What’s happening: Senate Bill (SB) 1432 would provide a time extension to hospitals from California’s 2030 seismic construction mandates. It passed the state Senate on Wednesday on a 37-0 vote.
What else to know: The bill now moves on to the Assembly Health Committee.
SB 1432 is CHA’s proposal to extend the 2030 deadline, assess opportunities for financial support, and require the state to assess the financial and access impacts of the 2030 requirement. The amended bill added reporting requirements to local agencies and removed the rural hospital provisions to align with Assembly Bill (AB) 869. CHA is supporting AB 869 and will be working to align with the legislation authored by Assembly Member Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg).
On Wednesday, several senators spoke in favor of the bill and its approach, including joint authors Sens. Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), and Bill Dodd (D-Napa). Senate Health Chair Richard Roth (D-Riverside) was supportive of the bill’s framework, speaking about the importance of giving hospitals time while creating transparency.
SB 1432 passed the Senate on a near-unanimous vote of 37-0. One senator abstained and two were absent.
Under current law, by Jan. 1, 2030, hospitals that are not compliant with standards that require every hospital building in which patient care is provided to be “fully operational” following an earthquake will be forced to close.
If you have questions, contact Trina Gonzalez, vice president policy, at tgonzalez@calhospital.org.
