Subject: LIFE's Lobby 1997 Final HIV/Healthcare CA Legislative Update
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 14:07:18 -0500 (EST)

Dear Colleagues, Allies and Friends:

Below please find the final California legislative update re:  HIV/Healthcare
Policy.

A brief note on what's happening while the legislature is in recess.  LIFE
Lobby and its House of Delegates will be voting on position statements
regarding HIV surveillance, names reporting, testing and counseling, partner
notification, and anonymous testing sites.  This will coincide at the
upcoming quarterly meeting in San Francisco on November 22, 1997.  As soon as
the statements are adopted, I will e-mail it to this list immediately.

Additionally, we have compiled the voting record for the first year of the
legislative session.  I will forward this record to you on a separate e-mail.

If you have any questions, please give me a call at 916.444.0424 or e-mail me
at [email-masked] or [email-masked].

Thank you.

In Solidarity,

Eric-Joseph C. Astacaan
HIV/Healthcare Legislative Advocate/Research Analyst

******************************************************************************
******

October 30, 1997 (97-7)							

FINAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: HIV/Health Care Policy

Contacts:		Eric Astacaan, Legislative Advocate

			Ellen McCormick, Legislative Advocate

			Laurie McBride, Executive Director

			Sam Catalano, Legislative Assistant

Table of Contents

AIDS Budget

Disability Determinations/Insurance

Access to Healthcare & Services/Managed Care

HIV Prevention/ Education/ Harm Reduction

Medical Use of Marijuana

HIV, The Prisons & Criminal Justice

Medical Insurance for the Uninsured

Miscellaneous Insurance Issues

Medical Liability

Medi-CAL & AFDC-Related

Prevention-Related Items

Possible Legislative Positions

Index of Bills

1997 PRIORITIES:  1997-98 California State Budget 

1997 AIDS Budget

Background:  The Budget Sub-Committees of Health for both the California
State Assembly and State Senate met and made their recommendations.
  Sub-Committee recommendations form the basis of the legislature's budget
package.  If the proposals are the same for individual line items from both
the Assembly and Senate sides, then the proposals are pretty much set in
stone.  If they are different, they end up as discussion points in a joint
Assembly/Senate budget "conference" committee:  the discrepancy must be
resolved there.

AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

The Governor's Budget proposed a $47,288,000 increase to ADAP.  This
increase came from $11,659,000 General Fund, $18,600,000 in Title II federal
funds, $4,129,000 in drug rebates, and the mandated use of $12,900,000 of
local EMA funds.

Sub-Committee Recommendations:  Both State Assembly and Senate
Sub-Committees agreed that EMAs should not be required to shift funds to
ADAP.  The $12.9 should come from General Funds.  In fact, the Governor's May
Revise budget (updated after budget hearings) now called for the same:  the
$12.9 for ADAP coming from State General Funds.  At LIFE's February meeting,
the House voted to oppose the mandatory requirement that EMAs shift funds to
ADAP.  Thus, LIFE strongly supported  the current budget proposal.  Support
 (HOD 2/97)

STATUS:	Signed by Gov. Wilson as part of the state budget on 8/18/97.

Viral Load Testing for ADAP Clients

Background:  The Governor's Budget proposed $3.8 million from the General
Fund to initiate viral load testing for ADAP clients.

Sub-Committee Recommendations:  Both recommended keeping the $3.8 for this
purpose.

STATUS:	Signed by Gov. Wilson as part of the state budget on 8/18/97.

Centralization of ADAP (Pharmaceutical Benefit Management Contract)

Background:  ADAP pharmacy services are currently administered through a
decentralized system.  DHS has accepted a bid from a PBM to reduce program
costs without reducing availability of drugs or capping the number of
prescriptions filled.  Other benefits will include better data collection,
better prices on drugs, and drug rebates to the state.  

	Sub-Committee Recommendations:  Conference item.  The Senate Sub-Committee
agreed that centralization was a good idea; the Assembly Sub-Committee called
for centralization with a "carve-out" for Los Angeles. 

	Conference Committee Recommendations called for statewide centralization
with no carve out for Los Angeles.  The company chosen to administer the
statewide ADAP program has proposed a provider network far exceeding the
existing network, and has put in place strong consumer protections.  Support
Centralization with No Carve-Out (HOD 6/97)

STATUS:	Signed by Gov. Wilson as part of the state budget on 8/18/97.

Anonymous Testing Services

Background:  The Governor's Budget proposed eliminating $1.6 million General
Fund previously used for anonymous HIV testing services in family planning
clinics.

Sub-Committee Recommendations:  Both recommended keeping the $1.6 for this
purpose.

STATUS:	Line-item vetoed by Gov. Wilson on 8/18/97

1997 Priorities:  AIDS Budget

AB 967  (Migden) 							     Support  (HOD) 6/97

ADAP Funding:  Legislation would provide that for the purposes of the
Administration of ADAP, the Director of Health Services may request, but not
require, a county to shift local or federal funds to administer the program.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97	Introduced

			05/07	Amended					5/7, 5/13, 5/20

			05/13	Assembly Health Cmte		P 18-0

			05/23	Assembly Floor			P 71-0

			06/25	Senate Health 				P 6-0

			07/11	Senate Floor				P 28-0

STATUS:	07/28	Vetoed by Governor Wilson

1997 PRIORITIES:  Disability Determinations/Insurance

AB 1052 (Villaraigosa)						 	      Support (HOD) 6/97

Currently, new AIDS drugs are automatically added to the Medi-Cal formulary.
 This bill would provide for the automatic addition of any new AIDS vaccines
and/or "anti-viral agents" used prophylactically.  This bill expands existing
law from drugs used to "treat" AIDS and opportunistic infections to include
vaccines and prophylactic uses of anti-viral agents.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97	Introduced

			04/22	Assembly Health			P 20-0

			05/21	Assembly Appropriations	P 15-3

			05/29	Assembly Floor			P 57-16

			06/26	Amended

			07/02	Senate Health				P 5-1

			07/16	Senate Insurance			P 6-0

			09/04	Senate Appropriations		P 7-3

STATUS:	09/11	Senate Inactive File (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1099 (Migden) 		 					      Support (HOD) 6/97

Making it possible for Medi-Cal recipients living with AIDS to go back to
work.  Right now, Medi-Cal recipients who go back to work must pay a "share
of cost" of any Medi-Cal benefits.  Some people living with AIDS want to
return to work, but find this "share of cost" a barrier to doing so.  For
example, an individual earning $2,000 a month would pay roughly $1000 in
share of cost, leaving precious little for living and other expenses.  AB
1099 would exempt up to $2500/month in earnings from counting toward the
share of cost requirement.  This exemption would hold until the individual is
eligible for and receives full medical insurance coverage.

