) Organization of local mental health boards and commissions

Establishes the California Organization of Local Mental Health Boards and Commissions, within the State Department of Mental Health, composed of all members of local mental health boards and commissions to, among other duties, be responsible for representing the interests of the local mental health boards and commissions, providing support services to maintain communications between local mental health boards and commissions, assisting members with carrying out their required functions and duties, providing information on mental health policy and best practices, conducting training programs for members of local mental health boards and commissions, and assessing the impact of realignment of mental health services and funding from the state to the counties. Appropriates $132,900 from the General Fund to DMH for purposes of funding the organization.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1503 (Nation-D) Health care: mental health

Provides a process by which an enrollee of a health care service plan or an insured of a disability insurer may receive continuing mental health care from a nonparticipating provider when an employer changes health plans or disability insurer. Makes health care plans and disability insurers that provide coverage for continuing mental health care under this bill immune from liability for acts or omissions of a nonparticipating existing provider to new enrollees or insureds.

Chapter 531, Statutes of 2001

AB 1566 (Cox-R) Psychiatric Emergency Response Program: Sacramento County

Requires the State Department of Mental Health to establish a three-year psychiatric emergency response team pilot program in Sacramento County.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

HR 18 (Reyes-D) Suicide Prevention Week

Proclaims May 6 through May 13, 2001, as Suicide Prevention Week.

Adopted

Developmentally Disabled

SB 227 (Chesbro-D) Regional centers: self-determination program pilot projects

Authorizes additional self-determination pilot projects under specified conditions.

(On Senate Inactive File)

SB 343 (Figueroa-D) Developmental disabilities: admissions to facilities

Provides that a person with a developmental disability may be involuntarily admitted to a state developmental center pursuant to specified procedures. Requires the Director of the State Department of Developmental Services to compile, no later than July 1, 2003, a roster of all persons with developmental disabilities residing in, or on leave from, a state hospital or developmental center. Requires the State Department of Developmental Services to establish, with the cooperation of each regional center, and to submit to the Legislature, by July 1, 2003, a plan for the orderly submission of petitions and judicial review under these provisions for those persons found to be in continued need of placement.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

SB 511 (Alpert-D) Children with disabilities

Authorizes grants to establish Family Empowerment Centers on Disability that will provide information and support services to families of children and young adults with disabilities.

Chapter 690, Statutes of 2001

SB 533 (Margett-R) Programs for the elderly and disabled: loans

Establishes the Elderly and Disabled Persons' Revolving Home Improvement Loan Program within the State Housing and Community Development Department to provide grants to local public agencies and nonprofit corporations for the purpose of providing home improvement loans to specified elderly and disabled persons.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1041 (Ortiz-D) Health care: Donated Dental Services Program

Establishes the Donated Dental Services Program (DDSP) within the State Department of Developmental Services, and requires the DDSP to increase access to dental services for special populations by encouraging the delivery of volunteer dental services for the disabled and elderly by California's practicing dentists. Appropriates $125,000 from the General Fund to the department for purposes of implementing the DDSP during the 2001-02 fiscal year.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1063 (Chesbro-D) Developmental services: contracts

Requires that any employment contracts between the State Department of Developmental Services and regional centers entered into after January 1, 2002 are available for public review.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

SB 1096 (Ortiz-D) Services for persons with developmental disabilities

Revises the ages of infants and toddlers who are eligible to receive early intervention services. Also changes current law to require, rather than permit, a regional center, in determining whether an individual meets the definition of a person with a developmental disability, to consider specified evaluations and tests.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 77 (Havice-D) Criminal proceedings: persons with disabilities

Requires the court, in any case in which the defendant is charged with a violation of specific offenses, to take special precautions to provide for the comfort and safety of a person with a disability.

Chapter 62, Statutes of 2001

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

The Omnibus health trailer bill which, among others, requires regional centers to comply with the Lanterman Act and its implementing regulations except as specified, requires developmental centers to report all resident deaths and serious injuries of unknown origin to the appropriate law enforcement agency, requires the State Department of Finance to notify the Legislature when the Organization of Area Boards on Developmental Disabilities is not expected to receive federal funds, the dollar amount needed to continue operations of the area boards and the amount appropriated from the General Fund, provides that any contract between the State Department of Developmental Disabilities and a regional center shall require that all employment contracts shall be available to the public for review upon request, requires the State Department of Developmental Disabilities to develop by April 2002 evaluation and diagnostic procedures for the diagnosis of autism disorder and other autistic spectrum disorders, and streamlines the consumer complaint process of the State Department of Developmental Disabilities.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 688 (John Campbell-R) Developmental disabilities

Requires the State Department of Developmental Services, in conjunction with the Association of Regional Center Agencies and other stakeholders knowledgeable about childhood disabilities to develop proposed uniform functionally based evaluation protocols and guidelines for determining eligibility for regional center services for persons with disorders that require treatments similar to the disabilities that are named in the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act including familial dysautonomia.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 697 (Cedillo-D) Regional center services: appeals: attorney's fees

Awards attorney's fees to a prevailing representative of a developmentally disabled consumer who appeals a regional center's decision.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 896 (Aroner-D) Developmental services: unified system

Creates a major reform of the State Department of Developmental Services system serving persons with developmental disabilities by, among other provisions: establishing a unified budget for the five state developmental centers (DCs) and the regional centers; requiring the population of the DCs to be reduced to 1,000 in 2008; creating new accounts through which savings, that regional centers achieve from transferring a DC resident to the community, could be allocated to regional center clients who already reside in the community; and establishing a Lanterman Trust Fund for the deposit of proceeds from the sale or lease of state DC lands and buildings. The Trust Fund monies could be used for low cost loans for housing persons with developmental disabilities, for grants and other specified uses.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 950 (Wright-D) Developmentally disabled persons: community care facilities

Extends various deadlines for completion of training and testing required of all direct care staff employed in licensed community care facilities that receive regional center funding.

Chapter 188, Statutes of 2001

AB 1008 (Lowenthal-D) Housing grants: tenants with disabilities

Establishes the Rental Housing Accessibility Grant Pilot Program to make funds available to cities, counties, housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, and redevelopment agencies for the purpose of making grants to lower income tenants with disabilities for exterior modifications to rental housing that improve accessibility.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1040 (Dutra-D) Disabled persons: liability

Revises current law relating to the liability that shall be imposed on a person, firm, or corporation that interferes with various specified rights of a disabled individual.

(In Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 1191 (Longville-D) Developmental disabilities

Establishes a process for resolving disputes between regional centers and local public agencies.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1261 (Migden-D) Independent Living Program

Increases the amount of cash savings and other resources that foster youth who are 16 years of age or older may retain, from $5,000 to $10,000.

Chapter 686, Statutes of 2001

AB 1533 (Migden-D) Rehabilitation services

Revises the State Department of Rehabilitation's Transportation Loan Guarantee Program to increase the maximum loan amount and make other changes.

Chapter 193, Statutes of 2001

AB 1693 (Assembly Human Services Committee) Developmental disabilities: service providers: rates

Requires that a temporary reimbursement adjustment be developed for regional centers providing services to persons with developmental disabilities in the higher cost areas of the state.

Vetoed by the Governor

ACR 77 (Cohn-D) Assisted living

Proclaims the week of September 9 through September 15, 2001, as Assisted Living Week in California and encourages all citizens to visit friends and loved ones who reside in residential care facilities for elderly and disabled individuals, and also to learn more about assisted living services and how vital these services are to residents.

Resolution Chapter 122, Statutes of 2001

AJR 1 (Havice-D) Americans with Disabilities Act

Memorializes the President and the Congress to (1) stand firm in their resolve to uphold the current provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), (2) affirm the intent and substance of the ADA by enacting new legislation that would nullify the effect of any court decision that weakens the act, (3) take appropriate measures to encourage both public and private entities to implement the provisions of the ADA, and (4) establish whether the ADA has been applied in the manner in which it was intended, and whether any unintended consequences have resulted.

Resolution Chapter 82, Statutes of 2001

HR 12 (Reyes-D) Speech and public social services

Declares April 23, 2001 as Speech and Language Day.

Adopted by the Assembly

Tobacco Products

SB 35* (Escutia-D) Tobacco settlement fund allocations

Creates the Tobacco Settlement Fund, in which all funds received pursuant to the tobacco litigation Master Settlement Agreement of November 23, 1998, shall be deposited.

(In Assembly Governmental Organization Committee)

Similar legislation is SB 184 (Dunn-D) which is in Senate Health and Human Services Committee and AB 163 (Florez-D) which is in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 309 (Ortiz-D) Public health: tobacco cessation study

Requires the State Department of Health Services to conduct research and report to the Legislature the potential fiscal savings and medical benefits of providing comprehensive tobacco cessation services to California adults and children. Directs the department to survey existing literature, determine the relative costs and benefits of various options and make recommendations determined by the public interest.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 312* (Alpert-D) Cigarette and tobacco products taxes: returned products

Codifies the distributors' method of refunding tax on returned tobacco products by allowing them to net the tax on returned products against the tax liability.

Chapter 426, Statutes of 2001

SB 322 (Ortiz-D) Tobacco

Limits the sale, distribution, or import of any tobacco product commonly referred to as "bidis" or "beedies."

Chapter 375, Statutes of 2001

SB 757 (Ortiz-D) Tobacco control

Seeks to enhance the enforcement of prohibitions on selling tobacco products to minors, bans self-service displays of cigarettes and imposes various other restrictions on the distribution of tobacco products.

Chapter 376, Statutes of 2001

AB 188 (Vargas-D) Playgrounds: smoking

Prohibits the smoking or disposal of cigarettes and other tobacco-related products within a playground or "tot lot sandbox area."

Chapter 150, Statutes of 2001

AB 224 (Matthews-D) Sales and use taxes: cigarette and tobacco products

Requires the Office of the Legislative Analyst to conduct a study of the sales and marketing of cigars and smokeless tobacco products to both adults and children. Requires the results of the study to be submitted to the Legislature by December 31, 2002.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 412 (Wesson-D) Tobacco products: tobacco sales

Prohibits self-service displays of tobacco products and the free distribution of tobacco products on private property open to the public; requires minimum cigarette and loose tobacco package sizes.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

The omnibus health trailer bill which, among others, establishes the Tobacco Settlement Fund in the State Treasury and dedicates money appropriated from the fund to health care and provides two year expenditure authority for tobacco programs.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 1453 (Koretz-D) Tobacco: display and use limitations

Prohibits any person, firm, or corporation from displaying or making available any ashtrays or other receptacles designed for tobacco-related waste, for use on any premises where smoking is prohibited. Prohibits the distribution of free samples of tobacco products by mail to anyone who has not been previously identified as a consumer of tobacco products, who is 18 years of age or older. Subjects violations of these provisions to civil penalties. Requires any person, firm, or corporation that maintains an area where smoking is permitted to provide one or more receptacles for tobacco-related waste for use on the premises.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1527 (Frommer-D) Tobacco settlement funds: bonds

Establishes the Tobacco Settlement Investment Fund Task Force to analyze how the state can mitigate the risk of substantial losses in revenues paid to the state pursuant to the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

Health Facilities

SB 253 (Perata-D) Health facilities: Contra Costa County

Makes a capital project of the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center eligible for supplemental Medi-Cal reimbursement.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 254 (Dunn-D) Emergency medical services

Appropriates $300 million from the General Fund to the Emergency Medical Services Authority, with $200 million for critical emergency service facilities and $100 million for payment of uncompensated emergency services provided by physicians and hospitals. Defines initial stabilizing services of emergency medical technicians to be a component of emergency medical services; and, requires health care service plans, disability insurers and Medi-Cal to reimburse emergency medical services providers for initial stabilizing services provided to subscribers and enrollees in response to medical emergencies. Further, requires the State Department of Health Services to annually update Medi-Cal reimbursements for advanced life support and basic life support ambulance services.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 288 (Speier-D) Health facilities: financing

Includes the Regents of the University of California within the definition of "participating health facility" for purposes of California Health Facilities Revenue Bonds 1998 Series A.

