Overview
The Legislature is closing in on the deadlines for getting bills through policy committees. Bills that must be heard by the appropriations committee must pass out of policy committees by April 26. Bills that will go directly to the floor must pass out of policy committees by May 3.
Aging and Disability 1
AB 2800 (Kalra, D-San Jose)
Oppose
April 16 hearing in the Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee canceled at the author’s request. The author does not intend to move the bill this year.
AB 2800 would expand the definition of “neglect” — significantly increasing the types of conduct that constitute elder abuse — and lower the evidentiary standard for determining elder abuse. The bill would result in an increase in elder abuse claims, which are not subject to the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (commonly known as MICRA), and would result in increased liability costs and potential impact on patient access.
Bioethical Issues 1
SB 1196 (Blakespear, D-Encinitas)
Follow
The author does not intend to move the bill this year.
SB 1196 would alter provisions of the End of Life Option Act, including replacing the term “terminal disease” for the purposes of an individual qualifying to use the act with “grievous and irremediable medical condition.” The replacement term would expressly include dementia. The bill would authorize the self-administration of an aid-in-dying drug through intravenous injection and would also repeal the act’s Jan. 1, 2031, expiration date. The provision allowing hospitals to prohibit their employees and health care providers from participating in physician-assisted death during work hours or on hospital property remains in statute and is not altered by this bill.
Clinics 1
AB 2132 (Low, D-Cupertino)
Follow
Placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 10
AB 2132 would require adult patients who receive primary care services in settings where primary care services are provided — including a facility, clinic, unlicensed clinic, center, or office — to be offered a tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment and TB screening test if TB risk factors are identified and if those services are covered under the patient’s health insurance.
Community Benefit 2
AB 2297 (Friedman, D-Burbank)
Oppose Unless Amended
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 9. April 23 hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
AB 2297 would prohibit hospitals from considering patients’ monetary assets when determining eligibility for charity care or discount payments or imposing a time limit on eligibility.
SB 1061 (Limón, D-Santa Barbara)
Concerns
Passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 2. April 24 hearing in the Senate Health Committee.
SB 1061 would prohibit consumer credit reporting agencies from including medical debt in consumer credit reports and would also prohibit a health care provider from furnishing information regarding a medical debt to a consumer credit reporting agency. The bill also requires hospitals to maintain a database of all litigation resulting from an individual’s medical debt.
Emergency Services 4
AB 977 (Rodriguez, D-Pomona)
Co-sponsor
Passed the Assembly on Jan. 29. Pending a Senate policy committee referral.
AB 977 would extend the penalties for violence committed against first responders to all health care workers who provide services within emergency departments. The bill defines “health care worker” as all staff and employees who provide services and treatment in the emergency department. AB 977 would also allow emergency departments to post a notice stating that an assault and battery against hospital staff is a crime and may result in a felony conviction.
AB 2175 (Lowenthal, D-Long Beach)
Oppose Unless Amended
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 2. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2175 would require general acute care hospitals to annually report to the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) specified information, including all specialties listed on the hospital’s call panel, whether each specialty is available 24/7, and the telephone number to contact for interfacility transfers. HCAI would be required to develop a searchable database accessible to hospital staff.
AB 2960 (Lee, D-Milpitas)
Oppose Unless Amended
Failed to pass the Assembly Health Committee on April 16 and will be reconsidered on April 23
AB 2960 would require primary care clinics and hospital emergency departments to, at least once a year, offer a syphilis test to all patients who can become pregnant.
SB 963 (Ashby, D-Sacramento)
Follow
April 23 hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee
SB 963 would require general acute care hospitals with an emergency department (ED) to create a human trafficking system available at the ED that would allow patients to self-identify as a victim of human trafficking or domestic violence. CHA was successful in securing amendments to address concerns and will continue to work with the author’s office on further clarifying amendments.
Equity 3
AB 311 (Santiago, D-Los Angeles)
Support
In Senate Human Services Committee
AB 311 would ensure undocumented immigrants are eligible to receive food assistance benefits.
