From: Laurie McBride <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 1997 20:23:23

August 1, 1997  (97-5) 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: HIV/Health Care Policy
Contacts:	                     Eric Astacaan, Legislative Advocate
		Ellen McCormick, Legislative Advocate
		Laurie McBride, Executive Director
		Sam Catalano, Legislative Assistant
LIFE: California's 
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV/AIDS Lobby

1997 PRIORITIES:  1997-98 CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET 
1997 AIDS Budget
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)
BACKGROUND:  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 would now come from General Funds.  In fact, the 
Governor's May Revise budget (updated after budget hearings) now calls 
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 is strongly in 
support of the current budget proposal.  Support  (HOD 2/97)

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.

Centralization of ADAP (Pharmaceutical Benefit Management [PBM] 
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.  Curently: While the full budget accord has not been reached 
as of this date (07/30/97), agreement has been reached favoring 
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)

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.

AB 889 (Gallegos)			Oppose Unless Amended 
Expanding and speeding up the addition of newly approved drugs to the 
ADAP formulary.  Current law requires that all HIV therapies are 
included on the Medi-Cal formulary, and all newly approved drugs are 
added automatically. Thus Medi-Cal recipients have access to the full 
range of therapies for the treatment of HIV.
     Under the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), however, the drug
formulary of existing drugs is limited, and the addition of newly 
approved
drugs is not automatic.  Adding new therapies to the ADAP formulary is a
prolonged process, involving review by a medical advisory committee and 
cost neutrality studies by the Department of Health Services and 
Department of Finance.  
      AB 889 would expand the existing ADAP formulary by requiring the
program to give any drug available to any eligible person with certain
provisions.
     Opponents feel that enactment of this bill could actually damage, 
even bankrupt ADAP since, unlike Medi-Cal, ADAP has limited funds.  
Once funds run out, there is no mandate in place that would require 
the state or federal government to continue the program.  Even a 
temporary interruption in the accessibility of ADAP drugs would 
endanger thousands of Californians.  Until the funding mechanism is 
worked out, LIFE's House of Delegates continues to oppose.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 967  (Migden) 				 Support 
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.
STATUS:		Vetoed by Governor

1997 PRIORITIES:  DISABILITY DETERMINATIONS/INSURANCE

AB 1052 (Villaraigosa)			Support
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.
STATUS:	05/21	Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 1099 (Migden) 				Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 1137 (Ducheny)				Watch
Similar to AB 1052 by Villaraigosa.  This bill is still in Assembly 
Health
Committee.

SB 495 (Rosenthal)				Support
Would increase weekly benefit cap to $490 from $336 for disability 
periods beginning 01/01/98.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Floor

SB 964 (Knight)				Oppose 
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.
STATUS:		Stalled in Senate Industrial Relations

SB 1035 (Polanco)				Support 
Sets up a pilot project 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; it needed 2/3 
vote
to pass.  The 6/4 amendment made it a majority vote bill.  It passed 
upon reconsideration.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

1997 PRIORITIES:  ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE & SERVICES/ MANAGED CARE

AB 7 (Brown)				Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

AB 12 (Figueroa)				Support 
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. 
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 38 (Figueroa)				Support 
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 caesarean section.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

AB 269  (Ortiz)				Support 
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 the some assurances that proper care is available.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Insurance - Taken off Calendar

AB 341 (Sweeney)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 434 (Gallegos)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Insurance

AB 497 (Wildman)				Support 
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 .
STATUS:		Pending Senate Insurance, Hearing Set: 08/20/97

AB 536 (Gallegos)		`	Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 663 (Ortiz)				Support
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, would develop public health 
capacity standards to evaluate each counties "disease control 
capability".  Any county that fails the evaluation would be eligible, 
based on demonstrated financial need, to receive state funding.  There 
is no funding mechanism tied to this bill.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 794 (Figueroa)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 1100 (Thomson and Perata)			Support 
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.  
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 1208 (Migden)				Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Health Cmte

AB 1298 (Villaraigosa)			Support
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.   
STATUS:	Pending Senate Appropriations

