LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP: Davis Signs More Health-Related Bills

      Gov. Gray Davis (D) wrapped up the legislative session this weekend, addressing the last few bills remaining on his desk. Plowing through more than 1,400 bills this session, Davis signed numerous health-related bills, including:

• AB 1263: Sponsored by Assembly member Helen Thomson (D-Davis), this bill will allow emergency calls made from wireless phones to be routed to the nearest dispatcher if the call is not made from a state highway. Current law requires that all cell phone calls must first be routed to the California Highway Patrol (Office of the Governor release, 9/30);
• AB 1836: Sponsored by Assembly member Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), this bill expands the rights of coroners to access confidential medical records by requiring such disclosure without delay for the purpose of identifying the decedent, locating next of kin or when investigating a broad list of specified deaths. The bill would also require a coroner's report to a law enforcement agency to include medical information relating to the death (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• AB 1846: Sponsored by Assembly member Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), this bill is a companion bill to Davis' "Aging with Dignity" Initiative and earmarks $1 million in General Fund dollars to establish the Senior Housing Information and Support Center within the California Department of Aging. The center will serve as a clearinghouse for information for seniors and their families and will promote resources and services allowing seniors to remain with their families or become as independent as possible within their communities (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• AB 2018: Sponsored by Thomson, this bill lifts the cap on the number of triplicate prescriptions issued to a physician because "the cap is low" for doctors specializing in pain management or treatment of cancer patients. The legislation also allows a physician "with a busy practice and/or illegible handwriting" to either type the triplicate prescription or have an employee type or write it, as long as the physician signs the prescription. In addition, the bill permits a pharmacist to correct a prescription containing errors, if the pharmacist notifies the prescriber of the error, the prescriber approves any corrections and the prescriber faxes or mails a corrected prescription within seven days of the prescription being dispensed. The bill became law without the governor's signature (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• AB 2415: Sponsored by Assembly member Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), this bill provides that California will continue to fund health coverage for uninsured legal immigrant children, subject to annual state budget appropriations (Office of the Governor release, 9/30);
• AB 2599: Sponsored by Assembly member Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar), this bill requires the Department of Health Services to conduct a Cervical Cancer Community Awareness Campaign to provide awareness, assistance and information regarding cervical cancer; promote the availability of "preventive treatment" for the disease; and perform other related activities. The bill also establishes a Cervical Cancer Fund to accomplish these purposes (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• SB 87: Sponsored by Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Montebello), this bill sets requirements and procedures for providing uninterrupted health coverage through the Medi-Cal program and for reviewing Medi-Cal eligibility for specified beneficiaries when California Work Opportunity and Responsibilities to Kids benefits have been terminated (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• SB 1364: Sponsored by Sen. Patrick Johnston (D-Stockton), this bill requires DHS to license master level genetic counselors and doctoral level clinical geneticists. The bill also requires that only physicians or other appropriately trained, licensed health care professionals provide counseling services for hereditary disorders. Under the bill, DHS may charge a maximum $200 licensing fee (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• SB 1875: Sponsored by Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough), this bill requires hospitals and surgical clinics to develop a formal plan to eliminate or substantially reduce the number of medication- related errors (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• SB 1903: Sponsored by Speier, this bill restricts the disclosure of medical information to corporations and their subsidiaries and affiliates, requires a valid authorization for release of such information and allows adult patients to insert written addendums into their medical records believed to be incorrect or incomplete (Office of the Governor release, 10/1);
• SB 2094: Sponsored by the Senate Insurance Committee, this bill makes technical and clarifying changes to managed care reform legislation enacted during 1999, clarifying the circumstances under which entities contracting with health plans may receive and disclose a patient's medical information. The bill also corrects erroneous references to various code sections and removes unnecessary and improper words (Office of the Governor release, 10/1).