ALRP. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO
THIS MORNING'S ASSEMBLY BUSINESS
AND PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEE
HEARING BILL AS LONG AS YOU
DON'T KEEP ON WALKING OUT OF THE
EXIT. PERFECT YOU HAVE A BINDER.
GOOD SIGN. WE HAVE 12 BILLS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA. PLEASE NOTE THAT
A BEFORE 81. CARILLO 89 13
PETRIE-NORRIS AND MAYBE 12 OH,
FOUR HOLDEN HAVE BEEN REMOVED
FROM TODAY'S HEARING AGENDA AND
WILL REMAIN ELIGIBLE TO BE HEARD
ON ANOTHER DATE. WE ALSO HAVE
THE FOLLOWING FOUR BILLS ON
CONSENT A B 602 BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S PELLERIN. MAYBE
6 23 BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S CHIN.
MAYBE 9 36 BY SOME MEMBER WOULD
AND A B 16 10 BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JOHN SAWYER.
FOR EACH BILL BEING PRESENTED
TODAY. WE WILL BE ALLOWING
PRIMARY WITNESSES HERE IN THE
ROOM TODAY TO SPEAK FOR UP TO
TWO MINUTES EACH WITH UP TO TWO
PRIMARY WITNESSES PER SIDE. ANY
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES WILL BE
LIMITED TO NAME POSITION ON THE
BILL IN THE ORGANIZATION THEY
REPRESENT, IF ANY, FOR THOSE
WISHING TO PROVIDE FURTHER
COMMENTS WERE ACCEPTING WRITTEN
TESTIMONY THROUGH THE POSITION
LETTER PORTAL ON THE COMMITTEE'S
WEBSITE. WITH THAT WE'RE GOING
TO BEGIN TODAY'S HEARING AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE AND I SEE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER HEART. WITH AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER FIVE. MAYBE 6 87. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT, SIR, YOU
ARE MORE THAN WELCOME.
THIS THIS BILL? ENJOYS A
SUPPORT. UH, SUPPORT SUPPORT.
BOTH SIDES. THAT'S A GREAT BILL.
YEAH. JUST HIT THE TIME. IT
MIGHT TAKE A SECOND TO URGE. I
NEED A HIP. RIGHT. THERE WE GO.
THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. I'M PLEASED TO
PRESENT A B 6 87 A MEASURE TO
HELP CITIES AND COUNTIES BETTER
TRACK. AND REGULATE CANNABIS
ACTIVITY PROPOSITION 64 PASSED
BY THE VOTERS IN 2016
ESTABLISHED THE STATE'S CANNABIS
TRACK AND TRACE SYSTEM. THE
SOFTWARE TRACKS COMMERCIAL
CANNABIS ACTIVITY FROM SEED TO
SALE AND CAN PROVIDE KEY DATA
FOR ENFORCEMENT AND DETERRENCE
OF ILLEGAL SALES AND CULTIVATION
. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO ARE
OFTEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF
ENFORCEMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, DO
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS CRITICAL
DATA SET. THEY MUST EITHER
REPLICATE CANNABIS DATA DIRECTLY
FROM LICENSEES OR REGULATE WITH
LIMITED INFORMATION MAKING
REGULATING CANNABIS, COSTLY AND
INEFFICIENT. A B 6 87 WILL
DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF
CANNABIS CONTROL TO PROVIDE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACCESS TO THE
STATES TRACK AND TRACE DATA IN
REAL TIME. THE MEASURE ENSURES
THE DATA IS SHARED WITH PUBLIC
AGENCIES THAT CAN AGGREGATE
ANALYZE AND PROVIDE NECESSARY
SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
TACKLE ILLEGAL CANNABIS GROWS
SPEAKING SUPPORTED THE BILL WITH
ME TODAY ARE GREG TURNER,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS AUTHORITY, AND
ELIZABETH ESPINOSA, REPRESENTING
THE COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA.
GREAT READY WHEN YOU ARE TWO
MINUTES FOR WITNESS THANKS THANK
YOU, MR CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS GREG TURNER ON THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND COUNSEL
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS AUTHORITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY AND THANK YOU WITH SOME
WOMAN HARD FOR CARRYING THE
BILL. UM A IS A JOINT POWERS
AUTHORITY. WE RECREATED BY
CALIFORNIA COUNTIES FOR THE
PURPOSE OF PROVIDING TOOLS TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO BE ABLE TO
BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE
EFFICIENT IN THEIR REGULATORY
AND TAX PROGRAMS. WE DO THAT
PREDOMINANTLY THROUGH A DATA
ANALYTICS PLATFORM WHERE WE TAKE
IN CANNABIS RELATED
TRANSACTIONAL DATA, AND THEN
PROVIDE THAT SIFT THROUGH THAT
RAW DATA. UM AND THEN PROVIDE
THAT IN A WAY TO LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS. UM WHICH IS
PRIORITIZE. UM, UM UH IT IS.
IT'S ANALYZING, PRIORITIZED FOR
THEM SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS
THEIR RESOURCES ON THOSE ACTORS
THAT ARE FURTHEST OUTSIDE. THE
UH, PARAMETERS OF EITHER STATE
OR LOCAL REGULATIONS. SO WE
PROVIDE THAT IN A CLOUD BASED
SECURITY SYSTEM. UM AND, UH, IT
IS PROVIDED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
THAT HAVE A USER LEVEL ACCESS TO
THE DATA FOR JURISDICTIONAL
SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO THEM. 86
87 WOULD ALLOW US TO GET ACCESS
TO DELIVERY RELATED ZIP CODE
INFORMATION, WHICH IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FROM BOTH THE TAX
ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY
PERSPECTIVE, AS WELL AS A LARGER
DATA SET UP TRACK AND TRACE
DATA. SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIRMAN MEMBERS ELIZABETH
ESPINOSA HERE THIS MORNING ON
BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS IN THE COUNTY OF
SANTA BARBARA FOR CONTEXT THAT
COUNTY SANTA BARBARA HAS ISSUED
MORE ACTIVE CANNABIS CULTIVATION
LICENSES THAN ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION IN THE STATE,
REPRESENTING MORE THAN 20% OF
THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN
THE STATE. AS SUCH, IT'S
CRITICAL FOR ART COUNTY TO HAVE
ACCESS. THE TIMELY, ACCURATE AND
LOCATION SPECIFIC DATA ABOUT
LOCAL COMMERCIAL CANNABIS
ACTIVITIES. UM, IN THE INTEREST
OF TIME, I'LL FINISH BY THANKING
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HEART FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP ON THIS MEASURE THAT
WILL FACILITATE LOGO, LOCAL
GOVERNMENT REAL TIME ACCESS TO
TRACK AND TRACE DATA DATA THAT
IS EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT FOR
EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT LOCAL
CANNABIS REGULATION. UM AS WELL
AS HELPING MORE FULLY INFORMED
CANNABIS POLICY AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL. I THINK THE COMMITTEE FOR
YOUR POSITIVE CONSIDERATION OF
THIS MEASURE AND URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT A B 687 THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, AND ALL TURNED
OVER TO ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES
AND OPPOSITION ARE THERE ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES AND OPPOSITION
IN THE HEARING ROOM SEEING NONE
. NOW WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE
PUBLIC FOR THE ADD ONS ANYBODY
WANT TO ADD ON TO THE BILL IN
SUPPORT OF MAYBE 6 87. ANYBODY
HERE TO ADD ON AND SUPPORT
SEEING NONE. ANYBODY WHO WANTS
TO ADD ON AN OPPOSITION BABY 6
87. SEEING NONE. WE'RE GOING TO
BRING IT BACK TO COLLEAGUES FOR
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE
BILL. COLLEAGUES ANY QUESTIONS
THE COFFEE HASN'T KICKED IN YET
. JUST GIVE HIM A LITTLE TIME.
UM BUT WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO SOME MEMBER HEART. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE WOULD SIMPLY
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS AND I VOTE
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORD, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE SOME
GUARDRAILS WOULD BE USEFUL TO
ENSURE THAT THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS AUTHORITY AND OTHER
LOCAL AGENCIES DON'T HAVE
UNFETTERED ACCESS TO TRACK AND
TRACE DATA FOR CITIES AND
COUNTIES THAT THEY DON'T
REPRESENT. I WILL BE HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THE BILL TODAY WHEN WE
HAVE A QUORUM. UM, SO AS SOON AS
IT HAPPENS, I'M SURE WE'LL GET A
MOTION IN A SECOND AND WE'LL
VOTE ON THE BILL. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
TWO IT BEFORE 20 BY A SEVEN
MEMBER AGUIAR-CURRY. I'M
GUESSING THAT'S NOT BY ACCIDENT.
THE BILL NUMBER UM NO WELL DONE.
YOUR YOUR INTERNS FOR STANDING
IN LINE. YEAH. NO, YOU WOULDN'T.
YEAH. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WE'RE
READY WHEN YOU ARE. EVERYBODY
HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR THIS
MORNING. IT'S GONNA BE A LONG
DAY GANG. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
BERMAN AND MEMBERS AND I ALSO
LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR
THIS AND THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR
ALL THEIR WORK ON THIS. THIS
BILL CLARIFIES THAT THE
MEDICINAL AND ADULT USE CANNABIS
REGULATION AND SAFETY ACT DOES
NOT PROHIBIT CANNABIS LICENSEE
FROM MANUFACTURING. DISTRIBUTING
OR SELLING PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN
INDUSTRIAL, HEMP OR HEMP DERIVED
COMPOUNDS OR EXTRACTS. HEMP AND
MARIJUANA ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF
THE CANNABIS FAMILY, BUT HEMP IS
A TYPICALLY NON INTOXICATING AND
HAS HIGHER LEVELS OF CBD. GIVEN
THE SIMILARITIES MANY OF THE
PRODUCTS MADE USING HEMP AND
CANNABIS OR MANUFACTURERS USING
THE SIMILAR PROCESSES AND THE
PRODUCTS ARE SIMILAR TO FOR
EXAMPLE, CBD PRODUCTS CAN BE
MADE FROM HEMP OR CANNABIS AND
ARE VERY POPULAR AMONG
CONSUMERS. CBD IS NON
INTOXICATING OR HABIT FOR ME AND
PROVIDES RELIEF FROM PAIN,
INFLAMMATION, ANXIETY, INSOMNIA
AND OTHER CONDITIONS. CBD
PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM HIM ARE
WIDELY AVAILABLE ONLINE AND
GROCERY STORES, GAS STATIONS,
GYMS AND OTHER COMMON RETAIL
LOCATIONS. HOWEVER CBD IS USED
IS ALSO USED IN MANY CANNABIS
PRODUCTS, BUT CANNABIS
MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND
RETAILERS CAN ONLY WORK WITH
CANNABIS DERIVED CBD. CANNABIS
DERIVED CBD AS MUCH MORE
EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT BECAUSE IT
IS SUBJECT TO STRICT DIRECT
REGULATION AND CANNABIS
TYPICALLY HAS A LOWER CBD
CONTENT. THIS PUTS CANNABIS
LICENSES AT A DISADVANTAGE WHEN
SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS
RESTRICTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE
STRUGGLE OF CANNABIS LICENSES TO
STAY AFLOAT AS THEY COMPETE WITH
THE ILLEGAL MARKET. MAYBE 4 20
WILL ENHANCE THE VIABILITY OF
LEGAL CANNABIS LICENSES IN THE
MARKETPLACE BY AUTHORIZING
LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE,
MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTE AND SELL
HEMP AND HEMP DERIVED CBD AND
OTHER PRODUCTS IN COMPLIANCE
WITH CURRENT LAW. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS, STATE AGENCIES AND
COMMITTEE STAFF. AS WE ADDRESS
CONCERNS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO
IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES WITH ME
TODAY ARE PAMELA EPSTEIN,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION,
AND KAREN WOODSON FROM KIVA
CONFECTIONS. GREAT READY
WHENEVER Y'ALL ARE TWO MINUTES
PER WITNESS AND SUPPORT GOOD
MORNING, MR CHAIRMAN. OH, THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS. THANK YOU TO THE
ASSEMBLY WOMAN FOR HER WORK ON
THIS ISSUE. MY NAME IS PAMELA
EPSTEIN AND THE CHIEF LEGAL AND
REGULATORY OFFICER FOR EDEN
ENTERPRISES. EDEN HOLDS CANNABIS
LICENSES FOR RETAIL DISTRIBUTION
AND MANUFACTURING. I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION AS
OUR BOARD PRESIDENT. A
REPRESENTS SEVERAL 100 LICENSED
CANNABIS BUSINESSES AND
ANCILLARY COMPANIES ACROSS
CALIFORNIA SEA. CIA AND SEVERAL
OTHER CANNABIS TRADE
ASSOCIATIONS HAVE CONSISTENTLY
SUPPORTED THE INTEGRATION OF
HAMP CANNABINOIDS INTO THE
CANNABIS SUPPLY CHAIN BY
LICENSES SPECIFICALLY TO
INCORPORATE HAM CANNABINOIDS
LIKE CBD IN MANUFACTURED
CANNABIS GOODS TO MANUFACTURE
HIM PRODUCTS WITHIN THEIR
FACILITIES. AND TO SELL HAND
PRODUCTS WITHIN LICENSED
DISPENSARIES. EXISTING CANNABIS
LAWS ARE WELL SUITED TO
ACCOMMODATE HEMP PRODUCTS, AND
THE LEGAL INDUSTRY WOULD BENEFIT
SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND PRODUCT
OFFERING. CALIFORNIA'S LEGAL
CANNABIS MARKET IS STRUGGLING
OPERATORS ARE BEING PUSHED TO
THE BRINK OF THEIR EXISTENCE. AT
THE SAME TIME, THE ILLICIT
MARKET CONTINUES TO GAIN MARKET
SHARE PROPOSITION 64 WAS
INTENDED TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR LEGAL OPERATORS WHILE
WORKING TO SUBVERT THE ILLICIT
MARKET. UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE FAR
FROM ACHIEVING THAT REALITY. THE
INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BE
CHALLENGED BY A LACK OF ACCESS
TO RETAIL, EXCESSIVELY HIGH AND
COMPLEX TAXES AND COSTLY
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
LICENSED DISPENSARIES ARE ALSO
SEEING THE SALES OF INTOXICATING
HEMP PRODUCTS EAT INTO THEIR
BOTTOM LINE, ESTIMATING LOSSES
OF AROUND 30% OFTEN THESE
PRODUCTS ARE DESIGNED TO BE
ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN AND ARE
MANUFACTURED USING HEAVY METALS
AND RESIDUAL SOLVENTS WITHOUT
FINAL FORM PRODUCT TESTING.
UNFORTUNATELY THE LACK OF
ENFORCEMENT AND THE EASE OF
ACCESSIBILITY OF THESE HEMP
PRODUCTS HARMS NOT ONLY
REGULATED BUSINESSES. BUT
DEPRIVES THE STATE OF GENERATED
TAX REVENUE PROMISED BY PROP 64
17 REGULATED CANNABIS STATES
ALREADY PROVIDE AUTHORIZATION
FOR THE INTEGRATION OF HEMP
CANNABINOIDS INTO THEIR CANNABIS
SUPPLY CHAIN METRIC ARE STATES
TRACK AND TRACE SYSTEM IS
FAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNICAL
INTEGRATION NEEDS. IN FACT, NINE
OF THOSE 17 STATES USE METRIC TO
MEET THEIR TRACK AND TRACE
REQUIREMENTS. AND IF YOU COULD
WRAP UP WHEN YOU GET A SECOND,
THAT'D BE GREAT. ABSOLUTELY AH,
THE M A. U. C R S A IS ALREADY
SET UP TO MANAGE JULIUS
FACILITIES WITH C GMP
MANUFACTURERS MANUFACTURE THESE
PRODUCTS CBD ONLY. AND FOR THESE
REASONS C C I A IS PROUD TO
SUPPORT A B 4 20 URGE YOUR I
VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN FOR THE LEADERSHIP
AND COURAGE THAT BRINGS US HERE
TODAY. MY NAME IS KAREN WOODSON
WITH KIVA CONFECTIONS, AND I'M
ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS
MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION. MY
REMARKS WILL BE BRIEF. I
PROMISE. I AM HERE TO TESTIFY
THAT MANUFACTURERS LIKE KIVA
WOULD BENEFIT GREATLY FROM THE
OPTION OF TO USE HAMP DRIVE
CANNABINOIDS, A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF CUBA'S PRODUCTS.
QUEUES USE MINOR CANNABINOIDS
LIKE CBN AND CBD TO CREATE A
TAILORED EXPERIENCE FOR OUR
CONSUMER, BUT IT'S A COSTLY TO
SOURCE THESE MINOR CANNABINOIDS
FROM THE CLOSED LOOP CANNABIS
MARKET. AND THOSE COSTS ARE
RISING AS WE START TO SEE
CONTRACTION IN THE CULTIVATION
SECTOR, ACCORDING TO KHIVA ZONE
INNOVATION TEAM, A PRODUCT MADE
WITH HEMP CANNABINOIDS, BUT ON
AVERAGE COSTS AROUND $20, BUT
THAT SAME PRODUCTS SOURCED FROM
CANNABIS DERIVED CANNABINOIDS
COST THE CONSUMER $24.20 PERCENT
SAVINGS COULD BE PASSED ON TO
CONSUMERS. AND HELP MAKE OUR
PRODUCTS A BIT MORE COMPETITIVE
AGAINST ILLICIT SALES. IN
ADDITION TO THE INTEGRATION
MATTER, WE ALSO SUPPORT EFFORTS
TO INCREASE ENFORCEMENT AGAINST
THE PROLIFERATION OF
INTOXICATING HELP MARKETS OR
HEMP PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE SEEING
ON THE MARKET. TODAY 84 20
REPRESENTS AN ABSOLUTE STEP IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND I
STRONGLY URGE YOUR SUPPORT
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
VERY MUCH ANALYSIS TURNED OVER
TO ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION. ARE THERE ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL IN THE HEARING ROOM
TODAY? SEEING NONE. LET'S CHANGE
IT OVER TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD ON
IN SUPPORT OF A BEFORE 20. THIS
MORNING. AND THEY WANT TO ADD ON
SUPPORT, SAYING NONE. ANYONE WHO
WANTS TO ADD ON AN OPPOSITION
SEEING NONE. WE'RE GOING TO
BRING IT BACK TO COLLEAGUES FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. ANY CALL
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
COLLEAGUES SEEING NONE WERE
STILL A SUBCOMMITTEE. UM SO WE
DON'T HAVE EMOTIONS OR SECONDS
YET, BUT SOMETHING MEMBER WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I SIMPLY
ASKED FOR YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR A B 4 20 QUÊ VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR WHAT IS
TURNING OUT TO BE YEARS OF
LEADERSHIP ON THIS TOPIC. I
UNDERSTAND THERE'S STILL A BIT
OF A LONG ROAD TO GO IN. THIS
BILL IS CURRENTLY MORE OF A
VEHICLE FOR THOSE FURTHER
DISCUSSIONS WILL BE SUPPORTING
THE BOAT TODAY TO ALLOW THOSE
DISCUSSIONS TO CONTINUE AND LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING THE BILL
FLUSHED OUT MORE. AS IT MOVES
THROUGH THE PROCESS AND
APPRECIATE ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND WHEN WE GET THE CHANCE, I'M
SURE WE'LL HAVE EMOTION IN A
SECOND. THANK YOU. THANKS.
SO NEXT UP, WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER EIGHT UH, MAYBE 12 44 BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HOLDEN. AND FOR
THOSE WHO MIGHT BE CURIOUS, WE
GO IN FILE ORDER. UM AND SO WE
HAVE TO. WE STICK WITH THAT SOME
MEMBER HOLDEN READY WHENEVER YOU
ARE.
THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIR AND COMMITTEE. UM TODAY,
I'M PRESENTING A B 12 44 BILL
THAT WOULD REQUIRE QUALIFIED
MANAGER UNDER THE PRIVATE
INVESTIGATOR ACT AND THE PRIVATE
SECURITY SERVICES ACT TO HOLD A
CURRENT AND VALID QUALIFIED
MANAGERS CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY
THE DIRECTOR OF CONSUMER
AFFAIRS. ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU
, SECURITY INVESTIGATIVE
SERVICES. THERE HAVE BEEN A
NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE THE
BUREAU HAS CITED MULTIPLE
COMPANIES BECAUSE OF THE
BEHAVIOR OF A SINGLE QUALIFIED
MANAGER WHO MOVES FROM COMPANY
TO COMPANY. THROUGH THE
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS. THE
BUREAU CAN DISCIPLINE THE
COMPANY BUT NOT THE QUALIFIED
MANAGER INDIVIDUALLY. SO THE
PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONDUCT THAT LEAD TO FORMAL
DISCIPLINE OF THE COMPANY IS
ABLE TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER
COMPANY WITHOUT A RECORD OF THE
DISCIPLINE. I WANT TO ADDRESS
THE CLOSING STATEMENT THAT WAS
MADE IN THE ANALYSIS REGARDING
THE NEED FOR THE BILL. EXISTING
LAW ALLOWS SOMEONE WITH A
QUALIFIED MANAGER DESIGNATION TO
BE ASSOCIATED TO MULTIPLE
LICENSES. LICENSES. WHILE
EXISTING LAW ESTABLISHES
RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR
QUALIFIED MANAGERS, DISCIPLINARY
ACTION CANNOT BE TAKEN
UNQUALIFIED MANAGERS
INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE THE
DESIGNATION AS A LIFETIME
DESIGNATION AND NOT SUBJECT TO
DISCIPLINE THIS RESULTS IN
SITUATIONS WHERE THE BUREAU
SITES OR REVOKES COMPANY LICENSE
AND THE QUALIFIED MANAGER IS
STILL FREE TO ASSOCIATE TO
ANOTHER EXISTING LICENSE WITHOUT
A RECORD OF DISCIPLINE. AND IN
WITTINGLY CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE
ANY WAY TO DISCOVER THAT QUALITY
THAT A QUALIFIED MANAGER MAY
HAVE HAD DISCIPLINARY OR
PERFORMANCE ISSUES. MY OFFICE
HAS ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
LICENSE INVESTIGATORS. THEY HAVE
HIGHLIGHTED SOME AREAS OF
CONCERN REGARDING THE BILL. AS B
S. I S AND CAL. CALLIE CONTINUE
TO TALK. I'M CONFIDENT. THAT OUR
MUTUAL AGREEABLE RESOLUTION WILL
BE REACHED. JOINING ME, UH,
THERE HE IS. OKAY, LIKE. HE'S ON
HIS WAY. KELLI JENNSEN,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED SECURITY
AGENCIES, GUARDS AND ASSOCIATES
, I ASKED FOR I VOTE. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S UH, TWO MINUTES
. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN, KELLI JENNSEN,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION, LICENSED SECURITY
GUARDS AND AGENCIES. THIS IS THE
TRILOGY OF BILLS THAT WE HAVE
WORKED WITH MR HOLDEN ON OVER
THE YEARS. THAT HAS ADDED, UM
ADDITIONAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
, ADDITIONAL REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS AND NOW ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFIED
MANAGERS WERE VERY PROUD OF THAT
SECURITY GUARD INDUSTRY IS
REGULATED IN SUCH A WAY IN
CALIFORNIA. WE ARE THE TOP OF
THE HEAP AS IT RELATES TO
REGULATION IN THE NATION. VERY
PROUD OF THAT. UM WITH, UM YOU
KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF SECURITY
GUARDS IN CALIFORNIA. IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THOSE
REGULATORY STATUTES IN PLACE. SO
WE ASKED FOR AN I VOTE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH ANY, UH
PRIMARY WITNESSES AND OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL. YOU WANT TO PRESENT
TWO MINUTES PER. PRIMARY WITNESS
IN OPPOSITION. PLEASE GO AHEAD
AND YOU CAN SIT IN THE FRONT IF
YOU WANT OR OR STAND AT THE MIC.
WHATEVER YOUR PREFERENCE, I CAN
STAND HERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. UM, GOOD
MORNING CHAIR. GOOD MORNING
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
ME TO TESTIFY. MY NAME IS
FRANCIS TAYLOR. I'M A PAST
PRESIDENT AND CURRENT GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS CHAIR OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED
INVESTIGATORS. ALTHOUGH WE
REALLY SUPPORT THE CONSUMER
PROTECTION THAT WE KNOW EXISTS
IN AND WHAT WAS STATED HERE
EARLIER, BUT THIS BILL WOULD
CREATE A DOUBLE LICENSOR FOR
MANY OF OUR MEMBERS. THE WAY OUR
SCHEME IS SET UP IS THAT I AM A
QM OF MY OWN AGENCY, SO I
SUPERVISED MYSELF. AND THIS BILL
WOULD AS WRITTEN WOULD REQUIRE
ME TO PAY TWO FEES. WENT FOR
ACUTE QUALIFIED MANAGER AND ONE
FOR MYSELF. WE UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE'S A NEED AND THERE'S SOME
PROBLEMS AND THEN THOSE NEED TO
BE CORRECTED. AND WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SITUATION IS
NOT THE INTENT OF THE BILL, AND
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE
REGULATORY AGENCIES IN THE
AUTHOR, AND SO FORTH THAT WE
BELIEVE THERE'LL BE A
RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS FRANK HUNTINGTON'S. I'M
HONORED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF
THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
LICENSE INVESTIGATORS WHAT SHE
SAID. UM NO, WE WERE WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
ASSEMBLYMAN AND BUREAU. KELLY
HAS ALWAYS HAD AN OUTSTANDING
RELATIONSHIP. THE BUREAU OF
SECURITY INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES
WERE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THEM
TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, AND I'M
VERY CONFIDENT WE CAN COME UP
WITH A GOOD RESOLUTION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY UM
I ANY WITNESSES IN THE PUBLIC
YOU WANT TO ADD ON AND SUPPORT
OF THE BILL? SEEING NONE. ANY
WITNESSES IN THE PUBLIC WANT TO
ADD ON AN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL. SEEING THAT I'LL BRING IT
BACK TO COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS. NO QUESTIONS. NO
COMMENTS. UM WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? SOME OF THEM ARE HOLDING
WHEN YOU HAVE A QUORUM I RESPECT
FOR LAST YEAR I HAVE A LOOK.
THANK YOU, SIR. AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK IN THIS
AREA TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITIES
ARE PROTECTED BY EXPERIENCED AND
TRAINED PROFESSIONALS. AS HAS
BEEN DISCUSSED. I'M AWARE
OPPOSITION HAS APPROACHED YOUR
OFFICE TO SHARE CONCERNS WITH
THE BILL. APPRECIATE YOUR
OPENNESS AND WILLINGNESS AND
HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH TO TRY
TO WORK OUT ANY CONCERNS THAT
FOLKS HAVE. UM AND WITH THAT,
I'LL BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE
BILL WHEN WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU REMEMBER?
ALRIGHT. SOME MEMBER FRIEDMAN.
YOU'VE GOT AGENDA ITEM 10 A B 13
99.
GOOD. GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I WANT TO
THANK YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK
ON THIS BILL AND I'M ACCEPTING
THE SUGGESTED COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS RAISED IN THE
ANALYSIS. CALIFORNIA REGULATIONS
REQUIRE VETERINARIANS TO CONDUCT
NEW IN PERSON EXAMINATIONS EACH
TIME THAT AN ANIMAL EVEN A
REGULAR LONGTIME PATIENT OF THE
VET HAS A NEW CONCERN. EVEN
MINOR AND EXTREMELY COMMON
AILMENTS AND PROBLEMS SUCH AS
SKIN ISSUES OR FLEAS OR FOR
ROUTINE PRESCRIPTIONS. THIS IS
BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
CURRENT LAW REQUIRES THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A VETERINARY
VETERINARIAN, CLIENT PATIENT
RELATIONSHIP, OR V C P. R FOR
EVERY NEW MEDICAL CONDITION OF A
PET. A B 13 99 WOULD ALLOW FOR A
VETERINARIAN CLIENT PATIENT
RELATIONSHIP TO BE ESTABLISHED
THROUGH EITHER AN IN PERSON OR
REAL TIME VIDEO COMMUNICATION,
CREATING A LIFELINE TO
VETERINARY CARE FOR PET OWNERS
WHO FACE FINANCIAL, GEOGRAPHIC
OR LOGISTICAL OBSTACLES TO BRING
THEIR PET INTO OF THAT
PHYSICALLY. AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE
HUMAN HEALTH CARE FIELD,
TELEHEALTH CAN HELP BRIDGE GAPS
IN CARE CREATED BY WORKFORCE
SHORTAGES OR OTHER BARRIERS TO
HEALTHCARE ACCESS. AMIDST THE
ONGOING VETERINARY WORKFORCE
SHORTAGE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 75
MILLION PETS IN THE U. S. COULD
BE WITHOUT VETERINARY CARE BY
2030 IF WE DO NOT UPDATE OUR
APPROACH TO PROVIDING THESE
SERVICES UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON
DATA FROM THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL, THE U. S.
CENSUS BUREAU, ESRI AND THE
AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION. THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA HAS A FALLING,
FAILING VETERINARY CARE
ACCESSIBILITY SCORE OF 47 OUT OF
100. THE BILL WOULD ALSO
ESTABLISHED PARAMETERS FOR THE
PRACTICE OF VETERINARY
TELEHEALTH TO ENSURE THAT IT'S
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WHEN IT'S
USED IN THE TREATMENT OF
ANIMALS. THESE PARAMETERS
INCLUDE THE VETERINARIAN MUST BE
LICENSED BY THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES SOUND
PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT TO
DETERMINE WHETHER USING
VETERINARY TELEHEALTH IS AN
APPROPRIATE METHOD FOR
DELIVERING MEDICAL ADVICE,
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT TO THE
PATIENT. IN THAT INSTANCE,
PROVIDE QUALITY OF CARE
CONSISTENT WITH PREVAILING
VETERINARY MEDICAL BEST
PRACTICES. AND BE ABLE TO REFER
THE CLIENT TO A LOCAL
VETERINARIAN WHO MAY BE ABLE TO
SEE THE PATIENT IN PERSON UPON
REQUEST OF THE CLIENT. TO BE
CLEAR. TELEHEALTH IS AN
EFFECTIVE TOOL AND TREATING
ANIMALS, BUT IT WILL NOT REPLACE
CLINIC VISITS AND WE'RE NOT
SUGGESTING THAT IT DOES. THE
BILL IS ONLY PERMISSIVE. IT WILL
ALLOW YOUR LICENSE CALIFORNIA
VETERINARIAN WHO WANT TO UTILIZE
TELE HELP TO DO IT, BUT IT'S
ALSO NOT REQUIRING IT FOR ANY
VET THAT COULD SIMPLY SAY, I
DON'T WANT THIS TO BE PART OF MY
PRACTICE. TELEHEALTH IS A PROVEN
SAFE MEANS FOR DELIVERING CARE.
AND WITH THIS BILL WILL PREVENT
THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS FROM
NEEDLESSLY SUFFERING AND ALSO
LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE
HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
OPPOSITION LAST WEEK, AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM
TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS. I'M A
LIFELONG PET OWNER AND I HAVE
BROUGHT BRING MY PET REGULARLY
TO THE TO THE VET, AND I'M NOT
GOING TO STOP DOING THAT. BUT
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I WISH I
COULD JUST JUMP ON A ZOOM AND
SAY. HEY TAKE A LOOK AT THIS
RASH. DO I NEED TO BRING FINLEY
IN OR CAN I JUST PUT SOME
BASELINE ON IT OR SOMETHING? YOU
KNOW THEY'RE ALL GOING. NO NOT
BASIL LINE. UM AND YOU KNOW, AS
A HORSE OWNER, THIS IS EXTREME
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE FOR
ME TO GET A VISIT FROM MY HORSE
VET, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND
REQUIRES THEM TO TRAVEL FROM MY
BED UP TO SOMETIMES 50 MILES TO
GET TO THE HORSE, AND I CAN TELL
YOU AS A HORSE OWNER. MANY MANY
HORSE OWNERS DON'T CALL THE VET
AT ALL BECAUSE THE ADAGE IS
THERE'S STILL AROUND THAT IF YOU
IF IT'S STILL BOTHERING THEM IN
A FEW DAYS, THEN I'LL CALL THE
VET. IF I COULD JUST JUMP ON
THAT ZOOM SOMETIMES THAT COULD
SAY NO, I NEED TO COME OUT RIGHT
NOW OR NO, THIS IS THIS IS FINE.
THIS IS GOING TO PASS. SO WITH
THAT, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR AN I VOTE. WE DO HAVE
WITNESSES HERE. WHY DON'T YOU
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND YOUR
TESTIMONY? OKAY THANKS TO
MINUTES PER WITNESS. THANKS
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
BERMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE BRITNEY BENAZZI, ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO
ANIMALS, AS ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S,
FRIEDMAN SAID. EVERY YEAR,
THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS NEEDLESSLY
SUFFER EXPERIENCE PREMATURE
DEATH OR RELINQUISHED TO
SHELTERS DUE TO A LACK OF ACCESS
TO VETERINARY CARE IN THE STATE.
THIS MONTH, THE ASPCA RELEASE
SURVEY DATA ILLUSTRATING THE
CRISIS DESCRIBED IN THE VITAL
OPPORTUNITY THAT EXPANDING THE
USE OF VETERINARY TELEHEALTH
OFFERS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER
OF OUR SURVEYS, RESPONDENTS
REPORTED WANTING OR NEEDING
VETERINARY CARE IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS AND BEING UNABLE TO OBTAIN
IT. NEARLY 70% OF THOSE
INDICATED THAT THEY HAD AN
INTEREST IN USING VETERINARY
TELEHEALTH IF IT WERE AN OPTION
, AND TWO OUT OF THREE SAID THAT
THEIR PET WOULD SEE EVENT MORE
OFTEN IF IT WERE AVAILABLE. WITH
CALIFORNIA'S UNREASONABLY
STRINGENT REGULATIONS EXPLICITLY
PROHIBITING THE USE OF
VETERINARY TELEHEALTH TO
ESTABLISH A VETERINARIAN CLIENT
PATIENT RELATIONSHIP. IT IS
CLEAR WE ARE LEAVING A KEY TOOL
OUT OF THE VETERINARY CARE
TOOLBOX, A TOOL THAT IS
AVAILABLE AND BEING SAFELY
DEPLOYED IN OTHER STATES. AND
THIS TOOL IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
DURING THE PANDEMIC GOVERNMENTS
OR THE LAX, LONGSTANDING STATE
AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS
RESTRICTING TELEHEALTH AND
ACCORDING TO THE VETERINARY
VIRTUAL CARE ASSOCIATION, NO U S
OR CANADIAN JURISDICTION, HAS
REPORTED HARM TO A PET AS A
RESULT. WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A
VETERINARY DESERT, BE THAT RURAL
URBAN OR SIMPLY UNDERSERVED,
HAVE MOBILITY, CHALLENGES OR
LACK TRANSPORTATION OR SIMPLY
HAVE A PET WHO GETS STRESSED OUT
GOING TO THE VET EXPANDING THE
USE OF TELEHEALTH AND CALIFORNIA
WILL IMPROVE THE ACCESS TO
VETERINARY CARE FOR YOUR ANIMAL
, AND CALIFORNIA'S WELL TRAINED
LICENSED PROFESSIONALS SHOULD BE
TRUSTED TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION. WE ARE GRATEFUL
TO ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FRIEDMAN AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LOWENTHAL FOR
RECOGNIZING THIS OPPORTUNITY. A
B 13 99 WILL EMPOWER CALIFORNIA
VETERINARIANS WHO WANT TO OFFER
MEDICALLY APPLICABLE. UH AN
APPROPRIATE VETERINARY CARE VIA
TELEHEALTH, REDUCING PRESSURES
ON THE VETERINARY WORKFORCE
CRISIS AND EXPANDING ACCESS TO
CARE FOR CALIFORNIA PET OWNERS
AND THEIR BELOVED ANIMALS. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
MORNING, MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTY LONG AND I'VE
BEEN PRACTICING SMALL ANIMAL
VETERINARIAN SINCE 2007. I'M A
MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN
VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,
CALIFORNIA VETERINARY MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION AND THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA VETERINARY MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION. CURRENTLY I SERVE
AS VICE PRESIDENT OF MEDICINE
FOR MODERN ANIMAL SMALL ANIMAL
GENERAL GENERAL VETERINARY
PRACTICE COMPANY THAT I HELPED
TO FOUND. WE'RE BASED IN LOS
ANGELES AND HAVE SIX PRACTICES
THERE. AS WELL AS TWO IN THE BAY
AREA, WHERE THE THIRD OPENING IN
BERKELEY ON THURSDAY WE SERVED
26,000 HUMANS AND 22,000
PATIENTS ACROSS OUR CLINICS AS
WELL, WHICH OFFER FULL SERVICE
PRACTICE, INCLUDING PREVENTIVE
CARE, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING,
SURGERY AND DENTISTRY FOR CATS
AND DOGS OF ALL AGES. I STARTED
MODERN ANIMAL BECAUSE I KNOW THE
DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH
DELIVERY OF QUALITY VETERINARY
CARE IN AMERICA, BOTH FOR THE
VETERINARIAN AND FOR THE
CONSUMER. MY FIELD HAS NOT KEPT
PACE WITH THE GROWTH AND PET
OWNERSHIP AND WE'RE UNDER
TREMENDOUS STRAIN AS A WORKFORCE
TO ENSURE ACCESS TO CARE. MODERN
ANIMAL. WE'VE OPENED THE DOORS
OF OUR PRACTICE IN WEST
HOLLYWOOD ABOUT THREE WEEKS INTO
THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. STAY AT
HOME ORDER NEARLY INSTANTLY. WE
WERE INUNDATED WITH PATIENTS.
WITHIN TWO MONTHS. WE HAD NO
AVAILABLE APPOINTMENTS FOR WEEKS
. DURING THIS TIME, THE
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL BOARD RELAX
ITS PREVIOUSLY STATED
INTERPRETATION OF HALABI. CPR
COULD BE ESTABLISHED. IN THE
INTEREST OF REDUCING POTENTIALLY
UNNECESSARY INTERACTIONS THAT
COULD LEAD TO MORE COVID CASES.
PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. THE V C P
R PERTAIN TO A SPECIFIC
DIAGNOSIS, WHICH MEANT THAT
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SUCH AS
TELEMEDICINE COULD NOT BE USED
TO DIAGNOSE NEW CONDITIONS OR
PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS RELATED
TO THEM. DURING THE YEAR AND A
HALF WHERE THIS RESTRICTION WAS
WAIVED. WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE
THE NUMBER OF VISITS TO THE
CLINIC THAT A PATIENT AND ITS
OWNER HAD TO MAKE. PROVIDING
MORE AVAILABILITY TO PATIENTS
THAT ACTUALLY NEEDED TO COME IN.
VETERINARIANS MADE THESE
DECISIONS IN CASES WHEN IT WAS
APPROPRIATE BASED ON ASSESSMENT
OVER VIDEO USING THEIR SKILLS
AND KNOWLEDGE TO DO SO. THIS WAS
GAME CHANGING FOR OUR CLIENTS
WHO DEEPLY VALUE THE ABILITY TO
DISCUSS THEIR PETS, ISSUES OVER
CHATTER, VIDEO AND ONLY COME
INTO OUR CLINIC WHEN ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY. MANY OF OUR CLIENTS
HAD NEVER CARED FOR A PET ON
THEIR OWN, AND THEY WERE DOING
SO IN THE COVID VACUUM. WE DID
NOT HAVE ANY SUBSTANTIAL
SUBSTANDARD PATIENT OUTCOMES
RELATED TO UTILIZING THIS NEW
TEMPORARY AUTHORITY. INDEED ONE
CASE THAT IT'S WORTH RELATING IS
THAT OF A CLIENT WHO LOST HIS
JOB NEAR THE START OF THE
PANDEMIC, AND SUBSEQUENTLY HIS
APARTMENT. HE FOUND HIMSELF
LIVING IN HIS CAR ALONG WITH HIS
BELOVED DOG. TO DATE HE HAS SENT
MORE THAN 7500 CHAT MESSAGES AND
ENGAGED IN 34 VIDEO CALLS
INTERACTING WITH OUR VIRTUAL
TEAM. A TOTAL OF 353 TIMES.