Chapter 78, Statutes of 2001

SB 357* (Murray-D) Energy conservation assistance

Requires the Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, until January 1, 2011, to provide loans, from funds in the State Energy Conservation Assistant Account, to long-term health care facilities and residential care facilities for the elderly to finance costs incurred in implementing energy conservation projects.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

SB 451 (Scott-D) Health care facilities

Requires the State Department of Health Services to establish a certification program for certified developmental assistants in long-term care facilities for the developmentally disabled.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 487 (Karnette-D) Hospitals: emergency rooms

Requires any hospital that maintains an emergency room to provide patients, upon discharge, brochures or pamphlets that inform the patients about alternatives to emergency room care.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 587 (Soto-D) Health facilities: critically or terminally ill patients

Codifies various requirements relating to the discharge and transfer of patients from hospitals.

Chapter 691, Statutes of 2001

SB 680 (Figueroa-D) Health facility data

Requires Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) to publish risk-adjusted outcome reports for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, requires the existing risk-adjusted outcome reports that OSHPD is required to publish to also report data by individual physicians where appropriate, and makes various other changes to provisions of law requiring OSHPD to publish risk-adjusted outcome reports.

Chapter 898, Statutes of 2001

SB 751 (Speier-D) Hospitals: surrogate decisionmakers

Requires a hospital to make reasonable efforts to contact a family member or other person with authority to make health care decisions on behalf of the patient when someone arrives in the emergency department who is unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate.

Chapter 329, Statutes of 2001

SB 813 (Dunn-D) Children's hospitals

Defines "University of California Children's Hospital" to include each of the University of California children's programs within the five University of California academic medical center campuses.

Chapter 290, Statutes of 2001

SB 842 (Speier-D) Health facilities: seismic building standards

Grants hospital buildings an extension of the January 1, 2008 seismic safety deadline requirements until January 1, 2013, under specified circumstances.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 928 (Dunn-D) Health facilities: seismic safety requirements

Enacts the Hospital Seismic Safety Bond Act of 2002, which, upon adoption by the voters, authorizes issuance of general obligation bonds totaling an unspecified amount. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the bond act to voters at the March 5, 2002 statewide primary.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 1089 (Karnette-D) Alcoholism and drug abuse treatment and recovery facilities

Requires the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with specified entities, to develop and submit to the Legislature no later than July 1, 2002, a plan for a statewide database of alcoholism and drug abuse treatment and recovery facilities, and community care facilities, except for foster family homes and homes certified by foster family agencies and a plan that would propose the most efficient and effective system possible for identifying and regulating existing unlicensed residential programs.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 24* (Maldonado-R) Health facilities construction and licensing requirements

Allows an acute care hospital to acquire a new building meeting specified criteria and receive a license from the State Department of Health Services as if the building had remained continuously licensed.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 175 (Zettel-R) Hospitals: consolidated licenses

Adds to circumstances that must be met before a general acute care hospital that has two or more physical plants at more than one site that are more than 15 miles apart may be issued a single consolidated license.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 318 (Chan-D) Joint powers agreements: children's hospitals

Permits a children's hospital to enter into a joint powers agreement with any public agency, subject to specified conditions.

(In Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 424 (Aroner-D) Health care: emergency services

Requires non-participating emergency services providers to contact specified health plans as soon as possible when treating a plan member. Provides failure to contact the plan prior to hospital admission by non-participating hospitals to void billing authority by the non-participating hospital.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

Creates the omnibus health trailer bill which, among others, expands the Quality Awards Program for long-term care facilities to permit awards to fund innovative efforts to increase employee recruitment, retention or both, establishes the Trauma Care Fund and requires all monies deposited in the fund to be allocated to local Emergency Medical Services agencies for distribution to local Emergency Medical Services agency-designated trauma centers, establishes a floor of $75,000 as the base funding level for rural health clinics, allocates the supplemental payment rate for community treatment facilities (60 percent to the counties and 40 percent to the state), repeals cost based reimbursement for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics and institutes a prospective payment system of reimbursement, and establishes a supplemental Medi-Cal reimbursement for distinct part-skilled nursing facilities that are owned and operated by public entities.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 505 (Robert Pacheco-R) Long-term health care facilities: citations and penalties

Authorizes a licensee of a long-term health care facility, in lieu of seeking to adjudicate the validity of a class "AA" or "A" citation in the municipal or superior court, to elect to submit the matter to binding arbitration, as provided under the bill.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 557 (Aroner-D) Safe Hospitals Bond Acts of 2004 and 2006

Places before the voters $2 billion in general obligation bonds to provide financial assistance to hospitals for purposes of meeting structural and nonstructural deadlines of the Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 656 (Chan-D) Health facilities: seismic safety requirements

Authorizes a county-owned general acute care hospital a one-year extension of nonstructural performance category 2 seismic requirement if the building complies with certain conditions.

Chapter 247, Statutes of 2001

AB 740* (Aanestad-R) Public health: hospitals

Exempts Eastern Plumas Health Care District from a prohibition on obtaining a consolidated license until January 1, 2008, or until the Sierra Valley District Hospital is annexed by the Eastern Plumas Health Care District.

Chapter 184, Statutes of 2001

AB 809 (Salinas-D) Automated drug delivery systems

Authorizes specified clinics that are licensed by the Pharmacy Board to operate automated drug delivery systems that are remotely controlled by a pharmacist in order to provide drugs and drug consultation to their patients.

Chapter 310, Statutes of 2001

AB 811 (Zettel-R) Health facilities: exemption for medical supplies

Expands the definition of health facility and expands the definition of medicines exempted from sales and use tax.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 825 (Cohn-D) Immunizations: long-term care facilities

Requires every long-term care facility, on an annual basis, to make available to persons receiving services at the facility, and to facility employees, immunizations for influenza and pneumococcal disease.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 828 (Cohn-D) Long-term care facilities

Requires the State Department of Health Services to establish a centralized consumer response unit to respond to consumer inquiries and complaints in long-term health care facilities, and to assist consumers in resolving concerns.

Chapter 680, Statutes of 2001

AB 832* (Corbett-D) Health facilities: seismic safety

Requires all regulatory submissions made to the California Building Standards Commission by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) to be deemed emergency regulations, revises specified seismic evaluation requirements, and clarifies OSHPD's ability to grant flexibility in meeting seismic safety requirements.

Chapter 228, Statutes of 2001

AB 951 (Florez-D) Clinics: interim license

Creates the Centralized Application Unit in the Licensing and Certification Division within the State Department of Health Services. Requires that all applications for clinic licenses be reviewed for completeness by the Central Application Unit within two weeks. Requires that forwarded applications be scheduled for survey within 30 days of receipt. Requires the department to routinely review the Unit and regional offices to determine if applications for clinic licenses are processed in a timely and effective manner.

Chapter 525, Statutes of 2001

AB 1075 (Shelley-D) Skilled nursing facilities: staffing ratios

Requires the State Department of Health Services to convert existing staffing levels required at skilled nursing facilities from hours-of-care to staff-to-patient ratios by August 1, 2003.

Chapter 684, Statutes of 2001

AB 1156 (Aroner-D) Health facilities: construction

Establishes the framework for the Safe Hospital Bonds Act of 2002 to authorize issuance of bonds to provide for the construction, replacement, renovation, and retrofit of currently licensed health facilities, and states that provisions of this bill shall not be operative and are for display purposes only.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1212 (Shelley-D) Health facilities

Modifies and makes technical corrections to chaptered legislation regarding skilled nursing facilities.

Chapter 685, Statutes of 2001

AB 1314 (Havice-D) Joint powers agreements: private hospitals

Authorizes private hospitals eligible to participate in the disproportionate share hospital program pursuant to Sec. 14105.98 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to enter into joint powers agreements with any local public agency.

(In Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 1409 (Chan-D) Nursing home administrators

Establishes with the State Department of Health Services authority to regulate and license nursing home administrators, makes additional changes to the Nursing Home Administrator's Act regarding the examination and licensing of nursing home administrators, and makes other various technical and conforming changes to the act.

Chapter 687, Statutes of 2001

AB 1464 (Thomson-D) Health data

Eliminates a provision of law that permits Kaiser hospitals to submit a consolidated income and expense statement and other specified data to Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development as a group, thereby making them report the data by individual hospitals.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1557 (Briggs-R) Health facility data

Increases the number of technical advisory committee members under the California Health Policy and Data Advisory Commission from 12 to 14, and requires that the additional two members be registered nurses appointed from a list of at least six persons nominated by the American Nurses Association of California.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1643 (Negrete McLeod-D) Long-term care facilities: temporary staff

Requires employment agencies to screen temporary employees before referring them to long-term health care facilities.

Chapter 326, Statutes of 2001

ACR 30 (Runner-R) Public Utilities Commission: essential services: hospitals

Memorializes the Governor to request the Public Utilities Commission to identify hospitals with a bed capacity of less than 100 as "essential service customers" and thus exempt them from rotating power outages.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 69XX* (Bogh-R) Public health emergency conditions

Permits the Governor, by executive order, or the Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) to suspend enforcement of laws and regulations related to construction, or renovation of existing long-term health care facilities in specified situations. Prohibits this bill from permitting the suspension of the life safety requirements of OSHPD and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, where the suspension poses a greater danger than the situation caused by the extraordinary condition and the proposed action the licensee seeks to use to mitigate the potential harm or danger.

Chapter 13, Statutes of 2001, Second Extraordinary Session

Health Professionals

SB 15 (Figueroa-D) Healing arts peer review: continuances

Changes the provisions in current relating to a hearing afforded to a licentiate who is the subject of a final disciplinary action of a peer review body to allow a continuance of the hearing to be granted only by the arbitrator or presiding officer upon a showing of good cause. Limits the length of a continuance to 10 working days, unless the arbitrator or presiding officer finds good cause to grant a longer continuance.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 16 (Figueroa-D) Peer review

Increases the fine for a peer review body's failure to report to the appropriate licensing board when adverse actions are taken against health care professionals.

Chapter 614, Statutes of 2001

SB 26* (Figueroa-D) Professions and vocations

Requires the Institute of Medical Quality to study peer review, requires an enforcement monitor to be appointed to monitor the Dental Board of California, requires an independent review of the scope of practice of dental auxiliaries, places the Osteopathic Medical Board of California under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and makes additional technical and clarifying changes to various regulatory boards under DCA.

Chapter 615, Statutes of 2001

SB 50* (Machado-D) Speech-language pathology assistants

Provides that prior to June 1, 2003, a person who has performed the functions of a speech-language pathology aide on a full-time or part-time basis, as specified, may apply for approval as a speech-language pathology assistant without having to complete an associate of arts degree program.