AB 3161 (Bonta, D-Oakland)
Follow
Passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 3161 would require general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, and special hospitals, that report adverse events to provide the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) with additional patient demographic data including age, race, ethnicity, gender identity (to the extent known), sexual orientation (to the extent known), primary language spoken, disability status, and expected payer. The bill would also require hospitals to update their patient safety plans to include anonymous reporting options and a process for addressing racism and discrimination. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, hospitals would be required to submit their patient safety plans to CDPH biannually, and the plans would be posted on CDPH’s website. The bill would authorize CDPH to impose a fine of up to $5,000 on health facilities that do not adopt, update, or submit patient safety plans. CHA will continue to work with the author’s office on further clarifying amendments.
SB 37 (Caballero, D-Merced)
Follow
Passed the Senate on Jan. 29. Pending an Assembly policy committee referral.
SB 37 would, upon appropriation of funding by the Legislature, require the Department of Housing and Community Development to begin developing the Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities Housing Stability Pilot Program to award competitive grants to eligible entities including nonprofit community-based organizations, continuums of care, public housing authorities, and area agencies on aging. Grant funds would provide housing subsidies to older adults and adults with disabilities whose households are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Finance 5
AB 2098 (Garcia, D-Coachella)
Support
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2098 would extend repayment conditions for non-designated public hospitals with loans from the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Fund.
AB 2637 (Schiavo, D-Santa Clarita)
Support
April 23 hearing in the Assembly Health Committee
AB 2637 would allow the California Health Facilities Financing Authority to issue long-term working capital financing by removing the limitation that loans be repaid within 24 months.
SB 136 (Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review)
Follow
Signed by the governor on March 25
SB 136 authorizes changes to the managed care organization tax that will result in approximately $1.5 billion in new revenue to help the state maintain and improve the Medi-Cal program.
SB 1269 (Padilla, D-El Centro)
Follow
April 24 hearing in the Senate Health Committee canceled at the author’s request
SB 1269 would establish a definition for “safety net hospital” and would state the Legislature’s intent that policymakers use this definition when crafting policy related to these hospitals.
SB 1511 (Senate Health Committee)
Support
April 22 hearing in the Senate Health Committee
SB 1511 would, among other things, extend the deadline for state agencies implementing the Distressed Hospital Loan Program to spend or encumber resources for administering the program from June 30, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2031, the last day the program is in effect under current law. This extension would ensure the state agencies have the resources to perform essential workload through the life of the program.
Government Payers 7
AB 4 (Arambula, D-Fresno)
Follow
In Senate Appropriations Committee
AB 4 would require Covered California to administer a program to allow persons not otherwise able to obtain coverage because of immigration status to enroll in health insurance coverage similar to other Californians, to the extent feasible under federal law and regulation.
AB 1783 (Essayli, R-Corona)
Oppose
Introduced on Jan. 3. Pending an Assembly policy committee referral.
AB 1783 states the Legislature’s intent to remove all taxpayer funding for health care for undocumented individuals.
AB 2200 (Kalra, D-San Jose)
Oppose Through Coalition
April 23 hearing in the Assembly Health Committee
AB 2200 would create the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Program (CalCare) to establish comprehensive, universal single-payer health care coverage. The bill would establish a board that would obtain all necessary waivers, approvals, and agreements allowing existing federal health care payments to be paid to CalCare, which would then assume responsibility for benefits and services previously paid with those funds.
AB 2342 (Lowenthal, D-Long Beach)
Follow
Pending a hearing in the Assembly Health Committee
AB 2342 would provide an annual supplemental payment for Medi-Cal services to each critical access hospital that is located on an island more than 10 miles off California’s coast (i.e., Catalina Island).
AB 2956 (Boerner, D-Solana Beach)
Support
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2956 seeks to make it easier for individuals to maintain their Medi-Cal coverage by modifying the Medi-Cal eligibility redetermination process, subject to federal approval. Specifically, the bill would extend provisions related to continuous eligibility for adults and increase county flexibility related to income verification.
SB 1213 (Atkins, D-San Diego)
Support
Placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 15
SB 1213 would expand eligibility for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program to Californians with family incomes of up to 300% of the federal poverty level.