THANK YOU AND GOOD WRAP UP. LET
ME GO. ABSOLUTELY. OUR DOCTORS
ARE ABLE TO ASSESS PATIENTS ON
VIDEO AND CONSIDERABLY MORE
RELAXED SETTING. THE TYPICALLY
OCCURS IN OUR CLINIC CLINICS,
LOWERING PATIENTS DRESS AND
LIKELY, RESULTING IN A MORE
ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF THE
PATIENT'S STATUS. UNFORTUNATELY
THIS PANDEMIC IS WINDING DOWN.
THE CALIFORNIA VETERAN MEDICAL
BOARD REVERTED THE PRE PANDEMIC
RULES, AND WE NOW CAN ONLY
ESTABLISH A V C P R ON A NEW
PROBLEM IN PERSON. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
UM SO ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES WHO WANT TO ADD ON
ALRIGHT? I APOLOGIZE. EVERYONE
MY BAD FROM OUR WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION. UH WOULD YOU LIKE TO
COME UP TO MINUTES PER PRIMARY
WITNESS AND OPPOSITION, THEN
WE'LL GET TO THE ADD ONS. ON,
OKAY? GOOD MORNING, MR CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DAN
BAXTER. AND I'M, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA
VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,
SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THIS
BILL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY WITH
ADDITIONAL THANKS TO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FRIEDMAN FOR
HAVING MET WITH US LAST WEEK TO
DISCUSS THE BILL TO BEGIN WITH.
I WANT TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR
THAT THE CVM A WHOLEHEARTEDLY
SUPPORTS THE REASONABLE USE.
VETERINARY TELEMEDICINE, AND
INDEED WE'VE WORKED HARD OVER
THE YEARS TO EDUCATE
PRACTITIONERS ON THE FULL
PARAMETERS OF TELEMEDICINE IS
PERMISSIBLE USE UNDER THE LAW AS
TO A B 13 99 ITSELF, THE CVM A
AS OPPOSED TO THIS BILL,
BECAUSE, AS DRAFTED, IT WOULD
CREATE A NEW AND DANGEROUS
CLINICAL FRAMEWORK WHEREBY AN
ANIMAL WOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE
SEEN IN PERSON BY VETERINARIAN
IN ORDER FOR TREATMENT TO BE
RENDERED. CALIFORNIA LAW STATES
THAT BEFORE TREATING AN ANIMAL
OR PRESCRIBING A DRUG FOR SUCH
TREATMENT, VETERINARIANS MUST
ESTABLISH THE V C P R. THAT
MEANS AN IN PERSON PHYSICAL EXAM
WHEREBY THE VETERINARIAN GATHERS
INFORMATION FROM THE ANIMAL BY
THE USE OF SIGHT, SOUND TOUCH
SMELL LAB TESTS, ETCETERA. A B
13 99 WOULD ALTER THE V C. P R
BY ALLOWING IT TO BE ESTABLISHED
SOLELY VIA TELEMEDICINE
MODALITIES, THUS IMMEDIATELY,
DEPRIVING PRACTITIONERS OF THE
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
THAT ONLY A PHYSICAL EXAM CAN
PROVIDE. WITHOUT THAT
INFORMATION VETERINARIAN IS
UTILIZING GUESSWORK TO ASSESS
AND TREAT AN ANIMAL THAT THEY'VE
NEVER BEFORE SEEN OR TOUCHED.
THE CVM A HAS HEARD THE ARGUMENT
MADE THAT IF TELEMEDICINE IS
OKAY FOR MY YOUNG CHILD,
SHOULDN'T IT BE OKAY FOR MY PET
FOR TWO REASONS? THAT'S NOT A
SOUND COMPARISON. FIRST, THE
VAST MAJORITY OF BABIES AND
YOUNG CHILDREN IN CALIFORNIA
HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY TREATED BY
A PEDIATRICIAN AND THEIR EARLY
YEARS OF LIFE. ACCORDINGLY THERE
IS AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE DOCTOR WHO HAS A
BASELINE ABOUT THAT CHILD.
SECOND THE ENTIRE COMPARISON IS
FAULTY BECAUSE TELEMEDICINE AND
HUMAN AND APPLICATIONS. HUMAN
HUMANS ARE CONDITIONED TO
EXPRESS PAIN, ESPECIALLY BABIES
AND YOUNG CHILDREN. ANIMALS BY
CONTRAST, ARE CONDITION TO HIDE
PAIN. ALSO AS ONE FINAL NOTE
THAT COVID FRAMEWORK THAT
EXISTED OVER THESE PAST 18
MONTHS STILL DID NOT ALLOW A V C
P R TO BE CREATED IN THE FIRST
INSTANCE ABSENT OF PHYSICAL EXAM
, THAT SITUATION HAS NEVER
EXISTED, EVEN IN COVID TIMES.
FOR THESE AND OTHER REASONS. WE
OPPOSE THE BILL. WE DO LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FRIEDMAN AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LOW AND FAULT
GOING FORWARD TOWARDS THE
FURTHER DIALOGUE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ANY
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES IN OPPOSITE
PRIMARY WITNESSES AND
OPPOSITION? GO AHEAD. MR
CHAIRMAN, CHRISTINA DICARO,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
I'M READING THE TESTIMONY OF.
UNFORTUNATELY DR JENNIFER
HAWKINS, WHO IS ON ROUTE FROM
THE AIRPORT AND WAS DELAYED
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
INDULGENCE. I'M DR JENNIFER
HAWKINS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
AND A SMALL ANIMAL VETERINARIAN
IN ORANGE COUNTY, OPPOSED TO THE
BILL. UNFORTUNATELY THE SPONSORS
MAY HAVE TOLD SOME OF YOU THAT
THE VETERINARY COMMUNITY IS
OPPOSED TO THE BILL BECAUSE OF
THE QUOTE GENERATIONAL DIVIDE,
SUGGESTING THAT MEMBERS OF THE
VETERINARY COMMUNITY ARE OF
ADVANCED AGE AND OUT OF TOUCH
WITH TECHNOLOGY, AND NOTHING
COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
IN FACT, TECHNOLOGY AND
COMMUNICATING WITH OUR CLIENTS
IS THE MAINSTAY OF OUR BUSINESS.
THE REASON THAT I OPPOSED THE
BILL AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
OPPOSED THE BILL IS BECAUSE IT'S
NOT SOUND VETERINARY PRACTICE.
IT ALSO CLEARS A PATH SO THAT
VETERINARY MEDICINE APPS
SUBSCRIPTIONS CAN THRIVE. FOR
EXAMPLE, ON ONE APP, YOU CAN PAY
$140 A YEAR AND RECEIVE
UNLIMITED VETERINARY CARE FROM A
PERSON WHO HAS NEVER MET YOUR
PET AND IS BASED OUT OF STATE.
VETERINARY MEDICINE WORKS WELL,
WHEN WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A
RELATIONSHIP WITH PETS IN PERSON
WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE
CONDITIONS THAT THEY ARE
BATTLING FROM THEIR VETERINARY
TELEMEDICINE WORKS GREAT FOR
CHECKUPS AND TRIAGE IN CASES OF
A CLIENT CALLS MY OFFICE AND
SAYS THEY THINK THEIR CAT HAS A
URINARY TRACT INFECTION. WE
TRIAGE THIS OVER THE PHONE WITH
THEM IF THEY DESCRIBE CERTAIN
BEHAVIORS, SUCH AS STRAINING IN
THE LITTER BOX, WE TELL THEM TO
COME IN BECAUSE IT COULD BE
STERILE CYSTITIS OR LIFE
THREATENING URETHRAL
OBSTRUCTION. I HAD A CLIENT WHO
RAN OUT OF ARTHRITIS MEDICINE
AND THOUGHT THE DOGS. RELUCTANCE
TO RISE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THAT.
IN FACT, THE DOG WAS WEAK FROM
BLOOD LOSS AND FROM A BLEEDING
TUMOR OF THE SPLEEN. IT HAS BEEN
SAID THAT THE BILL MERELY GIVES
ME THE FLEXIBILITY TO USE
TELEMEDICINE OR NOT FOR AN
INITIAL APPOINTMENT, AND I'M
LIKELY GOING TO PASS AND I'M
GUESSING MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
WILL TO THE LIABILITY FOR ME IS
TOO GREAT IF I GUESS AND THINGS
GO WRONG AND THE OWNER SUES ME
FOR THESE AND OTHER REASONS, I
URGE YOUR NO VOTE TODAY ON A B
13 99 AND AGAIN THANK YOU FOR
THE CONSIDERATION. OF COURSE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY UH
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES OF THE
PUBLIC WHO WANT TO ADD ON AND
SUPPORT OF THE BILL. PLEASE
PROVIDE YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION
YOU'RE WITH IF ANY POSITION ON
THE BILL GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND
MEMBERS JULIANA TETLOW,
REPRESENTING SAN DIEGO, HUMANE
SOCIETY AND VERY STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. MORNING MR CHAIR AND
MEMBERS CASSIE GILSON WITH AXIOM
ADVISORS ON BEHALF OF THE
VIRTUAL VETERINARY CARE
ASSOCIATION IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
JENNIFER, FEARING OFFERING THE
STRONG SUPPORT OF THE BEST
FRIENDS, ANIMAL SOCIETY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
LIZZIE GUTZON YODER ENTRY SMELLS
ARE IN LAYING ON BEHALF OF THE
HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED
STATES AND CAL ANIMALS IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD MORNING, BARBARA SCHMIDT. I
WORKED FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO S P
C. A TODAY IS THE 155TH
ANNIVERSARY OF OUR FOUNDING WERE
IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS BILL
AS WELL. THANK YOU. HAPPY
ANNIVERSARY. ANY ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION WHO WANT
TO ADD ON AN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL. SEEING NONE. I'LL BRING IT
BACK TO COLLEAGUES. WE STILL
DON'T HAVE A QUORUM QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I THINK
NONE, SON. REMEMBER FRIEDMAN,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? SURE
I'D LIKE TO JUST RESPOND TO A
FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD.
AND FIRST OF ALL, UH, WE ARE
ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO
CONTINUING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE
CONCERNS FROM THE VETERINARY
ASSOCIATION, PARTICULARLY WITH
REGARD TO THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AND
THE APPS. UM I WOULD SAY THAT
WHAT WE HEARD, UM THE RED
TESTIMONY FROM THE VET TALKING
ABOUT THE TRIAGE OVER THE PHONE.
THINK OF HOW MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE
THAT COULD BE. IF THAT WAS A
ZOOM TRIAGE, WHICH IS WHAT THIS
WHAT THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW. IT
WOULD ALLOW FOR THOSE VETS TO
GET ONTO A ZOOM AND NOW HAVE A
VISUAL INSTEAD OF HAVING TO
LISTEN TO A TELEPHONE
INTERPRETATION TO ACTUALLY BE
ABLE TO SEE THE ANIMAL AND THEN
TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE
DETERMINATION IF THAT ANIMAL
NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT IN EXACTLY
HOW THEY DESCRIBED THAT PHONE
VISIT HAPPENING. AND THE SAD
REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT
OF PEOPLE OUT THERE AND WE ALL
KNOW THIS WHO JUST ARE NOT
CAPABLE OF BRINGING THEIR ANIMAL
INTO THE VET ALL THE TIME.
WHETHER IT'S AN OLD LADY WHO'S
GOT A CAT WHO DOESN'T HAVE A
RIDE OR WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO GET
AROUND, GET AN UBER TO GO TO A
VET WHO'S GOING TO WAIT. THEY'RE
GOING TO WAIT TO GET CARE FOR
THEIR FOR THEIR PRECIOUS ANIMAL
BECAUSE OF THE BARRIERS THAT
THEY MIGHT HAVE PHYSICALLY
FINANCIALLY TIMEWISE. DUE TO
THEIR MOBILITY DUE TO AN
ILLNESS, AND THIS GIVES THE VET
THE FLEXIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO
THEN SAY, THIS IS ROUTINE.
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, OR
NO. THIS ANIMAL. YOU REALLY DO
NEED TO BRING THE ANIMAL IN NOW.
UM I AGREE THAT IT'S SUB OPTIMAL
TO DO TELEHEALTH FOR PROBABLY
FOR PEOPLE AS WELL AND FOR
ANIMALS, BUT WE SHOULDN'T LET
AND I HATE TO USE. YOU KNOW ONE
OF THESE PHRASES. WE SHOULDN'T
LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF
THE GOOD. AND WE DO KNOW THAT
THERE ARE ANIMALS THAT ARE JUST
GOING WITHOUT ROUTINE CARE GOING
WITHOUT CARE, EVEN IN WHAT COULD
BE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION
BECAUSE OF ACCESS ISSUES. IF
THESE VETS DON'T WANT TO USE THE
TELEHEALTH BECAUSE THEY THINK IT
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. THERE'S
NOTHING IN THE BILL THAT FORCES
THEM TO. IT'S SIMPLY PERMISSIVE
IN IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, AND IT
MAY BE THAT SOME VETS SAY TO
THEIR PATIENTS. LISTEN, I KNOW
YOU'RE ILL. UM AND, UH, IN THIS
CASE, WE'RE GOING TO USE
TELEHEALTH RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE
NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT UNDER OUR
LAWS. ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I WOULD REQUEST AN AYE.
VOTE. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FRIEDMAN. I'M
HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS BILL TODAY
WITH THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS.
I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WITH MORE
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN
STAKEHOLDERS THIS YEAR, THE
AUTHOR CAN POTENTIALLY FIND A
WAY TO RESOLVE OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL, AS WE'VE SEEN HAPPEN IN
OTHER STATES WILL BE HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THIS BILL WHEN WE HAVE A
QUORUM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANKS, EVERYBODY. I'M GOING TO
HAND THE GAVEL OVER TO VICE
CHAIR FLORIDA GO RACE OVER TO
THE CAPITAL. UM THAT'S YOUR
FLOOR CARE FLOOR. MR CHEN, YOU
READY? AND IF IT'S ALRIGHT WITH
YOU, WE'LL START WITH A B 3 51.
THANK YOU, MR SHERIFF FOR YOUR
TIME. AND ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT
A B 3 51. I'M GRATEFUL TO THE
CHAIR AND THE COMMITTEE FOR
TAKING OUT THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. THERE IS NO CURRENT
AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO THE
DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE A PROCESS
FOR COMMERCIAL LICENSE TRANSFERS
BECAUSE OF THE EMISSION OF THE
WORDS, TRANSFER OR SIGN THE LIST
OF ACTIVITIES THE DEPARTMENT IS
AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT CURRENTLY
LICENSES WAS ENGAGED IN BUSINESS
PRACTICES TO FACILITATE A CHANGE
IN LICENSING. IF HOWEVER, ALL
CURRENT OWNERS TRANSFER THEIR
OWNERSHIP. THEY CAN'T OPERATE
UNTIL A NEW APPLICATION HAS BEEN
SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BY THE
DEPARTMENT. IN MANY CASES, THIS
CAN BE A LENGTHY AND PREDICTABLE
PROCESS BECAUSE A LACK OF
GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY THE
DEPARTMENT THROUGH NO FAULT OF
THEIR OWN. BECAUSE CANNABIS
BUSINESS CANNOT RECEIVE THE
BENEFITS OF BANKRUPTCY COURT
SUPER SHIPS. OR THE ALTERNATIVE
OPTION AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE
NEEDS OF INSOLVENCY FOR THIS
REPLICA STANDING INDUSTRY.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO FORMAL
MECHANISM TO REASSIGN THE
LICENSE TO A COURT APPOINTED
RESEARCH RECEIVER. OTHER STATES
LIKE OREGON AND WASHINGTON
ALREADY PERMIT THE TRACK DIRECT
TRANSFER OF CANNABIS LICENSES.
THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW US TO
FOLLOW SUIT BY ALLOWING THE
DEPARTMENT TO CREATE A PROCESS
TO TRANSFER LICENSES. COMMERCIAL
CANNABIS ACTIVITY. BEFORE I PASS
IT OFF OUR WITNESS. I JUST WANT
TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME
WEIGHT BUT INCREDIBLY PRODUCTIVE
CONVERSATIONS TO LEAVE
CALIFORNIA CITIES TO CLARIFY
LOCAL CONTROL PROTECTIONS AND WE
WILL BE CONTINUING TO THESE
ACTIVE DISCUSSIONS ONGOING. HERE
TO TESTIFY. WE HAVE KAREN
WOODSON. SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR THE
COMPLIANCE AND LICENSING AT KIVA
WHEN THE SPONSORS OF THIS PIECE
OF LEGISLATION THANK YOU VERY
MUCH TO MINUTES. GREAT HELLO
AGAIN. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
AND DISTINGUISHED STAFF AGAIN.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMAN. CHIN FOR
THE LEADERSHIP THAT BRINGS US
HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS KAREN
WOODSON FOR KIVA CONFECTIONS AND
OUR DISTRIBUTION ARM, KIVA SALES
AND SERVICE AND I'M ALSO HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS MANUFACTURERS
ASSOCIATION TO URGE SUPPORT FOR
351. CURRENT STATUTE AMIDST
EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AUTHORIZING
THE DEPARTMENT TO TRANSFER OR
ASSIGN LICENSES AND AS A RESULT
, DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS SPECIFY
THAT CANNABIS LICENSES ARE QUOTE
, NOT TRANSFERABLE. THIS BILL
PROVIDES EXPRESS AUTHORITY FOR
THE DEPARTMENT TO CREATE THE
PROCESS TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFER
AND ASSIGNMENT OF STATE
LICENSES. WHILE LICENSEES CANNOT
TRANSFER THEIR LICENSES, THEY
CAN SELL OWNERSHIP STAKE AND
THEY'RE LICENSED BUSINESS ENTITY
. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT'S
A COMPLEX AND RESCUE
TRANSACTION. TO ENSURE
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS. AT
LEAST ONE OWNER MUST REMAIN IN
CONTROL AND DIRECTION OF THE
LICENSE. WHILE ALL THE NEW
OWNERS ARE OBTAINED APPROVAL
FROM THE DEPARTMENT, IT'S AN
ONEROUS PROCESS SUBJECT TO AN
INDEFINITE TIMELINE BECAUSE THE
DEPARTMENT HAS NO REASONABLE
SCHEDULE FOR PROCESSING OWNER
MODIFICATIONS. HISTORICALLY
THOSE TRANSACTIONS HAVE REQUIRED
SIX MONTHS OR MORE. ALL CURRENT
OWNERS TRANSFER THEIR LICENSE
AND THE BUSINESS MUST SUBMIT A
NEW APPLICATION. GO BACK TO THE
APPLICATION LINE, EVEN WHEN THE
OWNERS ARE KNOWN ENTITIES OR
CURRENT LICENSE HOLDERS. IN
ADDITION TO FORCING A STOP IN
THE OPERATIONS AND BY EXTENSION
TAX REVENUES. THE TIMELINE FOR
APPROVAL LIKEWISE IS UNCERTAIN
BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT AGAIN HAS
NO EXPECTED TIMELINE FOR WHICH
TO PROCESS NEW APPLICATIONS. AND
FINALLY BECAUSE CANNABIS
BUSINESSES DO NOT ENJOY THE
BENEFITS OF BANKRUPTCY COURT
RECEIVERSHIP ARE THE ALTERNATIVE
OPTION AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE
NEEDS OF INSOLVENCY FOR A
RAPIDLY EXPANDING INDUSTRY.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO FORMAL
MECHANISM AND STATUTE THAT
AUTHORIZES THE DEPARTMENT TO
REASSIGN THE LICENSE, FOR
EXAMPLE, TO A COURT APPOINTED
RECEIVER. IT'S A LOSE LOSE
SITUATION. IDEALLY STATE
LICENSES SHOULD BE TRANSFERABLE
FOR A FEE, SUBJECT TO LOCAL
AUTHORIZATION AND OWNERSHIP
APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT.
THERE IS CERTAINLY THIS IS
CERTAINLY THE CASE IN OTHER
STATES AMONG SEVERAL CALIFORNIA
CITIES AND COUNTIES AND IN OTHER
INDUSTRIES LIKE ALCOHOL. MAYBE.