Chapter 173, Statutes of 2001

SB 111 (Alpert-D) Medical assistants

Permits a medical assistant, in addition to being able to perform specified tasks under the supervision of a physician or podiatrist, to also perform these specified tasks under the supervision of a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse-midwife in a licensed primary care clinic.

Chapter 358, Statutes of 2001

SB 119 (Haynes-R) Healing arts: prescribing psychiatric medications for minors

Requires a physician and surgeon, dentist, optometrist, or podiatrist to obtain informed consent before prescribing a psychiatric medication for a minor and confirm that the minor has been examined by a pediatrician to eliminate the possibility that the minor's condition is the result of a physical condition.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

SB 129 (Burton-D) Death penalty executions: physicians

Deletes the requirement that two physicians be invited to an execution. Provides that a physician or any other invited person may not be disciplined for refusing to attend an execution.

Chapter 71, Statutes of 2001

SB 134 (Figueroa-D) Dentistry

Sunsets and reconstitutes the Dental Board of California and makes other changes related to the practice of dentistry.

Chapter 532, Statutes of 2001

SB 149 (Figueroa-D) Healing arts: liability

Provides that, following the failure by a peer review body that is instituted by a health care facility or health care service plan to file a required report that involved an incident in which a patient was injured, the facility or plan would be strictly liable for the injuries and damages as specified.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 293 (Torlakson-D) Pharmacies: injectable sterile drug products

Requires pharmacies, in order to compound sterile drug products, to obtain a license to compound injectable sterile drug products. Appropriates $580,000 from the Pharmacy Board Contingent Fund to the Board of Pharmacy for the costs associated with the implementation of this bill.

Chapter 827, Statutes of 2001

SB 298 (Figueroa-D) Certified nurse-midwives: drugs and devices

Permits certified nurse-midwives to furnish or order controlled substances under specified conditions, and makes legislative findings and declarations that this is intended to codify existing practice and is not intended to increase their scope of practice.

Chapter 289, Statutes of 2001

SB 317 (Ortiz-D) Nursing education

Seeks to address the current shortage of nurses by increasing the number and capacity of nurse training institutions and by offering forgivable loans to nursing students.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 340 (Speier-D) Pharmacies

Extends the authority pharmacists currently possess to substitute generic drugs to also substitute a different form of the prescribed medication when it will improve the patient's ability to comply with the drug therapy. Also allows specified health care clinics to participate in a federally subsidized discounted drug program and contract with pharmacies without having to obtain a wholesaler's license from the State Board of Pharmacy.

Chapter 631, Statutes of 2001

SB 341 (Perata-D) Acupuncture

Expands the modalities available for use by a licensed acupuncturist to include the use of heat, cold, diet, magnets, plant, animal, and mineral products, and dietary supplements to promote, maintain, and restore health. Defines "magnet," "plant, animal, and mineral products," and "dietary supplement."

Chapter 361, Statutes of 2001

SB 349 (Senate Business And Professions Committee) Healing arts

Makes various changes to the laws governing licensed health care professionals, including permitting various boards to collect all accrued and unpaid renewal fees before a license may be renewed.

Chapter 435, Statutes of 2001

SB 391 (McPherson-R) Education: health delivery services: consulting nurse

Requires every county office of education to employ a credentialed school nurse as its consultant to provide leadership and coordination of mandated and appropriate health services to pupils, as specified. Also establishes the Tobacco Settlement Fund in the State Treasury, requiring that beginning July 1, 2002, the state share of all funds received from the tobacco litigation Master Settlement Agreement of 1998 be deposited there.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 448 (Perata-D) Liability: injuries to emergency medical personnel

Allows an emergency worker to sue if he/she were injured in the course of performing his/her job, if the conduct causing the injury violated a statute, ordinance or regulation and the conduct was not the event that precipitated the emergency response or the presence of the emergency worker.

Chapter 140, Statutes of 2001

SB 457 (Scott-D) Public postsecondary education: nursing programs

Requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the Chancellor of the California State University to standardize all nursing program prerequisites on a statewide basis between two systems, enter into transfer agreements between all of the universities of the California State University and all community colleges statewide, and create and implement a statewide nursing program vacancy information system

(In Senate Education Committee)

SB 492 (Polanco-D) Foreign medical school graduates

Requires the State Department of Health Services to implement a program whereby the department would act as an interested government agency to recommend, in each year and for up to 20 graduates of medical schools who are working in the state pursuant to a J-1 visa, waivers of the two-year residence requirement.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 537 (Vasconcellos-D) Alcohol and drug abuse counselors

Requires the State Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to conduct an occupational analysis of persons providing substance abuse counseling, to be completed by July 1, 2002, and requires the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (DADP) to review its quality assurance mechanisms and licensing responsibilities regarding statewide professional standards and to survey programs to identify the type and number of counselors who currently work in each program licensed by DADP. Requires both DCA and DADP to report to the Legislature by July 1, 2002, on specified topics concerning standards for licensure of alcohol and drug abuse counselors.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 577 (Burton-D) Health: complementary and alternative health care

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, provides that a person who discloses to a client that he or she is not a licensed physician shall not be in violation of certain provisions of the Medical Practice Act unless that person engages in specified diagnosis, treatment, and other activities with respect to another person.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

SB 616 (Chesbro-D) Laboratories: public health laboratory scientists

Seeks to increase the number and quality of microbiologists serving in public laboratories. Establishes a specified council to oversee laboratory-training programs and authorizes funding for training microbiologists.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 664 (Poochigian-R) Nursing education

Requires the California Postsecondary Education Commission to conduct a review of the California Community Colleges' admission procedures and attrition rates for nursing programs.

Chapter 443, Statutes of 2001

SB 687 (Battin-R) Radiation: licensure to operate a bone densitometer

Provides for certification, by the State Department of Health Services, to any licentiate of the healing arts to supervise the operation of an X-ray bone densitometer, or to operate a bone densitometer, if the licentiate provides a certificate that training has been obtained.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 696 (Speier-D) Pharmacies: prescription benefits: Medicare beneficiaries

Enacts a voluntary Medicare drug rate program providing reduced prescription drug prices to Medicare beneficiaries.

Chapter 693, Statutes of 2001

SB 724 (Senate Business And Professions Committee) Businesses

Makes various changes in the laws and licensing boards regulating health care professionals, including making technical and clarifying changes, extending sunsets, and/or clarifying the enforcement authority of the Medical Board of California, Dental Board of California, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board, Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, Board of Pharmacy, and Board of Behavioral Sciences.

Chapter 728, Statutes of 2001

SB 760 (Murray-D) Medical education

Expands state financial support for medical graduates who agree to practice in medically underserved areas.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 770 (Figueroa-D) Pupil health

Requires the State Department of Education to conduct a study regarding the use of designated school personnel to provide assistance in the administration of pupil medication, and to report to the Legislature by May 1, 2002.

(In Senate Education Committee)

SB 826 (Margett-R) Peace officers: Dental Board of California

Extends the authorization for seven additional peace officer positions assigned to the Dental Board of California (DBC) until January 1, 2004, requires DBC to contract for a study to refine the findings of an earlier study, and appropriates $75,000 from the State Dentistry Fund for the purposes of this study.

Chapter 859, Statutes of 2001

SB 846* (Ackerman-R) Income and bank and corporation tax credits

Allows a credit under the personal income tax and bank and corporation tax equal to the fair market value of services rendered without charge by an attorney, physician and surgeon, dentist, or optometrist directly to or on behalf of a non-profit.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 851* (Oller-R) Emergency medical services: EMT-I's: scope of practice

Requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to develop and implement procedures and protocols to permit EMT-I's in Sierra County to obtain training and certification to safely administer specified emergency medical procedures that are currently outside of their scope of practice.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

SB 979 (Machado-D) Confidentiality of medical information

Exempts specified persons and entities from a provision of law that prohibits providers of health care from releasing medical information to persons or entities otherwise authorized to receive this information if the requested information specifically relates to the patient's participation in outpatient treatment with a psychotherapist.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 1027 (Romero-D) Employment: overtime requirements

Prohibits compulsory overtime for public and private industry registered nurses or health care industry employees after the conclusion of an employee's applicable daily work schedule and after 40 hours in a workweek, except during a declared state of emergency.

(On Senate Inactive File)

SB 1131 (Machado-D) Clinical laboratory technology

Deletes the authorization for the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to add tests to the list of four clinical laboratory (lab) tests that may be provided directly to a consumer without a prescription by a DHS-licensed clinical lab or public health lab and, instead, authorizes those labs to perform any other "over-the-counter" test approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration for sale to the public without a prescription.

Chapter 80, Statutes of 2001

SB 1169 (Alpert-D) Pharmacy

Permits a pharmacist to initiate emergency contraception drug therapy in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed by the pharmacist and an authorized prescriber.

Chapter 900, Statutes of 2001

SB 1174 (Polanco-D) Clinical laboratory technology

Exempts certified emergency medical technicians and licensed paramedics from California clinical laboratory regulation for performing blood glucose tests while providing basic or advanced life support services.

Chapter 640, Statutes of 2001

AB 68 (Migden-D) Health care providers: private duty nursing agencies

Establishes licensing requirements for private duty nursing agencies, similar to existing requirements for home health agencies, for the provision of skilled nursing services at a patient's place of residence.

Chapter 242, Statutes of 2001

AB 101 (Alquist-D) Geriatric specialist training

Requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) to administer a program to award scholarships to students enrolled in programs leading to a degree in gerontology, or advanced practice nursing degree or social work degree specializing in gerontology. Also requires OSHPD to administer grants to medical residents who complete a fellowship in geriatrics, pursuant to established criteria.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 108 (Strom-Martin-D) Pharmacy: licensure

Changes the requirements for issuance of a pharmacy license by the State Pharmacy Board, including that an applicant pass the board's written examination before May 31, 2002, or pass the North American Pharmacist Licensing Examination and the Multi-State Pharmacist Jurisprudence Examination for California on or after June 1, 2002. Also requires the board to license a pharmacist who is licensed in another state if the pharmacist meets specified qualifications.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 156 (Matthews-D) Dentistry: licensing exemptions

Expands the list of exemptions allowing persons to practice dentistry without a valid license or permit to allow the dentist appointed by the state Director of Health Services to practice dentistry without having a license or permit from the Dental Board of California if that individual is engaged in the discharge of their official duties.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 163 (Florez-D) School nurses: tobacco settlement funds

Establishes the Tobacco Settlement Fund (TSF) and requires that, beginning July 1, 2002, 10 percent of the state share of all funds received from the Master Settlement Agreement be deposited in the TSF and appropriated as specified.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 269 (Correa-D) Professional and vocational licensing boards

Creates the Division of Enforcement Oversight within the State Department of Consumer Affairs and requires it to monitor and evaluate the consumer complaint and discipline system of each board. Provides that the executive officer of each board within the department would be appointed by a three-member panel comprised of a representative of the board, the director, and the Governor's appointments secretary.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 289 (Oropeza-D) Healing arts

Permits licensed narcotic treatment programs to employ physicians and charge for professional services rendered by those physicians, notwithstanding the general prohibition against the practice of medicine by corporations or other artificial legal entities that are not professional medical corporations controlled by licensed physicians.

