GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME
TO THIS MORNING'S BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE HEARING,
WHICH IS OUR FIRST REGULARLY.
GOOD MORNING. FIRST REGULARLY
SCHEDULED HEARING FOR THE YEAR.
WE HAVE 15 BILLS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA, HALF OF WHICH, ARE ARE
PHIL CHEN, INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING FIVE BILLS ON CONSENT,
AB2269 BY VICE CHAIR FLORA.
THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR FLORA. AB
2471 BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER JIM
PATTERSON. TWO OF ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. CHEN'S 18 BILLS AB 2540
AND AB 2702 AND AB 2864 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GARCIA, WHICH IS
DO PASS AS AMENDED FOR EACH
MEASURE 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 AND THE ORGANIZATION THEY
REPRESENT. IF ANY. FOR THOSE
WISHING TO PROVIDE FURTHER
COMMENTS, WE ARE ACCEPTING
WRITTEN TESTIMONY THROUGH THE
POSITION LETTER PORTAL ON THE
COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE AND WITH
THAT, WE'LL BEGIN TODAY'S
HEARING Þ. SOME MEMBER CHEN,
GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING HALF OF OUR BILLS, BUT
WE'RE NOT GOING TO START WITH
YOU. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
DOCTOR WOULD, AB 1918 AGENDA
ITEM NUMBER TWO IF YOU'RE READY,
SIR.
GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU,
MISTER CHAIR AND MEMBERS. AB
1918 IS A DISTRICT BILL. IT
INVOLVES AN ISSUE I'VE BEEN
WORKING ON FOR MANY YEARS TO
ADDRESS THE APPLICATION OF
CERTAIN CALIFORNIA ENERGY
COMMISSION REGULATIONS TO THE
TRINITY PUBLIC UTILITY
DISTRICT'S SERVICE TERRITORY IN
TRINITY COUNTY. WE APPRECIATE
THE NEED FOR THIS BILL. IT'S
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND SEVERAL
UNIQUE ASPECTS OF TPA. WE'LL
CALL THEM UNDER A FEDERAL LAW
ENACTED IN 1955, TPWD HAS A
RIGHT TO HYDROPOWER GENERATED BY
THE TRINITY RIVER DIVISION OF
THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT. ALL
THE POWER DISTRIBUTED BY TPWD IS
BY THIS HYDROPOWER, THIS
HYDROPOWER IS 100% CARBON FREE.
NO OTHER UTILITY IN CALIFORNIA
DELIVERS POWERS TO ITS
CUSTOMERS, WHICH IS 100% CARBON
FREE. TPA ONLY USES ABOUT A
THIRD OF THE POWER THAT'S
GENERATED OF WHICH TO WHICH IT'S
ENTITLED. THERE'S NO REALISTIC
SCENARIO IN WHICH TPWD WILL EVER
NEED TO EXCEED ITS ENTITLEMENT.
THE POWER DELIVERED BY TPWD IS
AMONG THE LEAST EXPENSIVE IN THE
STATE. IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE THAN
ROOFTOP SOLAR. TRINITY COUNTY IS
A POOR COUNTY WITH A POPULATION
OF LESS THAN 15,000 PEOPLE.
CONSEQUENTLY, THERE'S VERY
LITTLE NEW CONSTRUCTION IN
TRINITY COUNTY. ONLY ABOUT THREE
HOMES. NEW HOMES ARE BUILT A
YEAR, AND MAYBE EVERY OTHER YEAR
WE'LL GET A NEW COMMERCIAL
BUILDING, MY BILL ADDRESSES TWO
CLOSELY RELATED REGULATORY
PROGRAMS THAT REQUIRE HOMES AND
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS TO BE
CONSTRUCTED WITH SOLAR AND
BATTERY SYSTEMS. THESE PROGRAMS
MAKE LITTLE SENSE FOR TRINITY
COUNTY BECAUSE TPWD ALREADY
PROVIDES THE CLEANEST POWER
AVAILABLE TO ITS CUSTOMERS AT
ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE RATES
IN THE STATE. THIS IS A FUND.
THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
RATIONALE FOR AB 1918.
ADDITIONALLY, THE REQUIREMENTS
IN AB 1918 ARE SPECIFIC TO THE
UTILITY DISTRICT SERVICE AREA
AND THE EXTREMELY UNLIKELY EVENT
THAT TI BUD'S POWER PORTFOLIO
EVER CHANGED. THEY WOULD NO
LONGER QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION
WE'RE ASKING FOR. I'D ALSO NOTE
THAT TPWD HAS TWO TEMPORARY, HAS
RECEIVED TWO TEMPORARY THREE
YEAR EXEMPTIONS FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION FOR
THESE PROGRAMS. THE MOST RECENT
EXEMPTION TOOK APPROXIMATELY 240
HOURS OF TPWD'S STAFF TIME AT
SIGNIFICANT COST, I HAVE ONE
WITNESS TODAY, PAUL HAUSER, WHO
IS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF TPWD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FIRST WITNESS, PLEASE, PAUL
HAUSER, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK,
DOCTOR WOODS FOR HELPING US WITH
THIS BILL, I'M JUST GOING TO
GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND
AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MIGHT HAVE. I'VE BEEN THE
GENERAL MANAGER OF TRINITY PUD
FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS, TO PUT IT
IN PERSPECTIVE, WE ONLY HAVE 25
EMPLOYEES. I HAVE ABOUT SIX
ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES. SO THE
EFFORT IT TAKES TO GO THROUGH
THE EXEMPTION PROCESS WITH THE
CEC FOR A UTILITY, OUR SIZE IS
QUITE ONEROUS. AND I WOULD
REITERATE, DOCTOR WOOD'S POINT
THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO, FEDERAL
CARBON FREE HYDROPOWER IN
PERPETUITY THROUGH THE 1955
TRINITY RIVER DIVISION ACT, IN
THE INTEREST OF TIME, IF THERE'S
ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER, I'D
BE HAPPY TO DO SO. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN
SUPPORT OF AB 1918? GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIR. AND MEMBERS.
DON GILBERT, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL UTILITY
ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN
SUPPORT? SEEING NONE, ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION TO AB 1918. GOOD
MORNING. CHAIR AND MEMBERS KIM
STONE OF STONE ADVOCACY ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA SOLAR
AND STORAGE ASSOCIATION. WE'RE
BIG FANS OF HYDRO AND HONESTLY,
THEY SEEM LIKE A GREAT UTILITY.
IT'S REALLY TOO BAD THE REST OF
THE STATE'S UTILITIES CAN'T BE,
HAVE THE SAME, CLEAN ENERGY
GENERATION. BUT ONE GOOD IDEA
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD GET
RID OF ANOTHER GOOD IDEA. WHEN
CALIFORNIA BECAME THE FIRST
STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO MANDATE
SOLAR ON NEW HOMES, WE DID SO
BECAUSE SOLAR FIGHTS CLIMATE
CHANGE, REDUCES THE NEED FOR
MORE WHOLESALE GENERATION AND
TRANSMISSION LINES, AND READIES
THE GRID FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
NATURAL GAS FREE BUILDINGS. AND
SINCE THE MANDATE BECAME
EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY 2020, SOLAR
HAS BECOME AS STANDARD IN NEW
HOMES AS WALL INSULATION, WE
SHOULD BE DOUBLING DOWN ON OUR
COMMITMENT TO ROOFTOP SOLAR ON
NEW HOMES, NOT GOING IN THE
OTHER DIRECTION. AND EVEN WHEN
UTILITIES GET THEIR ENERGY FROM
CLEAN POWER, AS THIS UTILITY
DOES, THERE IS A BENEFIT TO NOT
HAVING TRANSMISSION LINES, NOT
HAVING AND INCREASED RESILIENCY
FOR THE INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER.
AND SO WE WOULD VERY
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE THE BILL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION TO AB
1918? SEEING NONE ANY QUESTIONS
FROM THE COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE.
DOCTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE?
THANK. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
I JUST I JUST WOULD POINT OUT
THIS IS IN NO WAY PREVENTS
ANYBODY FROM DOING SOLAR, IT
JUST REMEMBER, IT'S A POOR
COUNTY THAT GETS 100% OF AN
ENERGY FROM, FROM A CARBON FREE
SOURCE TO MANDATE THAT ALL NEW
CONSTRUCTION HAVE SOLAR, FEELS
PUNITIVE AT AT AT BEST AND
UNNECESSARY. AND SO THERE ARE
SAFEGUARDS HERE. SHOULD SHOULD
THE POWER MIX CHANGE, THEN THEN
THEN THAT THIS WOULD, THIS
EXEMPTION WOULD GO AWAY. AND SO
I JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
COMMON SENSE SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST
CONFIRMING YOU WILL ACCEPT THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS.
ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY. THIS BILL
HAS THE SUPPORT. SUPPORT WILL
TAKE A VOTE WHEN WE GET A
QUORUM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO,
MEMBER LEE AB, 2012.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. THANK YOU. I'M
PRESENTING AB 2012 TODAY. THIS
BILL REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH OR AN ACCREDITED
CALIFORNIA VETERINARY SCHOOL TO
RESUME COLLECTING SPECIFIED DATA
FROM PUBLIC ANIMAL SHELTERS AS
PART OF THEIR ANNUAL RABIES
CONTROL ACTIVITIES. REPORTING
DEPARTMENT COLLECTED THIS DATA
FROM 1995 TO 2016 FROM ALL
ANIMAL SHELTERS AS PART OF THEIR
ANNUAL RABIES REPORT. HOWEVER IN
2017, THE DEPARTMENT REDUCED THE
CATEGORIES OF DATA TO EXCLUDE
THOSE THEY CAN THEY DEEM NO
LONGER RELEVANT TO RABIES
CONTROL, SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF
DOGS AND CATS TRANSFERRED FROM
SHELTERS OR THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC
RABIES VACCINATIONS
ADMINISTERED. THE DATA IS NO
LONGER AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WITHOUT PROPER REPORTING, IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET AN ACCURATE
PICTURE OF ANIMALS ENTERING AND
EXITING SHELTERS AND THEIR
OUTCOMES. CALIFORNIANS CARE FOR
THE WELFARE OF SHELTER ANIMALS,
AND OUR OFFICIAL STATE PET IS
THE SHELTER PET, WITH CITIES AND
COUNTIES INVESTING APPROXIMATELY
$378 MILLION ANNUALLY TO OPERATE
STATE ANIMAL SHELTERS, IT'S
CRITICAL WE HAVE THE DATA TO
PROPERLY OPTIMIZE RESOURCES TO
BEST INFORM POLICY AND HELP PETS
FIND THEIR FOREVER HOMES. AB
2012 WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE
INFORMATION NECESSARY TO DIRECT
FUNDING MORE EFFICIENTLY TO
SHELTERS AND MAKE INFORMED
POLICY DECISIONS. I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AYE VOTE TODAY AND
TODAY. I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED
WITH MY WITNESS AND SUPPORT,
WHICH IS NICHOLAS SACKETT,
DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
WITH SOCIAL COMPASSION IN
LEGISLATION. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. FIRST WITNESS WITH TWO
MINUTES, PLEASE. I WILL TURN
YOUR MIC ON. HERE WE GO. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
NICHOLAS SACKETT, DIRECTOR OF
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR SOCIAL
COMPASSION IN LEGISLATION,
THÀNH, FROM 95 TO 2016, CDPH
COLLECTED AND MADE PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE ALL CATEGORIES OF DATA
REQUIRED UNDER THIS BILL. WHILE
THIS DATA WAS FOR RABIES
CONTROL, IT ALSO GAVE
POLICYMAKERS AND OTHERS AN
ESTIMATE OF THE PET
OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM. IN 2016,
THE DEPARTMENT REPORT SHOWED
THAT WE EUTHANIZED OVER 158,000
DOGS AND CATS COMBINED, BUT
SINCE 2017, THE DEPARTMENT
STOPPED COLLECTING THIS
IMPORTANT DATA, MAKING IT
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO KNOW
WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROBLEM.