351 WILL HELP STREAMLINE LICENSE
TRAVELERS AND OFFER BETTER
TRANSPARENCY TO THE WHAT'S
ALREADY OCCURRING IN THE
CANNABIS MARKET. AND I URGE HER
I VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN
SUPPORT? OF A B 3 51. NAME AND
ORGANIZATION, PLEASE. GOOD
MORNING, MR CHAIRMAN MEMBERS AMY
JENKINS ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION AND STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE
ELSE IN SUPPORT. SEE YOU. NONE.
YOU WANT AN OPPOSITION TO HB 3
51. SEEING NONE BRING IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS
FROM THE COMMITTEE. SEEING NONE.
MR. CHEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU. MR I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR MY VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH WHEN WE HAVE
A CORE, AND WE WILL BRING THAT
MAJOR UP. THANK YOU. MR IRWIN,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT.
MR VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS. I
WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACCEPTING
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS AND
THANKING THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR
THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS BILL.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT A V 12. OH,
SEVEN. PROPOSITION 64 WAS PASSED
IN 2016. THERE WAS A DISTINCT
PROMISE TO CALIFORNIA VOTERS
THAT LEGALIZATION OF
RECREATIONAL CANNABIS WOULD NOT
COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR
CHILDREN. BUT IN REALITY, THE
VERY OPPOSITE HAS OCCURRED
POISONS. CONTROL STANDARD CALLS
DUE TO PEDIATRIC CANNABIS
EXPOSURES HAVE SKYROCKETED SINCE
2016 AND THEY WILL ONLY CONTINUE
TO INCREASE AS TIME PASSES IN
2021, CALIFORNIA HAD 793
EXPOSURE CALLS TO POISON CONTROL
CENTERS FOR CHILDREN FIVE YEARS
AND UNDER. EVERY WEEK. IT SEEMS
LIKE WE NEVER READ ANOTHER NEWS
ARTICLE WITH THE SAME STORY.
CHILDREN AT SCHOOL ARE OFTEN
TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY
ROOM BECAUSE THEY AND THEIR
PEERS HAVE CONSUMED CANNABIS
PRODUCTS THAT THEY HAVE CONFUSED
WITH TRADITIONAL FOODS DUE TO
PACKAGING THAT IS ATTRACTIVE TO
CHILDREN. WHILE THE ILLICIT
CANNABIS MARKET NO DOUBT IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR A NUMBER OF
THESE EXPOSURES, A SIMPLE LOOK
AT CALIFORNIA'S LEGAL CANNABIS
PRODUCTS SHOWS THAT THEY ARE NOT
WITHOUT BLAME. WE CANNOT
CONTINUE TO ALLOW CALIFORNIA'S
LEGAL CANNABIS MARKET TO
MANUFACTURE PACKAGE AND
ADVERTISED PRODUCTS WITH
FEATURES THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE TO
CHILDREN. A B 12. OH, SEVEN
ADDRESSES THE EVER INCREASING
PEDIATRIC CANNABIS EXPOSURES BY
CODIFYING AND STRENGTHENING
REGULATIONS ON WHAT MAKES A
PRODUCT. ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN
. IT ALSO CODIFIES REGULATIONS
THAT PREVENT CANNABIS VAPE
PRODUCTS FROM CONTAINING
ADDITIONAL FLAVORING. LASTLY, IT
EXPLICITLY ADDS TO THE STATUTE,
UH, PROHIBITIONS ON THE
MANUFACTURER, SALE AND
ADVERTISING OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS
THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN
. THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS THAT
ARE ACCEPTED TODAY ARE THE
RESULTS OF DISCUSSIONS. MY STAFF
AND I HAVE HAD WITH COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND STAFF TO INJURY
ADDRESS A NUMBER OF OPPOSITION
CONCERNS. AND I DO ALSO WANT TO
POINT OUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A
NUMBER OF OPPOSITION LETTERS
THAT HAVE COME IN RECENTLY THAT
ARE ADDRESSING THE BILL BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS WITH ME
TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL.
ARE. AT ONE. AKI YAH! I KNEW
THAT RIGHT? UM AND, UM. YES. IN
SILVER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT TWO MINUTES PER WITNESS,
PLEASE. CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC
ON, PLEASE? BETTER PERFECT.
AWESOME THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR
AND MEMBERS FOR HAVING ME MY
NAME IS ANGELA ASCIANO WITH
YOUTH FORWARD FORWARD AS A
SACRAMENTO BASED NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS ON YOUTH
SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND
MENTAL HEALTH HERE IN SACRAMENTO
. WE ALSO SUPPORT A NETWORK OF
ABOUT 350 YOUTH SERVING
ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE STATE
THAT ORGANIZED ON CANNABIS
POLICY AND YOUTH PREVENTION.
HERE IN SACRAMENTO. WE HAVE
STAFF THAT ARE WORKING IN OUR
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE
SEEING A WIDESPREAD USE OF
FLAVORED CANDY EDIBLES AND
CANDIED VAPE PRODUCTS
CONCENTRATES ARE LEGAL PRODUCTS
WITH DANGEROUSLY HIGH LEVELS OF
THC BEING USED BY YOUTH AND
YOUNG ADULTS. IT IS VERY CLEAR
TO US THAT THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY
IS TARGETING YOUNG PEOPLE AS
CONSUMERS WITH PRODUCTS AND
MARKETING DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO
KIDS. LAST WEEK, I VISITED A
LOCAL DISPENSARY HERE IN
SACRAMENTO, AND I WAS
OVERWHELMED BY THE AMOUNT OF
VISUAL IMAGERY, GRAPHICS AND
CARTOONS ON INHALATION PRODUCTS
AS A YOUNG ADULT, BUT AN ADULT
NONETHELESS, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF
IF I WAS GENUINELY INTERESTED IN
CONSUMING AND ACCESSING CANNABIS
, I WOULD NOT NEED THIS MUCH
CARTOON IMAGERY AND GRAPHICS TO
A KILL ME. I WOULD JUST GO OUT
AND GET IT. FOR THAT REASON, WE
BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THE
LEGISLATOR MUST TAKE THE STEP OF
REGULATING THE INDUSTRY AND
REQUIRE THE INDUSTRY TO STOP
THESE PRACTICES AND PROTECT OUR
YOUTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH NEXT WITNESS. YOUR MIKE,
PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, MR
VICE CHAIR. UM MY NAME IS DR
LYNN SILVER. I'M A PEDIATRICIAN
AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
AND FULL CLINICAL PROFESSOR AT
UCSF. I SERVE ON THE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROP 64
ADVISORY GROUP AND WORK WITH
CANNABIS POLICY RESEARCH AND
WITH JURISDICTIONS ACROSS
CALIFORNIA AND THE COUNTRY. LAST
WEEK, JEWEL SETTLED FOR $462
MILLION TO PAY FOR ITS MARKETING
OF FRUIT FLAVORED VAPES TWO KIDS
IN 2021. THIS HOUSE WISELY
PROHIBITED FLAVORED TOBACCO
PRODUCTS THAT WERE HOOKING KIDS.
CALIFORNIA VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY
BACK THAT DECISION. NO MATTER
HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT CANNABIS, WHY
PERMIT ARE LEGAL OR ILLEGAL
CANNABIS INDUSTRY TO MARKET
THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE
BLATANTLY APPEALING TO CHILDREN
. THE IMAGES BEFORE YOU ARE ALL
FROM LEGAL CALIFORNIA CANNABIS
RETAILERS, ALL BUT TWO TAKEN
THIS MONTH. WE ARE SEEING TO
GRAVE AND PREDICTABLE
CONSEQUENCES, FOR EXAMPLE, AT
RADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN SAN
DIEGO, THC INGESTIONS HAVE
INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY. THE
AVERAGE AGE IS THREE YEARS OLD.
SIX AND 10 OF THESE CHILDREN
HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED, ONE IN
10 TO THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.
SOME REQUIRE VENTILATORS. FRUITY
CANDIES, CAUSE 73% OF THESE
INGESTIONS. NATIONALLY SOMETIMES
THE RARELY CHILDREN DIE. IN
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS POISON
CONTROL REPORTS FOR MINORS
INCREASED 13 FOLD, AS THE MEMBER
NOTED. THAT'S WHY I CALL PITA
AND THE ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
HAVE JOINED US IN SUPPORTING
THIS BILL. THE SECOND GRAVE
CONSEQUENCE. JUST AS WITH JEWEL
IS THE GROWING USE OF SLICKLY
MARKETED PRODUCTS BY PRETEENS
AND TEENS. THESE ODORLESS
PRODUCTS, OFTEN HIGH POTENCY
BAITS ARE MARKETED WITH FRUITY
FLAVORS OR IMAGINATIVE NAMES
THAT IMPLY HEALTHFULNESS OR
RECALL FAVORITE TREATS AND ARE
INCREASINGLY USED BEFORE AND
THAT SCHOOL INTERFERING WITH
LEARNING. STARTING USES A TEAM
DOUBLES RISK OF DEPENDENCY AND
IS THE MOST VULNERABLE AGE FOR
PSYCHOSIS OFTEN TRIGGERED BY
CANNABIS USE, ESPECIALLY A
POTENT VAPES AND DABS. AS OUR
SURGEON GENERAL WARNED CANNABIS
INTERFERES WITH THE DEVELOPING
BRAIN AND WITH COGNITIVE
PERFORMANCE. FREQUENT USE IS
SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH
INCREASED SUICIDE RISK AND LOWER
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SO MUCH
IF WE CAN HAVE YOU WRAP UP YOUR
THOUGHT IT IS TIME TO FIX THIS.
THIS BILL WILL END CANNABIS
MIMICRY OF POPULAR PRODUCTS
MARKETED TO KIDS. IT WON'T STOP
EDIBLES FROM BEING TASTY, BUT WE
CAN AT LEAST AND SOME OF THE
MOST CONCERNING TACTICS THAT ARE
HOOKING KIDS OR CAUSING
ACCIDENTAL POISONING. THANK YOU
. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE
ELSE'S SUPPORT OF A B 12. OH,
SEVEN. NAME AND ORGANIZATION,
PLEASE. GOOD MORNING, ELIZABETH
ESPINOSA HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF
THE COUNTY HEALTH EXECUTIVES OF
CALIFORNIA, REPRESENTING THE
LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HELLO KELSEY FERNANDEZ WITH
MARIN HEALTHY YOUTH PARTNERSHIPS
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS JOHN GAFFNEY. I LIVE IN
FOURSOME AND SUPPORT A B 1207 AS
OUR TEEN WHO PLAYED SOCCER FOR
SACRAMENTO REPUBLICS ACADEMY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.
ORGANIZATION UH, I'M I'M A
PARENT OF A SON WHO HAD CANNABIS
INDUCED PSYCHOSIS. AND MY NAME
IS JOHN GAFFNEY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I CAN JUST LIKE, QUICK
STATEMENT REALLY SHORT, SO WE'VE
WE'VE ALREADY HAD TWO MINUTES.
WE HAD TO KEEP THE COMMITTEE
HERE BRAND. UM RIGHT HERE. THIS
IS WHAT CAUSED MY SON. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WORRY DUBIN.
GOOD MORNING FROM MARIN, UM
RESIDENTS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH,
CANNABIS POLICIES. I'M THE CO
FOUNDER. I AM STRONGLY IN FAVOR
OF BABY 12 07. I HAVE IMAGES
THAT MUCH I CAN GIVE TO THE
CLERK YOU CAN GIVE TO THE
SERGEANT'S THANK YOU ANYONE ELSE
IN SUPPORT NAME AND
ORGANIZATION, PLEASE? SEEN NONE.
ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? MAYBE. 12.
OH, SEVEN. YEAH. TWO MINUTES PER
WITNESS, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING,
MR CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. AMY O'GORMAN JENKINS ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. I
WANT TO BEGIN BY EXPRESSING OUR
ORGANIZATIONS, SINCERE
APPRECIATION TO THE CHAIR AND TO
MR SUMNER FOR WORKING TO ADDRESS
NUMEROUS CONCERNS THAT WERE
HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR OPPOSITION
LETTER. I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS
OUR GRATITUDE TO THE AUTHOR FOR
ACCEPTING THESE AMENDMENTS. AS
PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED. THIS IS
A MUCH IMPROVED BILL.
UNFORTUNATELY CC A MUST CONTINUE
TO RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED. WHILE
WE SHARE THE AUTHORS GOAL OF
DETERRING YOUTH ACCESS. WE
CONTINUE TO FIND SOME OF THE
ELEMENTS IN THIS BILL
PROBLEMATIC. FOR INSTANCE, WE
FIND THE PROHIBITION FROM USING
FICTIONAL OR HUMAN CHARACTERS IN
OUR ADVERTISEMENTS UNNECESSARY.
NUMEROUS LEGAL CANNABIS
BUSINESSES USE IMAGES OF HUMANS
AND SOPHISTICATED WAYS
SPECIFICALLY TO COMMUNICATE
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
PROPER USE. WE ALSO MAINTAIN
THAT THE CHANGES AS PROPOSED
WILL ONLY PUNISH GOOD ACTORS
WHILE BOLSTERING AN UNLICENSED
CANNABIS MARKET THAT NOTORIOUSLY
SELLS AND MARKETS TO CHILDREN.
WHILE PROPONENTS OF THIS BILL
CONSISTENTLY CITE AN UPTICK IN
EMERGENCY ROOM, ROOM VISITS AND
YOUTH USE, THEY HAVE FAILED TO
DEMONSTRATE THAT THESE INCIDENTS
ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LEGAL
PRODUCTS. IN FACT, WE BELIEVE
THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE
INCIDENTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH
ILLICIT CANNABIS OR INTOXICATING
HEMP PRODUCTS EASILY PURCHASED
ONLINE. ACCESS TO LEGAL CANNABIS
HAS ALREADY FIERCELY AGED GATED
, A STUDY PUBLISHED IN 2022 IN
THE PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL OF
SAFETY RESEARCH FOUND THAT 100%
OF LICENSED CALIFORNIA CANNABIS
RETAILERS CHECK I D S TO AVOID
SELLING TO UNDERAGE CUSTOMERS IF
YOUTH ARE GAINING ACCESS TO
CANNABIS PRODUCTS THAT IS NOT A
PRODUCT PROBLEM IS AN
ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM. I ALSO WANT
TO MAKE A POINT PERTAINING TO
THE EXAMPLES OF THE VIOLATIONS
THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED TO
COMMITTEE MEMBER OFFICES BEFORE
TODAY. UPON A REVIEW OF THE
PRODUCTS PRESENTED CC A
IDENTIFIED ONLY ONE THAT IS
MANUFACTURED BY ILLEGAL OPERATOR
AND WE REPORTED THAT OPERATOR TO
THE DCC. UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE HAD
IDENTIFIED DOZENS OF ILLEGAL
CANNABIS PRODUCTS AND
INTOXICATING HEMP PRODUCTS FOR
PURCHASE FROM HEAD SHOPS AND
ONLINE THAT ARE EASILY AND
ABSOLUTELY INTENDED FOR YOUTH.
WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, BUT WE
ARE COMMITTED TO BEING PART OF
THE SOLUTION. IN CLOSING. WE
WISH TO REITERATE OUR
APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT
HAS BEEN DONE HERE TO MAKE A B
12. OH, SEVEN. A BETTER BILL. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
THIS COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT A WELL
FUNCTIONING, SAFE REGULATED
CANNABIS MARKET IN CALIFORNIA.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT
WITNESS TWO MINUTES. PAMELA
LOPEZ WITH K STREET CONSULTING
ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA. NORMAL
THIS STATE'S CANNABIS CONSUMER
AND HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION. WE ALSO APPRECIATE
THE COMMITTEE AND THE AUTHOR'S
WORK ON THIS BILL. UNFORTUNATELY
WE REMAIN OPPOSED. WE AGREE THAT
PREVENTING YOUTH CANNABIS
CONSUMPTION IS A PRIORITY. I
THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE IN
THE DISCUSSION OVER THIS BILL TO
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ACCIDENTAL
CONSUMPTION OF CANNABIS BY A
THREE YEAR OLD. AND TEENAGERS
WHO ARE INTENTIONALLY SEEKING
OUT AND USING CANNABIS, AND IT
IS ABSOLUTELY WORTHWHILE TO HAVE
A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW DO WE
HELP YOUTH AND TEENAGERS NOT
FALL INTO A PATTERN OF DRUG
ABUSE. WE FUND THOSE PROGRAMS IN
PART WITH TAX TAXES THAT ARE
GENERATED BY LICENSED AND LEGAL
CANNABIS COMPANIES IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. STEVE EASY ALONE
ESTIMATES THAT IN ONE YEAR THEY
WILL PAY $20 MILLION LESS IN
TAXES. $20 MILLION LESS IN TAXES
IN ONE YEAR TO SUPPORT THE CHILD
CARE, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ANTI
YOUTH CANNABIS CONSUMPTION
PROGRAMS THAT THEIR THEIR TAXES
SUPPORT. UM THIS BILL IS
PROHIBITION ALL OVER AGAIN. AND
FROM CALIFORNIA NORMALS
PERSPECTIVE, THE VOTERS HAVE
ALREADY OPINED THAT WE HAVE A
RIGHT TO ACCESS, SAFE, LEGAL AND
LICENSED CANNABIS PRODUCTS IF
LEGAL COMPANIES ARE NOT
PRODUCING VAPE PENS THAT WE WANT
TO ACCESS IF THEY ARE FORCED TO
PRODUCE ONLY VAPE PENS THAT
TASTE GROSS CONSUMERS WILL
SIMPLY GO BACK TO THE ILLEGAL
AND ILLICIT ECONOMY, WHICH
ALREADY PROVIDES TWO THIRDS OF
ALL CANNABIS SALES THAT OCCUR TO
THIS DAY IN THE STATE, SO
THERE'S AN ADULT CONVERSATION
THAT HAS TO BE HAD HERE ABOUT
WHAT DO ADULTS IN CALIFORNIA
HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO AND WE DO
HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS, SAFE,
LEGAL AND LICENSED CANNABIS AND
WE ARE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE LEGAL SYSTEM TO PAY OUR
TAXES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE DON'T DEVELOP DRUG
ADDICTION PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN
OPPOSITION TO A B 12? OH, SEVEN
NAME AN ORGANIZATION, PLEASE.
GEORGE MILLER ON BEHALF OF WEED,
MAPS AND OPPOSITION. PAMELA
EPSTEIN ON BEHALF OF EDEN
ENTERPRISES AND OPPOSITION.
ALICIA PRIEGO ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS
MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, AND
ALSO THE CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTION
ASSOCIATION AND ONLINE COMMENTS
WITH THE WITH THE C I A. KAREN.
WHAT'S IN WITH KIVA CONFECTIONS
OPPOSED THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT AND
ESTABLISH A QUORUM AND THEN WE
WILL GO TO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. SECRETARY PLEASE CALL
CORN, BERMAN. LARA. LARA HERE
COLONIES. ALVAREZ. PONTA CHEN.
CHEN HERE, DIXON. TEXAN HERE,
GIBSON. GRAYSON. RACING HERE,
IRWIN HEAR? HEAR JACKSON JACKSON
HERE, LEE WE HEAR LOWENTHAL
HERE, MCCARTY MAKIN ER. MCKENNA
HERE WHEN? WHEN? HERE,
PATTERSON. SAYING THANK YOU. WE
HAVE A QUORUM, AND WE'LL BRING
IT BACK FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE ON A B 12. OH, SEVEN.
QUESTION FROM THE COMMITTEE. SEE
NONE. UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? UH YES. UM LOOK, WE
ABSOLUTELY DO NEED TO SUPPORT
THE LEGAL MARKET BY MEANS AND I
DO AGREE WITH MISS JENKINS. UH
LIKE MEANS LIKE ADDITIONAL
ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY
DO NEED NOT NEED TO SUPPORT THE
LEGAL MARKET BY MARKETING TO BY
HAVING PACKAGING THAT'S
ATTRACTIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE. WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEGAL
MARKET DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO
PEDIATRIC OVERDOSES. UH IN THE
FUTURE, SO, UM, WE THINK THIS IS
A COMMON SENSE BILL AND
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE AGAIN. THE
AMENDMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN
RESPONSE TO THE INITIAL
OBJECTIONS OF THE INDUSTRY. AND
WITH THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR RIVAL. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. UM, SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL. WE NEED A MOTION A
SECOND. I'M SORRY. JUST LET ME
HOLD ME. SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL.