Chapter 321, Statutes of 2001

AB 338 (Correa-D) Postsecondary education: nursing shortage: Orange County

Creates a public/private demonstration project to address the nursing shortage in Orange County, as specified. Appropriates $1.7 million from the General Fund to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges ($1,035,000) and the California State University ($665,000) for the demonstration project established by this bill.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 373* (Leach-R) Income tax deduction: veterinary expenses

Provides a tax deduction for the amount paid or incurred for veterinary revenues for an animal adopted from an animal shelter or nonprofit animal welfare organization.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 447 (Firebaugh-D) Dental Board of California

Requires the Dental Board of California membership to include a faculty member of a California dental college and a dentist who practices in a nonprofit community clinic.

Chapter 625, Statutes of 2001

AB 487 (Aroner-D) Medical professionals: conduct

Requires physicians to complete mandatory continuing education on pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patient and requires the Medical Board of California to develop standards to assure the competent review in cases of undertreatment, undermedication and overmedication of a patient's pain, and to include the number and types of disciplinary actions it has taken related to the undertreatment or undermedication of pain in its annual report to the Legislature.

Chapter 518, Statutes of 2001

AB 536 (Bates-R) Pharmacy technicians

Increases the current one-to-one ratio of pharmacy technicians (PTs) to pharmacists, to two-to-one PTs for each additional pharmacist in pharmacies with more than one pharmacist; and allows a pharmacist to refuse to supervise a second PT if that pharmacist determines that supervising a second PT would interfere with the effective performance of the pharmacist's responsibilities.

Chapter 352, Statutes of 2001

AB 559 (Wiggins-D) Emergency medical services

Permits school districts or county offices of education to provide emergency epinephrine auto-injectors to trained personnel, and permits trained personnel to utilize these auto-injectors to provide emergency medical aid to persons suffering from an anaphylactic reaction. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish minimum training standards for the administration of epinephrine auto-injectors.

Chapter 458, Statutes of 2001

AB 564 (Lowenthal-D) Dentistry: oral conscious sedation

Requires dentists to report to the Dental Board of California when patients are hospitalized as a result of dental treatment, and requires the board to report to the Legislature by January 1, 2003, regarding all reports the board has received on the subject of deaths or hospitalizations as a result of dental treatment.

Chapter 308, Statutes of 2001

AB 586 (Nation-D) Pharmacists

Permits pharmacists to perform skin puncture and simple "waived" clinical lab tests without having to operate under a protocol when performing routine patient assessment procedures, as specified, and conforms conflicting provisions of law to clarify that when pharmacists perform skin puncture together with simple "waived" clinical lab tests for glucose, cholesterol, etc. that they must do so under the overall operation and administration of a clinical lab director.

Chapter 501, Statutes of 2001

AB 644 (Cox-R) Home health agencies

Prohibits the State Department of Health Services from enforcing specified regulations which require registered nurses or licensed vocational nurses providing services in a patient's temporary or permanent place of residence through a home health agency to have one year of prior professional nursing experience. Sunsets the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2006.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 652 (Horton-D) Health professions education and outreach

Requests the Regents of the University of California (UC) to report to the Legislature concerning UC's efforts to recruit students to its medical, dental and optometric schools from underserved areas, and UC to use existing resources to establish outreach and exposure programs.

Chapter 459, Statutes of 2001

AB 668 (Chan-D) California Dentist Loan Forgiveness Program

Requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to report to the Legislature on the feasibility of establishing a California Dentist Loan Forgiveness Program.

Chapter 249, Statutes of 2001

AB 826 (Cohn-D) Pharmaceutical practice: prescriptions

Eliminates restrictions on locations where a pharmacist may provide clinical advice or information and, pursuant to a protocol with a patient's prescriber, permits a pharmacist in an outpatient care setting to initiate drug regimens for patients and permits a pharmacist in any setting to adjust a patient's drug regimen.

Chapter 262, Statutes of 2001

AB 900 (Papan-D) Local emergency medical services funds

Streamlines the county Maddy emergency medical services fund's administrative process and requires counties to inform physicians of the availability of the fund.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1026 (Oropeza-D) Healing arts: dentists

Authorizes a dentist to advertise that his or her practice is limited to a specific field if the dentist is certified or meets certification requirements or the advertisement discloses that he or she is a general dentist. Authorizes a dentist who has credentials from a dental specialty board recognized by the American Dental Association to advertise as a specialist. Pursuant to the bill, a dentist would be permitted to advertise credentials granted by a private or public board or parent association not recognized by the American Dental Association only under specified circumstances.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1045 (Firebaugh-D) Healing arts: practice

Requires the recommendations of a subcommittee of the Task Force on Culturally and Linguistically Competent Physicians and Dentists that is examining the feasibility of establishing a pilot program allowing Mexican and Caribbean licensed physicians and dentists to practice in nonprofit community health centers to be incorporated into law by enactment of a statute. Revises the reporting dates of this subcommittee by requiring the subcommittee to report to the task force on June 15, 2001, and requiring the task force to forward the report, with any additional comments, to the Legislature by August 15, 2001.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

AB 1194 (Correa-D) Workers' compensation

Permits physician assistants and nurse practitioners to provide medical treatment of a work-related injury and to cosign a doctor's first report of injury, as specified.

Chapter 229, Statutes of 2001

AB 1253* (Matthews-D) Nursing

Adds to the list of providers who may be reimbursed under the Victims of Crime Program, psychiatric-mental health nurses, as defined, and revises the description of psychiatric-mental health nurses in various codes to add certified clinical nurse specialists who participate in expert clinical practice in the specialty of psychiatric mental health nursing.

Chapter 420, Statutes of 2001

AB 1292 (Aroner-D) Hypodermic needles

Authorizes pharmacists in a licensed pharmacy to furnish or sell at retail hypodermic needles or syringes for human use without a prescription or permit, and permits individuals to purchase and possess syringes and needles without a prescription or permit.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1311 (Goldberg-D) Medical records: access

Entitles any patient to a copy, at no charge, of the relevant portion of the patient's medical records, upon presenting to the provider a written request and proof that the records are needed to support an appeal regarding eligibility for public benefit programs. Requires health care providers to ensure that the copies are transmitted within 30 days of receiving the request. Permits hospitals or health care providers, if the patient's appeal is successful, to bill the patient for the copies of the medical records previously provided free of charge.

Chapter 325, Statutes of 2001

AB 1360 (Pescetti-R) Dentists: physicians: professional liability insurance

Requires physicians and dentists to inform their patients if they do not carry professional liability coverage.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

AB 1428 (Aanestad-R) Dentistry: licensure

Authorizes the Dental Board of California to issue a license to practice dentistry, without requiring the taking of California's license exam, to applicants who are currently licensed to practice dentistry in another state, and who meet specified clinical practice and other requirements. Also requires the board to report to the Legislature on the results of this program.

Chapter 507, Statutes of 2001

AB 1444 (Maddox-R) Nutritional advice

Establishes the title dietetic technician, registered; expands the scope of practice for registered dieticians; and, deletes an obsolete reference to dieticians.

Chapter 628, Statutes of 2001

AB 1490 (Thomson-D) Health records: laboratory test results by Internet posting

Permits the results of laboratory tests to be provided to the patient by Internet posting, if requested by the patient and if deemed most appropriate by the health care professional who requested the test.

Chapter 529, Statutes of 2001

AB 1583 (Negrete McLeod-D) Veterinary medicine

Deletes the sunset date for the waiver of examination requirements and issuance of temporary licenses for out-of-state veterinarian applicants, extending those provisions indefinitely.

Chapter 167, Statutes of 2001

AB 1586 (Negrete McLeod-D) Healing arts: physicians and surgeons

Requires physicians to report to the Medical Board of California at the time of license renewal any specialty board certification and their practice status as defined. The bill also allows a physician to report, and the board to collect, information regarding his or her cultural background or foreign language proficiency. Information collected may be placed on the board's Internet web site.

Chapter 509, Statutes of 2001

AB 1589 (Simitian-D) Healing arts: electronic transmission of prescriptions

Requires the State Medical Board of California, in consultation with the State Board of Pharmacy, to conduct a study on the electronic transmission of prescriptions by physicians and other health care providers.

Chapter 464, Statutes of 2001

AB 1616 (Wright-D) Healing arts: disciplinary actions

Extends the statutes of limitations for accusations against specified licensed health care professionals to ten years after the alleged act or omission occurs, when the accusation involves allegations of sexual misconduct.

Chapter 617, Statutes of 2001

AB 1622 (Cardenas-D) Pharmacists

Provides that the State Board of Pharmacy may not adopt any rule or regulation that would allow a pharmacist to dispense any drug unless the pharmacist has reviewed the drug and checked the prescription for accuracy.

(In Senate Business and Professions Committee)

Foster Care

SB 120 (Murray-D) Undersecretary of foster care

Creates an Undersecretary of Foster Care Coordination in the State Health and Human Services Agency.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 841 (Alpert-D) Foster care: Early Start to Emancipation programs

Requires the State Department of Social Services to provide technical assistance and training to counties that elect to establish an Early Start to Emancipation Program for foster youth 14 and 15 years of age.

Chapter 694, Statutes of 2001

AB 333 (Wright-D) Foster care

Requires each visit by a social worker or probation officer to a foster youth to include a private discussion between the youth and the worker, held out of the immediate vicinity of foster care providers. Prohibits the contents of the discussion from being disclosed to the foster parent or group home staff, except under specified circumstances.

Chapter 675, Statutes of 2001

AB 427* (Hertzberg-D) Public social services

A budget trailer bill which makes changes to the Foster Care Program administered by the State Department of Social Services.

Chapter 125, Statutes of 2001

AB 429* (Aroner-D) Health and welfare programs

The omnibus social services budget trailer bill, which makes changes to programs administered by the State Department of Aging, the State Department of Health and Human Services Agency Data Center, the State Department of Rehabilitation, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, the State Employment Development Department, the State Department of Social Services, the State Department of Child Support Services, the State Department of Community Services and Development, the State Franchise Tax Board, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

Chapter 111, Statutes of 2001

AB 691 (Steinberg-D) Children: education

Requires school districts, in collaboration with county child protective services, to develop a plan to better address the educational needs of foster children, as specified.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 797 (Shelley-D) Foster care providers: educational support requirements

Authorizes the expansion of the Foster Youth Services program.

(In Senate Education Committee)

AB 899 (Liu-D) Rights of foster children

Specifies the rights of children in foster care, and requires social workers and foster care facilities to provide information regarding those rights.

Chapter 683, Statutes of 2001

AB 1105 (Simitian-D) Child care: foster family homes: child care reimbursement

Requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a statewide child care assistance program for licensed foster parents and relative caregivers.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1119 (Hertzberg-D) Foster care

Provides financial assistance to emancipated foster youth and establishes an Internet-based health and education passport system for foster youth.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1330 (Steinberg-D) Foster youth

Increases foster family home provider reimbursement rates.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1582 (Ashburn-R) Foster care: group home rates

Requires the State Department of Social Services to revise the method of assigning points for the level of care and services to group homes for the provision of foster care to include the level of education and training of the employees of the group home.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1666* (Keeley-D) Conservators and guardians: foster homes

Exempts from the registration and filing requirements of the Statewide Registry non-related guardians of the person appointed by the court for foster children.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1694 (Assembly Human Services Committee) Foster care

States the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to make technical changes to the foster care licensing and operations statutes.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

AB 1695* (Assembly Human Services Committee) Foster care

Seeks to conform state law with recent amendments to federal statutes and regulations relating to the placement of foster children in licensed or approved homes of non-relatives and relatives.

