Calif. Lawmaker Introduces Bill Targeting Hospitals’ ‘Patient Dumping’ Practices
The legislation is aimed at curbing the practice of hospitals discharging homeless patients who have nowhere to go.
Sacramento Bee:
New Bill Seeks To Put An End To 'Patient Dumping' In California
Hospitals would be required to get written confirmation from homeless shelters before discharging patients to those facilities under a bill introduced Wednesday in the California State Senate. The bill, carried by Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-Azusa, is designed to curb the practice known as hospital patient “dumping,” or discharging poor people to the streets, shelters or other agencies incapable of caring for them. (Hubert, 2/15)
In other news from Sacramento —
KQED:
State Senate Bill Would Triple Penalties For Refinery Air Violations
State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, wants to triple some of the most serious penalties local air districts can levy against oil companies when their refineries violate emissions regulations. Dodd, who represents a district that’s home to refineries owned by Shell, Tesoro and Valero, introduced legislation on Wednesday that would raise the limits on certain fines for the first time in decades. (Goldberg, 2/15)