AB 1341 (Alquist)				Support 
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.
STATUS:   		Pending Senate Appropriations

SB 253 (Burton) 				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

SB 324 (Rosenthal)				Support 
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. 
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

1997 PRIORITIES:  HIV PREVENTION/ EDUCATION/ HARM REDUCTION

AB 600 (Kuehl) 				Support
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 counselling; 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. 
STATUS:		Pending Senate Cmte

AB 818 (Martinez)				Support 
Existing law requires prenatal care providers to offer HIV testing to
pregnant women (along with counselling 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 counselling.  LIFE asked the 
author
to drop the home testing provisions, which was done 5/1.  
STATUS:		Pending Senate Health

AB 881 (Runner)				Oppose 
Would require every general acute care hospital to test every newborn;
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.
STATUS:	Pending Assembly Health Cmte, No hearing date scheduled - Two 
Year Bill

SB 560 (Hayden)				Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

SB 862 (Lee)			Support If Amended 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Cmte

SB 885 (Watson)				Support 
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.  
STATUS:	05/19	Pending Assembly Appropriations

SB 1007 (Vasconcellos) 			Support
Comprehensive Statewide Plan for Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS:  
To 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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

SB 1110 (Leslie)				Oppose 
Positive Parental Consent 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.  Further prohibitions on such discussions in general school 
assemblies even by school personnel without positive parental 
permission.  Also adds emphasis on monogamy and other virtues to 
existing emphasis on abstinence.  Changes requirement for instruction 
on compassion for people with AIDS to compassion for "anyone with a 
debilitating handicap(s) and/or terminal disease."  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.
STATUS:		Assembly Appropriations

SB 1301 (Leslie)				Oppose 
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.
STATUS:		Stalled in Senate Judiciary Cmte

1997 PRIORITIES:  MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA

AB 610 (Margett)				Oppose 
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.
STATUS:	Pending hearings in Assembly Health & Assembly Agriculture - Two 
year bill

SB 535 (Vasconcellos) 			Support 
Would create a Marijuana Research Program.  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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

HIV, THE PRISONS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

AB 29 (Villaraigosa) 				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

SB 705  (Rainey)				Oppose
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.  
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

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
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

AB 1112 (Gallegos)				Watch 
California Health Program.  Would provide health coverage to uninsured
Californians through Medi-Cal. 
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

AB 1126 (Villaraigosa)		    	Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Concurrence

AB 1430 (Figueroa)				Watch
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

SB 954 (Rosenthal)				Watch
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).
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Floor

MISC INSURANCE ISSUES

AB 49 (Murray) 				Support 
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.  
STATUS:	Pending Senate Industrial Relations - Two Year Bill

AB 489 (Figueroa)				Support 
Viatical insurance bill sponsored by APLA, which would allow owners of
group Life Insurance policies to make viatical settlements.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

SB 393 (Rosenthal)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Appropriations

SB 462 (Rosenthal)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations - Two Year Bill

SB 1137 (Kopp)				Watch
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Concurrence

SB 1262 (Johnston)				Watch
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Floor

MEDICAL LIABILITY ISSUES

AB 250 (Kuehl)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Assembly Inactive File

AB 1220 (Migden)				Support
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.
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Judiciary Cmte - Two Year Bill

MEDI-CAL AND AFDC RELATED

AB 426 (Gallegos)				Support 
Requires Medi-Cal to test enrollment information materials for cultural 
and linguistic appropriateness and ease of comprehension.  
STATUS:		Pending Senate Floor

SB 163 (Solis)				Support 
Exempts eligible relative caregivers from the 2-year work participation
requirements and the 5-year eligibility limitations contained in new
federal laws. 
STATUS:		Pending Assembly Desk

PREVENTION-RELATED ITEMS

AB 995 (Pacheco)				Oppose
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Appropriations

SB 274 (Watson)				Support 
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.
STATUS:		Pending Senate Health 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.
Oppose Unless Amended:  Authors and sponsors are notified of LIFE's
opposition unless LIFE's amendments are accepted.
Oppose
No Position 
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