Davis Approves a Number of Health-Related Bills
Gov. Gray Davis (D) recently signed several health-related bills into law. Summaries of the bills appear below:
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AB 915: Sponsored by Assembly member Dario Frommer (D-Glendale), the law creates the Medi-Cal Outpatient Certified Public Expenditure Program to allow public agencies and health facilities to receive federal matching funds for providing uncompensated outpatient services and adult day care (California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems release, 9/23).
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AB 1379: Sponsored by Assembly member Helen Thomson (D-Davis), the law streamlines the application process for four teen pregnancy prevention programs managed by the Department of Health Services' Office of Family Planning.
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AB 1454: Sponsored by Thomson, the law requires facilities licensed by the Department of Mental Health to conduct criminal background checks of its employees, contractors and licensees. The law also allows the DMH to contract with managed care plans for three-year periods (Office of the Governor release, 9/19).
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AB 2020: Sponsored by Assembly member Lou Correa (D-Anaheim), the law requires ophthalmologists and optometrists to release contact prescriptions to patients to allow them to more easily purchase lenses through pharmacies, discount club stores and mail order and online distributors. However, special prescriptions, including hard contact lenses, will still be subject to a doctor's control (Office of the Governor release, 9/23).
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AB 2044: Sponsored by Assembly member Simon Salinas (D-Salinas), the law extends the deadline for completion of a DMH study on the structure and financial status of county mental health services.
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AB 2753: Sponsored by Assembly member Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley), the law allows the Department of Health Services to certify physicians or surgeons to operate or oversee the operation of an X-ray bone densitometer if a certificate of training by the manufacturer is provided.
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AB 2818: Sponsored by Aanestad, the law permits the state to license out-of-state dental hygienists (Office of the Governor release, 9/19).
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SB 283: Sponsored by Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough), the law requires health plans to provide application assistance to individuals who qualify for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families.
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SB 1613: Sponsored by Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana), the law clarifies existing law on long-term care insurance and allows insurers to file policy forms with the Department of Insurance after January 1, 2003. The bill also extends the time from 12 months to 18 months that policy holders are permitted to change their policies.
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SB 1695: Sponsored by Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Whittier), the law allows Emergency Medical Technicians - Intermediate to administer naloxone hydrochloride via means other than intravenous injections.
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SB 1749: Sponsored by Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), the law requires professional boxers or martial arts fighters to provide the Athletic Commission with proof of a negative test result for hepatitis C.
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SB 1954: Sponsored by Sen. Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont), the law continues the authorization of the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners to license and regulate chiropractors.
- SB 2019: Sponsored by Speier, the law would allow a licensing board to fine and deny licenses applications or renewal for providers who default on educational loans or service obligations (Office of the Governor release, 9/19).