SOME OF YOU HAVE NOTICED A SPIKE
IN THE NUMBER OF BILLS
INTRODUCED IN THIS LEGISLATURE
TO HELP TACKLE THE PET
OVERPOPULATION ISSUE. WE APPLAUD
THE ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE.
CALIFORNIANS CARE ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN OUR STATE'S ANIMAL
SHELTERS WITH THIS DATA, THIS
LEGISLATURE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
AND SHELTER AND RESCUE
COMMUNITIES AND THE PUBLIC WILL
HAVE METRICS TO EVALUATE THE
PROGRESS AND LACK THEREOF IN
GETTING THE OVERPOPULATION
PROBLEM UNDER CONTROL. AFTER
CONSULTATION WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE AMENDED
THIS YEAR'S BILL TO GIVE CDPH
THE AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT WITH A
CALIFORNIA VET SCHOOL TO CARRY
OUT THE DUTIES UNDER THIS
LEGISLATION. LASTLY THIS
INFORMATION WOULD BE CRITICAL IN
THE EVENT OF A FUTURE ZOONOTIC
DISEASE OUTBREAK. COVID 19 WAS A
ZOONOTIC DISEASE, THE
IMPLICATIONS OF WHICH WE ALL
LIVE THROUGH. UNDERSTANDING HOW
MANY ANIMALS ARE ENTERING,
EXITING OUR SHELTERS AND UNDER
WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE
HELPFUL IN ANY RESPONSE TO A
DISEASE OUTBREAK. WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE
IN SUPPORT OF AB 2012 NAME AND
ORGANIZATION? PLEASE. CLIFTON
WILSON WITH CHAU YODER AND TÔI
SCHMELZER AND LANG ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA ANIMAL WELFARE
ASSOCIATION, ALSO KNOWN AS CAL
ANIMALS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN
SUPPORT SEEING NONE. ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION TO AB 2012. SEEING
NONE ANY QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS? SEEING NONE.
MR. LEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
FOR OUR SHELTER PETS? WE'RE SO
CAST YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THIS BILL DOES HAVE A
SUPPORT. SUPPORT? WE'LL TAKE A
VOTE WHEN WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO
GO TO. SO MEMBER CHEN,
PRESENTING ONE OF FIVE. BUT WE
WILL START WITH AB 20 107.
HOLD ON. TURN THAT MIC ON, BUD.
SORRY. IT'S MY FIRST TIME HERE.
DIDN'T KNOW. TURN ON THE MIC.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, FIRST I
WANT TO SAY I WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT
AB 20 107 AND THAT WE WILL BE
TAKING ALL THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS, THE USE OF DIGITAL
DATA RESULTS IN IMAGES BECOMING
MORE COMMON IN THE FIELD OF
PATHOLOGY. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE
UNITED STATES, THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION APPROVED WHOLE
SLIDE IMAGING SYSTEMS FOR
PRIMARY CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS. ON
APRIL 12TH, 2017. WSI TECHNOLOGY
PERMITS DIGITIZATION OF ENTIRE
CLASS SIZES, THEREBY ELIMINATING
THE NEED FOR PATHOLOGY PRACTICE
TO BE LOCALLY TETHERED TO A
CONVENTIONAL MICROSCOPE. DUE TO
THE COVID 19 PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY, THE FEDERAL
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES, CENTERS FOR MEDICAID
ANNOUNCED A POLICY AUTHORIZING
PATHOLOGIST AND OTHER LABORATORY
PERSONNEL TO REVIEW PATHOLOGY
SLIDES AND DIGITAL DATA RESULTS
IN IMAGES REMOTELY. UPON
CONCLUSION OF THE FEE, CMS
REMOVED THE AUTHORIZATION FOR
THE REMOTE REVIEW OF PHYSICAL
SLIDES, CONTINUED TO PERMIT
REMOTE REVIEW OF DIGITAL
MATERIALS, INCLUDING THAT OF
SLIDES BY PATHOLOGISTS AND OTHER
LABORATORY PERSONNEL. HOWEVER,
CALIFORNIA REMAINS THE ONLY
STATE THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THE
REMOTE REVIEW OF DIGITAL
MATERIALS DESPITE CMS
AUTHORIZATION. AB 20 107 WILL
BRING CALIFORNIA INTO CONFORMITY
WITH FEDERAL LAWS BY ALLOWING
PATHOLOGISTS LIKE STATE LICENSED
LABORATORY PERSONNEL TO REVIEW
DIGITAL CLINICAL LABORATORY DATA
, DIGITAL RESULTS, AND DIGITAL
IMAGES AT A REMOTE LOCATION
UNDER A PRIMARY LOCATIONS
CLINICAL LABORATORY IMPROVEMENT
AMENDMENTS CERTIFICATE. AS LONG
AS CLIA REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS ARE
MET TODAY. WE DO HAVE WITNESS
TESTIMONY HERE TO TESTIFY. WE
HAVE DOCTOR ZOLTAN LASIK, MD,
AND RYAN SPENCER REPRESENTING
THE CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF
PATHOLOGISTS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. BEFORE WE GO TO YOUR FIRST
WITNESS, WE'RE GOING TO
ESTABLISH A QUORUM REAL QUICK.
BERMAN LARA HERE, LARA HERE.
ALANIZ. BAINES. BAINES HERE.
JUAN CARRILLO HERE. JUAN
CARRILLO HERE. CHEN CHEN HERE.
DIXON. GRAYSON. GRAYSON HERE.
IRWIN. IRWIN. HERE. JACKSON.
JACKSON, HERE. LOW. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL. HERE. MCKENNA NGUYEN.
NGUYEN. HERE. PELLERIN.
PELLERIN. HERE SANCHEZ. SORIA.
ZUBIATE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE
HAVE A QUORUM, FIRST WITNESS,
PLEASE. TWO MINUTES. GOOD
MORNING. ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE
CALIFORNIA COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
ZOLTAN NASHIK, AND I'M HERE
TODAY TO VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT
FOR AB 2107, WHICH SEEKS TO
PERMIT REMOTE VIEWING OF DIGITAL
PATHOLOGY MATERIALS OUTSIDE OF
CLEAR LABORATORIES BY QUALIFIED
PERSONNEL USING VPN. AS A
PATHOLOGIST, I UNDERSTAND THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF TIMELY
AND ACCURATE PATHOLOGY
DIAGNOSTICS IN HEALTH CARE.
PATHOLOGY PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE
IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
OF DISEASES, GUIDING PHYSICIANS
IN MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS FOR
PATIENT CARE. HOWEVER, THE
TRADITIONAL METHODS OF PATHOLOGY
REVIEW ARE ARE OFTEN LIMITED BY
GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTRAINTS AND
TIME CONSUMING PROCESSES. WITH
THE ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY,
DIGITAL PATHOLOGY OFFERS A
TRANSFORMATIVE SOLUTION BY
ENABLING REMOTE ACCESS TO
DIGITAL MATERIALS, THUS BREAKING
DOWN BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND
ACCELERATING DIAGNOSTIC
WORKFLOWS. THE PROPOSED BILL TO
ALLOW REMOTE VIEWING OF DIGITAL
MATERIALS OUTSIDE OF A CLEAR
FACILITY THROUGH VPN IS A
SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN
MODERNIZING OUR HEALTHCARE
INFRASTRUCTURE BY ALLOWING
QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS TO
ACCESS AND ANALYZE DIGITAL
MATERIALS REMOTELY, WE CAN
FACILITATE THE SHARING OF
EXPERTISE, SWIFT SECOND
OPINIONS, AND ENSURE PATIENTS
RECEIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE
IN A TIMELY FASHION. REGARDLESS
OF THEIR LOCATION. FURTHERMORE,
IMPLEMENTING SECURE VPN
PROTOCOLS ENSURES PATIENT
PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY,
MITIGATING ANY POTENTIAL RISKS
ASSOCIATED WITH REMOTE VIEWING
BY ADHERING TO STRINGENT
REGULATORY STANDARDS BY HIPAA
AND THE REMOTE LOCATION, WE CAN
CONFIDENTLY EMBRACE THIS
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT WHILE
UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS
OF PATIENT CARE AND
CONFIDENTIALITY. OF NOTE, REMOTE
VIEWING OF DIGITAL IMAGES VIA
VPN IS ALREADY A STANDARD
PRACTICE IN RADIOLOGY. IN
CONCLUSION, I URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT AB 2107 AND EMBRACE THE
INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL PATHOLOGY
INTO OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM BY
LEGALIZING REMOTE VIEWING OF
DIGITAL MATERIALS OUTSIDE OF
CLEAR LABORATORIES USING VPN, WE
CAN IMPROVE DIAGNOSTIC
EFFICIENCY, EXPAND ACCESS TO
SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE, AND
ULTIMATELY ENHANCE PATIENT
OUTCOMES ACROSS THE STATE. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND
COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING HEALTH
CARE LEGISLATION IN CALIFORNIA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
WITNESS, PLEASE. TWO MINUTES.
RYAN SPENCER, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA SOCIETY PATHOLOGISTS,
THEY ARE THE SPONSORS OF THE
MEASURE. WE SIMPLY ASK FOR YOUR
AYE VOTE. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE
IN SUPPORT OF AB 2107? NAME AN
ORGANIZATION, PLEASE. HI.
CHRISTY FOY HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA CLINICAL
LABORATORY ASSOCIATION IN STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. MIKE ROBSON
ON BEHALF OF QUEST DIAGNOSTICS
AND SUPPORT CHEN CHASE ON BEHALF
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALSO, THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. PERFECT.
ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT OF AB
2107 SEEING NONE. ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION TO AB 2107. GOOD
MORNING MY NAME IS KRISTEN
HALBACH WITH UFCW WESTERN STATES
COUNSEL TESTIFYING SAYING IN
REGRETTABLE OPPOSITION TO AB
2107, UFCW REPRESENTS THOUSANDS
OF CLINICAL LAB MEMBERS IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHO WOULD BE
IMPACTED BY THIS BILL. I WOULD
LIKE TO START BY SHARING THAT WE
ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
SPONSORS AND THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE
ON THE BILL, AND LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING WHERE THOSE DISCUSSIONS
GO RELATED TO OUR WORKER AND
PATIENT SAFETY CONCERNS. AB ONE.
AB 2107 IS DRAFTED AS OVERLY
BROAD, AND ITS APPLICABILITY TO
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND THE
PERSONNEL THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO
REMOTELY REVIEW DIGITAL DATA.
THE LACK OF SAFEGUARDS IN THIS
BILL, WE BELIEVE, WILL LEAD TO
INCREASED PATIENT HARM. IF THERE
ARE CHALLENGES WITH INTERPRETING
OR READING DIGITAL LABORATORY
DATA, THERE ARE NO OTHER
LABORATORY PERSONNEL IN THE
INDIVIDUAL'S HOME TO ASSIST WITH
THE INTERPRETATION OR THE
ABILITY FOR THAT LAB PERSONNEL
TO RERUN A TEST FOR A PATIENT,
POTENTIALLY LEADING TO DELAYED
RESULTS OR INACCURATE TEST
RESULTS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT
CLINICAL LABORATORIES IN
CALIFORNIA CAN EXPERIENCE SURGES
OR WAVES OF TESTS THAT NEED TO
BE ANALYZED IN AN URGENT AND
TIMELY MANNER, WHICH IS WHY WE
UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR TRANSFER
OF TESTS BETWEEN LICENSED
FACILITIES TO ASSIST WITH THESE
WORKLOAD CHALLENGES. AND WHILE
WE AGREE THAT TIMELY ACCESS ARE
VITAL, WE REGRETTABLY ARE
OPPOSED TO THE BILL IN ITS
CURRENT FORM, WE RESPECTFULLY
URGE YOUR NO VOTE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN
OPPOSITION TO AB 2107 NAME AND
ORGANIZATION, PLEASE. VAUGHAN
FERNANDEZ, CALIFORNIA LABOR
FEDERATION IN OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION?