	Amendments to this bill expanded its coverage to not only include people
living with AIDS, but also people who are on disabilities.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/09		Amended 	04/09, 04/17, 5/15, 5/27, 7/2, 8/8, 9/5

			04/22		Assembly Health			P 15-1

			05/21		Assembly Appropriations	P 16-1

			06/03		Assembly Floor			P 77-1

			07/09		Senate Health				P 6-1

			09/04		Senate Appropriations		P 8-4

			09/09		Senate Floor				P 28-8

			09/11		Assembly Adopted Amend.	P 79-0

			09/23		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:	10/13		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

AB 1137 (Ducheny)							        Watch (HOD) 6/97

Identical to AB 1052 by Villaraigosa.  Assembly Health Committee, 3/20.
(2-Yr. Bill).

SB 495 (Rosenthal)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Would increase weekly benefit cap to $490 from $336 for disability periods
beginning January 1, 1998.

ACTIONS:	02/20/97		Introduced

			04/09		Senate Industrial Relations Cmte	P 4-3

			05/05		Senate Appropriations Cmte		P 8-5	

			05/27		Senate Floor					P 22-15

			07/01		Assembly Insurance			P 9-6

			07/16		Assembly Appropriations		P 12-8

			08/11		Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Assembly Inactive File (Two-Year Bill)

SB 964 (Knight)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Would take away safeguards for employees by making it easier for employers
to opt out of State Disability Insurance program through a Voluntary Plan for
coverage of disability benefits.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/14		Amended

			04/23		Senate Industrial Relations Cmte	F 3-4

STATUS:				Stalled in Senate Industrial Relations (Two-Year Bill)

SB 1035 (Polanco)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

This bill would setup a pilot project, when solicited by the fed. HHS Dept.
or the HCFA, to allow DHS to study the cost-effectiveness of early
intervention for patients who otherwise qualify for Medi-Cal but who are not
yet disabled.  The bill is designed to study the expense of treatment at
certain stages of infection and illness, such as is it more or less expensive
to let people get sick before offering treatment?  This bill intends to set
up a study and come up with some determinations.  Sponsored by AIDS
Healthcare Foundation.

	SB 1035 failed its first vote on the Senate floor; because it needed 2/3
vote (urgency) to pass.  The 6/4/97 Senate amendment dropped its urgency
requirement, thereby making it a majority vote bill.  It passed upon
reconsideration.  It received a 48-27 vote in the Assembly.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/16		Senate Health				P 8-0

			05/29		Senate Appropriations		P 8-2

			06/04		Senate Floor				F 26-10

			06/04		Amended

			06/05		Senate Floor				P 21-11

			07/15		Assembly Health			P 14-2

			09/04		Assembly Appropriations	P 14-7

			09/09		Assembly Floor			P 48-27

			09/15		Enrolled.  To Governor's Desk

STATUS:	10/08		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

1997 PRIORITIES:  Access to Healthcare & Services / Managed Care

AB 7 (Brown)								      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires every healthcare service plan contract, nonprofit hospital service
plan contract, and certain disability insurance policies issued after 1/1/98
to include coverage for a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care for a woman
undergoing a mastectomy.

ACTIONS:	12/2/96		Introduced

			03/31/97		Amended					6/30

			04/01		Assembly Health			P 19-0

			04/08		Assembly Insurance 		P 9-3

			05/07		Assembly Appropriations  	P 13-2

			05/19		Assembly Floor			P 56-15

			07/02		Senate Insurance			P 5-1

			07/14		Senate Appropriations		P 11-1

			09/04		Senate Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Senate Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

AB 12 (Figueroa)							 	      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires every health care service plan contract and every individual or
group policy of disability insurance issued after 1/1/98 that provides
mastectomy coverage to cover a physician ordered follow-up visit within 48
hours of discharge and to cover all complications from a mastectomy.   

ACTIONS:	12/02/96		Introduced

			02/27/97		Amended			2/28, 3/13, 3/31, 5/20, 6/30, 7/9

			04/01/97		Assembly Health			P 14-1

			04/08		Assembly Insurance		P 13-2

			04/23		Assembly Appropriations	P 16-3

			05/08		Assembly Floor	 		P 65-8

			07/02		Senate Insurance			P 7-1

			08/25		Senate Appropriations		P 11-1

			09/02		Senate Floor				P 23-6

			09/04		To Assembly for Concurrence

			09/08		To Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Assembly Inactive File (Two-Year Bill)

AB 38 (Figueroa)							 	      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires every healthcare service plan contract, nonprofit hospital service
plan contract, and certain disability insurance policies issued after 1/1/98
that provide maternity coverage, from restricting benefits for inpatient
hospital care to a time period less than 48 hours following a normal vaginal
delivery and less than 96 hours for a cesarean section.

ACTIONS:	12/02/96		Introduced

			03/13		Amended			3/13, 04/07, 6/12, 6/30, 8/4

			04/01		Assembly Health			P 17-1

			04/08		Assembly Insurance		P 13-0

			04/23		Assembly Appropriations	P 17-2

			05/08		Assembly Floor 			P  61-12

			06/18		Senate Insurance			P 7-0

			07/14		Senate Appropriations		P12-0

			08/04		Senate Floor				P 38-0

			08/11		Assy. Adopted Urgency Clause

						& Concurred to Sen. Amend.	P 64-0

			08/27		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by the Secretary of State - Ch. 389, '97 Statutes

AB 269  (Ortiz)							 	      Support (HOD) 6/97

Prohibits a health facility or physician and surgeon from permitting a
patient to depart the facility or physician's office unless a physician or
other appropriately licensed health professional has determined that the
patient can be safely cared for in the home or other community setting.
 LIFE's concern that this could interfere with a patient's ability to leave
"Against Medical Advice" has been addressed in the current amendments.  The
bill is strictly intended to protect patients from being released without
some assurances that proper care is available.