MR LOWENTHAL HAD A QUESTION FOR
YOU. SO I'M GONNA ABSOLUTELY
GRANT THAT SO GO FOR IT ACTUALLY
JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT IF
THAT'S OKAY, MR CHAIR. UM YOU
KNOW, UH, I NEED TO BE CANDID
WITH THE THOSE SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION. UM. THE INDUSTRY IS
ASKING FOR LEGISLATORS AND
REGULATORS TO PROVIDE RELIEF. TO
THE REGULATED MARKET, AND WE'RE
WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO
CONTEMPLATE THOSE ISSUES AND AT
THE SAME TIME WE'RE ALSO
RESIDENTS. STAKEHOLDERS, PARENTS
. AND WE EXPECT AT THE SAME TIME
THAT TO BE YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS
TO BE CONSIDERED, AND YOU KNOW
TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE ALREADY
STRUGGLING ON THE ONE HAND AND
NEED THIS SUPPORT AND ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECT OF
SALES. AND IT'S NOT CONSIDERING
THESE THINGS FOR ME. YOU KNOW,
IT'S IT DOESN'T WORK. THIS ISN'T
JUST AN ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM. AT
ALL. THIS IS FAR GREATER THAN
THAT. AND I'M I'M LOOKING AT
THESE. ADVERTISEMENTS. FOR MAKE
FLURRY, COCOA PEBBLES. I MEAN,
I'M A I'M A PARENT OF THREE
YOUNG KIDS, AND I TOTALLY AND
COMPLETELY SUPPORT THE LEGAL
INDUSTRY OF CANNABIS IN THIS
STATE. AND THEN THERE'S NO WAY
IN GOOD CONSCIENCE I CAN SUPPORT
THESE BEING OUT THERE BECAUSE I
ABSOLUTELY KNOW THE IMPACT THAT
THIS MAKES ON MY KIDS. I DON'T
EVEN THINK THIS IS GOOD FOR THE
ACTUAL PRODUCTS THEMSELVES.
CEREAL YOU KNOW, SUGARY FOODS
AND SO FORTH AND THE IMPACT
THAT'S THAT'S MAKING ON CHILDREN
, MUCH LESS BEING HIDDEN BEHIND
CANNABIS, ALCOHOL OR ANYTHING
LIKE THAT. UH I IN THE COURSE OF
THIS DEBATE. I'VE TOTALLY AND
COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW. REALLY,
YOU KNOW. BECOME MUCH, MUCH MORE
INTERESTED IN THIS. I WOULD LIKE
TO ASK IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER
ADDING ME ON AS A CO AUTHOR. AND
I VERY MUCH WILL ASK THE
INDUSTRY TO RECONSIDER THIS. NO
AS TIME IS GOING ON, BECAUSE
IT'S DEFLATING FOR US. IF YOU
CAN'T GET BEHIND THIS, AND YOU
ALSO WANT US TO GET BEHIND MUCH
, MUCH, MUCH BIGGER FISH, RIGHT?
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. I DO FEEL. UM I
DO FEEL A LITTLE BIT OBLIGATED.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE. WE
DID BRING THAT UP. SO I'M MORE
THAN HAPPY TO GO BACK TO
QUESTION FROM THE COMMITTEE. BUT
I WILL GIVE UM, OPPOSITION OR
THE SUPPORTERS A CHANCE TO
RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS. IF
WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN,
SO, MR LEE, WOULD YOU HAVE A
QUESTION? I JUST I JUST HAVE A
QUICK COMMENT AS WELL. AND I
JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE
THE AUTHOR GREENVILLE FORWARD
AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT
THIS UNDERSTAND THE INTENT OF
THE BILL IS MUCH MORE TO TALK
ABOUT. AND WHAT SIMILAR
LOWENTHAL TALK ABOUT HIS MIMICRY
OF CHILDLIKE PRODUCT
ATTRACTIVENESS. I DO HAVE SOME
CONCERNS. I LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE
ABOUT THE USE OF JUST
VEGETABLES, PLANTS, ROBOTS. I
MEAN, I DON'T THINK PARTICULARLY
ARTISTRY ITSELF CONVEYS
ATTRACTION AS CHILDREN, SO AS
YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BILL
AND KEEP LOOKING AT IT. I'M SURE
IN THE OTHER HOUSE YOU COULD
FINE TUNING IT, BUT I THINK THE
ISSUE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS
MIMICRY OF OTHER PRODUCTS RATHER
THAN JUST THE USE OF ANIMALS OR
THE USE OF ART AND COLOR ITSELF.
SO I WOULD ALSO BE, UH, FLAGGED
OUT FOR YOU OR SOMETHING. YOU
LOOK AT AND YOU KEEP GOING
FORWARD. SO I WANT TO JUST SAY
THAT THANK YOU. WE WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK ON THE BILL. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, AND EVERYONE
OPPOSITION LIKE TO RESPOND TO
THEM. I WOULD, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THANK YOU. AS I PREVIOUSLY
INDICATED THE LEGAL PRODUCTS
THAT WE DID IDENTIFY ON A PRIOR
FLAIR AND I'VE NOT SEEN THIS
ONE. UM I PERSONALLY CALLED AND
REPORTED IT TO THE DCC. UM, WE
DO NOT HAVE A POLICY OF
TOLERANCE FOR OPERATORS THAT ARE
VIOLATING OUR LAWS, INCLUDING
THE YOUTH COMPONENT. UM I CAN'T
SPEAK TO AGAIN. THE GRAPHICS
THAT ARE STATED OR THAT ARE
INCLUDED IN WHAT WAS JUST
DISTRIBUTED. BUT I ALSO DO WANT
TO ADD THAT IN THE FUTURE, IT
WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TAKE A
PICTURE OF THE FRONT AND THE
BACK OF THE GRAPHIC BECAUSE
THERE'S A LOT OF REQUIRED
PERTINENT INFORMATION THAT WHICH
WOULD HELP ME VERIFY IF THESE
PRODUCTS ARE IN FACT LEGAL OR
COUNTERFEIT. THAT INFORMATION
INCLUDES A PACKAGE YOU I D. THE
LICENSE, THE PACKAGING DATE
DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION AND
ASSOCIATED TESTING AND LICENSING
NUMBERS, SO THAT WOULD CERTAINLY
HELP US VERIFY AND AS I SAID, UM
I IT I, AS THE INDUSTRY
LOBBYISTS HAVE NO INTENTION OF
DEFENDING PRODUCTS THAT ARE
VIOLATING OUR LIVES INTENDED TO
DETER YOUTH ACCESS, AND I WILL
CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND I
CALLED THAT MANUFACTURER
PERSONALLY AND TOLD HIM THAT I
COMPLAINED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO DO THAT. BUT I WILL. I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE GRAPHICS
GOING FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN
VERIFY THE VALIDITY THAT THOSE
PRODUCTS ARE, IN FACT, LEGAL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I WOULD
JUST ADD RESPECTFULLY,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S CALIFORNIA
NORMAL, UH, AGAIN WITH GREAT
RESPECT IS A CONSUMER ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION. WE ACTUALLY DO NOT
REPRESENT INDUSTRY AND, UM, ONE
OF OUR PRIMARY CONCERNS IS
MAKING SURE THAT CONSUMERS HAVE
ACCESS TO PRODUCTS THAT HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE PROJECT PROCESS
OF LICENSURE BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE FOR ADULT
CONSUMERS. WE AGREE WITH ALL OF
THE COMMENTS OF MISS JENKINS.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO SMALL
CHILDREN AS WELL. WE DO NOT WANT
PRODUCTS TO BE APPEALING TO OR
MARKETED TOWARDS CHILDREN, THE
SAFETY AND LABELING LOCKS. WE'VE
DONE TONS OF WORK AROUND THAT TO
MAKE SURE THAT LITTLE KIDS
AREN'T GETTING INTO STUFF AS
WELL. UM AND, UH, WE AGREE WITH
YOU THAT YOUTH CANNABIS USED AS
A PRIORITY, WHICH IS WHY WE
SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS
ADDRESS IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
AND ONE OF THE SUPPORTERS HAS A
COMMON AS WELL. UM FIRST, I JUST
WANTED TO CLARIFY MOST OF THESE
PICTURES WERE TAKING AT THE
COOKIES BURNER ON HATE
DISPENSARY IN SAN FRANCISCO,
WHICH IS ILLEGALLY LICENSED
DISPENSARY IN SAN FRANCISCO. ALL
OF THESE WERE LEGAL PRODUCTS,
AND I HAVE VISITED MANY
DISPENSARIES ACROSS THE STATE
AND SEEN SIMILAR PATTERNS. I
APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE PANEL. UM THIS IS
A PROBLEM OF THE LEGAL MARKET,
THE ILLEGAL MARKET AND THE HEMP
MARKET AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT
EFFECTIVELY SECTOR BY SECTOR TO
PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ALRIGHT. WE
HAVE A SECOND AND WE HAVE A 1ST
AND 2ND. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. MAYBE 12 OH,
SEVEN IRWIN. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASS AS AMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN. LARA.
LARA, NOT VOTING COLONIES.
ALVAREZ. PONTA. CHEN. CHEN NOT
VOTING. DICKSON DICKSON. I
GIBSON GIBSON, I GRAYSON GRACE
AND I, IRWIN, I. JACKSON JACKSON
. I LI LI I LOWENTHAL THOUGHT I
AM MCCARTY. MAKIN, ER MCKENNA, I
WHEN I PATERSON TANG. I BELIEVE
THE BILL OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS
TO ADD ON AND IT LOOKS LIKE MR
JONES SAWYER. MR JONES, SAWYER,
PREVENTING A B 15 65.
OH, GOOD MORNING CHAIR REMEMBERS
. I AM HERE TO PRESENT A B 15 65
, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED ONGOING
FUNDING TO SUPPORT LOCAL
CANNABIS EQUITY APPLICANTS AND
LICENSEES BEGINNING IN FISCAL
YEAR 2028 TO 2029 IN NOVEMBER.
2020 2016, CALIFORNIA VOTERS
APPROVED PROPOSITION 64, WHICH
LEGALIZED ADULT RECREATIONAL USE
OF CANNABIS AND ESTABLISH
ATTACKS. A TAXATION STRUCTURE
HISTORICALLY, SUPPORT FOR EQUITY
APPLICANTS AND LICENSE HOLDERS
HAVE BEEN LACKING AS ADDITIONAL
JURISDICTIONS ARE CREATING
EQUITY LICENSE PROGRAMS TO HELP
THOSE DISPROPORTIONATELY
AFFECTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS TO
ENTER THE INDUSTRY. IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT WE THAT THE
STATE PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES TO
GET THESE BUSINESSES UP AND
RUNNING. THE CANNABIS BUSINESS
HAS A HIGH FINANCIAL BAR OF
ENTRY, WITH THE AVERAGE UPFRONT
COSTS OF OPERATING A DISPENSARY
RANGES FROM 80,000 TO 250,000.
WHEN JUSTICE INVOLVED CALIFORNIA
SEE THIS INDUSTRY BOOM BASED ON
THE VERY PRODUCT THAT RESULTED
IN THEIR INCARCERATION AND
CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH OF
THOSE WHO DO NOT LOOK LIKE THEM
OR DO NOT, WHO DO OR WHAT? WHAT
DO WE EXPECT THEM TO THINK? IF
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY, WE
CANNOT ALLOW DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY
SUFFERED DUE TO THE UNJUST
CRIMINALIZATION OF CANNABIS NOW
MISS OUT ON THE PROFITS OF ITS
LEGALIZATION BY FAILING PROVIDES
FURTHER SUPPORT FOR EQUITY
LICENSES AND APPLICANTS. THESE
BUSINESSES ARE PUSHED INTO THE
ILLEGAL MARKET. ULTIMATELY WE
ALSO FAILED TO KEEP THE PROMISE
OF 64 HELPING BEGIN TO UNDO THE
DAMAGE OF CANNABIS
CRIMINALIZATION. THAT'S WHY BABY
15 65 PROVIDES AN UPFRONT
SUPPORT HELP REDUCE BARRIERS TO
ENTRY, FURTHER COMBATING THE
ILLEGAL MARKET AND ENSURING
EQUITY FOR APPLICANTS AND
LICENSES WITH ME TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL IS PAMELA
LOPEZ ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
NORMAL AND AMY JENKINS ON BEHALF
OF THE CANNABIS. CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION.
RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE GUY VOTE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. FIRST WITNESS
PAMELA LOPEZ K STREET CONSULTING
ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA. NORMAL
POLLS AND SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN
THAT CALIFORNIANS INCLUDING
CALIFORNIA NORMAL MEMBERS WANT
TO SUPPORT EQUITY BUSINESSES ARE
POLL DATA SHOWS THAT THIS IS
BECAUSE THE CANNABIS ECONOMY
CREATES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR
A SMALL STEP TOWARDS REPARATIONS
FOLLOWING THE WAR ON DRUGS. UM
THOSE REPARATIONS ARE STILL DUE
TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
CALIFORNIA NORMAL, ANALYZED DATA
FROM THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND FOUND THAT STATEWIDE
IN 2018 BLACK AMERICANS WERE
ARRESTED 4.1 TIMES AS OFTEN AS
WHITES, FOR, UM AH, ARRESTS THAT
HAD TO DO WITH CANNABIS. THOSE
DISPARITIES HAVE CONTINUED IN
SUBSEQUENT YEARS. UM THE BIGGEST
BARRIER BY FAR TO EQUITY PLAYERS
ENTERING THE LEGAL CANNABIS
INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN
A LACK OF FUNDING. UM ALTHOUGH
IT IS FANTASTIC THAT WE HAVE
PASSED LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE
TAX BREAKS FOR SOME EQUITY
OPERATORS. THE HARDEST THING IS
GETTING INTO THE MARKET AND
OPENING BUSINESSES IN THE FIRST
PLACE. PROP 64 DIRECTED CANNABIS
TAX MONIES TOWARDS SOCIAL TOWARD
COMMUNITIES, UM, IMPACTED BY THE
DRUG WAR. AND MAYBE 15 65 HELPS
TO MAKE GOOD ON THE PROMISE OF
PROMOTING EQUITY AND TAKING A
SMALL STEP TOWARDS CORRECTING
THE WRONGS OF THE WAR ON DRUGS
FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THANK
YOU. MR CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS AMY
JENKINS ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION, AND STRONG SUPPORT
OF MAYBE 15 65. CALIFORNIA MADE
A COMMITMENT AND DECADES OF
FAILED PROHIBITIONIST POLICIES
AND DO RIGHT BY COMMUNITIES MOST
AFFECTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS
WITH THE PASSAGE OF PROP 64. YET
DESPITE ONGOING INVESTMENTS TO
SUPPORT AND EXPAND THESE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL EQUITY
OPERATORS, SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS
REMAIN. IN 2021 C. CIA WAS PROUD
TO PUBLISH THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS EQUITY ACCOUNTABILITY
REPORT, WHICH ANALYZED THE
SUCCESS AND PITFALLS OF ONGOING
LOCAL EQUITY PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. AMONG OTHER FINDINGS
, CCH FOUND THAT ADDITIONAL
JURISDICTIONS ESTABLISHED LOCAL
EQUITY PROGRAMS OR AS THEY HAD
ESTABLISHED LOCAL EQUITY
PROGRAMS ONGOING AND GUARANTEED
STREAMS OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT
EQUITY APPLICANTS AND LICENSES
WOULD BE CRITICAL TO THE LONG
TERM VIABILITY OF THESE PROGRAM.
RAMS. MAYBE 15 65 PROVIDES FRONT
AND SUPPORT TO CURRENT AND
PROSPECTIVE SOCIAL EQUITY
LICENSES BY GUARANTEEING 15
MILLION FROM THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS TAX FUND WILL GO
TOWARDS SUPPORTING THESE
PROGRAMS IN 2028 ONWARD, WITH
ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE'S
CANNABIS INDUSTRY, OPERATING IN
THE ILLICIT MARKET. MORE EQUITY
PROGRAMS COMING ONLINE EACH YEAR
WILL PROVIDE MORE PATHWAYS TO
SUPPORT OPERATORS. TRANSITIONING
TO LICENSURE. THIS IS ESSENTIAL
AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
BILL. AND WE URGE YOUR I VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT? OF
A B 15 65 NAMING ORGANIZATION.
PLEASE SEEN NONE. ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION? TO A B 16 15 65 C
NONE. BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMITTEE? MR LOWENTHAL.
RIGHT ON SEEING THEN. YEAH.
SOMEONE WHO REALLY LIKE TO
CLOSE. RESPECTFULLY AFTER YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
A B 15 65 JONES SAWYER. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN. FLORA. FLORA I COLONIES.
ALVAREZ BONTA. CHEN CHEN, I
DIXON. DIXON I GIBSON GIBSON. I
GRAYSON GRACE AND I, IRWIN
IRWIN, I JACKSON JACKSON, ISLAY.
LEE I, LOWENTHAL. AND THOUGHT
I'M MCCARTY MAKIN ER MAKIN HER I
WHEN I PATERSON. PATERSON. I
THINK. THE BILL IS THAT WE'LL
LEAVE IT OVER ABSENT MEMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S LIKE
WE HAVE ONE MORE BILL ON FILE A
B 12 86 BY MR HANEY. MEMBERS ARE
GONNA START WITH THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. JUST KIND OF ROLL
THROUGH THE FILE AND WAIT FOR MR
HANEY. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA NEED
MOTIONS AND SECONDS ON
EVERYTHING. THE SECOND. ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. BERMAN FLORA
FLORA ELONIS ALVAREZ. BONTA
CHAN. CHENNAI DICKSON DICKSON
GIBSON. GIBSON I GRAYSON GRAYSON
IRWIN. IRWIN I JACKSON JACKSON,
ISLAY. LEE I, LOWENTHAL. MCCARTY
MAKIN, ER MAKIN, ER I WIN. WHEN
I PATERSON PATERSON WRITING.
THAT WILL LEAVE IT OUT FOR
ABSENT MEMBERS, AND WE'LL START
THE TOP OF THE FILE. HI
CALENDAR. LOWENTHAL BY. 3 51
CHIN 83 51 CHIN. WE NEED A
MOTION A SECOND. MR GIBSON
SECOND JACKSON, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. A B 3 51 CHEN THE MOTION
IS DUE PASS TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN. LARA
ELONIS. ALVAREZ BANTA. CHEN.
CHEN I DICKSON DICKSON. I GIBSON
GIBSON, I GRAYSON GRAYSON, I
IRWIN IRWIN I JACKSON JACKSON. I
LI I LOWENTHAL ONE THOUGHT
MCCARTY MAKIN, ER MAKIN, ER I
WIN. WHEN I PATERSON PATERSON
WRITING. THAT BILL IS I WILL
LEAVE IT OPEN FOR ABSENT
MEMBERS. MOVING ON TO FILE ITEM
A. B FOR 20. WE NEED A MOTION
AND A SECOND. MR CHIN MAKES
MOTION. MAYBE 4 20. GIBSON
SECONDS IT WAS SECRETARY. PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. A BEEF. A B 4 20
AGUILAR CURRY. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASS TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN. LARA
LARA AYALON EASE. ALVAREZ PONTA.
CHAN. CHEN I DIXON, I GIBSON
HIPS AND I, GRAYSON GRACE AND I,
IRWIN. IRWIN I JACKSON JACKSON,
ISLAY. LEE I LOWENTHAL AND
THOUGHT I MCCARTY MAKIN, ER
MCKENNA. I WIN. WHEN I PATERSON
PATERSON WRITING ABILITIES THAT
WILL LEAVE IT OPEN. PERHAPS THE
MEMBERS I THINK WE'RE MOVING ON
TO FILE AT NUMBER FIVE A. B SIX.
87 MR HART. THE MOTION A SECOND.
LITTLE BILL, MR GIBSON. MR
GIBSON MAKES MOTION LOW AND
TALL, SECONDS IT, SECRETARY.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. A B 6 87
HEART. THE MOTION IS DUE PASS TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN. FLORA. FLORA, IOWA
KNEES. ALVAREZ. PONTA. CHEN.
CHEN I DICKSON DICKSON. I GIBSON
GIBSON, I GRAYSON GRACE AND I,
IRWIN. IRWIN I JACKSON JACKSON.