SEEING NONE. BRING IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS
FROM THE COMMITTEE? DOCTOR
BAINS.
CAN HEAR ME NOW. OKAY. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORWARD. I ALSO WANTED, YOU
KNOW, AS A PHYSICIAN DURING
COVID, YOU KNOW, INCREASE ACCESS
TO HEALTH CARE, ESPECIALLY IN
THIS FIELD, IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT. BUT I DO ALSO HAVE
THE CONCERN FROM THE OPPOSITION
AS WELL, OF MAKING SURE THAT
JOBS STAY HERE AND THAT JOBS
DON'T GET OUTSOURCED. I'M VERY,
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT JOB GROWTH
IN CALIFORNIA. I WILL BE
SUPPORTING THIS BILL TODAY, BUT
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WE MAKE
MORE OF AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE JOBS STAY HERE. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? YES. GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU. MR. CHAIR. AND I, ALONG
WITH MY COLLEAGUE, WOULD LIKE TO
GO ON RECORD AND EXPRESS MY
CONCERNS AS WELL. AND I DO
BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A
COMMITMENT ON YOUR PART, AS AN
AUTHOR, NOT TO SPEAK FOR YOU,
BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOUR
INTENTION IS RIGHT, BUT I ALSO
BELIEVE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
CONVERSATIONS LEAD TO THE
GUARDRAILS THAT PROTECT JOBS IN
CALIFORNIA, AND THAT WE DON'T
SEE LEAKAGE THROUGH OUTSOURCING,
ESPECIALLY OF VERY IMPORTANT
CLINICAL LABORATORY EMPLOYEES.
SO IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT IN
YOUR CLOTHES OR WHATEVER YOU'D
LIKE TO DO, THAT'D BE GREAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
SEEING NONE. SO, CHIN, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
QUESTIONS FROM MY MEMBERS. ALSO
APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATIONS
WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH
OPPOSITION. OUR GOAL AND INTENT
OF THIS BILL IS NOT TO OUTSOURCE
JOBS OUT OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE WANT THEM TO BE
RETAINED HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE JUST HOPE TO HAVE
ADDITIONAL ACCESS WHEN IT COMES
TO DIGITAL DOCUMENTS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. I BELIEVE SOME OF
THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'VE TAKEN
FROM THE COMMITTEE WILL HELP
ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE
CONCERNS. BUT OUR CONVERSATIONS
ARE ONGOING WITH OPPOSITION, AND
YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE
THOSE CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
ON AB 2107 CHEN, THE MOTION IS
DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN LARA A LARA I ALANIS
BAINS. BAINS. AYE. JUAN CARILLO.
AYE. JUAN CARILLO. AYE. CHEN.
CHEN AYE. DIXON. GRAYSON
GRAYSON. AYE. IRWIN. IRWIN. AYE.
JACKSON JACKSON. NOT VOTING LOW.
LOWENTHAL LOWENTHAL. AYE.
MCKENNA. HIÆN WHEN. AYE.
PELLERIN. PELLERIN. AYE. SANCHEZ
SORIA. ZUBER.
THE BILLS ON CALL. WE'LL LEAVE
IT OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS NEXT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SOME
EMERGENCY. PRESENTING AB 1775.
TURN YOUR MIC ON. THERE WE GO.
FIRST TIME BACK IN A WHILE,
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, I WANT TO START BY
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS TODAY. I ALSO WANT TO
EXTEND MY THANKS TO THE STAFF
FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS
ISSUE FOR THE PAST YEAR. AB 1775
IS A REINTRODUCTION OF AB 374,
WHICH MANY OF YOU SUPPORTED LAST
YEAR AND WHICH RECEIVED STRONG
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THROUGHOUT
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. THIS
BILL WILL LEGALIZE CANNABIS
CAFES BY ALLOWING CANNABIS
RETAILERS TO SELL NON CANNABIS
FOODS AND NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS.
IT ALSO ALLOWS CANNABIS
RETAILERS TO HOLD LIVE
PERFORMANCES AT THEIR VENUES.
THIS BILL DOES NOT LEGALIZE
CONSUMPTION. LOUNGES.
CONSUMPTION LOUNGES CURRENTLY
EXIST THROUGH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA IF AUTHORIZED BY
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PEOPLE ARE
ACTIVELY CONSUMING CANNABIS AT
THESE LOUNGES. HOWEVER, WHAT IS
CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED UNDER
EXISTING LAW UNDER A ONE SIZE
FITS ALL POLICY IS THE ABILITY
OF CANNABIS RETAILERS TO
DIVERSIFY THEIR BUSINESSES BY
SELLING FOOD, DRINKS AND AN
EXPERIENCE. IRONICALLY, THEY CAN
ONLY SELL CANNABIS AND CANNABIS
MERCHANDISE. WE BELIEVE THAT IF
WE WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT
MODEL AND CREATE AN EXPERIENCE
FOR THEIR CONSUMERS, THEY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO. WHY SHOULD WE ALLOW
THAT? BECAUSE THE CANNABIS
INDUSTRY IS STRUGGLING. ISSUES
LIKE AN OVERSATURATION, HIGH
TAXES AND A STILL THRIVING BLACK
MARKET ARE HURTING CANNABIS
BUSINESSES WHO FOLLOW THE RULES
AND PAY TAXES. CANNABIS CAFES
ARE A PROVEN WAY TO HELP THESE
SMALL BUSINESSES. AND IF YOU
LOOK AROUND THE WORLD WHERE IT'S
HAPPENING, IT IS BRINGING
TREMENDOUS REVENUE, TOURISM AND
JOB CREATION BY AUTHORIZING
CANNABIS RETAILERS TO USE THE
COFFEESHOP MODEL, WE ARE
BOOSTING REVENUE FOR
CALIFORNIA'S SMALL BUSINESSES.
ADDITIONALLY, THESE VENUES ARE
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN DENSE
URBAN COMMUNITIES LIKE THOSE IN
MY DISTRICT, WHERE MANY RENTERS
ARE PROHIBITED FROM CONSUMING
CANNABIS IN THEIR OWN HOMES. I
WANT TO LET THE COMMITTEE KNOW
THAT WE ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING
TO ADDRESS THE GOVERNOR'S VETO,
WHICH FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT ON
EMPLOYEES, AND WE ARE ENGAGING
WITH UFCW, WHO ARE HERE TODAY,
WHO REPRESENT MANY OF THESE
WORKERS, ON STRENGTHENING
WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS. AMONGST
OTHER THINGS. WE ARE CONSIDERING
LANGUAGE THAT WOULD CLARIFY THE
SEPARATION BETWEEN FOOD
PREPARATION AND CONSUMPTION.
LOUNGES AND I ALSO WANT TO
REITERATE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
WHO HAVE CONSUMPTION LOUNGES
CURRENTLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO
PUT MORE STRENUOUS, REGULATIONS
AROUND SAFETY AND HEALTH, AND
THAT WOULD STILL BE THE CASE.
AND WE ARE STILL GOING TO FIND
WAYS TO DO THAT FROM THE STATE.
REGULATION AS WELL. HERE. TO
TESTIFY WITH ME IN SUPPORT IS
PAM LOPEZ FROM CALIFORNIA NORML
AND KRISTIN HEIDELBACH FROM UFC
DEBUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FIRST WITNESS AND TWO MINUTES
APIECE. YES. GOOD MORNING. MY
NAME IS KRISTIN HALBACH. I SERVE
AS CANNABIS LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE
FOR UFCW WESTERN STATES COUNCIL.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT. PROUD
SUPPORT OF AB 1775. UFCW
REPRESENTS THOUSANDS OF WORKERS
FROM SEED TO SALE IN THE
CANNABIS SUPPLY CHAIN. I WANT TO
START BY THANKING ASSEMBLYMEMBER
HANEY FOR THIS BILL AND HIS
INTENT TO OFFER A POTENTIAL
LIFELINE TO STRUGGLING CANNABIS
BUSINESSES BY BROADENING THEIR
ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH
CALIFORNIA CONSUMERS, ALLOWING
CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES,
THE ABILITY TO PREPARE AND SERVE
FRESH FOOD AND NONALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES GIVES THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THEIR
BUSINESS MODEL, WHILE ALSO
EDUCATING CANNABIS CURIOUS
CONSUMERS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT CANNABIS CONSUMPTION
LOUNGES ALREADY EXIST, AS
MENTIONED BY THE MEMBER, AND
LEGALLY OPERATE IN VARIOUS
CALIFORNIA CITIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE BUSINESSES
ARE LIMITED IN THEIR SCOPE AND
CANNOT SERVE CANNABIS MUCH THE
WAY A BAR SERVES ALCOHOL, WITH
THE OPTION TO SERVE FRESH FRUIT
AND TO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT. IF
A NEW CANNABIS CONSUMER HAS THE
OPTION TO SIT DOWN IN A CAFE,
ORDER A CAPPUCCINO AND HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH A BUD TENDER,
THEY'RE NOT IN A RUSH DISPENSARY
SETTING, AND THEY HAVE THE
ABILITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
PRODUCTS AND WHERE TO BEGIN.
THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND
UNDERSTAND SAFE DOSAGE. MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THEY ARE ABLE TO
PURCHASE A CANNABIS PRODUCT AND
ENJOY IT IN A SAFE SPACE AND OUT
OF THE PUBLIC EYE. CONSUMPTION
LOUNGES PROVIDE A BETTER
ALTERNATIVE FOR AGE APPROPRIATE
PATRONS TO CONSUME CANNABIS AND
NOT DO SO IN A PARK OR OTHER
PUBLIC SETTING WHERE FAMILIES
AND CHILDREN'S CAN. CHILDREN
CONVENE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS
ONE MAJOR ASSUMPTION THAT WE ARE
MAKING THAT IS THAT ALL CANNABIS
CONSUMERS WANT TO INHALE
CANNABIS. THERE ARE OTHER
OPTIONS OTHER VEHICLES TO
CONSUME CANNABIS, AND THAT COULD
BE AN EDIBLE OR SOME OTHER SOME
OTHER AVENUE. FINALLY, NO PART
OF THIS BILL SHUNS CALIFORNIA
LABOR LAW. CALIFORNIA EMPLOYERS
HAVE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES
UNDER THE CAL OSHA. THE
CALIFORNIA OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AND HEALTH ACT OF 1973, AND
TITLE EIGHT OF THE CALIFORNIA
CODE OF REGULATIONS. UNDER
CURRENT LAW, EMPLOYERS MUST MAKE
NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE
SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ITS
EMPLOYEES, AND THEY ARE REQUIRED
TO MAINTAIN, IMPLEMENT, AND
REVISE IF NEEDED. AN INJURY AND
ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM.
FINALLY, AB 1775 PROVIDES US
WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO
STRENGTHEN THESE PROTECTIONS
WITH ADDITIONAL MEASURES SUCH AS
SEPARATION OF SPACE, PROPER
VENTILATION PRACTICES, AND
ADDITIONAL WORKER TRAINING. UFC
IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE
AUTHORS SO THAT ALL CONSUMPTION
LOUNGE EMPLOYEES HAVE THE PROPER
MEASURES IN PLACE TO WORK
SAFELY, AND WE RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. NEXT WITNESS, PLEASE.
