Núñez Stumps for Health Care Plan at San Francisco Meeting
Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) on Saturday held a town hall meeting at UC-San Francisco Medical Center to promote his health care reform proposal, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
More than 150 people attended the meeting, including small-business owners, activists, service providers, educators, retirees and union members. Assembly members from the Bay Area also were in attendance (Hua, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/4).
Núñez's proposal, announced in December, would require businesses to provide health insurance or contribute to a state fund. The plan also would extend coverage to all children, regardless of immigration status, through the employer mandate and by expanding state programs (California Healthline, 12/22/06).
Núñez said he wants to incorporate the best features of his proposal and proposals by other lawmakers, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R). Núñez also said he would incorporate suggestions from additional town hall meetings he will hold in San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno and Sacramento (San Francisco Chronicle, 2/4).