AB 257 (Flora, R-Ripon)
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Placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 9.
AB 257 would establish a demonstration project and grant program, working with the Department of Health Care Access and Information and the Department of Health Care Services, for a telehealth and other virtual services specialty care network focused on increasing access to behavioral and maternal health services in rural areas.
Mark Farouk
Peggy Broussard Wheeler
AB 356 (Patel, D-San Diego)
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Placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file on May 14.
AB 356 was amended to remove the provisions related to facility fees and would now require the California Department of Health Care Access and Information to convene a working group to make recommendations on the provision of health care services in northern San Diego County.
Mark Farouk
Peggy Broussard Wheeler
SB 669 (McGuire, D-San Rafael)
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Placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file on April 28.
SB 669 would require the California Department of Public Health to establish a five-year pilot program allowing qualified critical access hospitals and individual, small system rural hospitals to operate standby perinatal units. To qualify for participation in the pilot program, hospitals must be greater than 60 minutes from the nearest hospital providing full maternity services, not have closed a full maternity or labor and delivery unit on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and agree to provide level 1 basic and neonatal services. CHA is actively working with Pro Tem Mike McGuire’s office to ensure the policy effectively addresses the complex factors driving maternity ward closures while facilitating practical implementation for hospitals.
Vanessa Gonzalez
Peggy Broussard Wheeler