What’s happening: Earlier this week, CHA issued an alert encouraging members to contact their state senators to support Senate Bill (SB) 1432, which would extend the 2030 seismic compliance deadline.
What else to know: SB 1432 passed the Senate Health Committee 11-0 last month. It will next be considered in the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 16; the committee chair is the bill’s lead author. The amended bill includes the following:
- Three-year extension for all hospitals after submitting a seismic compliance plan and non-structural plan report
- Up to an additional five years, depending on a hospital’s financial capacity to support a seismic construction project, the impact of construction on specific services in the community, and a project’s complexity
In addition, SB 1432 removes the language related to the abeyance for financially distressed rural hospitals. CHA is also supporting Assembly Bill 869 and will be working with Assembly Member Wood’s office to ensure that more rural hospitals are eligible for an abeyance from the seismic compliance standard until funding is available.
SB 1432 is expected to make its way to the floor for a vote by May 22. Hospitals should send letters to their senators by May 17. Calls or texts should be made before the floor vote.
Members can learn more about SB 1432 in a webinar on May 29 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. (PT).
CHA’s Trina Gonzalez, vice president, policy, and Kathryn Scott, senior vice president, state relations and advocacy, will provide updates on SB 1432. This webinar is restricted to members.
If you have questions, please contact Kathryn Scott, senior vice president, advocacy, at kscott@calhospital.org or Trina Gonzalez, vice president, policy, at tgonzalez@calhospital.org.