ACTIONS:	02/13/97		Introduced

			04/15		Assembly Health			P 14-5

			04/28		Amended					4/28, 6/2, 6/30

			05/30		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-8

			06/04		Assembly Floor			P 43-37

			06/17		In Senate Insurance

STATUS:				Pending Senate Insurance (Two-Year Bill)

AB 341 (Sweeney)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires a health care service plan and certain disability insurers to
authorize payment in a timely manner for a second opinion by an appropriately
qualified health professional, if requested by an enrollee or insured.

ACTIONS:	02/18/97		Introduced

			04/08		Assembly Health Committee  	P 14-0

			04/23		Assembly Appropriations       	P 19-0

			05/19		Assembly Floor			P 55-17

			06/26		Amended					7/11, 7/23, 8/25

			07/16		Senate Insurance			P 5-0

			08/25		Senate Appropriations		P 7-3

			08/29		To Senate Inactive File

STATUS:				Senate Inactive File (Two-Year Bill)

AB 434 (Gallegos)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires the deletion of provisions stating that the reasons for the
termination of a provider will only be disclosed if the termination occurs
during the contract year.

ACTIONS:	02/20/97		Introduced

			03/31		Amended					03/31, 04/10, 6/25

			04/15		Assembly Health Cmte		P 17-0

			05/21		Assembly Appropriations	P 16-4

			06/04		Assembly Floor			P 54-13

			06/17		To Senate Ins. & Judiciary

STATUS:				Pending Senate Insurance (Two-Year Bill)

AB 497 (Wildman)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Some health care service plans, disability insurers, and contracting
providers have apparently created a "screening" program for calls, that is:
 put the caller on hold for 10 minutes or more; hope that they don't call
back. This bill would require health care plans, disability insurers, and
contracting providers to answer phone calls within five minutes and imposes
requirements regarding the time frame for appointments with specialists, and
for responses to requests for care by patients in acute care.  The committee
recommended support because people with HIV and AIDS need and deserve timely
responses for treatment .

ACTIONS:	02/24/97		Introduced

			04/08		Assembly Health Committee	P 11-5

			04/15		Amended					04/15, 05/06, 7/11

			05/30		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-8

			06/04		Assembly Floor			P 42-36

			06/17		To Senate Insurance

STATUS:				Pending Senate Insurance (Two-Year Bill)

AB 536 (Gallegos)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Would require a physician who denies service to health plan enrollees to be
licensed in California; requires either a physical exam or a thorough review
of the patient's medical records prior to a plan's decision to deny care;
includes within the practice of medicine, making a decision resulting in
denial of services to an enrollee; and requires various disclosures to
enrollees.

ACTIONS:	02/24/97		Introduced

			04/10		Amended					6/17, 8/25

			04/15		Assembly Health Committee	P 16-1

			05/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-6

			06/02		Assembly Floor 			P 55-20

			06/23		Senate Business & Prof.		P 5-0

			07/16		Senate Insurance			P 5-3

			08/25		Senate Appropriations		P 8-3

			09/04		Senate Floor				P 21-13

			09/10		Ass. Cncurr'd  Sen. Amend.	P 50-24

			09/22		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:		10/10		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

AB 663 (Ortiz)							 	      Support (HOD) 6/97

Would establish the INTENT of the legislature to create a Public Health
Contingency Fund to provide counties with the resources for basic health
protection services.  Under this bill, the state would develop public health
capacity standards to evaluate each counties "disease control capability".
 Any county that fails the evaluation would be eligible, based on a
demonstrated financial need, to receive state funding.  There is, however, no
funding mechanism tied to this bill.

ACTIONS:	02/26/97		Introduced

			04/15		Assembly Health Committee	P 20-0

			05/23		Amended

			05/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 20-0

			06/02		Assembly Floor			P 79-1

			07/16		Senate Health				P 5-0

			07/17		To Senate Appropriations

STATUS:				Pending Senate Appropriations (Two-Year Bill)

AB 794 (Figueroa)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires a healthcare service plan to disclose to any person or
organization, upon request, the processes the plan uses to authorize or deny
healthcare services by a provider pursuant to the benefits provided by the
plan.

ACTIONS:	02/26/97		Introduced

			04/15		Assembly Health Cmte		P 16-0

			04/17		Amended				4/17, 5/22, 6/17, 7/1, 7/9, 9/5

			04/22		Assembly Insurance        	P 9-1

			05/14		Assembly Appropriations	P 11-5

			05/29		Assembly Floor			P 50-22

			06/23		Senate Business & Prof. 	P 5-0

			07/16		Senate Insurance			P 5-3

			08/25		Senate Appropriations		P 7-3

			09/09		Senate Floor				P 24-11

			09/11		Assy. Cncrr'd  Sen. Amend.	P 47-31

			09/23		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:	10/10		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

AB 1100 (Thomson and Perata)						      Support (HOD) 6/97

Would require that health care service plans and disability insurers provide
coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness on the same terms
and conditions as coverage for other medical conditions.  Proponents argue
that mental illness is inappropriately treated because of lack of insurance
coverage.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/15		Assembly Insurance Cmte	P 9-3

			05/06		Amended				5/6, 5/8, 7/10, 7/23, 8/25

			05/30		Assembly Appropriations	P 15-5

			06/05		Assembly Floor			P 43-31

			07/16		Senate Insurance			P 5-0

			09/04		Senate Appropriations		P 7-4

			09/09		To Senate Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Senate Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1208 (Migden)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Would require DHS to study patient care issues on death and dying including:
 relevant court cases around terminally ill patients, physician assisted
suicide, pain management, physician and/or health care provider abandonment,
and insurance coverage.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			04/17		Amended

			04/22		Assembly Health Cmte		P 15-4

			05/14		Assembly Appro. Cmte		P 11-7

			05/22		Assembly Floor			P 46-29

			05/29		To Senate Health & Hmn. Svcs.