I LI LI I LOWENTHAL AND THOUGHT
I MCCARTY MAKIN, ER MCKENNA, I
WHEN. PATERSON. PATERSON WRITING
. THE BILL IS OUT. WE'LL LEAVE
IT OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS. I
THINK WE'RE GONNA FIND HIM.
SEVEN. A B 12 OH, SEVEN. IRWIN.
DO WE HAVE EVERYBODY ON THAT
ONE? OKAY, WELL, MAYBE 12 OH,
SEVEN. IRWIN. MADAM SECRETARY.
PLEASE CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS.
A B 12 OH, SEVEN IRWIN. THE
MOTION WAS DO PASS AS AMENDED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN FLORA. EXCUSE ME, UM, A
LINEAS. ALVAREZ BONTA. MCCARTY,
PATTERSON. PATERSON, NOT VOTING
TING. HOLD THAT ONE UNTIL IN THE
AD, ABSENT MEMBERS TO ADD ON
MOVING ON TO FILE AND NUMBER
EIGHT A. B 12 40 FOR HOLDEN. MR
GIBSON. MOUSSA, BILL, MR GRAYSON
, SECONDS IT, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. A B 12 44
HOLD IN THE MOTION IS DUE PASS
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN. FLORA
FLORA AYALON EASE, ALVAREZ BONTA
CHEN CHEN I DICKSON DICKSON. I
GIBSON GIBSON I GRAYSON GRAYSON
I IRWIN IRWIN I JACKSON JACKSON,
ISLAY. LEE I LOWENTHAL. ONE
THOUGHT I MCCARTY WIENER.
MCKENNA. I WIN. WHEN I PATERSON
PATERSON. I THINK. BILL IS THAT
WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN FOR ABSENT
MEMBERS. MOVED TO FILE ADAM
NUMBER 10 A. B 13 99 FRIEDMAN.
MADAM SECRETARY. WE KNEW THE
MOTION IN A SECOND. MR GIBSON?
UH, TINA. AND I'M ABSOLUTELY
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL E B 13 99
FRIEDMAN. THE MOTION IS DUE PASS
AS AMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS BERMAN. FLORA.
LARA I ALA NI'S. ALVAREZ. BONTA.
CHEN. CHEN I DICKSON DICKSON. I
GIBSON HIPS AND I, GRAYSON GRACE
AND IRWIN. IRWIN I JACKSON
JACKSON, ISLAY. LEE I LOWENTHAL
AND THOUGHT I AM A CARDI. MAKIN,
ER MAKIN HER. I WIN. WHEN I
PATERSON PATERSON WRITING. AH
ALANIS. AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
THAT BILL IS OUT AND LEAVE IT
OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS AND
MOVING ON TO FILE ITEM 11 A B 15
65 JOAN SAWYER. MADAM SECRETARY.
PLEASE CALL THE ABSENT MEMBERS.
A B 15 65 OF THE MOTION IS DUE
PASS TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN ELONIS.
MELANIE SNOW ALVAREZ. BANTA.
MCCARTY. TANG.
A B 15 65 ELONIS NOTA? AYE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BELIEVE THAT
BILL OPEN FOR APPS AND MEMBERS
TO ADD ON AND I SEE MR HANEY IN
THE ROOM. REMEMBER READY WHEN
YOU ARE PRESENTING A B 12. 86.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND MEMBERS
. I WANT TO START BY ACCEPTING
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS TODAY.
THESE AMENDMENTS INCLUDE
CLARIFYING THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS
THAT CONSTITUTE A PHARMACY
CLOSURE TO PREVENT FRIVOLOUS AND
UNNECESSARY CLOSURES AND
REAFFIRM THE ABILITY TO WAIVE
PHARMACY STAFFING REQUIREMENTS
DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
OR WORKLOAD VOLUME. I APPRECIATE
THE COMMITTEE'S FEEDBACK AND
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH MY
OFFICE ON THE LANGUAGE A B 12 86
IS A PATIENT SAFETY BILL. THAT
ESTABLISHES FIRST IN THE NATION
PROTECTIONS FROM LIFE
THREATENING MEDICATION ERRORS
THAT UNDERSTAFFED AND UNSAFE
PHARMACIES. SPECIFICALLY THE
BILL REQUIRES MANDATORY
REPORTING OF ALL MEDICATION
ERRORS TO A THIRD PARTY ENTITY
APPROVED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE
BOARD OF PHARMACY. IT ALSO
ADDRESSES THE INADEQUATE
STAFFING AND UNSAFE WORKING
CONDITIONS IN MANY COMMUNITY
CHAIN PHARMACIES THAT CAN LEAD
TO MEDICATION ERRORS. CHAIN
PHARMACIES AND PHARMACISTS WHO
WORK FOR THEM ARE INSTRUMENTAL
IN DELIVERING CARE TO
CALIFORNIANS. HOWEVER, RECENT
NEWS REPORTS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED
ALARMING MEDICATION ERRORS IN
THIS SETTING, INCLUDING ERRORS
THAT HAVE LED TO HOSPITALIZATION
OR DEATH IN 2021. THE BORDER
PHARMACY RELEASED SURVEY RESULTS
IN RESPONSE TO THESE ALARMING
MEDICATION ERRORS. AMONGST OTHER
THINGS. THE SURVEY RESULTS
SHOWED THAT A STARTLING 91% OF
PHARMACISTS WORKING COMMUNITY
CHAIN PHARMACIES INDICATED THEY
DID NOT BELIEVE STAFFING IN
THEIR WORK SITE IS APPROPRIATE
TO ENSURE ADEQUATE PATIENT CARE
. ADDITIONALLY THERE HAVE BEEN
REPORTS OF UNSANITARY CONDITIONS
AND COMMUNITY CHAIN PHARMACIES,
INCLUDING RODENT INFESTATIONS,
INSUFFICIENT STAFFING,
UNSANITARY CONDITIONS OR LACK OF
AUTONOMY TO MAKE CLINICAL
DECISIONS. IN THE BEST INTERESTS
OF THE PATIENT, NOT PROFITS CAN
LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN
MEDICATION ERRORS. AND WHILE
SIGNIFICANT TIME AND RESEARCH
HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO EVALUATING
MEDICATION, ERRORS OCCURRING IN
INPATIENT SETTINGS LIKE
HOSPITALS, SIMILAR RESEARCH AND
INFORMATION SHARING DOES NOT
EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY PHARMACY
SETTING BECAUSE OF THIS
MEDICATION ERRORS ARE WHY THE
UNDER REPORTED AND UNKNOWN WHILE
HAVING DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON
PATIENTS. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS
NO REQUIREMENT UNDER CURRENT LAW
FOR PHARMACIES TO REPORT
MEDICATION ERRORS OR TO CONSIDER
THE PHARMACY WORKING CONDITIONS
THAT LEAD TO MEDICATION ERRORS
TO ADDRESS THIS A B 12 86 WILL
REQUIRE MANDATORY REPORTING OF
MEDICATION ERRORS TO ALLOW FOR
ROBUST EVALUATION AND GIVE
LICENSED PHARMACY STAFF AUTONOMY
OVER THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS SO
THEY CAN BETTER PROVIDE SAFE
PATIENT CARE AND SERVICES FOR
ALL CALIFORNIANS. HERE TO
TESTIFY WITH ME TODAY AND
SUPPORT IS THE PHARMACY BOARD
PRESIDENT YOUNG OH, AND DR CHRIS
ATKINS, LICENSED PHARMACISTS AND
SODA GRIN FROM THE BOARD FOR
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. THANK YOU,
MR CHAIR AND WELCOME BACK. THANK
YOU. TWO MINUTES EACH PER
WITNESS AND SUPPORT READY WHEN
YOU ARE AND MORNING TROOPERS AND
VERMIN BY SHEER FLORA, MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA STATE BORDER
PHARMACY. I SINCERELY THANK
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HANEY FOR
AUTHORING THIS IMPORTANT PUBLIC
HEALTH MEASURE AND THE COMMITTEE
AND ITS STAFF FOR ITS
CONSIDERATION OF THIS MEASURE
TODAY. MY NAME IS SANGO,
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD. BY
STATUTE. THE BOARD IS A CONSUMER
PROTECTION AGENCY CHARGED WITH
REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF
PHARMACY EXPLICITLY STATED IN
PHARMACY LAW WHENEVER THE
PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC IS
INCONSISTENT WITH OTHER
INTERESTS OUGHT TO BE PROMOTED.
THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC
SHALL BE PARAMOUNT. CONSISTENT
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.
THE BOARD IS SPONSORING A B 12
86 1 OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
PATIENT SAFETY MEASURES EVER
SPONSORED BY THE BOARD. AS A
PRACTICING PHARMACISTS. I TOOK
AN OATH TO DEVELOP MYSELF TO A
LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO OTHERS
THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL
PHARMACY. REGRETTABLY I HAVE
BOTH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
KNOWLEDGE OF AS WELL AS HER HAVE
HEARD PUBLIC TESTIMONY REGARDING
UNSAFE CONDITIONS WITHIN MANY
PHARMACIES THAT ARE PLACING
PATIENTS AT RISK. AS HAS BEEN
REPORTED IN THE MEDIA, DISCUSSED
NATIONALLY WITNESSED AND
EXPERIENCED BY PATIENTS AND
DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE BOARDS.
WORKFORCE SURVEYS CURRENT
WORKPLACE CHALLENGES, MOST
NOTABLY IN COMMUNITY CHAIN
PHARMACIES ARE PLACING PATIENTS
AT RISK. AS TIME IS LIMITED.
I'LL FOCUS MY TESTIMONY ON KEY
FINDINGS FROM THE BOARD SURVEY
OF THE SURVEY. RESPONSES FROM
COMMUNITY CHANGE PHARMACISTS,
78% SAID THEY DO NOT BELIEVE
THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO
PROVIDE ADEQUATE SCREENING PRIOR
TO ADMINISTRATION OF THE
IMMUNIZATIONS 83% THAT THEY DO
NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT
TIME TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE
PATIENT. CONSULTATION AND 91%
SAID THEY DO NOT HAVE A DAY. DO
NOT BELIEVE STAFFING IN THEIR
PRIMARY WORK SITE IS APPROPRIATE
TO ENSURE ADEQUATE PATIENT CARE.
THESE RESPONSES PAINT A PICTURE
RIGHT FOR CONSUMER HARM. THE
URGENCY OF THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE
OVERSTATED. IT IS CLEAR STAFFING
DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE AT THE
STORE LEVEL BY INDIVIDUALS
RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATIONAL
COMPLIANCE, AND PHARMACISTS
REQUIRE AUTONOMY TO MAKE
INDEPENDENT CLINICAL DECISIONS
IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF
PATIENTS. GOOD PUBLIC POLICY AND
THE BOARD'S CONSUMER PROTECTION
MANDATE TO MAN THAT THE BOARD
TAKE ACTION TO PREVENT FUTURE
MEDICATION ERROR. I THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR
CONSIDERATION OF A B 12 86 AND
YOUR ASSISTANCE HELPING THE
BOARD PROTECT CALIFORNIA
CONSUMERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS
. MY NAME IS DR CHRISTOPHER
ATKINS AND I AM HERE TODAY TO
TESTIFY AND STRONG SUPPORT OF
ASSEMBLY. BILL 12 86. I'M A
LICENSED PHARMACIST AND RECENTLY
LEFT MY POSITION AT BONDS
PHARMACY DUE LARGELY TO THE
HORRENDOUS WORKING CONDITIONS,
CHRONIC UNDERSTAFFING AND LACK
OF AUTONOMY THAT PUT MY PATIENTS
AT RISK EVERY SINGLE DAY. I
JOINED THE PHARMACY PROFESSION
AFTER YEARS OF EXTENSIVE
EDUCATION AND TRAINING, TO BE
ABLE TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HELP
PATIENTS RECEIVE CRITICAL
MEDICATION, CLINICAL CARE AND
ADVOCATE FOR THOSE PATIENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY AFTER THREE YEARS
IN THE CHAIN SETTING, I MADE THE
TOUGH DECISION AS MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE TO LEAVE. IF
ASSEMBLY BILL 12 86 HAD BEEN LAW
, I WONDER HOW THAT MIGHT HAVE
INFLUENCED OUR DECISION. JUST TO
GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO
MY ROLE AS A PHARMACIST WERE
TASKED WITH ENSURING THE SAFETY
AND ACCURACY OF EVERY
PRESCRIPTION THAT COMES TO OUR
PHARMACY. IN ADDITION TO THAT
ALREADY DAUNTING TASK. WE ALSO
ACT AS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN MOST
COMMUNITIES, NO APPOINTMENT
NEEDED. JUST WALK IN AND ASK ANY
QUESTION YOU WANT. BUT MOSTLY WE
UPHOLD THE OATH THAT WE TOOK AS
A PHARMACIST, AND I QUOTE THE
FIRST LINE, I PROMISED TO DEVOTE
MYSELF TO A LIFETIME OF SERVICE
TO OTHERS THROUGH THE
PROFESSIONAL PHARMACY AND QUOTE
WHEN WE HAVE TO WORK FOR
EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE TAKEN NO
SUCH OATH AND WHOSE ONLY
OBLIGATION IS TO THEIR
SHAREHOLDERS. IT CREATES A
JUXTAPOSITION AND THE GOALS OF
THE WORK THAT WE DO. PATIENT
SAFETY HAS PATIENT SAFETY HAS
PUT EDWARD HAS BEEN PUT AT RISK
BECAUSE PHARMACISTS AND PHARMACY
TECHNICIANS ARE OVERWORKED AND
UNDERSTAFFED. WE NO LONGER HAVE
TIME TO PERFORM HIGH QUALITY
CONSULTATIONS THAT WERE REQUIRED
BY LAW TO PROVIDE WE'RE NO
LONGER ABLE TO DEVOTE ADEQUATE
TIME TO THE PATIENTS IN MOST
NEED. WE CAN BARELY EVEN ANSWER
THE PHONE ANYMORE TO HELP
PATIENTS, DOCTORS OR TRANSFER
PRESCRIPTIONS. WE'RE ALSO
LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE
PHARMACY AND THAT IS PERFORMED
UNDER OUR LICENSE. WITHOUT THE
AUTHORITIES PROVIDED BY THIS
BILL, PHARMACISTS CAN'T TRULY BE
A PHARMACIST IN CHARGE. THEY CAN
MERELY BE A PHARMACIST AND
LIABILITY. I HAVE SEEN ERRORS
WHERE PATIENTS RECEIVED THE
WRONG VACCINE BECAUSE COMPANIES
CARE MORE ABOUT PROFITS THAN
SAFETY. I HAVE CALLED MISS FIELD
MEDICATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE DOING TOO
MANY THINGS AT ONCE. I HAVE
HEARD NUMEROUS PATIENT
COMPLAINTS THAT WE CAN'T PICK UP
THE PHONE OR REFILL THERE TO
REFILL THEIR MEDICATIONS OR
TRANSFER THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS AND
THEY'RE RIGHT. ASSEMBLY BILL 12
86 GIVES PHARMACISTS PROTECTIONS
WE NEED WHAT ARE PATIENTS FIRST?
THE BILL ALLOWS FOR A PHARMACIST
IN CHARGE OF TEMPORARY CLOSED
THE PHARMACY WHEN WORKING
CONDITIONS ARE DEEMED UNSAFE. I
PERSONALLY HAVE HAD A MEDICAL
EMERGENCY ALONE AND THE PHARMACY
AND WAS TOLD TO WAIT TWO HOURS
FOR ANOTHER PHARMACIST TO COME
AND COVER ME AND IF YOU COULD
WRAP UP, THAT'D BE GREAT.
ADDITIONALLY THE BILL ENSURES
THAT PHARMACISTS ARE NOT LEFT
ALONE TO WORK. 12 HOUR SHIFTS BY
THEMSELVES AS MULTITASKING ALONE
CAN REDUCE THE QUALITY OF CARE
AND CREATE AN UNSAFE WORK
ENVIRONMENT. LASTLY THE BILL
REQUIRES MANDATORY MEDICATION
AIR REPORTING TO THE STATE SO
THAT THEY CAN GATHER AGGREGATED
DATA ON MEDICATION ERRORS AND
ASSESS TRENDS TO ASSURE TO
ENSURE THAT NO PATIENT WILL EVER
SUFFER A MEDICATION ERROR DUE TO
WORKFORCE CONDITIONS IS FOR
THESE REASONS AND MORE. THAT I
ASKED FOR YOUR STRONG SUPPORT
AND, YES, VOTE ON ASSEMBLY. BILL
12 86. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
PRIMARY WITNESSES AND OPPOSITION
. WE HAVE ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. YOU
HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS ROB, GET THIS AND I'M
HERE ON BEHALF OF ALBERTSONS
COMPANIES. UM I AM THE DIRECTOR
OF PHARMACY, LEGISLATIVE AND
REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND ALSO A
PHARMACIST. UM WE DO RECOGNIZE
THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF
PROVISIONS WITHIN A B 12 86 VERY
COMPLEX BILL LOTS OF DIFFERENT
ISSUES THAT IT'S ATTEMPTING TO
TACKLE. UM, I DO WANT TO JUST
FOCUS MY COMMENTS ON TWO OF THE
MOST CONCERNING PROVISIONS FOR
US FIRST, THE BILL INAPPROPRIATE
PLACES THE AUTHORITY ON THE
PHARMACIST IN CHARGE TO MAKE THE
DECISION IN ITS ENTIRETY TO
CLOSE THE PHARMACY ON A MOMENT'S
NOTICE. THIS IS OVERLY BROAD
LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE
PHARMACIST TO SHUT THE DOORS OF
A PHARMACY IF THEY'RE
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH STAFFING OR
SANITARY CONDITIONS OF THE
PHARMACY. OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS
THE ABRUPTNESS WITH BEING ABLE
TO CLOSE THE PHARMACY WOULD
WOULD LIMIT PATIENT ACCESS AND
HAVE LIMIT IMPLICATIONS ON
PATIENT SAFETY, AS MANY PATIENTS
ARE PLANNING THEIR DAY TO ARRIVE
TO THE PHARMACY AND HAVING THE
PHARMACY BE CLOSED, WITHOUT
NOTICE, WOULD PROVIDE VERY
DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES FOR MANY
PATIENTS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE THE
ABILITY TO COME BACK WHEN IT
DOES OPEN BACK UP AGAIN. UM WE
AS A COMPANY HAVE SEVERAL
PROCESSES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CAN HAVE OUR PHARMACY
STAFFED APPROPRIATELY, THAT
THERE ARE MECHANISMS FOR THE
STAFF TO REACH OUT TO THEIR
LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT THOSE
THOSE DECISIONS CAN BE MADE
APPROPRIATELY AND WITH
APPROPRIATE SUPPORT. UM SECONDLY
, A B 12 86. EXCUSE ME.
ESTABLISHES THE PHARMACY
MANDATED STAFFING FLOOR FOR ALL
PHARMACIES IN CALIFORNIA,
REGARDLESS OF VOLUME OR LOCATION
AND WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
ANY UNINTENDED SITUATIONS WHERE
PHARMACY PERSONNEL CALL IN SICK
MUST LEAVE EARLY FOR FAMILY
EMERGENCY OR ABRUPTLY QUIT. THIS
REQUIRED STAFFING FLOOR WILL BE
IMPOSSIBLE FOR MANY OF OUR
PHARMACIES IN CALIFORNIA,
SAFEWAY OUT SAFEWAY. ALBERTSONS
HAS MANY PHARMACIES IN THE STATE
THAT ARE PROVIDING PATIENT
SERVICES AT A LOSS. WE KEEP OUR
PHARMACIES OPEN AS A CUSTOMER
SERVICE AND ASSURE PATIENT ACT
TO ASSURE PATIENT ACCESS TO
PHARMACY SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS
OR OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE WITH
LIMITED ACCESS SAFEWAY AND
ALBERTSON'S MAKES THE DECISION
ABOUT STAFFING BASED ON THE
VOLUME OF MEDICATIONS DISPENSED
THROUGHOUT THE DAY. UM IN
ADDITION, THERE'S ALREADY
REGULATIONS THAT DO REQUIRE THAT
AN AVAILABLE INDIVIDUAL, UH, IS
PRESENT TO HELP THE PHARMACIST
WHEN THEY DO NEED THAT HELP. UM,
FOR MANY REASONS, TWO OF WHICH
I'VE COVERED. WE DO STAND IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL AND
ASKED FOR THE COMMITTEE TO VOTE.
NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
MORNING, JENNIFER SNYDER AND WE
HAVE THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
PHARMACY COALITION. WHEN I FIRST
ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHAIR AND THE
COMMITTEE'S WORK ON AMENDMENTS
TO THE BILL, UM AND THEY DO
IMPROVE IT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
WE'RE STILL STRONGLY OPPOSED TO
THE BILL. AND I AM ROB GET IS
DIDN'T VERY NICE JOB OF
REFERRING TO THE TWO MAJOR
CONCERNS. WE HAVE MORE
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE
ABILITY FOR A PHARMACIST IN
CHARGE OF PHARMACIST ON DUTY TO
CLOSE THE PHARMACY. BUT I WANT
TO ADD IT. JUST A COUPLE
ADDITIONAL POINTS. ONE UM YOU
KNOW, WE DO APPRECIATE AND
RECOGNIZE THE CONCERNS OF THE
SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL RELATIVE
RELATIVE TO WORKFORCE ISSUES,
BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS THE MOST
RESTRICTIVE. TECHNICIAN TWO
PHARMACISTS RATIO IN THE NATION
. WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT IN
CALIFORNIA THAT A PHARMACIST CAN
ONLY SUPERVISE ONE PHARMACY
TECHNICIAN. THERE'S NO OTHER
STATE THAT HAS THIS 24 OTHER
STATES IN THE IN THE NATION HAVE
UNLIMITED RATIOS. MOST OTHERS
HAVE 123 OR 124. SO IN MOST OF
OUR PHARMACIES, THEY ARE LIMITED
TO THE NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF
THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP A
PHARMACIST. DO THEIR JOB, AND SO
WE HAVE FOR THE LAST DECADE BEEN
TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS CHANGING
THAT PHARMACY RATIO AND WE WOULD
REALLY REALLY IMPLORE ARE THE
PROPONENTS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE
BILL TO LOOK AT THAT LARGER
ISSUE AND REALLY TRY TO ADDRESS
THE UNDERLINING ISSUE THAT WE
BELIEVE IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM
IN THE FIRST PLACE. UM THE
BILL'S PROVISIONS MORE
SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED A
PHARMACIST IN CHARGE TO MAKE
STAFFING DECISIONS FOR THAT
PHARMACY. BUT OUR STATE STATUTE
RESTRICTS REALLY WHAT THEY CAN
DO WITHIN THAT AUTHORITY. AND
THEN AGAIN, IT REQUIRES THEN
THAT THE THAT THE PHARMACY
CLOSED DOWN, WHICH AGAIN IS A
HUGE, HUGE CONCERN WITH RESPECT
TO PATIENT ACCESS, ESPECIALLY IN
RURAL AREAS, WHERE A PATIENT IN
PARTICULAR IS NOT ABLE TO ACCESS
THEIR MEDICATIONS WHEN THEY'RE
PLANNING TO ACCESS THOSE
MEDICATIONS, AND LASTLY, THE
BILL, WHICH WE ACTUALLY DO
SUPPORT AUTHORIZES PHARMACY
TECHNICIANS TO DO VACCINATIONS
WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT
PROVISION. BUT IT NARROWS THE
ABILITY FOR THAT PHARMACY
TECHNICIAN TO ONLY BE ABLE TO
WORK WITHIN THE VACCINATIONS AND
A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TESTS DURING
THE DAY. AND SO THE BILL ON ONE
HAND, WILL ALLOW FOR TWO
PHARMACY TECHNICIANS TO ONE
PHARMACIST, BUT LIMITS THE
ABILITY FOR THAT SECOND PHARMACY
TECHNICIAN TO HELP OUT IN THE
LARGER PHARMACY SETTINGS SO
AGAIN BACK TO OUR LIMITS, CREATE
THE CONCERNS. AND WE NEED TO
LOOK AT A BETTER PICTURE IN A
DIFFERENT WAY AND HOW WE HANDLE
THIS SITUATION. SO UNFORTUNATELY
WE MUST STILL OPPOSE 12 86 HOPE
WE CAN CONTINUE TO FIND A
SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO WANT TO ADD ON IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL TO ADD ON
NAME ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH IF
ANY POSITION GOOD MORNING, MR
CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS, MISSY JOHNSON
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION WITH THE
SUPPORT OF AMENDED POSITION. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
AUTHOR AND THE SPONSORS ON OUR
CONCERNS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
JESSE GRAY WALL, UFCW WESTERN
STATES COUNCIL AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL WITNESSES AND
SUPPORT SEEING NONE. ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION YOU WANT
TO ADD ONTO THE BILL? GOOD
MORNING CHAIR MEMBERS, GEORGE
STORIES WITH THE CALIFORNIA
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION RESPECTFULLY
AND OPPOSE UNLESS SUBMITTED
POSITION. QUITE SURE WE CAN GET
TO NEUTRAL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE, AND THEY
HAVE ALREADY WORKED WITH US IN
THE COMMITTEE. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
THAT. BRING BACK THE COLLEAGUES
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE
BILL. UH PLEASE GO AHEAD.
REMEMBER PATTERSON. THANK YOU,
UM, QUESTION FOR A SPONSOR OF
THE BILL. UM JUST AH! CAN I
LEARN A THING OR TWO? I'VE BEEN
INVOLVED IN, UM AH, SITUATIONS
WHERE REGULATORS AND I'VE SEEN
IT MANY TIMES IN MY CAREER. UH,
USE THEIR LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
TO CREATE REGULATIONS
PROMULGATED REGULATIONS,
SOMETIMES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF
PROBABLY THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT
. BUT IN THIS SCENARIO WHERE THE
BOARD OF PHARMACY WAS PUT
TOGETHER AN AD HOC GROUP AND,
UM, YOU KNOW IDENTIFIED THIS AS
BEING A PROBLEM. WHY COULDN'T
THEY DEVELOP A, UM, REGULATORY
PROCESS WHERE THIS COULD HAVE
BEEN PART OF A PUBLIC PROCESS?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
QUESTION AND SOTOGRANDE WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF
PHARMACY STUFF. SO THE BOARD DID
USE A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS.
ACTUALLY IN DEVELOPING THIS,
EVERYTHING THAT THE BOARD DOES
ALL OF THEIR, UM, OR COMMITTEE
AND BOARD MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC,
PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
ENGAGEMENT. THE WORKFORCE SURVEY
WAS THE JUMPING OFF POINT. UM
THAT ALONG WITH MEDIA REPORTS,
AND SO THERE WAS A PUBLIC
PROCESS. IT WAS A YEAR LONG
PROCESS THAT THE BOARD USED IN
DEVELOPING THIS PROPOSAL. DO YOU
HAVE NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
PROMULGATE REGULATIONS ALONG
THESE LINES OR. I BELIEVE THAT
WE ARE SEEKING STATUTE BECAUSE
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE BEST
WAY TO EFFECTUATE THE CHANGES
THAT ARE SOUGHT. THE BOARD'S
REGULATORY AUTHORITY IS A LITTLE
BIT LIMITED. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S NGUYEN.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. FIRST I
WANT TO THANK YOU. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO,
BECAUSE YOU DO PROVIDE THAT
SENSE OF IF ANYBODY IS ILL,
RIGHT THAT WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU
PROVIDE I VISITED THE PHARMACIST
MANY TIMES AND REALLY APPRECIATE
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I WAS
ABLE TO SIT AND CONSULT WITH
THEM ABOUT MY MEDICATION. COVID
REALLY DID A NUMBER ON ALL OF US
ALL OF OUR INDUSTRIES. AND WHAT
I'M HEARING IS THAT THE LACK OF
STAFFING IS ONE OF THE AREAS IN
WHICH IT REALLY JUST MADE ALL OF
US IN ALL OF OUR INDUSTRY. TIRED
WORN OUT, JUST BURN OUT OVERALL.
MY CONCERN, THOUGH, IS AS
SOMEBODY WHO HAS WORKED IN THE
LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND
WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
, ESPECIALLY LIMITED ENGLISH
SPEAKING COMMUNITIES. MANY OF US
AND I SAY US BECAUSE I COME FROM
THAT COMMUNITY. I GREW UP
MEDICAL BABY. AND WE HAD ONE
PLACE TO GO TO GET OUR
MEDICATION. AND I'M THINKING
ABOUT THE PARENTS AND THE
FAMILIES AND THE GRANDPARENTS
WHO DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION
ALREADY, AS IT IS. AND THEY'RE
GOING TO A PHARMACIST TO PICK UP
THEIR MEDICATION, ONLY TO FIND
OUT THAT IT'S CLOSED AND NOT
SURE WHEN IT'S GOING TO REOPEN
AGAIN. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE
FOLKS WHO NEED THAT MEDICATION.
WHERE WILL THEY GO TO GET THE
MEDICATION IF THIS PHARMACIST
CLOSED DOWN, I'M THINKING ABOUT
THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE
NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. I'M THINKING
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE
ONE PLACE THEY WENT TO ALL THE
TIME TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAD
DEVELOPED THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH
THEIR PHARMACISTS AND TRUST.
THAT PHARMACISTS AND GETTING
THEIR MEDICATION AND ASKING ALL
THE QUESTIONS. BUT WHEN THIS
SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT ANY NOTICE,
WHERE WILL THEY GO? HOW WILL
THEY GET THE TREATMENT THAT THEY
NEED? MANY OF THEM DON'T HAVE A
HEALTH. UM YOU KNOW, PLACE THAT
THEY GO TO LIKE A KAISER WHERE
THE PHARMACISTS RIGHT THERE ON
SITE, RIGHT? AND THEY RELY ON
THESE PHARMACISTS PHARMACIES TO
BE ABLE TO GET THEIR MEDICATION.
UM I HOPE I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE
THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND I'M
HEARING A LOT ABOUT THESE, UM
SURVEYS THAT YOU DID, AND I
DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU, BUT
I USUALLY DO SURVEYS WHENEVER
COMPLAINT ABOUT SOMETHING RIGHT
AND NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING
GOOD, AND I'M GOING TO CHANGE
THAT NOW. SO NOW WHEN I HAVE
SOMETHING GOOD TO SAY, I'M GOING
TO START DOING THESE SURVEYS.
BUT I I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW THAT
THESE FOLKS THAT COMPLETED THE
SURVEYS WHEN THEY COMPLETED THE
SURVEYS, AND THEY COMPLAINED
ABOUT THE CLEANLY NOUS. THE LACK
OF THE INACCURACY OF THE
MEDICATIONS. THEY ALSO KNOW THAT
THIS WOULD SHUT DOWN A PHARMACY
AND THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET
THEIR MEDICATION THAT THEY
NEEDED. RIGHT I AM ALL ABOUT
REGULATION. I'M ALL ABOUT MAKING
SURE THESE COMMUNITIES RECEIVED
THE RIGHT CARE THE RIGHT
TREATMENT. THE RIGHT MEDICATION
ALL OF THAT. AND I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE SO OFTEN
COMMUNITIES OF COLORS AND LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE THE ONES
THAT GET THE GRUNT OF THIS. SO
I'M ALL ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO
ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS AND THINK ABOUT MAYBE
IT'S THE STAFFING RIGHT? AS OUR
OPPOSITION SAID THAT IS NEEDED
BECAUSE WE SAW THAT HAPPEN
DURING COVID. RESTAURANTS
SHUTDOWN, SUPERMARKETS SHUT DOWN
AND WHAT HAPPENED OR FOOD
DESERTS, FOLKS HAD TO GO TO FOOD
BANKS TO GET THEIR FOOD FOLKS
HAD TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO DO IT.
IN THIS SITUATION HERE. I'M
ASKING YOU THAT MAYBE WE TAKE A
LOOK AT OTHER AREAS IN WHICH WE
CAN MAKE THIS WORK FOR THOSE
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. I WANNA
AND OTHER FOLKS MAY HAVE WAYS OF
WEIGHING IN. I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THE THOSE COMMENTS AND SAY
THAT THE INTENTION OF THIS BILL
IS ABSOLUTELY TO INCREASE ACCESS
AND SAFE ACCESS. UM THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS, I THINK
HELPED US CLARIFY THE VERY RARE
INSTANCES WHEN THERE'S UNSAFE
AND UNHEALTHY CONDITIONS. WHERE
A CLOSURE WOULD HAPPEN. AND THEN
THERE'D BE IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY
REOPEN. BUT I DO WANNA SAY AND
GIVE MY COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE
TO WORK ON THAT ACT ISSUE OF
CLOSURES. THIS IS NOT INTENDED
TO REDUCE ACCESS, BUT I ALSO
WANT TO SAY, AND I WOULD IMAGINE
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'D AGREE
WITH A PHARMACY THAT IS UNSAFE
TO THE POINT OF HAVING A RODENT
INFESTATION OR A SIGNIFICANT
RISK AS YOU HEARD OF MEDICATION
ERROR IS PROBABLY ONE THAT NEEDS
TO BE CLOSED FOR SOME AMOUNT OF
TIME TO FIX THAT ISSUE BEFORE IT
REOPENS EVEN JUST FOR AN HOUR OR
TWO HOURS. IF IT'S IF IT'S
FORCED TO STAY OPEN THAT CAN
CREATE SERIOUS, UH, ISSUES FOR
PATIENT SAFETY. BUT I UNDERSTAND
THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN
RAISED, PARTICULARLY ON THIS
ISSUE OF CLOSURE AND IN IN IN
AREAS WHERE THERE ISN'T AS MUCH
ACCESS AND SO I'M DEFINITELY
COMMITTED TO LOOKING MORE AT
THAT AND REFINING IT, DEFINING
IT AND REDUCING THAT THAT
SITUATION EVEN FURTHER. UM YOU
KNOW, I DO WANT TO SAY, AND
THERE WAS A POINT ABOUT
LIABILITY RIGHT NOW. PHARMACISTS
IN CHARGE DO HAVE LIABILITY.
THEY'RE THE PROFESSIONALS, AND
THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME
OF THESE DECISIONS TO PROTECT
PATIENTS. AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE
BEING RESTRICTED FROM THEIR
ABILITY TO DO THAT. THE
DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE BY
OTHERS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE PROFESSIONALS, THE
MEDICAL, THE MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS ARE THE ONES WHO
ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS IS
THERE YEAH. YEAH. PLEASE. UH
BRIEFLY, YES. SO TO THE POINT OF
CLOSING PHARMACIES, WE
ABSOLUTELY DON'T WANT TO CLOSE
PHARMACIES. THAT'S THE LAST
THING ANY PHARMACIST WANTS TO DO
AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE
WOULD CLOSE THE PHARMACY UNDER
ARE EXTREMELY EXTENUATING, LIKE
LITERALLY HAVING A MEDICAL
EMERGENCY, WHERE I HAD AN ASTHMA
ATTACK AND WAS TOLD TO KEEP THE
PHARMACY OPEN. I DID NOTHING IN
THE PHARMACY, BUT STAND THERE
AND STARE AT A RESCUE INHALER
FOR TWO HOURS. I DIDN'T HELP
ANYONE WHILE I WAS THERE. AND I
WAS ALSO ROBBED AT ONE POINT AND
AFTER THE ROBBERY, I DISPENSED A
MEDICATION TO A PATIENT THAT WAS
WAITING IN THE WAITING ROOM THAT
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE WERE ROBBED.
SO THE SORRY THE CIRCUMSTANCES
UNDER WHICH WE WOULD CLOSE THE
PHARMACY AREN'T JUST BECAUSE
WE'RE WORKING TOO HARD, BECAUSE
WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING TOO HARD.
IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE PROPER STAFFING BECAUSE WE
NEVER HAD PROPER STAFFING. IT'S
VERY EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES AT
WHICH WE DEEM THAT PATIENT
SAFETY IS AT RISK. AND THAT IS
MORE OF A CON THAN THE PRO OF
KEEPING THE PHARMACY OPEN FOR
THE OTHER PATIENTS WOULD BE.
THAT'S THE CLINICAL DECISION
MAKING THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A
PHARMACY. AND TO SPEAK TO
INCREASING STAFFING ABILITY. I
WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. UM MAYBE
INCREASING STAFFING. OUR
TECHNICIAN RATIO WOULD HELP. BUT
THERE ARE NO TECHNICIANS NOW
BECAUSE THE JOB IS SO HARD. THEY
ALL HAVE LEFT TO DO SOMETHING
ELSE. THERE IS A TECHNICIAN
SHORTAGE, BUT NO PHARMACIST
SHORTAGE. NOT YET ANYWAY. BUT
THE SCHOOLS ARE DECREASING THEIR
ADMISSIONS. A LOT OF THEM ARE
DOWN TO 30% OF THE CLASS SIZE
AND THOSE CLASSES GRADUATING
ABOUT 3 TO 4 YEARS. SO IN 3 TO 4
YEARS, THERE WILL BE A FARMS
SHORTAGE. THERE WILL BE STORES
CLOSING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO
PHARMACISTS TO WORK. NOT BECAUSE
THEY WANT TO CLOSE THE
PHARMACIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. UM, GOT SOME MEMBER
GRAYSON. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR,
AND, UM UH, A LOT TO DISCUSS
HERE. I FIRST WANT TO PREFACE BY
SAYING I HAVE IMMENSE RESPECT
FOR THE AUTHOR, UH, AND ALSO FOR
THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE,
THANK THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK
AND WORKING TOGETHER,
COLLABORATING COMING UP WITH
AMENDMENTS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT
ONE QUESTION JUST FOR
CLARIFICATION. YOU SAID THERE
WAS A STUDY THAT WAS DONE. THE
BOARD PUT OUT A STUDY. WHEN DID
YOU PUT OUT THAT STUDY? YEAH SO
FOLLOWING THE BOARD SUNSET
REVIEW OVERSIGHT, ONE OF THE
ISSUES THAT WAS RAISED THAT THE
LEGISLATURE ASKED THE BOARD TO
LOOK AT WAS WORKFORCE. UM, AND
MEDICATION ERRORS, AND SO THE
BOARD DID DEVELOP A WORKFORCE
SURVEY AND RELEASED THAT TO ITS
LICENSES, AND IT'S BASED ON THAT
. THOSE ARE THIS STATISTICS THAT
WERE CITED WERE FROM THAT
WORKFORCE SURVEY AND TO 2021.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO THE ANSWER
WAS UM, 2021 WHEN THE STUDY WENT
OUT. YES OKAY, SO THAT WAS FOR
MANY OF US. I THINK WE REMEMBER
THAT WAS IN THE MIDST OF COVID.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE COULD FIND A
HOSPITAL IN EMERGENCY ROOM. I
DON'T THINK WE COULD FIND A
BUSINESS THAT WOULD STATE THAT
THEY WERE ADEQUATELY STAFFED. I
THINK STRESS LEVELS AT THAT TIME
WERE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. I
THINK THAT IF YOU WERE TO HAVE
SURVEYED ANY BUSINESS, YOU WOULD
HAVE FOUND OUT THAT EMPLOYEES
WOULD HAVE SAID I'M AT AN ALL
TIME STRESS LEVEL. WE DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH STAFF, SO I'M NOT SURE OF
THE STUDY CAME BACK AS PURE AS
WE WANT TO HOLD IT. IT MIGHT BE
A BIT SKEWED BECAUSE OF COVID
WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF WE
GET THE EXACT SAME RESULTS ONCE
WE'RE NOW THAT WE'RE SAYING
WE'RE OUT OF COVID I DO SHARE,
UH, SENTIMENTS WITH MY COLLEAGUE
. I AM VERY, VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT PHARMACEUTICAL DESSERTS,
ESPECIALLY IN THE AUTHOR'S OWN
DISTRICT, WHERE CHAIN PHARMACIES
ARE LITERALLY CLOSING THEIR
DOORS AND ENTIRE STORES, UH,
ALMOST COMPLETELY. SO THAT IS A
CONCERN OF MINE. I DO BELIEVE
THE AUTHORS WORKING VERY HARD TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT
COMPROMISE ACCESS. AS WELL AS
THE CHAIR AS WELL. I'M NOT SURE
HOW THE BILL ADDRESSES THE
WORKFORCE CHALLENGE BY ADMISSION
OF ONE OF THE, UH, TESTIMONIES
THAT WE HEARD TODAY FROM FROM A
PROPONENT. WE ARE WE ARE IN A
PLACE AND A CHALLENGE WHERE
THERE'S WORKFORCE, UH, ISSUES
AND ACCESS TO FUTURE TECHNICIANS
OR PHARMACIST. SO I DO HAVE A
QUESTION DO PHARMACIES HAVE TO
BE LICENSED? IN ORDER TO OPEN.