SB 1423 (Dahle, R-Bieber)
Sponsor
April 24 hearing in the Senate Health Committee
SB 1423 would require Medi-Cal to reimburse outpatient, inpatient, and skilled-nursing services provided by critical access hospitals at rates equal to the hospitals’ costs. This bill also includes a parallel budget request to fund the proposed reimbursement model.
Health Facilities 3
AB 1895 (Weber, D-La Mesa)
Concerns
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 1895 would require general acute care hospitals whose labor and delivery (L&D) units are at risk of closure within 12 months to report specified information to the California Department of Public Health, Department of Health Care Access and Information, and the chairs of the Senate and Assembly Health committees. The required information includes the number of medical staff and employees working in the maternity ward and the number of deliveries per month over the previous 12 months. The bill would also require hospitals that have L&D units at risk of closure to provide public notice of the potential closure and to post that notice on their websites 90 days in advance of the proposed closure. CHA continues to work with Dr. Weber’s office to address hospitals’ concerns.
AB 2300 (Wilson, D-Suisun City)
Follow
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 2. April 23 hearing in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.
AB 2300 would phase out the manufacture, sale, or distribution of IV bags and IV tubing made with intentionally added Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the manufacture, sale, or distribution of IV bags with intentionally added DEPH would be prohibited. Beginning Jan. 1, 2031, this prohibition would be extended to IV tubing intended for use in neonatal intensive care units, nutrition infusions, or oncology treatment infusions. Certain blood kits, bags, and tubing would be exempted from this prohibition.
SB 1300 (Cortese, D-Campbell)
Oppose
Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee without a hearing due to minimal fiscal impact. Pending a Senate floor vote.
SB 1300 would extend the notice period for proposed closures or eliminations of inpatient psychiatric or maternity services from 90 days to 120 days. It would also require the facilities to provide an impact analysis report (paid for by the hospital) to the Department of Health Care Access and Information. If the loss of beds would impact the community’s health, the bill would also require the California Department of Public Health to prioritize and expedite the licensing of additional beds as necessary to mitigate the negative impacts identified in the report.
Health Insurance 8
AB 236 (Holden, D-Pasadena)
Follow
Passed the Assembly on Jan. 30. Pending a Senate policy committee referral.
AB 236 would require a health plan or insurer to annually audit and delete inaccurate listings from its provider directories, including deleting a provider from its directory if the plan or insurer has not financially compensated a provider in the prior year. It would also require the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance to develop uniform formats for plans and insurers to use to request directory information from providers, and it would authorize the departments to establish methodology and processes to ensure accuracy of provider directories.
AB 1842 (Reyes, D-San Bernardino)
Support
Passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on April 10. Pending an Assembly floor vote.
AB 1842 would ban prior authorization for medication-assisted treatment.
AB 3059 (Weber, D-La Mesa)
Support
April 23 hearing in the Assembly Health Committee
AB 3059 would clarify that donor milk is covered as part of essential health benefits for babies who have a medical necessity. The bill would exempt hospitals from having a tissue bank license in order to distribute donor milk to babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.
AB 3221 (Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz)
Support
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 3221 would require records, books, and other documentation from health plans to be available for inspection, including in electronic form, by the Department of Managed Health Care.
AB 3275 (Soria, D-Merced and R. Rivas, D-Salinas)
Support
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 3275 would update and clarify requirements for health care service plans or health insurers to timely reimburse services provided by a small or rural providers, critical access hospitals, or distressed hospitals.
SB 999 (Cortese, D-Campbell)
Support
April 24 hearing in the Senate Health Committee
SB 999 would impose certain requirements on health plans and insurers, including:
- Having qualified health care providers in the relevant clinical specialty review appeals and make initial review determinations
- Maintaining telephone and other direct communication access during normal business hours for health care providers to request authorization for mental health and substance use disorder care
- Providing health care providers and enrollees the clinical citations used for denials of care
SB 1120 (Becker, D-Menlo Park)
Support
Passed the Senate Health Committee on April 10. April 22 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 1120 would require that a health plan’s use of artificial intelligence decision-making tools to inform authorization or coverage decisions be supervised by a licensed physician.