STATUS:				Pending Senate Health Cmte (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1298 (Villaraigosa)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Prohibits a health care service plan, disability insurer or a contracting
provider from impeding or impairing communication or the right of free
association among enrollees or insureds, except to protect the health and
safety of enrollees, insureds, and employees.  Introduced because some HMOs
were not allowing representatives from Health Access to talk with other
patients in the waiting room or with employees.   

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			04/08		Assembly Health Cmte    	P 15-1

			04/23		Assembly Appropriations 	P 14-3

			04/28		Amended					4/14, 7/14

			05/08		Assembly Floor               	P 73-0

			06/18		Senate Insurance			P 5-1

			07/15		Senate Judiciary			P 8-1

			08/27		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			08/28		Senate Floor				P 25-8

			09/08		To Assy. for Amend. Concurrence

			09/11		To Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Concurrence Vote (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1341 (Alquist)							      Support (HOD) 8/97

This bill would require any person or organization that receives state funds
for health research to perform a specified percentage of its aggregate
research on women's health and subsequently, with those funds, publish the
results accordingly.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97  	Introduced

			04/17		Amended					5/23, 7/10, 8/6, 9/2

			04/22		Assembly Health			P 20-0

			05/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 15-2

			06/02		Assembly Floor			P 72-4

			07/16		Senate Health				P 5-1

			08/25		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			09/03		Senate Floor				P 24-11

			09/09		Assy. Concurred to Amend.	P 71-6

			09/16		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:   		10/05		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

SB 253 (Burton) 								      Support (HOD) 6/97

Prohibits a health facility from discriminating or retaliating against a
patient or employee of that facility because the patient or employee presents
a grievance or complaint relating to the care, services or conditions of that
facility.

ACTIONS:	12/04/96		Introduced

			04/09/97		Senate Ind'l Relations Cmte	P 4-2

			04/14		Amended					7/12 

			05/12		Senate Appropriations		P 7-5

			05/22		Senate Floor				P 22-15

			07/15		Assembly Health			P 12-7

			08/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-7

			09/03		Assembly Floor			P 41-32

			09/10		Senate Concurred to Amend.	P 21-15

			09/15		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:	10/14		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

SB 324 (Rosenthal)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires the definition of the practice of medicine to include making a
decision regarding the medical necessity or appropriateness of any diagnosis,
treatment, operation, or prescription. 

ACTIONS:	02/12/97		Introduced

			04/14		Senate Business & Prof. 	P 7-0

			05/12		Senate Appropriations Cmte	P 7-3

			05/28		Amended					7/10

			06/03		Senate Floor				P 21-12

			07/01		Assembly Health			P 11-7

			07/09		To Assembly Appropriations

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Appropriations (Two-Year Bill)

SB 1084 (Watson)							     Support (HOD) 8/97

Natural Death Act:  Powers of Attorney Health Care.  Requires a health
facility and healing licentiate to develop protocols relating to implementatio
n of provision which authorize a person to execute a prescribed declaration
governing the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for the
person and execute a durable power of attorney that permits the
attorney-in-fact to make health care decisions for the person.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			03/18		To Senate Rules

STATUS:				Pending Senate Rules (Two-Year Bill)

1997 PRIORITIES:  HIV Prevention/ Education/ Harm Reduction

AB 600 (Kuehl) 								      Support (HOD) 2/97

Family Access to Care and Treatment Program:  To provide preventative health
care services to low-income men and women.  Preventative health care means
screening, including periodic history, physicals, and appropriate laboratory
tests; evaluation and counseling; including sexual health, family planning,
fitness, psycho-social evaluation, cardiovascular risk, and other health
factors; limited treatment including but not limited to treatment of sexual
transmitted diseases, necessary immunizations, and contraceptive medical
procedures and supplies.  Under existing law, these services offered through
the Office of Family Planning are restricted to women who can conceive.  The
purpose of this legislation is to open up the program to all persons who need
medical treatment and related services.

ACTIONS:	02/25/97		Introduced

			04/22		Assembly Health Committee  	P 13-6

			05/30		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-8

			06/03		amended					7/7, 7/18, 9/5

			06/05		Assembly Floor			P 42-32

			07/16		Senate Health				P 5-0

			09/05		Senate Appropriations		P 7-5

			09/10		Senate Floor				P 24-12

			09/13		Assy. Adopted Sen. Amend.	P 46-30

			09/24		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:	10/12		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

AB 818 (Martinez)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Existing law requires prenatal care providers to offer HIV testing to
pregnant women (along with counseling and referral services).  This bill
would extend that requirement to include every medical care provider treating
any patient from age 15 to 54 years of age.  This bill would also require the
State Office of AIDS to develop a voucher program for low-income individuals
to get home HIV test kits.  This voucher program should be implemented by
January 1, 1999.

	LIFE's HIV/Healthcare Committee is in favor of requiring medical care
providers to offer HIV testing to all patients.  The committee sees a problem
with the home HIV testing kits, however, citing problems of unreliability and
lack of appropriate counseling.  LIFE asked the author to drop the home
testing provisions, which was done 5/1.

ACTIONS:	02/26/97 		Introduced

			04/22		Assembly Health Committee	P 12-6

			05/01		AMENDED

						[ Support If Amended changed to SUPPORT ]

			05/30		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-6

			06/03		Amended

			06/05		Assembly Floor			P 41-35

			06/17		To Senate Health & Hmn. Svcs.

STATUS:				Pending Senate Health & Hmn. Svcs. (Two-Year Bill)

AB 881 (Runner)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Would require every general acute care hospital to test every newborn and
requires disclosure of results to the baby's parents or guardian.
 Additionally, the bill requires the hospital to report the number of tests
with positive results to the Department of Health Services, without revealing
the identity of the babies tested.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			03/03		To Assembly Health

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Health Cmte (Two-Year Bill)

SB 560 (Hayden)								      Support (HOD) 8/97

Regulated Chemicals Surtax:  Creates a new tax to create the California
Methamphetamine Reduction and Rehabilitation Fund.  Potentially important to
us because of the new evidence coming out that links Meth use with HIV
sero-conversion. The items to be taxed are limited to cash purchases of
specific chemicals used to make methamphetamines.  This legislation is
crafted to avoid taxing over-the-counter products like Sudafed (commonly used
in meth).  It has also been crafted to avoid taxing legitimate uses of
specific chemicals purchased in bulk by chemists, pharmacists, and labs. 