Chapter 653, Statutes of 2001

AB 1739* (Reyes-D) Foster care and emergency housing: age restrictions

Requires the State Department of Social Services to issue guidelines, by November 1, 2002, to help counties make placements that are in the best interest of the child, particularly related to the ages of both the child and the potential provider. Provides findings and declarations conveying the Legislature's interest in seeing children in foster care placed with individuals who are most appropriate to care for them, in terms of all relevant characteristics, including but not limited to age.

Vetoed by the Governor

ACR 56 (Steinberg-D) Foster care

Acknowledges the month of May 2001, as Foster Care Awareness Month and urges all citizens to give recognition and appreciation to foster parents.

Resolution Chapter 46, Statutes of 2001

Public Social Services

SB 64 (Chesbro-D) Homeless youth emergency services projects

Requires the Office of Criminal Justice Planning to conduct a coordinated evaluation of programs serving runaway and homeless youth.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 70 (Escutia-D) In-home care workers for the elderly

Prohibits any person from providing services under the In-Home Supportive Services Program or personal care services under the Medi-Cal program unless he/she has submitted a request for a criminal history clearance and has had his/her fingerprints taken.

(In Senate Public Safety Committee)

SB 101* (Brulte-R) Abandonment of newborns

Requires the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with specified state agencies, to develop and implement a social marketing campaign to inform pregnant women of their options upon delivery of newborns, including surrendering them to hospital emergency rooms, or other designated locations, within 72 hours of their birth. Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the department for purposes of the bill.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 217 (Kuehl-D) CalWORKs: domestic violence

Requires counties to add to their CalWORKs plan specified domestic violence treatment services to be provided through the CalWORKs program.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 249 (Chesbro-D) CalWORKs: eligibility

Allows for counties to continue Temporary Assistance for Needy Families CalWORKs services to the family of a child who is receiving child protective services, for up to 180 days during which the child is not residing at home. Only authorizes this extension when the county determines such eligibility is necessary for family reunification.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 380 (Murray-D) CalWORKs: community college students: study time

Allows certain CalWORKs program recipients, who participate in welfare-to-work activities, to have an hour of study each hour in the classroom, up to a maximum of six hours per week, to apply toward their weekly hourly work requirement. Applies to students who would otherwise qualify for the welfare-to-work program.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 493 (Sher-D) Health programs

Implements a simplified eligibility process as part of the Food Stamp Program to expedite the enrollment of individuals and families in the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Program.

Chapter 897, Statutes of 2001

SB 515 (Alpert-D) Youth Development Act

Establishes the Youth Development Act to create the California Council on Youth Development.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 615 (Ortiz-D) Medi-Cal: Healthy Families Program: temporary eligibility

Creates an expedited process for granting temporary eligibility for public health insurance programs to uninsured patients seeking care from hospitals which operate an emergency services department or community health clinics.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 622 (Ortiz-D) Dental services

Requires the State Department of Health Services to develop an outreach program for dental services to be administered through the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

SB 827 (Perata-D) Adult day services

Expresses the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would design an integrated model for adult day health care and adult day care services.

(At Assembly Desk)

SB 833 (Ortiz-D) Medi-Cal program: eligibility

Requires the State Department of Health Services, by March 1, 2002 to submit a state plan amendment basing the definition of unemployment for purposes of Medi-Cal eligibility on the net nonexempt earned income of the principal wage earner only, and increasing the income level to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 884* (Escutia-D) Dependent children

Permits the State Department of Social Services to delegate to a county the authority to grant a criminal records exemption to relatives.

Chapter 445, Statutes of 2001

SB 1005 (Johannessen-R) In-home supportive services: care providers

Prohibits a person from providing in-home supportive services for any employer without first obtaining a criminal record clearance.

(Failed passage in Senate Public Safety Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 1095 (Escutia-D) Care facilities: licensing investigations

Adds approximately 50 crimes to those that make an individual ineligible to work in facilities licensed by the State Department of Social Services. Increases the period of time a person must wait before reapplying for a license and adds failure to cooperate with the licensing agency to the list of grounds for which the department may revoke a license. Consolidates in statute the fingerprint requirements for all persons required to have a criminal background check prior to licensure.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

SB 1190 (Senate Health And Human Services Committee) Assistive dog allowance

Provides recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance an additional $15 per month food allowance for guide, signal or service dogs.

Chapter 452, Statutes of 2001

SJR 8 (Speier-D) Social security

Requests the federal government to implement the principles regarding the social security system espoused by the Older Women's League of California and states that the California Legislature opposes privatizing the social security system.

Resolution Chapter 113, Statutes of 2001

AB 18 (Horton-D) Nonmedical out-of-home care facilities

Increases the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program (SSI/SSP) rate for recipients living in nonmedical out-of-home facilities to $1,448 a month.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 89 (Bates-R) IHSS: Medi-Cal: criminal record checks

Requires a criminal background clearance for individuals who provide IHSS and Medi-Cal personal care services.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 130 (Cardenas-D) Public social services

Renames the State Only Family Planning Program, includes additional services and beneficiaries in the program, and requires review of grievances and complaints in a specified manner.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 144 (Cedillo-D) Public social services: eligibility: vehicles

Modifies the treatment of vehicles for purposes of eligibility for CalWORKs and Food Stamp programs.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 308* (Leslie-R) Health and human services pilot program: Placer County

Extends the sunset on a Placer County integrated health and human services pilot program by five years to July 1, 2006.

Chapter 17, Statutes of 2001

AB 313 (Goldberg-D) Women, infants, and children's nutrition

Permits, beginning July 1, 2002, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) coupons to be redeemed at any authorized vendor. Requires the State Department of Health Services, to the extent feasible, to print specified information on WIC coupons in a form readable by optical scanning technology.

Chapter 842, Statutes of 2001

AB 364 (Aroner-D) Child welfare services

Requires that county child welfare worker caseloads be reduced over a five-year period.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 429* (Aroner-D) Health and welfare programs

The omnibus social services budget trailer bill, which makes changes to programs administered by the State Department of Aging, the State Department of Health and Human Services Agency Data Center, the State Department of Rehabilitation, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, the State Employment Development Department, the State Department of Social Services, the State Department of Child Support Services, the State Department of Community Services and Development, the State Franchise Tax Board, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

Chapter 111, Statutes of 2001

AB 636 (Steinberg-D) Child welfare services

Enacts the Child Welfare System Improvement and Accountability Act of 2001 to improve outcomes for children in California's child welfare system.

Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001

AB 685 (Wayne-D) Family day care homes: reporting requirements

Permits the State Department of Social Services, to the extent funds are available, to conduct an evaluation to determine the effectiveness of unannounced state visits, and imposes new injury reporting requirements.

Chapter 679, Statutes of 2001

AB 705 (Steinberg-D) Dependent children: siblings

Makes various changes to dependency court proceedings in order to maintain relationships between dependent children and their siblings.

Chapter 747, Statutes of 2001

AB 734* (Chan-D) California Children and Families Program: trust fund

Adds to the permitted uses of funds from the Mass Media Communications Account of the California Children and Families Trust Fund, to be used for the cessation of tobacco, alcohol and drug use by pregnant women.

Chapter 322, Statutes of 2001

AB 735 (Chan-D) Conflicts of interest

Clarifies a conflict of interest provision relating to county children and families commissions.

Chapter 101, Statutes of 2001

AB 767 (Goldberg-D) CalWORKs: food stamps: general assistance

Exempts individuals convicted of felonies related to controlled substances from the permanent denial of CalWORKs and Food Stamp eligibility if they meet specified criteria.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 829 (Cohn-D) Health care

Revises the standards for Adult Day Health Care centers providers and transfers certain responsibilities from the State Department of Aging to the State Department of Health Services.

Chapter 681, Statutes of 2001

AB 973 (Chan-D) Children and Families Commission

Prohibits individually identifiable confidential information regarding a child or a child's parent, guardian, or other family members, that is provided to a county Children and Families Commission, from being disclosed, except to specified parties.

Chapter 214, Statutes of 2001

AB 989 (Chan-D) Assistance programs: aliens

Repeals the September 30, 2001, sunset date on eligibility for the California Food Assistance Program and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants for legal immigrants entering the United States on or after August 22, 1996, thereby continuing food stamps and cash assistance for this population indefinitely.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1101 (Pescetti-R) Community care facilities: children's receiving homes

Requires the State Department of Social Services to adopt regulations expressly permitting a staff-to-child ratio of one staff per eight children, for children three to six years of age, between the hours of 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., inclusive, when those children are residing in a children's receiving home, as defined.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1449 (Keeley-D) Child support

Requires the State Department of Child Support Services to promulgate regulations authorizing local child support agencies to "compromise" (reduce or eliminate) child support debt resulting from the temporary placement of an obligor parent's child in foster care or with a guardian, if the child has returned to the obligor parent's home.

Chapter 463, Statutes of 2001

AB 1516 (Negrete McLeod-D) CalWORKs: fraud

In addition to other penalties, provides that a CalWORKs recipient who has intentionally failed to report any earned or unearned income required to be reported shall have his/her monthly benefit amount reduced by an amount not to exceed 25% of the aid grant.

(In Assembly Human Services Committee)

AB 1690 (Assembly Human Services Committee) Elder and dependent abuse reporting: training

Requires residential care facilities for the elderly to provide training in recognizing and reporting elder and dependent adult abuse.

Chapter 196, Statutes of 2001

AB 1692 (Assembly Human Services Committee) Human Services: in-home supportive services

Clarifies certain provisions in current law relating to efforts by a probation officer to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of a minor from his/her home. Also enacts or amends other provisions relating to foster care placement and permanency planning for wards of the court to further make state law compliant with federal law.

Chapter 652, Statutes of 2001

AB 1696 (Assembly Human Services Committee) CalWORKs eligibility: work activities

Clarifies current law to give counties the option of offering the U.S. Department of Labor Welfare-to-Work grant program to recipients in the community service phase of CalWORKs.

Chapter 831, Statutes of 2001

Other Public Health and Safety Legislation

SB 19 (Escutia-D) Pupil health

Requires the reimbursement a school receives for free and reduced-price meals sold or served to pupils in elementary or middle schools to be increased to $0.23. Establishes various limitations and prohibitions on the sale of beverages and foods to pupils in elementary and middle schools. Requires the State Department of Education to establish a pilot program in which not less than 10 high schools, middle schools, or any combination thereof, voluntarily adopt the provisions of this bill. Permits a school district maintaining at least one elementary school or middle school, or high school that is participating in the pilot program established by this bill, to convene a Child Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Committee.

Chapter 913, Statutes of 2001

SB 87 (Soto-D) Blind Vendor Revolving Loan Fund

Creates the Blind Vendor Revolving Loan Fund, administered by the State Department of Rehabilitation, to be used to provide loans to existing blind vendors to purchase inventory and equipment.

Chapter 327, Statutes of 2001

SB 105 (Burton-D) Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Creates the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired and vests the commission with authority over all programs and services currently under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Rehabilitation that are provided to the blind and visually impaired.

(In Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

SB 108 (Speier-D) Organ and tissue donor registry

Enacts the Organ and Tissue Donor Registry Act of 2001, which would establish under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, an Organ and Tissue Donor Registry in the Health and Human Services Agency. Requires the State Department of Motor Vehicles to provide information and a standardized form containing specified information, to be completed by driver's license and identification card applicants who desire to be organ donors.