SB 1320 (Wahab, D-Fremont)
Support
Passed the Senate Health Committee on April 10. April 22 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 1320 would require health plans and insurers to create a process to reimburse providers for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services that are integrated with primary care services.
HIT/Medical Records 1
AB 1331 (Wood, D-Healdsburg)
Concerns
Held on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file on Sept. 1
AB 1331 would require the Center for Data Insights and Innovation to take over the establishment, implementation, and all functions related to the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) Data Exchange Framework. It would also require the center to establish the CalHHS Data Exchange Board to develop recommendations and to review, modify, and approve any changes to the framework’s data sharing agreement.
Integration 1
AB 3129 (Wood, D-Healdsburg)
Oppose
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 9. April 23 hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
AB 3129 would require hedge funds and private equity groups to notify and receive prior approval from the attorney general when entering into a transaction with a health care facility or provider group.
Labor and Employment 6
AB 1359 (Schiavo, D-Santa Clarita)
Oppose Unless Amended
On the Senate inactive file
AB 1359 would require four days of unpaid sick leave for health care workers, in addition to paid sick leave available under existing law.
AB 2319 (Wilson, D-Suisun City)
Follow
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 2. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2319 would expand provisions of the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act (Chapter 533, Statutes of 2019). Specifically, it would require hospitals to provide implicit bias training to all employees regularly assigned to positions that interact with perinatal patients. Hospitals would be required to document each employee’s implicit bias training in accordance with regulations adopted by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). CDPH would also be required to assess hospital compliance during relicensing inspections and authorized to assess administrative penalties. CDPH would be required to annually post on its website any facilities issued administrative penalties.
AB 2975 (Gipson, D-Gardena)
Oppose Unless Amended
Passed the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee on April 17. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2975 would require the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (better known as Cal/OSHA) Standards Board to amend the existing Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care regulation to require metal detection screening monitored by trained security personnel at the hospital’s main public entrance, emergency department entrance, and labor and delivery entrance, if separately accessible to the public.
ACA 6 (Haney, D-San Francisco)
Oppose
Failed in Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee on Sept. 11. Reconsideration granted.
ACA 6 would require the University of California (UC) system to submit all service contracts to the State Personnel Board, in effect banning the UC health system from using registry nurses and temporary staff.
ACA 14 (Ortega, D- Hayward)
Oppose
Placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 10
ACA 14 would require the University of California (UC) system to submit all service contracts to the State Personnel Board, in effect banning the UC health system from using registry nurses and temporary staff.
SCA 8 (Durazo, D-Los Angeles)
Oppose
Introduced on Sept. 13. Pending referral to a Senate policy committee.
SCA 8 would require the University of California (UC) system to submit all service contracts to the State Personnel Board, in effect banning the UC health system from using registry nurses and temporary staff.
Mental Health 8
AB 1001 (Haney, D-San Francisco)
Oppose
In Senate Health Committee
AB 1001 would require general acute care hospitals to adopt behavioral health emergency service policies related to minimum staffing requirements, response times, and data management and reporting. This bill would establish the Behavioral Health Emergency Response and Training Fund to support staffing increases in public and non-profit general acute care hospitals.
AB 1316 (Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks)
Sponsor
Passed the Assembly on consent on Jan. 25. Pending referral to a Senate policy committee.
AB 1316 would require that Medi-Cal managed care plans pay hospital emergency departments for serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries experiencing a mental health crisis. It would also ensure people who need access to a mental health inpatient bed are transferred promptly to the care they need.
AB 2154 (Berman, D-Palo Alto)
Neutral
Passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on April 17. Pending an Assembly floor vote.
AB 2154 would require hospitals to provide a copy of the state-published Patients’ Rights Handbook to certain family members with the consent of individuals on involuntary psychiatric holds.
AB 2700 (Gabriel, D-Encino)
Support
Passed the Assembly Health Committee on April 9. April 22 hearing in the Assembly Emergency Management Committee.