ACTIONS:	02/24/97		Introduced

			05/01		Amended					5/1, 5/14, 7/22, 8/25

			05/07		Senate Revenue & Tax Cmte	P 6-0

			05/29		Senate Appropriations		P 12-0

			06/04		Senate Floor				P 27-10

			07/14		Assembly Rev. and Taxation	P 6-4

			07/15		Assembly Health			P 13-2

			08/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 12-6

			09/09		Assembly Floor			F 39-35

STATUS:				Failed Passage in the Assembly.  May be revived next year.

SB 862 (Lee)							Support If Amended (HOD) 6/97

Would establish the Interagency Commission on African American Males, to
implement recommendations by the Commission on the Status of African American
Males.  Problems identified by the first commission included poverty,
unemployment, and that "African American males represent 12 percent of the
AIDS-related deaths in California".  LIFE is seeking amendments to study
homophobia within the African-American male community.

ACTIONS:	02/26/97		Introduced

			04/16		Amended					4/16, 5/14, 5/27, 6/3

			05/05		Senate Rules Committee		P 3-1

			05/22		Senate Appropriations		P 8-4

			06/05		Senate Floor				P 21-13

			07/08		Assembly Consumer Protection	P 11-0

			07/09		To Assembly Appropriations

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Appropriations (Two-Year Bill)

SB 885 (Watson)								      Support (HOD) 6/97

This bill would establish the Clean Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot
Projects, and would authorize pharmacists, physicians, and certain persons
authorized under the pilot projects to furnish hypodermic needles and
syringes without a prescription or permit.  The bill would authorize
specified counties and cities to develop pilot projects upon the request of
the county or city local health officer. (Same bill introduced last three
years).  This bill is being co-sponsored by the cities of Los Angeles, Long
Beach, San Francisco and Santa Clara.  

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/21		Amended 				04/21, 05/05, 05/12

			04/23		Senate Health Committee	P 6-1

			05/19		Senate Appropriations		P 

			05/27		Senate Floor				F 20-16

			06/05		Senate Floor				P 21-17

			07/15		Assembly Health			P 12-7

			07/17		To Assembly Appropriations

STATUS:	05/19			Pending Assembly Appropriations (Two Year Bill)

SB 1007 (Vasconcellos) 						 	      Support (HOD) 8/97

Comprehensive Statewide Plan for Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS:  This
bill would convene a Strategic Plan Task Force for the treatment of HIV/AIDS
into the 21st Century.  This planning mechanism will utilize community plans
developed by Statewide Working Groups in both Treatment and Prevention,
lending them weight in the public policy arena.  Findings will also be useful
in bill analysis and advocacy as legislators grapple with emerging problems.

	Not wanting to blindly support yet another plan, the House took a position
of "watch" 3/97.  However, the HOD in 8/97 changed its position after
recommendation from the HIV/HC Policy Committee to "support" this bill.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/14		Amended					6/25, 8/29

			04/23		Senate Health Cmte			P 6-0

			05/12		Senate Appropriations Cmte  	P 9-2

			05/22		Senate Floor				P 29-6

			07/15		Assembly Health			P 19-0

			08/29		Assembly Appropriations	P 12-2

			09/05		Assembly Floor			P 48-26

			09/10		Sen. Adopted Assy. Amend.	P 21-10

			09/15		Enrolled and Sent to Governor

STATUS:	10/05		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

SB 1110 (Leslie)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Positive Parental Consent Bill:  This bill originally required positive
written parental consent before any public school student receives
instruction on STDs, AIDS, human sexuality, family life, or any other health
education instruction delivered by outside organizations or guest speakers.
 It also included further prohibitions on such discussions in general school
assemblies even by school personnel without positive parental permission.
 This bill also adds emphasis on monogamy and other virtues to existing
emphasis on abstinence.  It changes requirement for instruction on compassion
for people with AIDS to compassion for "anyone with a debilitating
handicap(s) and/or terminal disease."  It would prohibit teaching compassion
(as in tolerance, acceptance, respect) for drug use or any "particular"
sexual "lifestyle" or "practice."

	Substantially amended:  Now requires parental notification of guest
speakers.  Objectionable language about "particular lifestyles" has been
removed.  Opposition of other groups has changed to neutral or even support.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			04/09		Senate Education Committee  	P 7-1

			05/05		Amended				05/05, 05/07, 7/21, 9/5, 9/8

			05/29		Senate Appropriations		P 12-0

			06/04		Senate Floor				P 27-3

			07/17		Assembly Education		P 17-0

			09/05		Assembly Appropriations	P 18-0

			09/10		Assembly Floor			P 73-2

			09/12		Sen. Refused Assy. Amend.	F 0-39

STATUS:				Pending Senate Concurrence to Assy. Amend. (Two-Year Bill)

SB 1301 (Leslie)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Close the Bathhouses:  Legislative attempt to close the bathhouses.  Several
amendments were tried, but this bill in all forms was successfully defeated
in its first hearing.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			04/16		Amended

			04/22		Senate Judiciary			F 4-3

STATUS:				Stalled in Senate Judiciary.  May be revived next year.

1997 PRIORITIES:  Medical Use of Marijuana

AB 610 (Margett)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Creates nearly insurmountable obstacles for the implementation of
Proposition 215 by imposing enormous licensing fees and taxes on the
cultivation, and separately, the distribution of marijuana for medicinal use.

ACTIONS:	02/25/97		Introduced

			03/10		To Assembly Health and Agriculture Committees

STATUS:				Pending hearings in Assembly Health

						& Assembly Agriculture  (Two-Year Bill)

SB 535 (Vasconcellos) 							      Support (HOD) 2/97

SB 535 authorizes the University of California to create a California
Medical Marijuana Research Center to develop and implement medical marijuana
studies and to solicit proposals for research projects.  It also appropriates
$2 million of State General Fund dollars to the Center to conduct this
research.  Lack of such research is often cited as a reason for denying the
medicinal use of marijuana.  Yet research projects at the federal and state
level have been blocked for years.  SB 535 would push the state to allow
serious medical research to begin.

