Assembly Passes Bills on Prison Care, Rules for Radiation Protection
On Monday, the California Assembly passed legislation (SB 1399), by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), that would grant parole to prison inmates judged to be permanently incapacitated by their health problems, the Los Angeles Times' "PolitiCal" reports.
The bill would shift the cost of their medical care to Medicare. Proponents say the move would save the state an estimated $42 million annually.
Opponents of the bill say that it is too broad and could lead to some prison administrators releasing inmates simply because they want to cut costs ("PolitiCal," Los Angeles Times, 8/30).
The measure now returns to the Senate for final consideration (Dolan/McGreevy, Los Angeles Times, 8/30).
Radiation Bill
The Assembly also approved a bill (SB 1237), by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), that would establish protocols and safeguards to shield patients from excessive radiation during CT scans.
The legislation would require the recording of radiation dosage levels on the scanned image and in patient health records. In addition, the bill would require overdoses to be reported to:
- Patients;
- Patients' physicians; and
- The California Department of Public Health.
The bill now returns to the Senate for final approval (CMIO, 8/31).
Deadline To Pass Legislation
The Legislature's deadline to send any bills to the governor is Tuesday (Buchanan/Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/31).
For additional coverage of legislative action on health care bills, see today's Capitol Desk post.
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