Governor’s State of the State Includes Health Care Agenda
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday outlined his agenda for 2007 during his State of the State address, including health coverage for California residents, the Sacramento Bee reports. The governor's proposal to require all individuals to obtain health coverage has drawn support from Democrats but criticism from Republican lawmakers (Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, 1/10).
Schwarzenegger during the speech said that all health care reform proposals, "regardless of origin, are still on the table" (Nicholas, Los Angeles Times, 1/10).
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles) said that he supports the governor's focus on health care reform.
Assembly member Chuck Devore (R-Irvine) said Schwarzenegger "directly violated his campaign pledge not to raise taxes" (Sacramento Bee, 1/10).
Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman (R-Tustin) said that he is opposed to Schwarzenegger's proposed increase in "fees" from businesses, physicians and hospitals to help pay for coverage. "[W]hatever you call it, in his proposal we would not support it," Ackerman said, adding, "He's proposing covering illegal immigrants, and that we do not support" (Geis, Washington Post, 1/10).
Assembly member Tom Berryhill (R-Ceres) also said that he had "a lot of concerns," adding, "There seems to be an urge to take a sledgehammer to something we might be able to take a scissors to" (Shaw, Stockton Record, 1/10).