	On August 25, 1997, Attorney-General Dan Lungren, formally endorsed SB 535.
 This happened following some amendments to the bill that satisfied Lungren's
concerns.  In spite of his support though, only a few Republican
Assemblymembers supported the bill when it came up for a vote, partially
because a couple of Democrats decided to oppose the bill.  It required 2/3
majority(for its urgency) but only received 48-21 vote.  Bill supporters
worked the last couple of days to get six more votes, from both sides of the
aisle.  Unfortunately, no one was willing to budge, so Assemblymember Migden
requested the bill to be put in the inactive file, and get reconsidered in
January 1998.

ACTIONS:	02/24/97		Introduced

			03/31		Amended 		3/31, 4/10, 5/20, 5/23, 6/3, 8/25, 9/5

			04/02		Senate Health & Human Services  	P 5-2

			04/15		Senate Public Safety			P 5-2

			05/29		Senate Appropriations			P 7-1

			06/04		Senate Floor					P 27-9

			07/15		Assembly Higher Education		P 8-3

			09/04		Assembly Appropriations		P 12-8

			09/10		Assembly Floor				F 48-21

		09/10		Assembly Floor Motion to Reconsider

		09/12		To Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

HIV, the Prisons and Criminal Justice

AB 29 (Villaraigosa) 							      Support (HOD) 2/97

Compassionate Release:  This bill would establish a procedure for recalling
a prisoner's sentence if the prisoner is found to be terminally ill.  This is
a re-introduction of last year's legislation, which Governor Wilson vetoed.

ACTIONS:	12/02/96		Introduced

			04/10		Amended					7/1

			04/15		Assembly Public Safety  	P 8-0

			05/21		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-5

			05/29		Assembly Floor			P 56-16

			06/24		Senate Public Safety		P 8-0

			07/14		Senate Appropriations		P 7-1

			08/07		Senate Floor				P 26-8

			08/25		To Assy. for Concurrence

			09/09		Ordered Return to Senate

			09/10		Senate Vote Rescinded

			09/12		Senate Floor				P 23-7

			09/12		Assy. Adopted Sen. Amend.	P 54-22

			09/29		Enrolled and Sent to Governor

			10/07		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by Secretary of State - Ch. 751, '97 Statutes

SB 705  (Rainey)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Criminalizing the intentional transmission of HIV.  Recent amendments limit
SB 705's provisions to the intentional transmission of HIV through sexual
contact without disclosure.  The penalty has been reduced to a felony
punishable by imprisonment for 5, 7, or 9 years.

	Amended out:  Provisions covering needle sharing, the lesser penalties of
exposing someone without intent; plus intent must be proven by prosecutors;
obtaining medical records requires a court hearing and disclosure is defined
simply as relating HIV status.

	Major Amendment:  Defines "specific intent," specifically stating that mere
knowledge alone of one's HIV-positive status is insufficient to prove
"specific intent"; Reduces the punishment triad from 5, 7, and 9 years to 3,
5 and 8 years

ACTIONS:	02/25/97		Introduced

			04/07		Amended				4/07, 4/16, 5/01, 5/06, 9/3, 9/4

			04/22		Senate Public Safety Cmte	P 5-0

			05/19		Senate Appropriations		P 7-0

			05/27		Senate Floor				P 25-1

			07/15		Assembly Public Safety		P 8-0

			09/03		Assembly Appropriations	P 16-1

			09/04		To Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

  Medical Insurance for the Uninsured

LIFE's House of Delegates voted to take a WATCH position on a number of
bills designed to expand access and/or eligibility to health insurance for
uninsured Californians.  We strongly support the concept of universal health
coverage. 

AB 534 (Thomson)						   	        Watch (HOD) 6/97

Health Care Coverage Expansion Act of 1997.  Would cover more children
through Medi-Cal and create a program for low-income employees and dependents
to provide a basic benefit package.

ACTIONS:	02/24/97		Introduced

			05/06		Assembly Health			P 19-0

			05/19		Assembly Floor			P 52-20

			07/02		Senate Health				P 5-2

			07/16		Senate Insurance			P 5-0

			07/25		Amended

			08/28		Senate Floor				P 21-12

			09/02		Assy. Refused Amend.		F 4-69

			09/03		To Conference Committee

STATUS:				Pending Conference Committee Report (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1112 (Gallegos)							        Watch (HOD) 6/97

California Health Program.  Would provide health coverage to uninsured
Californians through Medi-Cal.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			05/06		Assembly Health			P 19-0

			05/19		Assembly Floor			P 46-25

			06/25		Amended

			07/16		Senate Health				P 6-0

			08/07		Senate Floor				P 21-13

			08/28		Assy. Refused Amend.		F 4-72

			09/02		To Conference Committee

STATUS:				Pending Conference Committee Report (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1126 (Villaraigosa)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Would expand Medi-Cal eligibility, without share of cost, to individuals
under 19 years of age with family incomes at or below 200 % of poverty.
 Important to us because of the number of youth with HIV and AIDS who are not
accessing any medical care because of cost.

	Studies show a correlation between lack of access to primary care and
primary infection for youth.  In California there are 1.7 million youth
through age 18 without insurance.  Recently the San Francisco DPH released
statistics which estimated that there are 4700 young people with HIV in the
city (ages 13-26).  Less than 10% of these youth are enrolled in HIV care.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/14		Amended 				4/14, 4/24, 7/18

			05/06		Assembly Health			P 19-0

			05/19		Assembly Floor			P 48-23

			07/09		Senate Health				P 6-2

			07/25		Senate Floor				P 21-11

			08/11		Assy. Refused Amend.		F 5-72

			08/25		To Conference Committee

			09/13		Both Assy/Sen. Adopts Conf. Comm. Report

			09/22		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

			10/02		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by Secretary of State - Ch. 623, '97 Statutes

AB 1430 (Figueroa)							        Watch (HOD) 6/97

Health Insurance Act of 1998.  Would state the intent of the legislature to
offer low-income people the option of receiving medical care through a basic
insurance package.  Would offer employers lower workers' compensation
insurance rates in return for providing basic health insurance.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			05/06		Assembly Health			P 19-0

			05/20		Assembly Floor			P 66-10

			06/11		Amended					7/29

			07/16		Senate Insurance			P 5-0

			08/29		Senate Floor				P 23-8

			09/05		Assy. Refused Amend.		F 1-70

			09/05		To Conference Committee

STATUS:				Pending Conference Committee Report (Two-Year Bill)

SB 954 (Rosenthal)							        Watch (HOD) 6/97

Health Insurance Access for Children and Families Act of 1997.  Would
establish a program of publicly sponsored health insurance to be provided
through commercial and non-profit providers.  Specifically for working
uninsured residents of California, and to be administered by MRMIP (Managed
Risk Medical Insurance Board).

