CHA News

Member Briefing Feb. 21 to Train Hospital Leaders on CHA’s New Seismic Advocacy Toolkit

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CHA will host a members-only briefing Feb. 21 from 11 a.m. – noon (PT) to discuss its sponsored legislation on hospital seismic safety requirements — including how hospitals can help lawmakers understand why the bill matters to communities throughout California.

If the current requirement for hospitals to remain fully operational after a major earthquake by 2030 is not changed, the cost to California hospitals could be as much as $100 billion. It would require hospitals to shift resources from vital patient care services, jeopardizing access to care in many communities.

CHA’s member briefing will provide an overview of its seismic advocacy toolkit, with materials to support hospital leaders in speaking to their legislators, building local coalitions, and securing media coverage of the need to change this costly law.

The CHA-sponsored bill, Senate Bill (SB) 758 (Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge), restructures the current “fully operational” requirement by applying it only to areas of a hospital where emergency medical services, surgical services, and post-surgical services will be provided for 72 hours following an earthquake. The bill would also allow hospitals to seek up to an additional 10 years for retrofitting or rebuilding, and would exempt hospitals in counties where seismic risk is low.