PAMELA LOPEZ WITH K STREET
CONSULTING ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIA NORML. WE ARE HAPPY
TO BE THE SPONSORS OF AB 1775.
AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER, HANEY HAS
ALREADY STATED, EXISTING LAW
ALREADY ALLOWS LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS TO AUTHORIZE
CANNABIS CONSUMPTION. LOUNGES
WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND
WHILE CANNABIS CONSUMPTION
LOUNGES MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT
FOR EVERY COMMUNITY, FOR THE
COMMUNITIES THAT CHOOSE TO
AUTHORIZE THESE LOUNGES, THEY
OFFER VERY IMPORTANT BENEFITS
AND UPGRADING THE EXPERIENCE OF
CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES TO
ALLOW PATRONS TO ORDER A
CAPPUCCINO OR GET A SANDWICH
WHILE THEY ARE THERE, WILL OFFER
VERY IMPORTANT BENEFITS AND
STRENGTHS. STRENGTHENING THE
SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITIES
THAT CHOOSE TO AUTHORIZE
CONSUMPTION LOUNGES FIRST, MANY
RENTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
CONSUME IN THEIR OWN HOMES, AND
SO THEY NEED A PLACE TO GO THAT
IS DESIRABLE, WHERE THEY CAN BE
WITH OTHER PATRONS AND BE IN
COMMUNITY. SO SECOND, IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS,
INCLUDING CANNABIS CONSUMERS, TO
HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE
FELLOWSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP IN
PUBLIC PLACES. THIS IS
ESPECIALLY TRUE AFTER THE
PANDEMIC, WHICH DROVE ADULT
LONELINESS AND ISOLATION.
MILLIONS OF CALIFORNIANS ARE
CANNABIS CONSUMERS AND IMPROVING
THE CONSUMPTION LOUNGE
EXPERIENCE WILL ENCOURAGE MORE
ADULT CONSUMERS TO GO TO A
PUBLIC PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MEET
A NEIGHBOR OR MAKE A FRIEND. AB
1775. IN THIS WAY, WILL
STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES THAT
CHOOSE TO ALLOW CONSUMPTION.
LOUNGES AS CALIFORNIA NORMAL
APPRECIATES ASSEMBLY MEMBER
HANEY'S COMMITMENT TO SAFETY. WE
ARE WORKING WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER
HANEY TO CONDUCT A LITERATURE
REVIEW REGARDING CANNABIS
SECONDHAND SMOKE, WHICH WE ARE
HAPPY TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO ALL
OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS
COMMUNITY. THIS COMMITTEE, UPON
REQUEST. THE MOST IMPORTANT
TAKEAWAY FROM THIS LITERATURE
REVIEW IS THAT THERE ARE NO
APPRECIABLE ADVERSE HEALTH
IMPACTS CAUSED BY CANNABIS,
SECONDHAND SMOKE, IN OTHER
WORDS, CANNABIS. SECONDHAND
SMOKE DOES NOT BEHAVE IN THE
SAME WAY AS TOBACCO OR OTHER
TYPES OF SECONDHAND SMOKE THAT
WE MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH. THIS
IS IMPORTANT FOR NON CONSUMERS
WHO MIGHT WORK OR OTHERWISE
SPEND TIME IN A CANNABIS LOUNGE.
WE HOPE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THIS
COMMITTEE CAN SUPPORT THE MODEST
STEP OF ALLOWING CONSUMPTION
LOUNGES, WHICH ALREADY EXIST, TO
IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR
PATRONS BY OFFERING FOOD AND OR
CONCERT VENUES. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THAT. ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF AB 1775?
YES. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN
AND MEMBERS. AMY JENKINS, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
AND SPARK, A SAN FRANCISCO,
SONOMA COUNTY BASED RETAILER IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. CHAIR
MEMBERS ALICIA PRIEGO, ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA CANNABIS
MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, IN
SUPPORT. ZOE SCHREIBER, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION,
IN SUPPORT. RICHARD MILLER ON
BEHALF OF AMERICANS FOR SAFE
ACCESS AND THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE
FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS. WE ARE
PATIENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
NO FINANCIAL GAIN IN THIS AND
WE'RE IN STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE
IN OPPOSITION TO AB 1775? COME
ON UP TO THE DESK. EITHER WAY,
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES APIECE. AND
I'LL MOVE THE BILL. HELLO, CHAIR
MEMBERS, I AM ADAM OGDEN SMITH
WITH THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
. CANCER ACTION NETWORK, HERE
TODAY, IN OPPOSITION OF AB 1775.
ACS CAN OPPOSES THIS BILL, AS WE
DID PREVIOUS VERSIONS, BECAUSE
IT WILL UNDERMINE SMOKE FREE
WORKPLACE PROTECTION LAWS BY
PROLIFERATING VENUES IN WHICH
WORKERS COULD BE EXPOSED TO
SECOND HAND SMOKE. WE HAVE LONG
KNOWN THAT BREATHING IN
SECONDHAND SMOKE CAUSES LUNG
DISEASE. HEART DISEASE AND
CANCER. LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNOR
VETOED THE SAME LANGUAGE, CITING
CONCERNS ABOUT WORKER SAFETY. AT
THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNOR
SIGNED SB 626 BY SENATOR RUBIO,
WHICH ELIMINATES SMOKING IN ALL
HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOMS. BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NO SAFE
WAYS TO KEEP SECONDHAND SMOKE
FROM ADJOINING ROOMS. AND AS
PREVIOUSLY STATED ABOUT FOLKS
WHO ARE LIVING IN HOUSING THAT
CANNOT, SMOKE IN THEIR HOUSING,
IT IS FOR THE SAME REASON,
BECAUSE WE CANNOT SEPARATE THE
SMOKE FROM GETTING INTO THE
OTHER ROOMS. CALIFORNIA HAS
FOUGHT LONG AND HARD TO PROTECT
WORKERS AND ENSURE A SAFE,
HEALTHY, SMOKE FREE WORK
ENVIRONMENT. AB 1775 WILL UNDO
THAT BY RECREATING HARMFUL WORK
ENVIRONMENTS OF THE PAST, WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A NO VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT
WITNESS, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING,
MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS, I'M DOCTOR
LYNN SILVER, PEDIATRICIAN, ON
BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
INSTITUTE, ALSO FULL PROFESSOR
AT UCSF AND A MEMBER OF THE PROP
64 ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO DC'S
SMOKE FREE AIR, IS ONE OF OUR
GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE
LAST CENTURY, PREVENTING
COUNTLESS DEATHS FROM HEART
DISEASE AND CANCER AND
TRANSFORMING SOCIAL MORES AROUND
SMOKING. UNLIKE MY CHILDHOOD, MY
CHILDREN AND YOURS GREW UP IN
SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENTS AND WORK
SAFE FROM SMOKE EXPOSURE. MY
FIRST GRANDCHILD WILL BE BORN IN
AUGUST, AND I WANT HIM AND YOUR
CHILDREN TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN
A SMOKE FREE STATE. AB THREE AB
1775 WILL FUNDAMENTALLY
UNDERMINE THAT PROGRESS BY AGAIN
EXPOSING MORE WORKERS FOR LONGER
PERIODS TO HARMFUL SECONDHAND
CANNABIS SMOKE, FORCING PREGNANT
WORKERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR
BABY'S HEALTH AND THEIR JOB, AND
BRINGING BACK SMOKE FILLED BARS
AND RESTAURANTS. THE GOVERNOR
WAS WISE TO VETO THIS BILL LAST
YEAR TO PROTECT WORKERS. IT
CAN'T BE FIXED THROUGH BETTER
VENTILATION, SOMETHING THE
TOBACCO INDUSTRY LONG TRIED TO
SAY, AND IT WAS NEVER TRUE, IT
WILL ALSO, IT'S ALSO VERY, VERY
CLEAR THAT CANNABIS SMOKE IS NOT
SAFER THAN TOBACCO SMOKE.
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AT UCSF HAS
DOCUMENTED IT. IT MAY BE MORE
HARMFUL. JUST ONE MINUTE OF
CANNABIS SMOKE IMPAIRS FUNCTION
OF THE HEART ENDOTHELIUM FOR
LONGER THAN TOBACCO SMOKE. IT
AFFECTS PLACENTAL FUNCTION AND
SO ON, EVEN FOR POLICE WORKING
ONLY OUTSIDE OF CONCERTS WITH
CANNABIS EVENTS, ONE THIRD
TESTED POSITIVE FOR CANNABIS
AFTERWARDS, AND OVER A QUARTER
REPORTED SYMPTOMS AFTER EXPOSURE
. CANNABIS RESTAURANTS WILL ALSO
INCREASE DRUG DRIVING AND
CRASHES AS PATRONS HEAD HOME,
AND AMSTERDAM IS PULLING BACK ON
ITS ICONIC CANNABIS CAFES. OUR
RETAILERS ALSO DON'T NEED YOU TO
BAIL THEM OUT BY CRACKING ONE OF
OUR MOST IMPORTANT WORKER HEALTH
PROTECTIONS. ACTIVE CANNABIS
LICENSES INCREASED BY 41% IN
2022, 23, AND THE SECTOR IS NOT
IN CRISIS. ONLY 10% ARE EQUITY
LICENSEES, SO 90% OF THE BENEFIT
WILL GO TO NON-EQUITY LICENSEES,
ENDING CRIMINALIZATION AND
STIGMA AND CREATING LEGAL ACCESS
ARE POSITIVE. GOING BACKWARDS ON
SMOKE FREE AIR IS NOT. PLEASE
RESPECT THE GOVERNOR'S VETO AND
PROTECT OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS,
WHY WE SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT IT
IS NOT DOES NOT SOLVE THE
PROBLEM OF SECONDHAND SMOKE
EXPOSURE. SO WE ASK FOR YOUR NAY
VOTE ON THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE
IN OPPOSITION TO AB 1775? NAME
AN ORGANIZATION, PLEASE. GOOD
MORNING, JAMIE MORGAN. ON BEHALF
OF THE AMERICAN HEART
ASSOCIATION, IN OPPOSITION, AS
WELL AS THE AMERICAN LUNG
ASSOCIATION IN CALIFORNIA IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE IN OPPOSITION SEEING
NONE. BRING IT BACK TO
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON AB 1775?
MEMBER BAINS. I WILL GET THIS AT
ONE POINT, HERE WE ARE BACK
AGAIN. SAME, MY A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. FIRST IS, YOU KNOW,
THIS BILL WAS VETOED LAST YEAR.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CHANGE IT?
BUT SECOND, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING
TO ADDRESS THE SECONDHAND SMOKE?
SMOKING IS BAD. GUYS, I'M REALLY
PROUD OF CALIFORNIA'S EFFORTS TO
BAN INDOOR SMOKING AND WE HAVE
TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
CONTINUE BANNING THAT. AND
PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE
REMARKS THAT SECONDHAND SMOKE
FROM MARIJUANA IS OKAY, BECAUSE
THAT IS NOT TRUE AT ALL
WHATSOEVER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE? QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE SEEING NONE. I WAS
GOING TO KICK IT BACK TO HIM.