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/17		amended					6/25, 7/8, 7/9

			04/23		Senate Health Cmte			P 5-2

			06/04		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			06/05		Senate Floor				P 21-15

			07/01		Assembly Health			P 12-4

			08/28		Assembly Floor			P 44-25

			09/02		Senate Refused Amend.		F 0-35

			09/04		To Conference Committee

STATUS:				Pending Conference Committee Report (Two-Year Bill)

Miscellaneous Insurance Issues

AB 49 (Murray) 								      Support (HOD) 2/97

Workers Compensation, Death Benefits & HIV Related Disease:  This bill would
provide that workers' compensation death benefits shall be furnished in the
case of the death of a medical health worker or public safety employee, as
specified, due to HIV related disease, subject to specified conditions.
 Under existing law, a proceeding to collect workers' compensation benefits
for the death of an asbestos worker must be commenced within one year of the
date of death.  This bill would provide that the same time limit applies to a
proceeding to collect those benefits for the death of a medical health worker
or public safety employee, as specified, from an HIV related disease.

	Senate Amendments:  Made the bill applicable to all workers, deleting
specifically "health care workers, public safety employees, or certain
correctional peace officers..."

ACTIONS:	12/02/96		Introduced

			03/20/97		Amended					03/20, 04/23, 8/27, 9/5

			04/01		Assembly Insurance Cmte	P 9-2

			04/16		Assembly Appropriations	P 15-3

			05/05		Assembly Floor Vote		P 70-5

			08/27		Sen. Ind. Relations			P 4-3

			09/05		Senate Appropriations		P 8-4

			09/09		Senate Floor				P 21-12

			09/11		Assy. Adopted Amend.		P 51-27

			09/23		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

STATUS:		10/10		Vetoed by Governor Wilson

AB 489 (Figueroa)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Viatical insurance bill sponsored by APLA, which would allow owners of group
Life Insurance policies to make viatical settlements.

ACTIONS:	02/24/97		Introduced

			06/04		Assembly Floor 			P 75-3

			07/02		Senate Insurance			P 7-0

			07/09		Amended					7/11

			07/18		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			08/11		Senate Floor				P 22-9

			08/28		Assy. Adopted Amend.		P 71-1

			09/04		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

			09/24		Signed by the Governor

STATUS:				Chaptered by the Secretary of State - Ch. 440, '97 Statutes

SB 393 (Rosenthal)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Existing law, which LIFE supported, requires health insurers and plans to
offer and issue health coverage to small employers without any exclusions due
to medical underwriting or other than the employers' willingness to make
premium payments.  Existing law defines small employers as those with 2 to 50
employees.  This bill would extend those guidelines to employers with 51 to
100 employees.

ACTIONS:	2/14/97		Introduced

			04/24		Senate Insurance			P 6-1

			05/12		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			06/05		Senate Floor				P 26-5

			07/10		Amended					7/23

			07/15		Assembly Health			P 13-6

			08/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-8

			09/02		Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

SB 462 (Rosenthal)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Existing law prohibits medical providers from charging patients for clinical
lab tests if the test is not actually perform or supervised in their offices.
 This bill would allow physicians to charge for HIV tests, if the test kit
bought by the doctors includes the cost of the lab fee.

ACTIONS:	2/19/97		Introduced

			04/08		Amended

			04/17		Senate Health Cmte			P 8-0

			04/24		To Senate Appropriations

STATUS:				Pending Senate Appropriations (Two Year Bill)

SB 719 (Johnston)							      Support (HOD) 8/97

Expands COBRA to require health care service plan contract and group
disability insurance contract or policy providing specified coverage to
employers with 2 to 19 eligible employees to offer continuation coverage  to
a qualified beneficiary under the contract upon a qualifying event, i.e.,
termination, etc., without evidence of insurability.  This bill would limit
premiums to a percentage of the rate charged to a covered employee.

ACTIONS:	02/25/97		Introduced

			04/14		Amended					5/6, 7/11, 7/22, 7/23, 9/5

			04/24		Senate Insurance			P 8-0

			04/12		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			05/23		Senate Floor				P 37-0

			07/22		Assembly Health			P 15-0

			08/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 20-0

			09/09		Assembly Floor			P 74-2

			09/11		Sen. Adopted Amendments	P 31-4

			09/19		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

			10/03		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:	10/06		Chaptered by the Secretary of State - Ch. 665, '97 Statutes

SB 1137 (Kopp)								        Watch (HOD) 6/97

Would allow life and disability agents to be licensed as viatical settlement
brokers and would authorize the Insurance Commissioner to adopt conflict of
interest regulations.  Staff is doing research on the provisions in this bill
to require additional education, if any; also checking on conflict of
interest issues.

ACTIONS:	2/28/97		Introduced

			04/09		Amended					4/14, 4/21, 7/7

			04/23		Senate Insurance Cmte		P 8-0

			05/12		Senate Appropriations		P per SR 28.8

			05/22		Senate Floor 				P 38-0	

			07/01		Assembly Insurance		P 15-0

			07/16		Assembly Appropriations	P 21-0

			07/21		Assembly Floor			P 77-0

			08/04		Senate Adopted Amend.		P 38-0

			08/15		Enrolled.  Signed by Gov. Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by. Sec. of State. Ch. 278, `97 Statutes

SB 1262 (Johnston)							        Watch (HOD) 6/97

Existing law authorizes life and disability insurers to decline an insurance
application on the basis of a positive HIV test performed at the discretion
of the insurer on the applicant's blood.  This bill would expand this to
include any test performed by the insurer on any specimen of the applicant.
 Reflects the changes in testing procedures, including oral tests.

