Legislators Introduce Number of Health-Related ‘Pet’ Bills

The Oakland Tribune on Tuesday examined some recently proposed "quirky 'pet' bills" on "relatively minor matters." Summaries of the health-related bills appear below.

• Assembly member John Dutra (D-Fremont) is sponsoring a bill (AB 1909) that would prohibit individuals from filing "frivolous lawsuits and senseless litigation" that charge restaurants and food makers with contributing to obesity.
  
  
• Sen. Tom Torlakson (D-Concord) has introduced a bill (SB 74) that would require vending machines in state buildings to include healthy snacks and drinks (Geissinger, Oakland Tribune, 3/29).
  
  
• Assembly member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland) is sponsoring a measure (AB 262) that would halt pharmacies' sale of customers' prescription drug information for marketing purposes.
  
  
• Assembly member Guy Houston (R-Livermore) has introduced legislation (AB 2255) that would reform the state workers' compensation system.
  
  
• Assembly member Barbara Matthews (D-Stockton) is sponsoring a number of bills (AB 748, AB 749, AB 750, AB 751, AB 802 and AB 803) that would institute reforms to Medi-Cal.
  
  
• Sen. Don Perata (D-Oakland) has introduced a bill (SB 1333) that would allow pharmacies to purchase prescription drugs from Canada for beneficiaries of Medi-Cal and AIDS drug assistance programs.
  
  
• Sen. Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) has introduced a bill (SB 1847) that seeks to reduce deadly infections acquired in hospitals (Oakland Tribune, 3/29).