SO, MEMBER HANEY, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? YES. SO FIRST OF ALL,
WE ARE GOING TO ABSOLUTELY
ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WERE
BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE VETO,
WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION. WE WERE
ENCOURAGED TO BRING THE BILL
BACK AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I
THINK THERE'S NOT AN OBJECTION
TO THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF
ALLOWING FOR CANNABIS CAFES. I
THINK WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW
WITH THE EMPLOYEES, WITH THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES, MAKING SURE WE
GET RIGHT, SOME OF THE
SEPARATION THAT CAN OCCUR, SOME
OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
REQUIREMENTS THAT WE CAN BUILD
INTO THE BILL, WE'RE COMMITTED
TO DOING THAT. AND WE
COMMUNICATED THAT AND WORKING
WITH THE STAFF AND THE CHAIR
THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IN
THE NEXT COMMITTEE. SO BY THE
TIME YOU SEE THIS BILL AGAIN,
WHEN IT COMES TO THE FLOOR, WE
WILL HAVE DONE THAT. WE ARE NOT
GOING TO SEND THIS BILL BACK
WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE EMPLOYEE
ISSUE. AND WE HAVE HERE THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EMPLOYEES
WHO ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL. AND SO WE'RE FULLY
PREPARED TO DO THAT. I TOTALLY
APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THE POINT
ABOUT, SECONDHAND SMOKE, MY,
BELIEF AROUND THIS IS THAT WHEN
PROP 64 WAS PASSED OUT,
CONSUMPTION LOUNGES WERE BUILT
INTO THAT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO
AND SO THAT THEY ARE NOT SMOKING
IN THEIR CARS, IN THEIR HOMES
AND OTHER PLACES AROUND KIDS AND
FAMILIES AND OTHER TYPES OF
PUBLIC PLACES. IN ORDER FOR US
TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO GET THAT
RIGHT ON THE SAFETY FRONT, AND
WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT.
NOT EVERYBODY WAS COMING TO
THESE CONSUMPTION LOUNGES ARE
SMOKING, IN FACT, MANY OF THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING ARE TAKING
IT IN OTHER TYPES OF WAYS. SO
WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON GETTING
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY RIGHT FOR
THE EMPLOYEES BEFORE WE SEND IT
BACK. AND WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE
AMENDMENTS. AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE A
MOTION AND A SECOND. I THINK
WE'RE GOOD. OKAY. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 1775. HANEY. THE MOTION IS
DUE. PASS AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION. BERMAN FLORA.
FLORA I, ALANIS BAINES. MS.
BAINES. NOT VOTING. JUAN CARILLO
I JUAN CARRILLO I CHEN. CHEN I
DIXON. GRAYSON. IRWIN. JACKSON.
LOW, LOW I. LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL
I MACKINAW, JUAN HIÆN I PELLERIN
. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ. SORIA
SORIA I ZUBER. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THE BILL IS ON CALL. WE'LL
LEAVE IT OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS
. NEXT UP WE'LL GO TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER EIGHT AB 2327 CARILLO.
AND I'LL MOVE THE BILL.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO
START BY THANKING YOUR,
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR WORKING SO
CLOSELY WITH MY STAFF ON THIS
BILL. AND WE ARE ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS TODAY. I'M
PROUD TO PRESENT AB 2327, A BILL
THAT WOULD ENABLE NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTINUE TO
OFFER, UP GLASSES SERVICES FREE
OF CHARGE FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED
POPULATIONS AND CHILDREN ACROSS
THE STATE. SPECIFICALLY, THE
BILL EXTENDS A LAW AUTHORED BY
THE FORMER CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE IN 2019, WHICH
ESTABLISHED A REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK FOR THE OPERATION OF
THE OF NONPROFITS, MOBILE,
OPTOMETRY, OPTOMETRIC SERVICES.
THE LAW EXPIRES NEXT YEAR AND
THE REGULATIONS THAT WERE
SUPPOSED TO BE, ALREADY
FINALIZED HAVE NOT YET BEEN
FINALIZED. AB 2327 WILL REMEDY
THIS BY EXTENDING THE SUNSET
THAT ALLOWS THE BOARD OF
OPTOMETRY TO FINISH THE
REGULATIONS. THIS BILL IS
SPONSORED BY VISION TO LEARN, A
LOS ANGELES BASED NONPROFIT THAT
PROVIDES VISION SCREENINGS TO
STUDENTS. TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND
THEN PROVIDES FREE GLASSES TO
THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM. TO
DATE, VISION TULAD HAS CONDUCTED
MORE THAN 1 MILLION VISION
SCREENINGS AND PROVIDED 217,000
FREE PAIRS OF GLASSES TO
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE STATE. WITH ME TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT IS DAMIAN CARROLL, THE
NATIONAL DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OF
STAFF FOR VISION TO LEARN. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. TWO MINUTES,
PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
MEMBERS MY NAME IS DAMIAN
CARROLL. I'M THE NATIONAL
DIRECTOR OF VISION TO LEARN. WE
ARE A CALIFORNIA BASED
CHARITABLE PROVIDER OF MOBILE
SCHOOL BASED VISION SERVICES,
SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2012,
VISION TO LEARN HAS HELPED OVER
1 MILLION CALIFORNIA STUDENTS
ATTENDING. TITLE ONE SCHOOLS IN
13 COUNTIES RECEIVE VISION
SCREENINGS, EYE EXAMS AND
GLASSES, ALL AT NO OUT OF POCKET
COST TO STUDENTS OR THEIR
PARENTS. ABOUT 1 IN 4 STUDENTS
NEEDS PRESCRIPTION GLASSES TO
SEE CLEARLY AT SCHOOL, AND THIS
FIGURE IS HIGHER IN LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES. UNFORTUNATELY, WE
FIND THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF
OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING WITHOUT
REGULAR AND SUFFICIENT VISION
CARE WHILE OUR STUDENTS ARE
SCREENED DILIGENTLY BY SCHOOL
NURSES IN STATE MANDATED GRADES,
AND MOST OF THEM ARE COVERED BY
MEDI-CAL, INNUMERABLE ACCESS
BARRIERS PREVENT THEM FROM
RECEIVING A RECOMMENDED EYE EXAM
, WITHOUT WHICH THEY CANNOT BE
PRESCRIBED OR PROVIDED. GLASSES
A 2018 DHHS STUDY OF VISION TO
LEARNS PROGRAM FOUND THAT
APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF
MEDI-CAL STUDENTS PROVIDED
GLASSES BY VISION TO LEARN HAD
RECEIVED NO VISION CARE SERVICES
IN THE FOUR YEARS PRECEDING OUR
INTERVENTION, AND AN ADDITIONAL
13% OF STUDENTS SERVED WERE
UNDOCUMENTED AND AT THE TIME,
INELIGIBLE FOR MEDI-CAL. DURING
THAT STUDY. SO IN 2019,
CALIFORNIA PASSED AB 896
AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWE
, WHICH INSTRUCTED THE
CALIFORNIA BOARD OF OPTOMETRY TO
ADOPT REGULATIONS TO ESTABLISH A
REGISTRY FOR MOBILE OPTOMETRIC
OFFICES LIKE THOSE OPERATED BY
VISION TO LEARN. BY JANUARY 1ST,
2022, MOBILE CLINICS MAY BE
OPERATED BY CHARITABLE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO NOT ACCEPT
PAYMENT FROM PATIENTS OUTSIDE OF
MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT. WHILE
THE BOARD OF OPTOMETRY HAS
PASSED ITS DEADLINE TO ADOPT
REGULATIONS, IT HAS ISSUED
PROPOSED REGULATIONS AND IS
CURRENTLY CIRCULATING THOSE
REGULATIONS FOR COMMENT. VISION
TO LEARN AND OUR COLLEAGUE
ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE
ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN THE
REGULATORY PROCESS AND ARE EAGER
TO HAVE OUR PROGRAMS OFFICIALLY
REGISTERED WITH THE BOARD. THIS
BILL WOULD EXTEND THE DEADLINE
FOR THE BOARD TO IMPLEMENT ITS
REGISTRY VIA REGULATION TO
JANUARY 1ST, 2026, TO ALLOW THE
BOARD TO PROCEED WITH THE
CURRENT RULEMAKING PROCESS, AND
ADDITIONALLY, IT WOULD EXTEND
THE SUNSET OF THIS REGISTRY TO
JULY 1ST, 2035. VISION TO LEARN.
REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS
LEGISLATION, WHICH WILL ALLOW
OUR PROGRAM AND OTHERS TO HELP
MILLIONS OF STUDENTS RECEIVE THE
GLASSES THEY NEED TO SUCCEED
OVER THE NEXT DECADE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE
IN OPPOSITION TO AB 23? I'M
SORRY. SUPPORT 2327 SEEING NONE.
ANY OPPOSITION TO AB 2327.
SEEING NONE. ANY QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMITTEE DOCTOR BAYNES,
SLAMMER CARILLO LOVE THIS BILL.
AMAZING JOB. I'D LOVE TO ADD ON
AS A COAUTHOR. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. SO MEMBER CREEL, I ALSO
WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING THIS UP AND CONTINUING
TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE TO THE
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT
SOME OF US REPRESENT, IF NOT
MOST OF US, AND I JUST ALSO WANT
TO ASK IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER ME
BEING A COAUTHOR. I DO REPRESENT
THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND I KNOW
THAT EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE IN
THE COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT,
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
DOING THAT. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR
US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE
NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL,
NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT SOME OF
THEM GO HUNGRY DURING SCHOOL
HOURS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE FACT
THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE A HARD
TIME LEARNING JUST BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE CLEARLY
WHAT IS ON ON THE BLACKBOARDS OR
WHITEBOARDS. NOW AGAINST THE
BLACKBOARDS ARE GONE. THE THING
OF THE PAST IN MY TIME. BUT
ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS UP AND
CONTINUING THE EFFORTS OF
PROVIDING THESE SERVICES TO THE
KIDS THAT ARE IN NEED IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
SEEING NONE. I WOULD ALSO LOVE
TO BE ADDED AS A COAUTHOR, IF
YOU'LL HAVE US WITH THAT. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE
MEMBERS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO
JUMP ON THIS BILL, 1 IN 5
CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
LACK THE GLASSES THAT THEY NEED
TO SEE THE BOARD, READ A BOOK
AND PARTICIPATE IN CLASSROOMS SO
WE CAN THROW ALL THE MONEY INTO
EDUCATION. BUT IF WE DON'T
ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND AND FIX THE
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM, THAT IF A
CHILD DOES NOT HAVE THE GLASSES
THAT THEY NEED TO LEARN, WE ARE
NOT INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF
CALIFORNIA AND THAT IS SIMPLY
JUST WRONG. SO WITH THAT, I'D
LOVE TO OF COURSE, ACCEPT ALL
THE COAUTHORS AND RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST AN AYE VOTE. AND I WOULD
JUST ALSO LIKE TO THANK
PERSONALLY, A MOMENT OF
PRIVILEGE, THE LOS ANGELES
DODGERS, WHO ARE A MAJOR
SUPPORTER OF VISION TO LEARN AND
HOPEFULLY, MR. CHAIR, TO REMOVE
MY SUPPORT. YOU CAN DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THE REST. YOU KNOW WHAT
I'M SAYING? THANK YOU. SPEAKING
OF GLASSES, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY
LOOK INTO THAT. SO, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON AB 2327 WENDY CARRILLO. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS AS AMENDED,
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN LARA LARA
I ALANIS BAINES. BAINES AYE.
JUAN CARRILLO. AYE. JUAN
CARRILLO AYE. CHEN CHEN. AYE.
DIXON. GRAYSON IRWIN. JACKSON.
LOW LOW I. LOWENTHAL. MCKENNA
WHEN. WHEN I PELLERIN. PELLERIN.