AB 2700 would promote expanded use of behavioral health facilities, rather than emergency departments (EDs), for individuals with behavioral health needs. It would require the Emergency Medical Services Authority to publish descriptions of all local agencies that are serving as, or could serve as, alternatives to hospital EDs, including psychiatric health facilities, psychiatric hospitals, sobering centers, and crisis stabilization units. The bill would also require each local emergency medical services agency to develop protocols for transporting individuals to alternate destinations.
SB 1012 (Wiener, D-San Francisco)
Follow
Passed the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on April 15. April 23 hearing in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
SB 1012 would enact the “Regulated Psychedelic Facilitators Act” and the “Regulated Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Act” to establish a state-regulated program that provides adults safe access to psychedelic-assisted behavioral health therapy.
SB 1017 (Eggman, D-Stockton)
Neutral
Placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 15
SB 1017 would require the Department of Public Health, Department of Health Care Services, and Department of Social Services to develop a solution to collect, aggregate, and display information about beds, including acute psychiatric beds, in 13 types of behavioral health treatment facilities. This bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
SB 1184 (Eggman, D-Stockton)
Follow
Passed the Senate Health Committee on March 20. April 30 hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 1184 would authorize administration of antipsychotic medication to a person who is involuntarily detained for evaluation and treatment for the total duration of their treatment, rather than only the first 14 days.
SB 1238 (Eggman, D-Stockton)
Support
Passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 1238 would expand the definition of a “designated facility” in the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act to include facilities that both (1) have appropriate services, personnel, and security to safely treat individuals being held involuntarily and (2) are licensed or certified as a skilled-nursing facility, mental health rehabilitation center, or a facility capable of providing medically monitored or managed intensive inpatient treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). In addition, this bill would require the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to authorize licensed psychiatric health facilities and licensed mental health rehabilitation centers to admit individuals diagnosed only with a SUD. This bill would require DHCS to ensure that designated facilities are reimbursed for evaluation and treatment of stand-alone SUDs at rates equivalent to those provided for evaluation and treatment of mental health disorders.
Nursing 7
AB 1577 (Low, D-Cupertino)
Concerns
In Senate Health Committee
AB 1577 would require health care facilities, including hospitals, to annually submit to the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) the number of clinical placement slots available for community college nursing students. Community colleges with nursing programs would be required to annually notify HCAI and the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) of the number of clinical placement slots required for the next academic year and the number of slots that they have been unable to fill. HCAI would be required to post the information reported by the hospitals and nursing schools/programs on its website. If no hospitals are able to meet community colleges’ needs, the bill would authorize the BRN to meet with general acute care hospitals in an attempt to match available clinical placement slots with needed slots. The bill would also establish a process for departmental review and a plan of correction or a potential fine if the hospital is not able to offer any additional slots. CHA is continuing to work with the author and sponsor, the United Nurses Associations of California, to address remaining concerns.
AB 1695 (Gipson, D-Gardena)
Support
Pending referral to a Senate policy committee
AB 1695 would create the Nursing Pathway Pilot Program, which would reduce the barriers to enrolling in community college nursing programs, thereby increasing the training and retention of more nurses at all levels.
AB 2015 (Schiavo, D-Santa Clarita)
Follow
April 23 hearing in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee
AB 2015, sponsored by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), would require all faculty members, assistant directors, and directors of approved schools of nursing or nursing programs to hold an active California license as a registered nurse and be approved by the BRN. The BRN would be required to display an individual’s faculty approval status through an online search tool. The bill would require an approved school of nursing or nursing program, before extending an offer of employment to a faculty member, assistant director, or director, to use the online search tool to verify that the applicant has an active license, is in good standing, and is approved to teach in the level and content areas relevant to the open position or assignment. The bill would also require the executive officer of the BRN to develop a uniform method for evaluating requests and granting approvals and would authorize the executive officer to revise the uniform methods developed, as necessary.
AB 2104 (Soria, D-Merced)
Support
Passed the Assembly Higher Education Committee on April 16. To be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2104, similar to Sen. Roth’s SB 895, would require the chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program at 15 community college districts in order to offer a bachelor of science in nursing degree. In identifying eligible community college districts, the chancellor’s office would be required to prioritize community college districts in broadly recognized underserved nursing areas, as well as community college districts with persistent poverty. The pilot program would end Jan. 1, 2031. The bill would also require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and whether it should be continued or expanded.