Chapter 740, Statutes of 2001

SB 185 (Bowen-D) Battered women's shelters

Requires the Maternal and Child Health Branch of the State Department of Health Services to conduct a minimum of one site visit per grant term to each agency that receives funding from the grant program to battered women's shelters. Also requires these visits to provide a performance assessment and provides technical assistance to each agency.

Chapter 439, Statutes of 2001

SB 187 (Vasconcellos-D) Medical marijuana

Requires the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to establish a voluntary program for the issuance of identification cards (IC) to qualified patients who may use marijuana for medical purposes, and for primary caregivers. Prohibits a person or designated primary caregiver in possession of a valid IC from being subject to arrest for possession, transportation, delivery, or cultivation of medical marijuana in an amount approved by DHS pursuant to regulations, unless there is reasonable cause to believe that the information contained in the card is false. Imposes various duties upon county health departments or its designees relating to the issuance of ICs.

(On Senate Unfinished Business File)

SB 212* (Oller-R) Meningococcal disease

Requires the State Department of Health Services in consultation with specified entities to develop a Meningococcal Disease Strategic Prevention Plan, including a review of scientific literature, the experiences of other states and local jurisdictions, the possible role and availability of vaccines, and current health care coverage. Appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the department for purposes of developing the plan.

Chapter 374, Statutes of 2001

SB 226 (Chesbro-D) County health services

Extends the sunset date for the County Medical Services Program and its governing board from January 2003 to January 2008.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 236 (O'Connell-D) Dogs and cats: microchip: permits

Enacts civil provisions that would require a seller or breeder of a dog or cat that is less than one year old to pay a registration fee for the sale to the agency or entity providing animal control services to the county, city, or city and county. Also requires the seller of any dog or cat to ensure that the dog or cat has been microchipped.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 247 (Speier-D) Birth certificates: certified copies: access

Requires any state or local agency that supplies certified copies of birth certificates to keep a record of the name and address of any applicant for such a copy.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 292 (Ortiz-D) Physical Activity and Health Initiative

Defines, expands and prioritizes the physical activity promotion responsibilities and activities of the Physical Activity and Health Initiative in the State Department of Health Services in order to increase physical activity among Californians, especially children.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 336 (Ortiz-D) Hepatitis C

Requires the State Department of Health Services to develop timelines for implementing the state plan for Hepatitis C, upon completion of the plan.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 338 (Vincent-D) Animals: use for research purposes

Requires animal shelters that give animals to facilities that provide animals or biological materials such as blood to research facilities, educational institutions, or veterinarians, to post a sign including notice of that fact and to include such notice on owner surrender forms.

Chapter 139, Statutes of 2001

SB 344 (Ortiz-D) Health care data reporting

Requires, commencing March 1, 2002, the State Department of Health Services to post specified information (such as Medi-Cal data tables and program applications) on its Internet web site in a manner that does not require downloading, and is likely to be understood by the general public.

Chapter 276, Statutes of 2001

SB 351 (Ortiz-D) Public health: drinking water

Requires the State Department of Health Services to adopt a primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium by January 1, 2004. Requires a report on the progress of developing the standard to the Legislature by January 1, 2003.

Chapter 602, Statutes of 2001

SB 396 (Kuehl-D) Corrections: medical services

Prohibits medical technical assistants who are licensed vocational nurses from making any decision concerning access to care for inmates, and requires the State Department of Corrections to report to the Legislature on the cost and benefits of charging a $5 co-payment for each inmate-initiated medical visit.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 397 (Speier-D) Ephedrine group alkaloids: dietary supplements

Requires a warning label on dietary supplement products containing natural or herbal ephedrine group alkaloids and prohibits their sale to minors.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 406 (Ortiz-D) Disease control

Requires the State Department of Health Services to establish reasonable capacities (i.e., standards) for disease control and surveillance.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 418 (Vasconcellos-D) Drug abuse treatment programs

Requires the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (DADP) to design and promulgate a data collection methodology to compare the referrals and services provided to clients of DADP programs and to those provided to individuals served through Proposition 36, the Substance Abuse Treatment Act.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 426 (Ortiz-D) Substance abuse treatment: child abuse prevention

Requires the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to develop strategies to protect children exposed to methamphetamine from injury, abuse, neglect, death or illness.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 430* (Vincent-D) Income taxes: credits: spaying or neutering

Provides a credit for the cost of spaying or neutering a cat or dog that is purchased or adopted by a taxpayer. Costs are limited to the actual costs of the spaying or neutering operation and cannot exceed $100 per dog or cat.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 447 (Vasconcellos-D) Emergency care and trauma care services: evaluation

Directs the Emergency Medical Services Authority to conduct a study of the existing emergency and trauma care system to assess its current state and report to the Legislature by July 1, 2003.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 452 (Oller-R) Property tax revenue allocations: ambulance service

Exempts county service areas that only provide ambulance service from contributing to their respective Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund beginning in the 2003-04 fiscal year.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 460 (Scott-D) Public health: drinking water: chromium VI investigation

Requires the State Department of Health Services to (1) when it adopts a drinking water standard for chromium-6, and subject to appropriation of funds for this purpose, investigate various technologies to remove chromium-6 from drinking water, and (2) maintain reports of detection levels on the Internet, as specified.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 463 (Perata-D) Drinking water standards: arsenic

Requires the development of new standards for arsenic in drinking water.

Chapter 604, Statutes of 2001

SB 471 (Sher-D) Proposition 65: toxic chemicals

Changes the enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65), including: changing the Proposition 65 warning requirements to include a certificate of merit to demonstrate good cause for public warnings based on consultation with an appropriate expert and establishing criteria to guide a court in assessing any civil penalty awarded as a result of violating Proposition 65, such as the nature and extent of a violation or the willfulness of the violator's misconduct.

Chapter 578, Statutes of 2001

SB 472 (Soto-D) Public health: hexavalent chromium: study

Requires the State Department of Health Services to determine the levels of hexavalent chromium in the drinking water supplied by the public water systems in the Chino Basin aquifer and report its findings to the Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2003.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 592 (McPherson-R) Vital records

Prohibits the State Registrar and local registrars from sending certified copies of birth certificates to post office boxes. Also requires local registrars to maintain and provide electronically stored information for inclusion in the State Registrar's database by January 1, 2002, relating to individuals who request duplicate birth certificates.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 598 (Chesbro-D) Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act

Authorizes the Public Employee Retirement System to directly contract with medical care providers in areas not served by managed care organizations. Permits public employers to jointly seek alternative sources of medical care and grant flexibility in the design of medical plans in specified areas of the state.

(In Senate Insurance Committee)

SB 606 (Vasconcellos-D) Pupil health

Requires the existing student eye examination, conducted upon enrollment and every third year thereafter through 8th grade, to include screening for binocular function, ocular alignment, ocular motility, and near visual acuity.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 634 (Murray-D) Lead poisoning prevention

Requires the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to develop a community-based lead hazard preliminary assessment training program in coordination with all local health departments. Also requires counties to provide, at least annually, training workshops to train parents and community volunteers to conduct preliminary assessments. Additionally, requires DHS to develop a specified training and certification program for clearance technicians, who would be certified to conduct preliminary assessments and clearance examinations.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 677* (McPherson-R) Income and bank and corporation taxes: credit

Authorizes a credit against taxes imposed by the Personal Income Tax Law and the Bank and Corporation Tax Law in an amount equal to an unspecified percent of the amount paid or incurred during the taxable year for the certified final cost of expenditures necessary to comply with Chapter 740 of the Statutes of 1994, relating to seismic safety requirements.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 683* (Ortiz-D) Public health information: confidentiality

Provides for the confidentiality of information reported to the California Cancer Registry and the Birth Defects Monitoring Program.

Chapter 444, Statutes of 2001

SB 702 (Escutia-D) Chronic disease: environmental determinants

Provides legislative intent to track the relationship between chronic diseases and environmental exposures in accordance with the recommendations of a working group established by the Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control at the State Department of Health Services and in consultation within the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment within the California Environmental Protection Agency and submit their report to the Legislature by July 1, 2002.

Chapter 538, Statutes of 2001

SB 765 (Chesbro-D) Public health

Requires the State Department of Health Services to develop the minimum standards for the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program based on the most current "Recommendations for Preventative Pediatric Health Care" of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 787 (Chesbro-D) Medicare Payment Area Task Force

Until January 1, 2003, establishes the Medicare Payment Area Task Force in the California Health and Human Services Agency, and requires the task force to develop recommendations on Medicare payment areas. Requires the results of the task force to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by September 1, 2002.

(In Assembly Transportation Committee)

SB 843 (Perata-D) Omnibus Tuberculosis Control and Prevention Act of 2001

Requires the State Department of Health Services, State Department of Corrections, and the State Board of Corrections to develop plans to control and prevent tuberculosis.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 848 (Ackerman-R) Health services

Exempts from compliance with the provisions of current law relating to the production of human whole blood or any regulations adopted thereunder, persons licensed by the Public Health Service, United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

SB 859 (Ortiz-D) California Disease Management Act of 2001

Establishes a state policy to provide disease management programs and services that improve patient outcomes while decreasing health care costs. Requires the State Department of Health Services to convene a task force charged with developing a strategy and guidelines for providing Medi-Cal participants with disease management programs and services, as well as identifying diseases eligible for disease management programs and services.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 922 (Soto-D) Prescription drugs: manufacturer rebate

Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to implement a prescription drug program providing specified prescription drug coverage for Medicare-eligible persons with chronic illnesses.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 977 (Battin-R) Condoms: warning label

Requires manufacturers of condoms to place a label within each retail package of one or more condoms offered for sale or distributed in California on or after January 1, 2003 stating that while condoms help decrease the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, they do not fully guard against the transmission of HPV which creates a risk of having cervical cancer.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

SB 994 (Morrow-R) Liability: public skateboard parks

Extends, with certain exceptions, the operation of current law relating to skateboarding at a public skateboard park making these provisions applicable to any public skateboard park whether supervised or unsupervised. Lowers the age of the person skateboarding from 14 to seven years of age or older.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1099* (Soto-D) Bank and corporation taxes: disallowance of deductions

Provides that no deduction shall be allowed under the Bank and Corporation Tax Law for specified expenses paid or incurred by prescription drug manufacturers to advertise, as defined, the sale, use, or consumption of prescription drugs.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

SB 1134 (Escutia-D) Drug overdose deaths

Requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to adopt regulations that will allow Emergency Medical Technician-I's to be trained in the administration of naloxone hydrochloride through intramuscular injection or by means other than intravenous administration no later than September 1, 2002. Requires the Health and Human Services Agency to convene a working group to develop guidelines for county medical examiners and coroners for specified purposes including promoting uniform reporting of fatal drug overdose cases. Establishes within the agency the Drug Overdose Prevention, Recognition, and Response Program and requires the program to publish a report on drug overdose trends statewide.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 1135 (Polanco-D) Tissue banks

Requires the State Department of Health Services to adopt regulations by July 1, 2003, on the licensure and regulation of tissue banks. Requires the regulations to be substantially based on the criteria used by tissue bank trade associations in their accreditation processes, as well as scientific and technical data submitted by individual tissue banks.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 1168 (Alpert-D) Health care program: consumer assistance

Requires the Director of Health Services to establish a process to allocate grant funding for independent health care consumer assistance projects that meet certain criteria, and requires the department to contract with an independent expert entity to evaluate the grant programs and report to relevant committees of the Legislature.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1188* (Senate Health And Human Services Committee) Exemption from Medical Experimentation Act

Reinstates for another decade the exception from the normal informed consent requirements contained in the Protection of Human Subjects in Medical Experimentation Act.