I. SANCHEZ. SORIA. SORIA I
SABER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL LEAVE THAT ROLE OPEN FOR
ABSENT MEMBERS ADD ON. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. NEXT WE'LL GO TO MEMBER
GARCIA WITH AB 2860.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND
COLLEAGUES. AB 2860 REMOVES THE
PILOT STATUS OF A PROGRAM THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2002 BY
ASSEMBLY BILL 2045, AUTHORED BY
THE LATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARCO
ANTONIO FIREBAUGH. THE PROGRAM
FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT
COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA DID NOT GO OUT, GO
WITHOUT ENSURING THAT
CALIFORNIANS HAD DOCTORS AND
DENTISTS AVAILABLE IN MEDICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. PROGRAM
HAS PROVEN, THAT IT HAS QUALITY
DOCTORS PROVIDING SERVICES IN
MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. AND THIS BILL, AS I
MENTIONED IN MY OPENING REMARKS,
REMOVES THE PILOT STATUS FOR
THIS PROGRAM, RESPECTFULLY
ASKING FOR YOUR I VOTE. WE HAVE
TWO WITNESSES THAT WILL BE VERY
BRIEF IN THEIR REMARKS. AND
AGAIN, RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR
YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. FIRST WITNESS TWO MINUTES
APIECE AND I WILL MOVE THE BILL.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS,
MAXIMILIANO CUEVAS. I'M A
PHYSICIAN AND CEO OF CLINICA DE
SALUD DE SALINAS IN MONTEREY
COUNTY. OUR ORGANIZATION IS THE
LARGEST PROVIDER OF PRIMARY
HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO MEDI-CAL
POPULATIONS IN MONTEREY COUNTY.
WE'RE ALSO THE THIRD LARGEST
COUNTY IN TERMS OF POPULATION OF
FARMWORKERS. VERY PROUD TO BE A
SPONSOR OF THE BILL. I ALSO WANT
TO COMPLIMENT, ON BEHALF OF OUR
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, YOUR
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS OF AB 2860.
IT DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF
PROVIDING AN ACCURATE HISTORY OF
THE PHYSICIANS FROM MEXICO. PHÐ
INITIATIVE SINCE ITS INCEPTION
IN 2002, THE DOCTORS ARE DOING A
FANTASTIC JOB IN PROVIDING
SERVICES TO PATIENTS THAT
HISTORICALLY, TRADITIONALLY
HADN'T BEEN SERVED. THEY DIDN'T
HAVE ACCESS, AB 2860, HOPEFULLY
WILL SECURE THE APPROVAL OF THE
COMMITTEE, MANY OF YOU,
REPRESENT DISTRICTS THAT HAVE
CLINICS THAT NOW WANT TO BRING
IN THE PHYSICIANS FROM MEXICO,
INCLUDING GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH
CENTERS, CLINICA SIERRA VISTA,
SERVING SAN JOAQUIN, STANISLAUS,
MERCED, FRESNO, KERN AND TULARE
COUNTIES. THE WESLEY HEALTH
CENTER SERVING LANCASTER,
PALMDALE, SOUTHEAST, LOS ANGELES
COUNTY, AND SAC HEALTH, SERVING
MAJOR CITIES AND COMMUNITIES IN
THE INLAND. INLAND EMPIRE, AND
SAN BENITO COUNTY. WE CAN ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS AS THEY COME UP,
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. NEXT WITNESS TWO
MINUTES, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS DENNIS CUEVAS
ROMERO, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
CALIFORNIA PRIMARY CARE
ASSOCIATION, ADVOCATES PROUD
CO-SPONSORS OF THE BILL, WE
REPRESENT STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION
FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND
CLINICS REPRESENTING NEARLY 1300
HEALTH CENTERS. HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT OF
AB 2860? NAME AN ORGANIZATION,
PLEASE. AARON BOWEN WITH THE
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA. THE
BOARD HAS A SUPPORT OF AMENDED
POSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
MR. CASTILLO GARCIA, ON BEHALF
OF ALTAMED AND SUPPORT. ANTONIO
LA TORRE, ON BEHALF OF SARMIENTO
HEALTH FOUNDATION, IN STRONG
SUPPORT. ARKADY VIVEROS, CHAIR
OF THE BOARD OF SAN BENITO
HEALTH FOUNDATION, FULLY SUPPORT
THIS PROGRAM. IT IS GOD'S GIFT
TO CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT
SEEING NONE. ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION TO AB 2860. UPS
SEEING NONE. BRING IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. DOCTOR BAINS
GREAT BILL. I ALSO LOVE TO BE
ABLE TO JUMP ON AS A COAUTHOR ON
THIS. NECESITAMOS MAS PERSONAS
C¯ HABLA ESPANOL. TAMBIÉN SON DE
C¯. HELLO, Kò PUNJABI BOLAN.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE
THAT CAN SPEAK MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES AND CULTURAL
COMPETENCY IS SO IMPORTANT,
ESPECIALLY IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE? SORRY YEAH, I JUST
WANTED TO ALSO TO THANK THE
AUTHOR FOR BRINGING THIS PIECE
OF LEGISLATION FORWARD AS
SOMEONE THAT REPRESENTS, MANY OF
THE COUNTIES THAT, THE, THE
SPONSORS MENTIONED IN TERMS OF
THE NEED OF PHYSICIANS, WE'RE AT
THE EPICENTER. I JOINED,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN BANES, WE'RE IN
THE VALLEY. WE DESPERATELY NEED,
PHYSICIANS TO COME. NOW, I DO,
THOUGH, DREAM OF A DAY WHERE WE
DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON THESE
TYPES OF PROGRAMS, BUT WE'RE NOT
THERE YET. AND SO, OBVIOUSLY
STRONG SUPPORTER TODAY, AND I
WOULD LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A
COAUTHOR OF THE BILL. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I JUST WANT TO
CONFIRM SOME REMEMBER THAT
YOU'RE ACCEPTING AMENDMENTS FOR
BOTH 2860 AS WELL AS 2864. YES,
WE WILL BE ACCEPTING THE
AMENDMENTS ON BOTH. I KNOW THE
OTHER BILL IS ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. AND SO WE WILL. AND,
THANK YOU. I WELCOME THE TWO
COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE EXPRESSED
THEIR DESIRE TO JOIN, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? YEAH. NO, JUST
WANT TO BEFORE HE CLOSES. SORRY
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR
FOR BRINGING THIS UP, AND, THANK
YOU FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO
THE CITIES OF LANCASTER AND
PALMDALE, WHICH I REPRESENT, I
THINK IT'S THE PROGRAM IS SHOWN
TO BE VERY, WELL SERVED FOR
THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE
IN, BUT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT
THE DENTIST, PROVIDERS. LAST,
HEARING, WE HAD A BNP. WE HAD A
DISCUSSION ON THE DENTAL
ASSOCIATION, AND, IT DID YOU
HAVE DATA OR SOMETHING THAT
SHOWS THAT THE DENTISTS ARE ALSO
BEING PART OF THE SERVICES IN
OUR COMMUNITIES? THIS MAY NOT BE
THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT, BUT
IF WE CAN HAVE SOME DATA AS TO
HOW MANY DENTISTS ARE ALSO
SERVING IN CALIFORNIA. AND
AGAIN, THE REASON I BRING THAT
UP IS BECAUSE OF THE LAST BNP
HEARING WE HAD WITH THE
CALIFORNIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION.
THEY SEEM NOT TO HAVE, RECORDS
OF DENTISTS THAT ARE SERVING OUR
COMMUNITIES. SO WHEN I SAW THIS
BILL AND I SAW THAT NOT NOT ONLY
THE PHYSICIANS BUT ALSO THE
DENTISTS, I WAS CURIOUS TO HEAR
FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, AND IF
THERE IS A WAY THAT THOSE
EFFORTS CAN BE INCREASED, HAVING
MORE DENTISTS SERVING OUR
COMMUNITIES. BUT AGAIN, I
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY NOT BE
THE TIME TO ASK FOR THE DATA
THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE, BUT I'D
LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT
CONVERSATION TO SEE HOW WE CAN
HAVE MORE DENTIST, FROM THIS
PROGRAM BE BROUGHT TO CALIFORNIA
, BRIEF ANSWER, YEAH, THERE IS
DATA AND WE CAN PREPARE THAT.
BUT THE DATA SHOWS THAT THERE'S
ALSO, TREMENDOUS NEED TO HAVE
SPANISH SPEAKING AND OTHER
LANGUAGES, IN, IN THE
COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA, YOU
KNOW, DUE TO THE DIVERSITY OF
OUR STATE, THE BEAUTY OF OUR
STATE, THE DATA IS THERE, AND
WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'LL CLOSE
BY JUST SAYING THANK YOU SO
MUCH, TO THE COMMITTEE STAFF
ANALYSIS. RESPECTFULLY,
ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS, AND
WANTED JUST TO AGAIN, THANK YOU
TO THE COLLEAGUES THAT ARE,
ADDING ON AS AUTHORS, I WANTED
JUST TO POINT OUT, SOMETHING
VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THE BILL, THE
FORESIGHT OF THE OF THE LATE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARCO ANTONIO
FIREBAUGH, WHO WHO WAS ALREADY
SEEN IN, THE LACK OF HEALTH CARE
IN A VERY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES,
YOU KNOW, 20 PLUS YEARS AGO, HE
WAS, ALREADY SEEING THE VALUE OF
THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER,
LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF CULTURAL
COMPETENCY IN EMERGING
POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA AND A
SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA THAT'S NOT
MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO
SERVE THE MEDICAL NEEDS. AND
IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO GET THIS
PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND, BUT IT'S
OFF THE GROUND. AND IT'S PROVEN
TO BE EFFECTIVE. AND WE'RE NOW
ASKING THAT THIS PILOT PROGRAM
BECOME AN INSTITUTIONALIZED
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SERVE OUR
COMMUNITIES AND THAT WE
DIVERSIFY. WE WRITE THE PROGRAM
TO OTHER PLACES WHERE STUDENTS
AND DOCTORS WHO SPEAK OTHER
LANGUAGES CAN ALSO SERVE THE
DIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIANS WHO
NEED, MEDICAL SERVICES. FOR ME,
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL BILL
BECAUSE I WAS A COLLEGE STUDENT,
FOLLOWING THE CAREER OF MARCO
FIREBAUGH WHEN HE INITIATED THIS
BILL, AB 540 AND MANY OTHER VERY
IMPORTANT PIECES OF POLICY AND,
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A AYE VOTE
ON THIS PARTICULAR BILL. THANK
YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, FOR BRINGING THIS BILL
FORWARD, AND I'M HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THIS BILL TODAY, WHICH I
KNOW IS THE PRODUCT OF MORE THAN
TWO DECADES. AS YOU'VE ALLUDED
TO, OF WORK BY THE SPONSORS TO
IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO
CALIFORNIA'S PRIMARY CARE
WORKFORCE SHORTAGE BY LEVERAGING
FOREIGN TRAINED PROFESSIONALS
WITH PROVEN TRACK RECORDS OF
PRACTICING SAFE, EFFECTIVE
HEALTH CARE. THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT CULTURALLY AND
LINGUISTICALLY COMPETENT CARE IS
ESSENTIAL, PARTICULARLY IN
FARMWORKER COMMUNITIES LIKE THE
ONES THAT I REPRESENT IN MY
DISTRICT, I APPRECIATE THE
AUTHOR CONTINUING TO WORK WITH
ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THAT
THIS PROGRAM CAN SUSTAINABLY
EXPAND AND CONTINUE TO SERVE
CALIFORNIA PATIENTS. AND WITH
THAT, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE VOTE ON AB 2860.
GARCIA, THE MOTION IS DUE PASS,
AS AMENDED, TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN A.
BERMAN. AYE. FLORA. FLORA. AYE.
ALANIZ BAINES. BAINES. AYE.
JUAN. CARRILLO, JUAN. CARRILLO.
AYE. CHEN. CHEN. AYE. DIXON.