ACTIONS:	2/28/97		Introduced

			05/07		Senate Health Cmte			P   7-0

			05/15		Senate Floor Vote			P 32-0

			06/25		Amended					7/17

			07/01		Assembly Insurance		P 15-0

			08/11		Assembly Floor			P 76-0

			08/29		Sen. Adopted Amend.		P 36-0

			09/05		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

			09/25		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by the Secretary of State - Ch. 496, '97 Statutes

Medical Liability Issues

AB 250 (Kuehl)								      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires that the $250,000 limitation on non-economic losses shall NOT apply
if the healthcare provider acted in any of the following ways:  1) consumed
alcohol or illegal drugs that impaired his or her ability to perform
professional services causing injury to the plaintiff; the healthcare
provider has had three or more disciplinary actions taken against him or her;
3) committed sexual abuse or misconduct upon the plaintiff; 4) the injury
resulted from gross negligence; 5) the negligence or misconduct resulted in
death; 6) the injury was to a person under the age of 14 years.

ACTIONS:	02/11/97		Introduced

			05/07		Assembly Judiciary Committee	P 9-4

			05/13		Amended

			05/20		To Assembly Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

AB 1220 (Migden)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires that the $250,000 limitation on non-economic losses shall NOT apply
if the healthcare provider acted in any of the following ways:  1) refused or
delayed evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or made a referral to another
health care provider for the provider's economic benefit; 2) failed to refer
to another health care provider who possessed the requisite skill, training
and expertise; 3) administered an evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment without
possessing the requisite skill, training, or expertise.

ACTIONS:	02/28/97		Introduced

			03/20		To Assembly Judiciary

STATUS:				Pending Assembly Judiciary (Two Year Bill)

Medi-Cal and AFDC Related

AB 426 (Gallegos)							      Support (HOD) 6/97

Requires Medi-Cal to test enrollment information materials for cultural and
linguistic appropriateness and ease of comprehension.  

ACTIONS:	02/20/97		Introduced

			04/15		Assembly Health Committee	P 16-1

			05/01		Amended					5/1, 5/30

			05/28		Assembly Appropriations	P 13-8

			06/03		Assembly Floor			P 65-7

			06/25		Senate Health				F 4-2

			07/02		Senate Health				P 6-0

			07/14		Senate Appropriations		P 8-0

			08/04		To Senate Inactive File

STATUS:				Pending Senate Floor Vote (Two-Year Bill)

SB 163 (Solis)								      Support (HOD) 6/97

Exempts eligible relative caregivers from the 2-year work participation
requirements and the 5-year eligibility limitations contained in new federal
laws. 

ACTIONS:	01/16/97		Introduced

			03/06		Amended 				03/06, 03/31, 6/2, 9/8

			03/12		Senate Health Cmte			P 8-0

			05/29		Senate Appropriations		P 9-2

			06/04		Senate Floor				P 24-10

			09/05		Assembly Health & H.S.	P 6-0

			09/09		Assembly Appropriation		P 21-0

			09/11		Assembly Floor			P 77-1

			09/13		Sen. Adopted Amend.		P 30-0

			09/22		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

			10/09		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by the Secretary of State - Ch. 795, '97 Statutes

Prevention-Related items

AB 995 (Pacheco)								     Opposed (HOD) 6/97

Gassing.  Irate inmates have been known to throw handfuls of fecal matter at
prison guards, an activity known as "gassing."  Originally this bill would
have made gassing an "assault with a deadly weapon".  AB 995 has been amended
to make gassing "aggravated battery"; all references to HIV have been taken
out; the bill does refer to tuberculosis and hepatitis.

ACTIONS:	02/27/97		Introduced

			04/15		Assembly Public Safety 		P 8-0

			04/28		Amended					7/10, 7/21

			05/30		Assembly Appropriations	P 17-4

			06/05		Assembly Floor			P 76-1

			07/15		Senate Public Safety		P 8-0

			08/25		Senate Appropriations		P 11-0

			09/03		Senate Floor				P 34-0

			09/09		Senate Adopted Amendments	P 71-3

			09/17		Enrolled and Sent to the Governor

			09/30		Signed by Governor Wilson

STATUS:				Chaptered by the Secretary of State - Ch. 591, '97 Statutes

SB 274 (Watson)								     Support (HOD) 6/97

Tuberculosis control.  Would authorize DHS to make grants to local health
jurisdictions or joint entities to fund secured housing for recalcitrant
patients to enable local health officers to implement legal orders of
detention for the examination and treatment of tuberculosis.

ACTIONS:	02/05/97		Introduced

			02/13		To Senate Health

STATUS:				Pending Senate Health (Two-Year Bill)Cmte

***********************************************************************

Possible Legislative Positions

SPONSOR:  LIFE to participate in drafting, strategy, lobbying, and
amendments to bill, in conjunction with the author's office and other
sponsors (if any).

Support:  Support of the bill.

Support Seeking Amendment:  Support stands regardless of the fate of
amendments.

Support IF Amended:  Support when amendments are accepted.

Neutral

Watch:  No action, just watching.

Opposed Unless Amended:  Authors and sponsors are notified of LIFE's
opposition unless LIFE's amendments are accepted.

Opposed

No Position 

NOTES

* Two Year Bill -  A bill that has missed legislative deadlines for the
first year of the  two year session; has failed and has been granted
reconsideration; or  has been postponed because of lack of votes or other
reasons.  Two-year bills return early in the second year of the two year
session and  begin the legislative process where they were left off.
  Constitutional Amendments and Resolutions have different deadlines  than
typical Assembly and Senate Bills and as such are usually two  year bills.

* Rule 28.8 - Signifies that a bill has been deemed to have no fiscal impact
and is passed by the Appropriations Committee with out a hearing (Joint Rule
28.8).

This legislative update has been brought to you by LIFE:  California's
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV/AIDS Lobby.  LIFE has been
lobbying on behalf of California's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
HIV-affected communities since 1986.  Our organization is the oldest and
largest institution representing these communities in California's State
Capitol and is proud to celebrate over a decade of service.  If you would
like further information about LIFE's activities, events or membership,
please contact our office at:

LIFE:  California's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & HIV/AIDS Lobby

1301 H Street

Sacramento, California  95814-1906

Phone:  916-444-0424	Fax:  916-444-3059

E-Mail:  [email-masked]	Website:  http://www.lifelobby.org