Chapter 122, Statutes of 2001

SB 1201 (Romero-D) Hexavalent chromium: study: San Gabriel Basin

Requires the State Department of Health Services to complete a study of chromium-6 in the San Gabriel Basin aquifer that is identical to the study now underway for chromium-6 in the San Fernando Basin aquifer.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

SB 1202 (Romero-D) Emergency medical services: statewide trauma system

Appropriates $180 million from the General Fund to the California Trauma Relief Fund, which is created by the bill. Allocates $2 million to the Emergency Medical Services Authority for developing, coordinating, overseeing and evaluating the statewide trauma system. Allocates $9 million to local emergency medical services agencies for local trauma systems. In addition, allocates the remaining $169 million to local emergency medical services agencies for trauma centers and acute care hospitals with emergency departments.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1210 (Romero-D) Live animals: exhibit

Requires each entity that provides animal control services for any county, city, or city and county be provided with additional information regarding exhibited animals and the qualifications of exhibited animal keepers and handlers.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1226 (Senate Health And Human Services Committee) Environmental specialists: food safety

Revises the definitions of "infant formula" and "medical food" to require a review by the State Department of Health Services before changes in the federal definitions of these terms are incorporated by reference.

Chapter 641, Statutes of 2001

SCR 5 (Torlakson-D) California Fitness Month

Proclaims the month of April 2001 as California Fitness Month.

Resolution Chapter 15, Statutes of 2001

SCR 6 (Chesbro-D) Physical education

Proclaims the week of May 1 to May 7, 2001, as "Physical Education and Sports Week" and May as "Physical Fitness and Sports Month."

Resolution Chapter 16, Statutes of 2001

SCR 23 (Polanco-D) Year of the Vulnerable Child

Declares the year 2001 as the Year of the Vulnerable Child.

Resolution Chapter 95, Statutes of 2001

SCR 24 (Speier-D) Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week

Proclaims the week of April 15 to 21, 2001 as Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week, and encourages all Californians to learn the facts about organ and tissue donation, make a decision about becoming a donor, and discuss their decision with family members.

Resolution Chapter 40, Statutes of 2001

SCR 30 (Soto-D) Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Awareness Month

Proclaims May 2001 as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Awareness Month.

Resolution Chapter 96, Statutes of 2001

SCR 31 (Burton-D) 9-1-1 for Kids Week

Designates the week of May 14 through May 18, 2001 as "9-1-1 for Kids Week in the State of California.

Resolution Chapter 44, Statutes of 2001

SCR 40 (Torlakson-D) California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness

Establishes the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness to perform specified duties to promote fitness and health in schools and workplaces.

Resolution Chapter 111, Statutes of 2001

SR 10 (Alpert-D) National Heart Failure Awareness Week

Proclaims the week commencing February 12, 2001 as "National Heart Failure Awareness Week."

(In Senate Rules Committee)

SR 13 (Ortiz-D) Suicide Prevention Week

Proclaims May 6 through May 13, 2001 as "Suicide Prevention Week."

Adopted by the Senate

SR 21 (Sher-D) Food safety

Declares the month of September 2001 as Food Safety Education Month in California, and is dedicated to focusing attention on the importance of safe food preparation and handling now and throughout the year.

Read and adopted

AB 48 (Washington-D) Community alcohol and drug integrated treatment services

Establishes a three-year demonstration project for integrated alcohol and drug community service provider networks.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 61 (Florez-D) Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

Authorizes planning and preliminary engineering studies, project design, and construction costs to be funded by grants or a combination of grants and loans in the case of private not-for-profit water companies. Also requires a private not-for-profit water company, upon entering into a contract with the department for a grant under these provisions, to agree to operate and maintain the water system for 20 years.

Chapter 619, Statutes of 2001

AB 70* (Wright-D) Firefighting equipment

Establishes the thermal imaging equipment purchasing program as specified in the Office of Emergency Services and appropriates $50,000 for the purchase of thermal imaging equipment used in firefighting.

Chapter 837, Statutes of 2001

AB 124* (Cedillo-D) Food establishments: public markets

Exempts Mercado La Paloma public market in Los Angeles, which is open only on one side, from a requirement that food establishments be fully enclosed, under specified conditions.

Chapter 12, Statutes of 2001

AB 182 (Vargas-D) Immunizations: hepatitis A: tuberculosis testing

Adds hepatitis A to the list of diseases for which California requires immunization prior to admission to kindergarten, on or after July 1, 2003. Also reinstates an exemption for "drop in" day care centers from immunization and tuberculosis testing verification requirements.

(Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 187* (Liu-D) Food labeling and safety

Exempts Korean rice cakes from regulations concerning "potentially hazardous food" if they are stored at room temperature for less than 24 hours and labeled as specified.

Chapter 204, Statutes of 2001

AB 194 (Longville-D) Vital records: change of sex

Permits individuals born in California, and who have surgically changed their sex, to obtain a new birth certificate from their county of birth.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 208* (Frommer-D) Sales and use taxes: partial exemptions: acupuncturists

Provides a state and local sales and use tax exemption for substances furnished by licensed acupuncturists in the performance of their professional services.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 249* (Matthews-D) Sales and use taxes: exemptions

Extends the current exemption for insulin and insulin syringes to lancets and blood glucose strips sold for the treatment of diabetes as directed by a physician. Further extends the exemption to the sale of such exempt items related to the treatment of diabetes regardless whether they are furnished by a registered pharmacist or not. Also provides for a partial sales tax exemption with respect to any herb, herbal formula or preparation, vitamins, mineral, dieting supplement, orthotic device, or naturally occurring substance included in the Encyclopedia of Chinese Natural Medicine that is used or furnished by an acupuncturist in the performance of his or her professional services.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 284 (Jackson-D) Public health: fungal contamination in indoor environments

Directs the California Research Bureau to perform a study and publish findings on fungal contamination in indoor environments by January 1, 2003.

Chapter 550, Statutes of 2001

AB 287 (Wesson-D) Child Nutrition Advisory Council

Appropriates $1 million to the State Department of Education for a contract with a recognized testing company to administer physical education testing, as specified. In addition, changes the name of the Child Nutrition Advisory Council to the Child Nutrition and Fitness Advisory Council, and expands its membership from 13 to 16 members, as specified.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 317 (Aroner-D) Substance abuse prevention

Establishes a grant program to help communities develop and implement local substance abuse prevention coalitions.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 322 (Bill Campbell-R) Cemeteries: disposition of family plots

Provides that if the owner of a family plot dies without making disposition of the plot, any unoccupied portions of the plot would pass by the laws of intestate succession upon the owner's death. Also provides that, on and after January 1, 2002, any unoccupied portions of a family plot that previously were inalienable pursuant to the above existing law provision, would pass by the laws of intestate succession and would become alienable. Imposes specific requirements on the seller and the cemetery authority with respect to the sale, transfer, or donation of any unoccupied portions of a family plot.

Chapter 516, Statutes of 2001

AB 326 (Dutra-D) Fire safety: roof covering materials

Provides, as an additional requirement for the sale of wood roof covering materials, that such materials be approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal.

Chapter 244, Statutes of 2001

AB 359* (Cardoza-D) Pool and spa safety

Requires the State Department of Health Services and the California Building Standards to adopt regulations that provide safety standards for swimming pools and spas.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 402 (Papan-D) Taxpayer contributions: Lupus Foundation of America

Authorizes the addition of a new voluntary contribution (check-off) on the personal income tax form to fund the California-based operating chapters of the Lupus Foundation of America.

Chapter 455, Statutes of 2001

AB 422 (Diaz-D) Lead hazards: blood lead tests: abatement

Requires the State Department of Health Services to establish a universal blood lead reporting system that consists of a mandatory format for the electronic submission of all data concerning blood lead test results. Provides that a building or portion thereof in which a lead hazard exists is a substandard building. Enacts the Childhood Lead Poisoning Safety Act of 2001 that authorizes enforcement agencies, as defined, if there is probable cause to believe that a building or premises poses a lead-hazard risk, to enter and inspect public and residential buildings and premises. Appropriates $413,000 from the General Fund to the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund to be expended by the department for purposes of the act.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 429* (Aroner-D) Health and welfare programs

The omnibus social services budget trailer bill, which makes changes to programs administered by the State Department of Aging, the State Department of Health and Human Services Agency Data Center, the State Department of Rehabilitation, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, the State Employment Development Department, the State Department of Social Services, the State Department of Child Support Services, the State Department of Community Services and Development, the State Franchise Tax Board, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

Chapter 111, Statutes of 2001

AB 430* (Cardenas-D) Health: budget implementation

The omnibus health trailer bill which includes provisions relating to: trauma care, Emergency Medical Services Children Program, vital records, breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment programs, Tobacco Settlement Fund, safe drinking water, Child Health Disability Prevention Program, rural health clinics, licensed dental and vision plans, Healthy Families program, Traumatic Brain Injury Pilot Project, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, long-term care, County Medical Services Program, trauma care, and cancer treatment for low-income women.

Chapter 171, Statutes of 2001

AB 464 (Frommer-D) State Board of Fire Services

Reduces the membership of the State Board of Fire Services from 18 to 17 members, modifies the composition of the board to include specified state representatives, and revises the selection process for the volunteer firefighter, the fire chiefs, and the fire service labor representatives on the board.

Chapter 779, Statutes of 2001

AB 470 (Wesson-D) Male Involvement Program

Requires the State Department of Health Services to expand the Male Involvement Program with the goal of reducing teenage pregnancy.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 515 (Reyes-D) Child welfare

Requires child welfare agencies in counties with concentrations of methamphetamine production to collaborate with local law enforcement and county health and toxic substances control agencies to develop a protocol for responding to cases where a child at risk of abuse or neglect is in a home where methamphetamine is manufactured.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 523* (Matthews-D) Sales and use taxes: exemptions: bronchodilators

Exempts bronchodilators from the sales and use tax.

(In Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 548 (Runner-R) Specialty care for low-income persons

Requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) to establish a program to reimburse specialty care providers who serve low-income persons in underserved areas for the cost of care not covered by a third party. Requires OSHPD to solicit specialty care providers to participate on a voluntary basis and maintain a registry of specialists willing to participate in the program. Requires OSHPD to contract with a private nonprofit entity to solicit private sources to fund the program.

Chapter 520, Statutes of 2001

AB 596 (Negrete McLeod-D) Public health: hepatitis C

Requires the State Department of Corrections to test all inmates for hepatitis C 60 days prior to being paroled, as specified. Also requires inmates who test positive for the virus to complete a hepatitis C education program administered by the State Department of Corrections.

(In Assembly Public Safety Committee)

AB 599 (Liu-D) Groundwater contamination: quality monitoring program

Specifies a number of duties for the State Water Resources Control Board related to developing and implementing a comprehensive groundwater monitoring program, including the preparation of a report by August 1, 2002.

Chapter 522, Statutes of 2001

AB 646* (Horton-D) Sales tax exemptions: sales of medical supplies

Expands the sales tax exemption for sales of medical supplies to surgical clinics and similar outpatient clinics.