GRAYSON GRAYSON. AYE. IRWIN
JACKSON. JACKSON. ILO LOW. AYE.
LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL. AYE.
MCKENNA WHEN. WHEN. AYE.
PELLERIN. PELLERIN AYE. SANCHEZ.
SORIA. SORIA. AYE ZUBER. THAT.
BILLS OUT. WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLE
OPEN FOR ABSENT COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU TO THE VICE CHAIR FOR
COVERING WHILE I WAS GONE. I
LEARNED THAT Y'ALL ARE MUCH MORE
EFFICIENT WHEN I'M NOT HERE, SO
I'LL SPEND MORE TIME. I'LL SPEND
MORE TIME IN OTHER COMMITTEES,
SO I SEE, I THINK ASSEMBLY
MEMBER LOWE, YOU'RE UP. THIS IS
ABBY, 2148, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
FIVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.
AND COLLEAGUES, FOR ALLOWING ME
TO PRESENT ASSEMBLY BILL 2148.
AND I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS. THIS BILL HELPS TO
STRENGTHEN THE CALIFORNIA
FISHERIES BUREAU, AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AYE VOTE
AND HAVE JERRY DESMONDE HERE TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MR. DESMOND. CHAIR. JERRY
DESMOND WITH THE PROFESSIONAL
FIDUCIARY ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT. WE
BELIEVE THAT THIS MEASURE WILL
ENSURE THAT IN THOSE SITUATIONS
WHERE AN ENTITY IS APPOINTED IN
A FIDUCIARY CAPACITY AS A
CONSERVATOR OR GUARDIAN, A
REPRESENTATIVE OR A TRUSTEE,
THAT THE STATE LICENSING BUREAU
WILL HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THEM
AND ENSURE THAT THEY PROVIDE
SERVICES ONLY IF THEY'RE
LICENSED AS INDIVIDUALS.
WONDERFUL THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL WITNESSES IN
SUPPORT, ANY. YEAH. ANY PRIMARY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION SEEING
NONE. ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO ADD
ON IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO
THE BILL GOT A MOTION. SECOND,
GOT A SECOND BIPARTISAN MOTION.
AND SECOND, THAT'S A GOOD SIGN,
DON'T SEE ANY OTHER WITNESSES,
OR OR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ADD
ON, ANY QUESTIONS? COLLEAGUES
NOPE, NOPE, NOPE. VERY
STRAIGHTFORWARD. GOOD
LEGISLATION, ASSEMBLYMEMBER,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE?
RESPECTFULLY, YES. THANK YOU TO
THE AUTHOR AND SPONSOR FOR
WORKING WITH US ON THIS BILL,
AND THE AMENDMENTS. I AGREE THAT
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THE
ROLE OF FIDUCIARY CORPORATIONS
AND CLOSE LOOPHOLES THAT ALLOW
FOR UNREGULATED PRACTICE. I KNOW
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE
AUTHOR HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR
MANY YEARS, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT
THE BILL TODAY. MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE VOTE ON AB 2148
LO. THE MOTION IS DUE. PASS AS
AMENDED, TO THE COMMITTEE ON
JUDICIARY. BERMAN I BERMAN. AYE.
FLORA LARA. AYE. ALANIZ. BAINS
BAINS. AYE. JUAN. CARRILLO.
JUAN. CARRILLO. AYE. CHEN CHEN.
AYE. DIXON. GRAYSON. GRAYSON
AYE. ERWIN. JACKSON. JACKSON.
AYE. LOW LOW. AYE. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL. AYE. MCKENNA WHEN?
WHEN. AYE. PELLERIN PELLERIN.
AYE. SANCHEZ. SAU SORIA. SORIA.
EISBAR.
THAT BILL IS OUT WITH 12 VOTES.
CONGRATULATIONS. WE'LL LEAVE THE
ROLE OPEN FOR ABSENT COLLEAGUES.
AND I THINK NEXT UP IS ASSEMBLY
MEMBER CHEN, WHO'S ALREADY.
ALREADY, THIS IS ROUND TWO.
ROUND TWO. FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR
FOUR BILLS FOR ONE, TWO, THREE,
THREE, FOUR BILLS. YOU'RE NOT
DONE YET. YOU'VE GOT TWO MORE
COMING AT FUTURE HEARINGS. THIS
IS FUN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
FOR YOUR TIME. AND I WANT YOU TO
KNOW THAT VICE CHAIR FULLER DID
AN INCREDIBLE JOB SUPPORTING YOU
WHILE YOU WERE GONE. SIR, IF I
MAY, I WANT TO BEGIN BY
EXPECTING COMMITTEES,
AMENDMENTS, AND THANK THEM FOR
THEIR WORK ON THIS BILL.
UNFORTUNATELY, A CULTURE OF
NONPAYMENT HAS EMERGED IN
CALIFORNIA'S LEGAL CANNABIS
INDUSTRY. THIS HAS CREATED A
WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES BECAUSE THE
STATE'S LIMITED RETAIL CHANNEL
IS THE ONLY GETAWAY, A GATEWAY
TO CONSUMERS, THERE HAS BEEN A
RELUCTANCE TO HOLD BAD ACTORS
ACCOUNTABLE. THIS HAS CAUSED
THESE BUSINESSES TO FAIL. LAST
YEAR ALONE, CALIFORNIA
EXPERIENCED A 30% LOSS OF
CANNABIS BRANDS IN THE
MARKETPLACE. THIS BILL REQUIRES
THE DEPARTMENT OF CANNABIS
CONTROL DCC TO BEGIN
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AGAINST
LICENSEES WHO FAIL TO PAY THEIR
OUTSTANDING INVOICES. CANNABIS
CREDIT LAW IS A NECESSARY CHANGE
TO PROFESSIONALIZE THE INDUSTRY,
STABILIZE THE MARKET, AND
RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN
CALIFORNIA'S LEGAL INDUSTRY.
HERE TO TESTIFY TODAY, WE HAVE
KAREN WOODSON KIVA, ONE OF THE
SPONSOR OF THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, AND ALSO APOLOGIZE.
THAT'S CORRECT. AARON MCCARRICK,
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GREAT. READY
WHEN YOU ARE, I THINK YOU MIGHT
NEED TO HIT THE MIC. THERE WE
GO. BEAUTIFUL, GOOD MORNING,
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYMAN CHEN, FOR THE
LEADERSHIP. THAT BRINGS US HERE
TODAY. MY NAME IS KAREN WOODSON
FOR KIVA BRANDS. I'M ALSO HERE
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS MANUFACTURERS
ASSOCIATION AND THE CALIFORNIA
CANNABIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION,
TO URGE OR I VOTE. THE CANNABIS
INDUSTRY, LIKE ALL OTHERS,
RELIES ON THE TIMELY FLOW OF
CASH TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS AND
FOSTER GROWTH. UNFORTUNATELY,
LIMITED ACCESS TO BANKING
SERVICES, COUPLED WITH FEWER
THAN 1000 RETAIL CHANNELS HAS
FOSTERED A PERVASIVE CULTURE OF
NONPAYMENT, WHICH THREATENS THE
STABILITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN.
THE RESULT HAS CREATED REAL
CHALLENGES FOR BUSINESSES,
RESULTING IN FINANCIAL
INSTABILITY, K¾T AND BUSINESS
CLOSURES. AS MENTIONED,
CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCED A 30%
LOSS IN BRANDS IN THE
MARKETPLACE, INCLUDING THE
STATE'S LARGEST DISTRIBUTOR AND
THREE NATIONAL BRANDS. IN FACT,
CANNABIS LICENSEES ARE
INCREASINGLY LISTED ON THE CFA'S
LIST OF TOP 500 SALES AND USE
TAX DELINQUENCIES. IF THEY FAIL
TO PAY THEIR TAXES, THEY'RE
ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT PAYING
THEIR VENDORS ON TIME. IF THEY
PAY AT ALL. TRY TO CREATE TRADE
CREDIT LAW IS A TOOL USED BY
OTHER INDUSTRIES AND IN OTHER
STATES WHEN NONPAYMENT THREATENS
MARKET STABILITY AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY, GOVERNMENT
REVENUES. STATE LAW REQUIRES
STATE CONTRACT OR STATE LAW
REQUIRES CONTRACTORS TO PAY
SUBCONTRACTORS WITHIN TEN DAYS,
AND FAILURE TO PAY IS CAUSE FOR
DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY THE
CONTRACTOR, STATE LICENSING
BOARD, STATE LAW ENACTS CREDIT
LAW FOR BEER, WINE AND SPIRITS.
IN FACT, EVERY STATE REGULATES
CREDIT BETWEEN ALCOHOL SUPPLIERS
AND RETAILERS, AND OTHER STATES
THAT REGULATE CANNABIS HAVE
BEGUN TO ENFORCE THE TERMS OF
SALE AMONG LICENSEES. ON MARCH
25TH, THE NEW YORK OFFICE OF
CANNABIS MANAGEMENT UNVEILED A
ROBUST DELINQUENT PAYER
REPORTING SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT
PAYMENTS OCCUR WITHIN 30 DAYS.
THIS BILL ENSURES THAT SUPPLIERS
ARE PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
TERMS OF AN INVOICE, WITHOUT A
CONSISTENT SUPPLY OF CASH, THE
PROCESS BREAKS DOWN AND THE
HEALTHY CYCLE OF COMMERCE STOPS.
ABSENT CREDIT LAW, CREDIT TERMS
AND PAYMENT COLLECTION BECOME
THE FOCUS OF THESE
RELATIONSHIPS. 2888 IS NEEDED TO
STABILIZE AND ENFORCE TIMELY AND
PAYMENTS OF INVOICES. I URGE
YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE
CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME HERE. MY NAME IS AARON
MCCARRICK. I LIVE IN CLEAR LAKE,
CALIFORNIA AND OWN AND OPERATE A
SMALL DISTRIBUTION, OWNED AND
OPERATED A SMALL DISTRIBUTION
COMPANY IN LAKE COUNTY, JUST
AROUND THE CORNER. SO WE ARE
GREATLY AFFECTED BY THE
NONPAYMENT OF RETAILERS. THANK
YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER CHEN FOR
INTRODUCING THIS BILL. I URGE
THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE FOR THIS, SINCE WE
LAUNCHED OUR MISSION HAS BEEN TO
SUPPORT THE SMALL FARMS, SMALL
TO MEDIUM FARMS IN LAKE COUNTY,
10,000FT² AN ACRE OR LESS, GET
THEIR BRANDS TO MARKET AND
PACKAGE PRODUCT. WE LAUNCHED IN
2019 AT THE EMERALD CUP, AND
EVER SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN
CHASING RETAILERS. AND YES,
EVERYBODY CHASES RETAILERS, BUT
WE HAVE NO RECOURSE, FOR
EXAMPLE, THE MOST RECENT BILL
THAT WE HAD THAT IS STILL
OUTSTANDING AND OUR BILLS ARE
10,000, 20,000, 40,000, WHICH
MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT
FOR US, OUR MARGINS ARE VERY
SMALL. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE
FARMS GET THEIR FAIR PAYMENT FOR
WHAT THEY DID ALL YEAR, THAT'S
WHAT THEY GOT. THEY DID ONE
CROP. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING
TO GET. SO WE KEEP OUR MARGINS
SMALL. LEARNING FROM LESSONS IN
THE PAST, WE REQUESTED A COD FOR
THE FIRST PAYMENT WITH THIS
RETAILER. GOT THE COD OKAY. IT
FELT LIKE WE BUILT A LEVEL OF
TRUST THERE. HAD THE NEXT
INVOICE AND THAT WAS A SMALL,
YOU KNOW, COUPLE THOUSAND
DOLLARS, DID A $15,000 INVOICE
WITH THEM. AND THAT WAS AUGUST.