YES SO WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE
BOARD OF PHARMACY ONCE YOU
LICENSE OF PHARMACY? DO YOU JUST
GIVE THEM A LICENSE AND THEN SAY
GO OFF INTO THE WILD, WILD WEST
AND OPEN A STORE AND THAT'S IT,
OR IS THERE ANY TYPE OF
ENGAGEMENT OR INTERACTION AFTER
THEY RECEIVED THEIR LICENSE,
LIKE AN INSPECTION OR AH! OTHER
SERVICES THAT YOU MIGHT PROVIDE
A PHARMACY. YES SO THE BOARD
REGULATES ONCE THEY ISSUE THE
LICENSE, RIGHT? UM AND SO WE DO
INSPECTIONS. WE DO ROUTINE
INSPECTIONS. SO WHERE WE'RE
GOING OUT FOR NO REASON OTHER
THAN TO ASSESS THE OPERATIONS
WERE ALSO PERFORMING INSPECTIONS
, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF
LICENSE AS A REQUIREMENT. WE ARE
ALSO GOING OUT AND CONDUCTING
INSPECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO
CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. AND
INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM OTHER
REGULATORY AGENCIES. INTERESTING
SO YOU ARE OUT THERE DOING
INSPECTIONS. HOW OFTEN DOES THE
PHARMACY RECEIVING OR ARE HOW
OFTEN WOULD THEY BE INSPECTED
ONCE A YEAR ONCE EVERY FIVE
YEARS, SO IT WILL DEPEND BECAUSE
COMPLAINTS ARE SITE SPECIFIC,
DRIVEN GENERALLY, SO WE MAY BE
GOING TO A SINGLE PHARMACY
MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPENDING ON THE
TYPE OF CASE OR TRIGGERING EVENT
WITH RESPECT TO ROUTINE
INVESTIGATIONS WHERE WE'RE GOING
OUT FOR NO OTHER PURPOSE OTHER
THAN TO ASSESS ITS, UM ONCE
EVERY FOUR YEARS, ONCE EVERY
FOUR YEARS, SO YOU DO HAVE A
SYSTEM SET UP FOR CONSUMERS TO
CALL AND COMPLAIN ABOUT A
PHARMACY. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT
THE BOARD OF PHARMACY COULD ALSO
SET UP THE SAME SYSTEM FOR AN
EMPLOYEE THAT IS WORKING AT A
PHARMACY THAT IS A BAD ACTOR?
THAT'S NOT OPERATING IN THE WAY
THEY SHOULD. THAT AN EMPLOYEE
COULD CALL AND MAKE A COMPLAINT.
YES SO THE BOARD WOULD
INVESTIGATE A COMPLAINT RECEIVED
FROM AN EMPLOYEE AS WELL. UM AND
THE BOARD HAS YOU KNOW, UH
PURSUED ACTION. I THINK ONE OF
THE CHALLENGES AS A REGULATOR
SOMETIMES IS, UM, WHEN WE DO A
COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION, IT'S
KIND OF IT'S KIND OF REACTIVE.
IT'S IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING
THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED, SO
WHETHER IT'S A MEDICATION ERROR
OR, YOU KNOW, INSANITARY
CONDITIONS. THOSE ARE THINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE
BOARD AND SO THE CONDITION
ALREADY EXISTS. OKAY SO THE
POINT IS, IS THAT AN EMPLOYEE
COULD CALL IF SOMETHING WASN'T
RIGHT AT THE PHARMACY, AND IT IS
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD
OF PHARMACY TO GO AND INSPECT
THAT AND DETERMINE WHETHER THAT
PHARMACY NEEDS TO HAVE A RIGHT
TO CURE OR WHETHER IT NEEDS TO
BE CLOSED DOWN TEMPORARILY OR
EVEN PERMANENTLY. LOSE ITS
LICENSE. YES SO THE BOARD WOULD
BE ASSESSING FOR CURRENT FOR, UM
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW. SO
IT CAN'T. UM GENERALLY, YOU
KNOW, TAKE ANY KIND OF
ENFORCEMENT ACTION IF THERE IS
NOT A PROVISION IN THE LAW THAT
ESTABLISHED IT ESTABLISHES AS
THE CONDITION BEING A VIOLATION
OF PROBATION. SHOULD WE FIND
THAT IT EXISTS? I DID NOT
EXPLAIN THAT VERY WELL. BUT
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GETTING WHAT
ONE TRYING TO ARTICULATE GETTING
THERE. SO THIS IS ONE OF THE
GOOD PARTS OF THIS BILL WOULD BE
THAT IT COULD LIST UM, A CERTAIN
IT COULD PROVIDE A LIST OF
VIOLATIONS THAT WOULD DEFINITELY
GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE.
AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE
PHARMACY. YES AND NOT
NECESSARILY AN EMPLOYEE, MAKING
IT A UNILATERAL DECISION TO
CLOSE THE PHARMACY ON THE SPOT.
OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S A FIRE IN
THE PHARMACY, WE DEFINITELY WANT
THAT EMPLOYEE TO EXERCISE
PROTECTION. I THINK WE'RE WHERE
I'M GOING IS UNDER THIS BILL.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR AN
EMPLOYEE IF THE REFRIGERATOR
FOREVER FOR WHATEVER REASON? AH
THE REFRIGERATOR. THAT WAS
HOUSING. UM INSULIN BECAUSE IT
MUST. INSULIN HAS TO BE
REFRIGERATED. IF THAT
REFRIGERATOR QUIT WORKING, AND
INSULIN WAS NOW NOT AT THE RIGHT
TEMPERATURE. COULD THE
PHARMACIST AT THAT POINT CLOSED?
UH THE PHARMACY BECAUSE INSULIN
WASN'T BEING REFRIGERATED. WITH
THIS BILL. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF
I'M JUST ASKING WITH THIS BILL.
I'M ASKING THIS PART WOULD JUST
SPEAK TO THAT THAT HAPPENS IN
THE PHARMACY. I'M ACTUALLY
ASKING THOSE. I'M SORRY. I'M
ACTUALLY ASKING THE SPONSOR. HI
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND YOUR
QUESTION, I BELIEVE THE ANSWER
WOULD BE NO. HOWEVER IT WOULD BE
THE BOARD'S EXPECTATION THAT THE
INSULIN THAT HAS NOT BEEN
MAINTAINED AT THE PROPER STORAGE
WOULD NOT BE DISPENSED TO A
PATIENT. THANK YOU. SO GO AHEAD
AND I THINK I THINK THAT THE
LANGUAGE WE GOT WITH AMENDMENTS
HELPED TO CLARIFY THAT, BUT WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING IT PROBABLY NEEDS
FURTHER CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU
IF THERE IS ONE PARTICULAR ISSUE
WITH ONE TYPE OF MEDICINE THAT
SHOULDN'T LEAVE THE ENTIRE
PHARMACY TO CLOSE THAT SHOULD
LEAD THAT MEDICINE NOT TO BE
USED BY. I HAVE IMMENSE RESPECT
FOR THE AUTHOR. SO THAT THAT
ASPECT OF IT? I THINK WE COULD
FURTHER CLARIFY AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WOULD BE AN
UNSAFE, UNSANITARY, UNHEALTHY
CONDITION AS IT RELATES TO THAT
MEDICINE. BUT SHOULDN'T LEAD TO
AN ENTIRE PHARMACY CLOSURE WITH
THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO,
WITH THAT, I WILL DEFINITELY, UH
GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU
ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON
THE BILL TODAY, AS AS HOPEFULLY
WE MOVE IT OUT OF THE COMMITTEE
AND ONE OF AGAIN THANK THE CHAIR
AND THE AUTHOR FOR THE BILL AND
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE
AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND MAKE
IT BETTER AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE
WERE DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
OPPOSITION AND ON THIS ISSUE OF
CLOSURE. I'M HEARING IT THAT
CONCERN ABOUT THAT AND REALLY
WILL COMMIT TO WORKING ON THAT
MOVING FORWARD. I'LL SUPPORT THE
BILL TO GET IT OUT TODAY. VICE
YOUR FLOOR. I JUST WAS CURIOUS
IF THE OPPOSITION HAD ANY ONE TO
RESPOND TO SOME OF THIS AND
REMEMBERS QUESTIONS OR JUST YOUR
COMMENTS ON THOSE QUESTIONS AS
WELL. YES THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FLORA. UM YEAH
, JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS. THE
ON THE TOPIC OF CLOSURE. I AGREE
WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HANEY THAT
HAS WRITTEN TODAY. UM, THE
INSTANCE THAT ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
GRAYSON OUTLINED COULD ALLOW A
PHARMACIST TO MAKE THE DECISION
TO CLOSE THE PHARMACY, AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT
WE HAD IS BASED ON THE DECISIONS
THAT ARE THE LANGUAGE HAS
WRITTEN IT. IS OVERLY BROAD AND
ALLOWS FOR THE PHARMACIST TO
MAKE THOSE DECISIONS WHICH WOULD
BE CONCERNING AND LIMIT ACCESS
TO CARE. UM WE DURING THE
PROCESS, WE DID OFFER AMENDMENTS
TO THE LANGUAGE PRIOR TO IT
BECOMING A LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL
. UM AND OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE
NORTH ACTUALLY HAVE SOLVED THIS
IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY THEY
RATHER THAN GOING TO THE EXTENT
OF CLOSING DOWN THE PHARMACY IN
ITS ENTIRETY. THEY WROTE THEIR
LANGUAGE THAT'S SIMILAR TO
ACCOMPLISH. THE SAME EVENT HERE
IS TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND A
SERVICE OR SERVICES AND NOT LEAD
THE PHARMACIST DOWN THE DECISION
TO CLOSE THE PHARMACY, ITS
ENTIRETY, SO, UM, WOULD LINE UP
MORE WITH, I THINK WHAT
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S INTENT IS HERE
TO MAKE SURE THAT ACCESS REMAINS
IN PLACE AND THAT THE OFFENDING
ISSUE IS RESOLVED AND DOES NOT
IMPACT SAFE PATIENT SAFETY. UM
AND SO THAT'S THAT'S ONE
CONCERN. I'LL YIELD TO JENNIFER
HERE AS WELL. PLEASE THANK YOU.
I WOULD ONLY ADD THAT, UM, I
THINK THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GRAYSON'S POINTS ABOUT THIS
REALLY IS THE ROLE OF THE BOARD
OF PHARMACY AS THE ENFORCER. UM
AND THAT REALLY SHOULD BE IN
THEIR HANDS TO MAKE THOSE
DECISIONS. WHETHER OR NOT A
PHARMACY SHOULD STAY OPEN OR NOT
, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THE
AUTHOR WOULD BE LOOKING AT
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY CAN
PROVIDE THOSE TOOLS TO THE BOARD
OF PHARMACY RATHER THAN PUT IT
IN THE HANDS OF AN EMPLOYEE OF A
PHARMACY COMPANY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. CUTE I JUST WANT TO
CLARIFY ITS JUST DOES. THIS
SPELL ALSO REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL
STAFF MEMBER TECHNICIAN. IS THIS
A REQUIREMENT OF THE BILL? SO
THE BILL DOES SEEK TO ESTABLISH
A MINIMUM FLOOR, A MINIMUM
STAFFING FLOOR. IT DOES NOT NEED
TO BE A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN. IT
CAN BE AN UNLICENSED, A NON
LICENSED INDIVIDUAL THAT ALSO
HAS AUTHORITY. SO THAT DOESN'T
CURRENTLY EXIST. I MEAN, I GO TO
A PHARMACY OR ALL THAT REGULARLY
AND THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR
PEOPLE IN THERE. SO WHAT? WHAT?
WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES? WOULD THIS
ENABLE FURTHER? THAT'S NOT
ENOUGH. SO I THINK THAT I THINK
THAT THE CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS
THAT NOT ALL PHARMACIES HAVE
MORE THAN JUST THE PHARMACIST
PRESENT. I'M JUST TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THAT ISSUE. AND
THERE'S BEEN A SUCH A. ENORMOUS
GROWTH OF ONLINE PHARMACIES, SO
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL HUMANS
AT THE PHARMACY. LIKE I SAID,
WELL, I GO TO ALL NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT PHARMACIES. AND THERE
SEEMS TO BE PLENTY OF PEOPLE
THERE. I'LL TALK TO ME ABOUT
THIS CLEANLINESS ISSUE. I MEAN,
YOU WORK WITH MAYBE THEY IF IT'S
A GROCERY STORE LIKE BONDS, OR
ALBERTSON'S, OR ALSO INDEPENDENT
PHARMACISTS, SO AN INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES WOULD BE
SUBJECT TO THIS AS WELL. AND SO
IF THERE'S A CLEANLINESS ISSUE
WHEN YOU DEAL WITH THE STORE
MANAGEMENT. I MEAN, DO WE NEED A
WHOLE NEW LAW TO MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY HAS A CLEAN PHARMACY
AND SWEEPS THE FLOORS AND CHECKS
FOR RODENTS? I MEAN, WHEN THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE FACILITY THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE PHARMACY, THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE STORE ISN'T
THAT PART OF THE PROCESS TO MAKE
SURE THERE'S FOOD BEING SERVED?
20 FT AWAY. UM HOW SIGNIFICANT
AND SERIOUS IS THIS CLEANLINESS
ISSUE? SORRY I'M TALKING WAY TOO
MUCH, SO I THINK, UM I WOULD SAY
THAT THROUGH INVESTIGATIONS THAT
THE BOARD HAS CONDUCTED. WE HAVE
FOUND THAT THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES WHERE PHARMACY
PERSONNEL HAVE TRIED TO ELEVATE
THE ISSUE AND SECURE THE
NECESSARY CHANGES TO, UH TO
REMEDY THE ISSUE. WHETHER IT'S
YOU KNOW WHAT 30 PHARMACY OR,
YOU KNOW A PATH PAST INFESTATION
AND SO THROUGH THE COURSE OF IT,
WHAT WE HAVE FOUND. IS THAT NOT
IN EVERY CASE, RIGHT? EVERY
EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT. BUT
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THE
EVIDENCE HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT
PHARMACY PERSONNEL HAVE ACTUALLY
TRIED TO WORK WITHIN THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE PHARMACY TO
REMEDY THE CONDITION AND IT HAS
NOT BEEN AND SO WE'RE KIND OF
SOMETIMES THEY'RE LAST RESORT.
SO WE NEED A STATE LAW TO FIX
THAT. WHAT SEEMS PRETTY DRAMATIC
. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM COLLEAGUES STILL LOOKING
FOR A MOTION IN A SECOND? MOVED
A MOTION HAVE A SECOND. ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS
SEEING NONE. MR HANDY. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? UH HEAR THE
COMMENTS, PARTICULARLY AROUND
THE CLOSURES WILL ABSOLUTELY
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT AND
CLARIFY THAT LANGUAGE AND REALLY
APPRECIATE THE CHAIR AND THE
STAFF FOR THESE AMENDMENTS, AND
THIS IS ADDRESSING A VERY
IMPORTANT ISSUE AROUND PATIENT
SAFETY, AND I WOULD RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR MY VOTE. THANK YOU, MR
HANDY. I WANT TO THANK YOU. I
WAS WORRIED THAT TODAY'S HEARING
WAS GOING TO BE TOO SHORT. SO I
APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS BILL
FORWARD, UM, AND FOR ACCEPTING
THE COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS,
WHICH ARE INTENDED TO HELP
STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN
PROTECTING PHARMACY STAFF AND
PATIENT SAFETY WITH ENSURING
PHARMACIES CAN EFFECTIVELY
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN
OUR COMMUNITIES. I KNOW YOU'VE
HEARD THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
AND CONVERSATION FROM COLLEAGUES
, YOU KNOW, BUT I HAVE ALL THE
FAITH IN THE WORLD WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH THE OPPOSITION AND
ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN
RAISED. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THE BILL WITH THE
AMENDMENTS TODAY, UM MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
A B 12 86 HANEY. THE MOTION IS
DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN BERMAN I FLORA. LARA NOT
VOTING COLONIES, NOT VOTING
ALVAREZ ON TO I WANT TO I CHEN
DIXON. SIX AND NO GIBSON.
GRAYSON GRAYSON, I IRWIN. IRWIN
I JACKSON. JACKSON ISLAY. WE I
LOWENTHAL AND THOUGHT I MCCARTY
MAKIN, ER MCKENNA. I WIN. WHEN I
PATERSON PATERSON, NOT VOTING
TING. TANG? AYE. THAT BUILDS OUT
WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR
ABSENT MEMBERS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, SO I THINK THAT'S ALL THE
BILLS. WE'RE GOING TO RUN
THROUGH THE AGENDA SO THAT FOLKS
WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO BE HERE CAN
ADD ON VOTES THEY MIGHT HAVE
MISSED. DO WE HAVE ANY? YOU DID
ALL THE YEAH. MADAM SECRETARY.
PLEASE RUN THROUGH THE AGENDA.
STARTING WITH CONSENT, PLEASE.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. BERMAN
BERMAN, IOWA KNEES COLONIES. I
ALVAREZ. MONTA MONTA. AYE.
MCCARTY. TANG. I THINK I. MAYBE
3 51 CHAT OR. MAYBE 3 51 CHEN
BERMAN BERMAN. I COLONIES I
ALVAREZ. PONTA I BOND TÚI
MCCARTY. TANG. I THINK I. A B 4
20 AGUIAR-CURRY BERMAN. HI I
COLONIES I ALVAREZ PONTA. I WANT
TO I MCCARTY TANG. I THINK I. A
B 6 87 HEART. AH MURDER OF THEM
. BERMAN BERMAN, I BOLOGNESE.
FURMAN 6 87 HIGH, CORRECT. THANK
YOU. I ALVAREZ PONTA. I WANT TO
I MCCARTY WHEN I THINK I THINK I
. A B 12 OH, SEVEN. IRWIN.
BERMAN. I COLONIES IS NOT VOTING
ALVAREZ. PONTA WANT TO I MCCARTY
TING. I THINK I. THAT BILL IS
THAT WILL LEAVE THE ROLLOVER.
PERHAPS SOME MEMBERS. A B 12 44
HOLDEN BERMAN. I COLONIES?
NOBODY IS NOT VOTING BONTA. I
ALVAREZ. ALVAREZ. AYE. MCCARTY.
TANG. I THINK I. THAT BILL IS
OUT. IT MIGHT HAVE ALREADY BEEN
OUT WELL, EITHER ALL OF THEM
GRAB SOME MEMBERS. UM A B 12 86
HANEY. ALVAREZ. COME BACK TO
YEAH, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
CHAN. GIBSON. MCCARTY. KING
OKAY? I THINK I. A B 13 99
FRIEDMAN BERMAN. I ALVAREZ
ALVAREZ. I BANTA VOTING NOT
VOTING. MCCARTY TING TANG AYE.
DID YOU GET ME ON 13 99. ELONIS,
FOR WHICH ONE OKAY? A B 15 65
JONES SAWYER BERMAN. HI I
ALVAREZ ALVAREZ. I BEGAN TO WANT
TO I BACARDI TING TING. AYE. LET
ME CALL.
ON CONSENT. ALVAREZ ALVAREZ, I
MCCARTY. A B 4 20 ALVAREZ OR
EXCUSE ME. 84 20 AGUIAR-CURRY UM
ALVAREZ ALVAREZ, I BACARDI. A B
.
MAYBE 3 51. CHEN ALVAREZ ALVAREZ
, I MCCARTY. A B 6 87 HEART,
ALVAREZ ALVAREZ, I MCCARTY. A B
12 OH, SEVEN. IRWIN. ALVAREZ.
ALVAREZ. I MCCARTY. A B 12 44
HOLDEN ALVAREZ ALVAREZ ALREADY
HAD TO RULE AND MCCARTY. A B 12
86 HANEY ALVAREZ ALVAREZ, NOT
VOTING. MCCARTY.
ON A B 12 86 HANEY CHEN GIBSON.
GIBSON I MCCARTY AND WITH THAT
WE ARE ADJOURNED.