Chapter 706, Statutes of 2001

AB 686 (Hertzberg-D) Emergency medical services: trauma centers: funding

Requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to ensure that local emergency medical services agencies are provided sufficient time to provide guidance or training to personnel before the effective date of any requirement to implement a trauma plan.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 687 (Thomson-D) Emergency medical services: trauma care systems

Requires every local emergency medical services agency to develop and implement a trauma care system.

In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 708 (Bill Campbell-R) Retail food facilities: internal food temperatures

Makes a variety of changes to food safety standards and sanitation standards applicable to retail food facilities. Lowers the minimum internal heating temperature for ready-to-eat pork and changes the temperature for foods including animal tissue prepared in a microwave oven. Makes other changes related to food safety standards.

Chapter 369, Statutes of 2001

AB 778 (Firebaugh-D) Pupils with diabetes

Requires every school to provide a safe place and method for any pupil with diabetes to test his/her blood glucose level and receive insulin injections and to ensure that, in the absence of school nurses, there are staff members competent in testing blood glucose level, recognizing and treating hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and administering insulin and glucagon injections. Immunizes school personnel who are not medically trained to administer assistance to a pupil in life threatening circumstances from liability for that administering assistance.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 883 (Florez-D) Migrant and seasonal farmworker health

Establishes the Farmworker Health Trust Fund to provide funding to clinics for health care, mental health care, and dental care to seasonal agricultural and migratory workers and their families.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 945 (Wright-D) Lead inspections: certified industrial hygienists

Requires certified industrial hygienists to be eligible to provide environmental investigative services as a part of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.

Chapter 524, Statutes of 2001

AB 1046 (Migden-D) Sharps injury prevention

Extends funding and authority for the State Department of Health Services to maintain a Sharps Injury Control program that helps medical providers avoid needle stick and related infections.

Chapter 370, Statutes of 2001

AB 1049 (Robert Pacheco-R) Los Angeles Care Board: technical advisory committee

Changes the composition of the technical advisory committee for the Los Angeles Care Board and requires the board to create a Children's Health Consultant Advisory Committee.

Chapter 528, Statutes of 2001

AB 1095 (Wright-D) Child health: eye care

Requires every child to undergo a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist within 90 days of entering the first grade.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1100 (Simitian-D) Retail food facilities: inspection information

Appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Health Services to award implementation grants to local health agencies that elect to post on the Internet food service facility inspection results using standardized uniform food facility reporting procedures. In addition, limits each grant to no more than $50,000 and requires each county to provide local matching funds.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1104 (Maddox-R) Fire protection: joint powers agency member

Provides that when a county allocates specified tax proceeds to a joint powers agency formed to provide fire protection services, those funds may not be appropriated by the agency in a manner that provides a financial advantage to any city participating in the agency over the other participating cities.

(In Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 1205 (Ashburn-R) Valley fever

Appropriates $500,000 to the State Department of Health Services for continuation of the Valley Fever Vaccine Project.

Chapter 751, Statutes of 2001

AB 1278 (Wayne-D) Health care decisions

Makes revisions to the Health Care Decisions Law at the recommendation of the California Law Revision Commission to clarify duties and liabilities of an appointed agent for health care with respect to funeral decisions and the relationship between a "surrogate" and an "agent," and removes authority to make health care decisions from the authority that may be given by a person having capacity to an attorney-in-fact under a general power of attorney. Redefines "capacity" as used in the Health Care Decisions Law and specifies use of a court petition to enforce health care instructions by the person or his or her agent or surrogate.

Chapter 230, Statutes of 2001

AB 1279 (Reyes-D) Rural health

Appropriates $2 million from the General Fund to the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to award additional funds to rural demonstration projects to increase access to rural health providers during evenings and weekends. Requires the State Department of Health Services to conduct an evaluation of the status of rural hospitals, as specified.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1321 (Aroner-D) Health care: quality

Creates the Health Utilities Board, which would be charged with providing comprehensive, quality health care to all Californians and controlling health care costs through ratesetting, eliminating waste and inefficiency, and achieving public accountability for meeting standards of high quality care.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1336 (Koretz-D) Pet shops

Imposes a mandatory spay or neuter requirement for dogs and cats sold in pet stores.

(Failed passage in Assembly Business and Professions Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 1354 (Pescetti-R) Immunizations: pneumococcus

Adds pneumococcus to the list of diseases that require documentation of immunization before a child under the age of 24 months can be admitted to an elementary or secondary school, child care center, day nursery, nursery school, family day care home, or development center.

(Failed passage in Senate Health and Human Services Committee, reconsideration granted)

AB 1368 (Pescetti-R) Cemeteries

Establishes, until January 1, 2007, the California Historic Cemetery Commission with a specified membership appointed as provided under the bill, and with prescribed duties related to historic cemeteries.

(In Assembly Business and Professions Committee)

AB 1376 (Wyman-R) Emergency response vehicles

Requires the State Department of Transportation to apply to the federal Department of Transportation for funding to test, in one or more cities, the effectiveness of signal emitters and sensors on reducing accidents involving emergency response vehicles.

Chapter 462, Statutes of 2001

AB 1438 (Florez-D) Reservoirs: recreational use

Requires the State Department of Health Services to establish minimum sanitation standards for the recreational use of reservoirs in which bodily contact with the water is not prohibited.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

AB 1452 (Cox-R) Vaccinations: meningococcal disease

Requires the State Department of Health Services to develop information about meningococcal disease containing specified information, and requires public postsecondary institutions that provide on-campus housing to provide the information to each incoming freshman, requires students to return a form with a response as to whether or not the person chooses to receive the vaccination, and requires the educational institutions to maintain the completed forms received from students.

Chapter 372, Statutes of 2001

AB 1461 (Aanestad-R) Patient safety data reporting and analysis

Requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to contract with a recognized organization that would create a central reporting database to receive and analyze voluntary reporting of medical errors. Exempts from judicial discovery the reports made to the database, as specified.

(In Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 1485 (Jackson-D) Family planning: informational materials

Requires local health departments to make copies of written materials relating to family planning, that are made available to the public, in addition to circulars and pamphlets, available in other languages, where the State Department of Finance Population Research Unit determines that 10% or more of the population speaks another language.

(In Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

AB 1508 (Runner-R) Substance abuse treatment programs: state funding

Requires substance abuse programs provided by community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, that otherwise meet requirements to be eligible for state funding. Prohibits the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs from requiring a religious organization to alter its form of internal governance, or to remove religious symbols, as a condition of receiving funds.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 1526 (Florez-D) Bond: farmworker housing and family wellness act

Enacts the Farmworker Housing and Family Wellness Bond Act of 2002 authorizing the issuance of bonds in the amount of $250 million for purposes of the Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program and to provide housing in coordination with the provision of health and other family services pursuant to the Farmworker Family Wellness Program.

(In Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 1547 (Vargas-D) Health care access: San Diego County

Authorizes the San Diego Business Health Care Connection Demonstration Project, in San Diego County under the oversight of the State Department of Health Services. Requires the demonstration project to provide various services including establishing an outreach program to provide employers and employees with onsite education, and eligibility and enrollment assistance for both public and private health care coverage programs.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1601* (Papan-D) Sales and use taxes: exemption: medicines: surgical gowns

Creates a new exemption from sales and use taxes for disposable surgical gowns and drapes that are made from nonwoven fabric.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 1614 (Washington-D) Crime prevention: drug endangered children

Creates an Office of Criminal Justice Planning-administered program for (1) prosecution of methamphetamine manufacturing crimes that may endanger children, and (2) providing services to children injured or endangered by such activities.

Chapter 853, Statutes of 2001

AB 1631* (Pescetti-R) Income taxes: medical savings account

Allows a deduction under the Personal Income Tax Law for contributions to a California medical savings account established in a manner similar to existing law provisions governing medical savings accounts, except that the account would be available to any individual in this state.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 1646 (Richman-R) Public health: drinking water: chromium-6

Requires the State Department of Health Services to create a separate category for chromium-6 in drinking water and to reduce the maximum allowable limit from 50 parts per billion to 2.5 parts per billion.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 1657 (Hertzberg-D) County health care

Requires the State Auditor to evaluate the financial capacity of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services to provide necessary health services to the county's residents.

Chapter 195, Statutes of 2001

ACR 36 (Cox-R) Meningococcal disease awareness

Designates April 2001 as Meningitis Awareness Month.

Resolution Chapter 34, Statutes of 2001

ACR 61 (Richman-R) California Day of Hearing Screening

Recognizes the National Day of Hearing Screening and proclaims May 5, 2001, as California Day of Hearing Screening.

(In Assembly Rules Committee)

ACR 75 (Simitian-D) California Wireless Safety Week

Proclaims the week of May 21 through May 27, 2001, California Wireless Safety Week and encourages Californians to join in promoting the responsible use of wireless telephones by motorists on California's streets and highways.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

ACR 76 (Corbett-D) California Safety Month

Recognizes June 2001 as California Safety Month and encourages all Californians to practice and promote increased safety while engaging in recreation, work, and other activities in their homes, in the workplace, at school, on streets and highways, and in other public and private places. Encourages all public agencies, community organizations, and other groups to distribute educational information, conduct programs, and engage in other appropriate activities to promote safety methods and practices among all Californians.

Resolution Chapter 75, Statutes of 2001

ACR 85 (Reyes-D) Bone Marrow Registration and Testing Day

Designates Saturday June 23, 2001, as Bone Morrow Registration and Testing Day and urges all Californians to register with the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry Program to increase the number of potential bone marrow matches for persons in need of a bone marrow transplant.

Resolution Chapter 69, Statutes of 2001

ACR 86 (Nation-D) National KidsDay

Designates August 5, 2001, as National KidsDay.

Resolution Chapter 90, Statutes of 2001

ACR 89 (Ashburn-R) Valley Fever Awareness Month

Proclaims August 2001 as Valley Fever Awareness Month.

Resolution Chapter 91, Statutes of 2001

ACR 94 (Robert Pacheco-R) Hearing disabilities

Urges that all televised legislative hearings and proceedings be provided with closed-captioning or live-captioning, in order to ensure that all citizens with hearing disabilities are given equal access to the political process.

(In Assembly awaiting committee assignment)

ACR 99 (Thomson-D) Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day

Proclaims October 10, 2001, as Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day.

Resolution Chapter 131, Statutes of 2001

AJR 15 (Firebaugh-D) Border crossing deaths

Memorializes the President and Congress of the United States and the United States Border Patrol to proceed in a cooperative effort with the Mexican government through the working group on migrations and border safety to achieve a comprehensive examination of border safety and migration issues, an assessment of the impact of United States border initiatives, enhanced investigations and prosecutions of criminal gangs of smugglers, and increasing search and rescue operations along the border.

Resolution Chapter 115, Statutes of 2001

AJR 27 (Oropeza-D) Social HMO's

Memorializes the President and Congress of the United States, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to take various actions with respect to social health maintenance organizations.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

HR 13 (Pescetti-R) Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Proclaims Saturday, May 12, 2001, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.

Adopted by the Assembly

HR 15 (Richman-R) California Day of Hearing Screening

Recognizes May 5, 2001 as the National Day of Hearing Screening and proclaims May 5th as the California Day of Hearing Screening. Urges all Californians to have their hearing tested on May 5th and during the remainder of the month.

Adopted by the Assembly

HR 28 (Bill Campbell-R) Food safety

Declares the month of September 2001 as Food Safety Month in California.

(On Assembly Consent Calendar)

Index (in Bill Order)