Senate Rejects Bill That Would Have Tightened Health Worker Discipline

On Thursday, the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee rejected a bill (SB 1111) by Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino) that would have standardized the disciplinary process for licensed health professionals accused of serious wrongdoing, the Sacramento Bee reports.

A provision in the bill would have required health care organizations to report workers who are fired or suspended for misconduct.

Last summer, an investigation by the Los Angeles Times and ProPublica found that some California nurses continue to practice long after facing charges of abuse or misconduct. The report prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) to make changes to the Board of Registered Nursing and endorse Negrete McLeod's legislation.

Labor unions said they supported many pieces of the legislation, including efforts to speed up the disciplinary process. However, they objected to other portions of the bill that they said would undermine workers' rights to due process.

Next Steps

McLeod said she does not plan to introduce the proposal again this year but might take up a similar measure in the future (Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, 4/23).