SB 895 (Roth, D-Riverside)
Co-sponsor
April 24 hearing in the Senate Education Committee
SB 895 would require the California Community Colleges to develop a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program at 15 community college districts in order to offer a bachelor of science in nursing degree. In identifying eligible community college districts, the chancellor’s office would be required to prioritize community college districts in underserved nursing areas. It would also require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot. The pilot would end on Jan. 1, 2031.
SB 1015 (Cortese, D-Campbell)
Follow
Passed the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on April 8. April 22 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 1015, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, would require the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) to annually report information related to the management of clinical placements and coordination with clinical facilities by approved nursing programs. The report would be required to include information related to how approved nursing programs collaborate and coordinate with other approved schools of nursing or regional planning consortiums that utilize the same clinical facility. The report would be required to be posted on the BRN’s website and be submitted to the Legislature. Additionally, SB 1015 would require the BRN’s Nursing Education and Workforce Advisory Committee to study and recommend standards for how approved nursing programs should manage and coordinate clinical placements. The study must include various topics such as the necessity and feasibility of a statewide consortium to manage and coordinate clinical placements, as well as identifying and reporting violations of Business and Professions Code section 2786.4, related to the prohibition of payment to any clinical facility in exchange for clinical placement slots. The report detailing the committee’s findings would be submitted to the Legislature.
SB 1042 (Roth, D-Riverside)
Follow
Passed the Senate Health Committee on April 10. April 22 hearing in the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee.
SB 1042 would require health facilities, as defined in Health and Safety Code section 1250, and clinics, as defined in Health and Safety Code sections 1200 and 1204, to report to the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) the number of clinical placements available. All approved nursing programs, public and private, would be required to report their clinical placement needs. Upon request of an approved nursing program, health facilities and clinics would be required to meet with representatives from the nursing program to work in good faith to meet the program’s demands related to educating and training nurses. The bill also allows the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), upon request by an approved nursing program, to assist in finding and securing clinical placement slots to meet the program’s clinical placements needs. The BRN would also be granted the authority to create additional clinical placement slots to meet school or program demands. CHA continues to work with the author’s office to address concerns.
Seismic 3
AB 869 (Wood, D-Healdsburg)
Support
In Senate Health Committee
AB 869 would prioritize certain smaller hospitals for the existing Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program, which is funded by the e-cigarette tax. This would allow them to get assessments for the cost of retrofitting their hospital and give certain smaller rural hospitals and certain district hospitals a five-year extension of the 2030 seismic deadline. It would also allow certain smaller rural and district hospitals, if they have experienced a financial hardship, an indefinite extension beyond 2035, until funds are appropriated by the state. Amendments taken on March 7 provide additional criteria that health care districts can meet to be eligible for the extensions under the bill.
SB 1119 (Newman, D-Fullerton)
Support
Placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 15
SB 1119 would extend the first seismic compliance deadline for three hospitals: Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, Providence St. Joseph Hospital – Eureka, and Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center.
SB 1432 (Caballero, D-Merced)
Sponsor
April 24 hearing in the Senate Health Committee
SB 1432 is CHA’s proposal to address the 2030 seismic requirement. The bill would extend the 2030 deadline, address additional post-earthquake disaster preparedness requirements for hospitals, assess opportunities for financial support, require the state to assess the financial and access impacts of the 2030 requirement, and address rural hospitals’ unique concerns.
Substance Use Disorders 2
AB 1510 (Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles)
Follow
Pending a hearing in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee
AB 1510 would enact the “Fighting Fentanyl Bond Act of 2024” and place a general obligation bond on the November 2024 ballot to finance various substance use disorder treatment, harm reduction, research, and criminal justice programs.
AB 1859 (Alanis, R-Modesto)
Support
Passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Feb. 27. Placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file on March 20.
AB 1859 would require coroners to test for xylazine if they suspect an individual may have died from an opioid overdose and to report positive test results to the state Department of Public Health for posting on its Overdose Surveillance Dashboard.