AND IN NOVEMBER I REACHED OUT TO
THE DCC. I REPORTED THEIR
LICENSE. THAT'S THE ONLY
RECOURSE THAT WE HAVE IS TO
REPORT THEIR LICENSE ON THE
WEBSITE. AND I GOT A RESPONSE
AND I SAID, OH, THANK GOODNESS,
SOMETHING BECAUSE I'D ALREADY
TEXTED EMAILED, THREATENED LEGAL
ACTION. BUT WE'RE SO SMALL WE
DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT
CAPABILITY. SO I GOT A RESPONSE
FROM THE DCC AND I SUBMITTED ALL
THE PAPERWORK THAT I'D DONE, ALL
MY RECORDS, INVOICES, METRIC. IT
HAD BEEN LOGGED IN THROUGH THE
METRIC TRACK AND TRACE WITH HOW
MUCH WE HAD AGREED UPON THE
AGREED UPON TEXT MESSAGES,
EMAILS, AND THEN THE PERSON
REPLIED BACK AND SAID, GET A
LAWYER. OKAY, THANKS. THIS
PERSON SHOULD NOT HAVE THEIR
LICENSE. THIS RETAILER SHOULD
NOT HAVE A LICENSE. IF THEY'RE
NOT PAYING THEIR THEIR VENDORS.
AND I'M NOT ABLE TO PAY THE
FARMS. I HAD. THIS GIVES ME A
GLIMMER OF HOPE THAT I CAN CALL
THE FARMS AND SAY PAYMENTS ON
ITS WAY. YOU GUYS ARE GETTING
PAID FOR THIS YEAR'S WORK. SO I
VERY MUCH URGE YOUR SUPPORT OF
THAT, THOSE ARE ALL THE ALL THE
THINGS I WANTED TO GET ACROSS.
IT JUST. THAT'S PERFECT. OKAY.
TWO MINUTES. OKAY. PERFECT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE
THAT, ANY ADDITIONAL FOLKS WANT
TO ADD ON IN OR IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL? ANY ADD ONS AND
SUPPORT? YES. GOOD MORNING, MR.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. AMY JENKINS,
ON BEHALF OF SPARK, A RETAIL
DISPENSARY IN SAN FRANCISCO IN
SONOMA COUNTY, AND VERY STRONG
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. RICHARD MILLER AS AN
EMPLOYEE BY CANNABIS COMPANY,
I'VE BEEN DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY
THIS. WHEN COMPANIES DO NOT PAY
THEIR BILLS. I APOLOGIZE, SIR,
IF YOU COULD JUST PROVIDE YOUR
NAME, POSITION ON THE BILL,
SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL, PROTECT
THE EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT, SARAH
NOCITO, ON BEHALF OF ORIGINS
COUNCIL, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OF A
TWEENER, MOSTLY IN SUPPORT OF
THE CONCEPT OF THE OF THE BILL.
WE ARE SEEKING SOME AMENDMENTS,
AS WAS DETAILED IN THE LETTER
SENT TO THE COMMITTEE. WE'LL
CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE AUTHOR
AND THE SPONSORS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. JASON BRYANT, ON BEHALF
OF THE CANNABIS DISTRIBUTION
ASSOCIATION. WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL IN THE
ROOM TODAY, SEEING NONE ANY. GOT
A MOTION? GOT A SECOND? I'M
GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO
COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS BEFORE I DO. JUST WANT
TO CONFIRM, ASSEMBLY MEMBER,
THAT YOU ACCEPT THE AMENDMENTS.
YES, MR. CHAIR. BEAUTIFUL. THANK
YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS
FROM COLLEAGUES. GOT A MOTION?
GOT A SECOND ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? THAT'S
MY FAVORITE. CLOSE. I'D LIKE TO
THANK THE AUTHOR AND
STAKEHOLDERS FOR WORKING WITH US
ON THIS BILL AND ACCEPTING THE
AMENDMENTS, WHICH ARE CONSISTENT
WITH THE PRIOR VERSION OF THE
BILL AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO
SUPPORT THE BILL AGAIN, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON AB 2888 CHEN. THE MOTION IS
DUE. PASS AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN I BERMAN I FLORA FLORA I
ALANIS BAINS. BAINS I JUAN
CARRILLO, JUAN CARRILLO I CHEN.
CHEN I DIXON. GRAYSON GRAYSON I
IRWIN. JACKSON JACKSON I LOW.
LOWENTHAL MCKENNA. HIÆN. HIÆN I
PELLERIN. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ.
SORIA SORIA I ZUBER.
GREAT. THAT BILL IS OUT WITH TEN
VOTES. WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN
FOR ABSENT COLLEAGUES. I SEE
SPEAKER EMERITUS RENDON, SIR,
WITH AB 2202, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
SIX. READY WHEN YOU ARE. YES,
PLEASE.
WHEREVER WE ARE. AND DONE THIS
IN A WHILE. SO ALL RIGHT, I
WASN'T SURE. I WASN'T SURE IF
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME. JUST
VOTE YES IF YOU WANT. I DON'T
HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. BEST
PRESENTATION. YEAH, EXACTLY,
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR. THAT'S YOU
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ALL RIGHT.
I'M ORIENTED. I'M HERE TODAY TO
PRESENT AB 2202 AB 2202 WOULD
REQUIRE THAT SHORT TERME
VACATION RENTALS DISCLOSE ANY
REQUESTED CLEANING REQUIREMENTS.
THEY HAVE TO CONSUMERS BEFORE
THEY BOOK. IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE
THAT ANY FEES OR PENALTIES
CONSUMERS MIGHT INCUR FOR NOT
COMPLETING THESE TASKS BE
DISCLOSED IN ADVANCE. THIS
LEGISLATION BUILDS ON THE
IMPORTANT WORK OF THE CHAIR TO
CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY FOR
CALIFORNIA'S GUESTS AT SHORT
TERME VACATION RENTALS, WHILE
CALIFORNIA HAS REQUIRED THAT ANY
TAXES OR FEES CONSUMERS MUST PAY
, CONSUMERS MUST PAY BE OUTLINED
DURING THE BOOKING PROCESSES.
CLEANING TASKS, MEANING THE
CLEANING CHORES. SHORT TERME
VACATION RENTAL OWNERS ASK
GUESTS TO DO BEFORE THEY LEAVE
REMAIN UNREGULATED. THESE
REQUIRE LISTED CLEANING DUTIES,
WHICH MAY INCLUDE STRIPPING
SHEETS, STARTING LAUNDRY OR
VACUUMING CAN BE ONEROUS AND
UNEXPECTED FOR GUESTS. AND MY
SISTER IN LAW AND I CAN TELL YOU
A STORY ABOUT TAHOE THIS PAST
SUMMER, THESE DUTIES ARE ALSO
OFTEN ON TOP OF SUBSTANTIAL
CLEANING FEES CONSUMERS PAY TO
STAY AT THESE PROPERTIES.
CALIFORNIANS DESERVE MORE
CLARITY ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE
BEING ASKED TO DO DURING THEIR
STAY OF SHORT TUM VACATION
RENTALS. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE
AWARE OF WHAT PENALTIES THEY
MIGHT FACE IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO
COMPLETE THESE TASKS, INCLUDING
FACING A DROP IN THEIR GUEST
RATING. HERE TO SPEAK IN BEHALF
ON BEHALF OF THIS BILL IS ROBERT
HARRELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE CONSUMER FEDERATION OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. ROWLAND. BEFORE I THINK WE
HAD A MOTION IN A SECOND. WAS IT
SOME MEMBER GRAYSON WITH THE
MOTION WHO HAD THE SECOND AND
PHIL, ASSEMBLYMEMBER CHEN WITH
THE SECOND? GREAT. PLEASE. I
SHALL TRUNCATE MY TESTIMONY
APPROPRIATELY. MR. CHAIRMAN AND
MEMBERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ROBERT HARRELL. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE
CONSUMER FEDERATION OF
CALIFORNIA. WE'VE BEEN WORKING
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AS YOU
KNOW, ON JUNK AND HIDDEN FEES.
AND THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE,
AS THE AUTHOR HAS INDICATED,
PEOPLE ARE ESSENTIALLY HAVING TO
DOUBLE PAY. THEY'RE PAYING IN
SOME CASES AT SOME AIRBNBS ARE
REALLY SIZABLE CLEANING FEE IN
SOME CASES, MORE THAN ONE OR
MULTIPLE NIGHTS, THEN THEY'RE
ALSO BEING GIVEN A TASK LIST TO
ACTUALLY CLEAN THE UNIT OUT IN
SOME WAYS. AND WHAT FEELS LIKE A
VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. SO NOT
ONLY ARE YOU PAYING TO CLEAN,
BUT YOU'RE DOING THE CLEANING
YOURSELF. SO IT'S NOT
APPROPRIATE, AS MR. CHAIR KNOWS,
FROM HIS EFFORTS LAST YEAR, THAT
WE WORKED WITH HIM CLOSELY ON,
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW UP FRONT WHAT
THEY'RE GETTING INTO. THEY
SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING
TO PAY. THEY SHOULD KNOW WHAT
THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE. AND THIS
IS A CONTINUING STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION. WE URGE YOU REVOKE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES YOU WANT TO
ADD ON IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
MELISSA WERNER ON BEHALF OF THE
EXPEDIA GROUP, WITH A SUPPORT,
IF AMENDED, POSITION ON THE
BILL. WE APPRECIATE THE INTENT
OF THE BILL AND ARE GENERALLY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROPOSED
POLICY REGARDING THE DISPLAY OF
ANY EXCESSIVE CLEANING TASKS
THAT ARE REQUIRED BEFORE
CHECKOUT. HAVING SAID THAT, WE
HAVE HAD SOME POSITIVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE AUTHOR'S
OFFICE LAST WEEK. HAVE RAISED
SOME CONCERNS THAT WE HOPE TO
CONTINUE WORKING ON OVER THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS TO EMPHASIZE THE
TRAVELER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
STR HOSTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY PRIMARY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? SEEING NONE, BRING IT BACK
TO COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS TO THE BILL. SEEING
NONE. SPEAKER EMERITUS BRENNAN,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
THAT'S BEST. CLOSE IT. THANK YOU
, FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS
BILL. I'M SURE MOST OF US HERE
TODAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE
FRUSTRATION OF HAVING A LAUNDRY
LIST OF CHORES TO DO. THE LAST
DAY OF A VACATION AT A SHORT TUM
RENTAL PROPERTY, AND FRANKLY, I
THINK A LOT OF THE CLEANING
FEES, THAT ARE, THAT ARE CHARGED
ARE REALLY JUST GOING FOR PROFIT
FOR, FOR THE OWNERS OF THE
UNITS. AND THEN IT'S INSULT TO
INJURY, WHEN YOU HAVE TO SPEND
THE LAST HOURS OF YOUR VACATION
CLEANING, THAT'S A BRUTAL WAY TO
END A VACATION. HAPPY TO SUPPORT
THIS BILL TODAY. WE'D LOVE TO BE
ADDED ON AS A COAUTHOR AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
ON AB 2202. RENDON. THE MOTION
IS DUE. PASS TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN A BERMAN.
AYE FLORA. Ã. LARA. AYE.
AL-ENEZI. BAINES BAINES. AYE.
JUAN. CARRILLO. JUAN. CARRILLO.
AYE. CHEN CHEN. AYE. DIXON.
GRAYSON. GRAYSON AYE. ERWIN.
JACKSON. JACKSON. AYE. LOW
LOWENTHAL. MCKENNA. HIÆN WHEN?
AYE. PELLERIN. PELLERIN. AYE.
SANCHEZ SORIA. SORIA. EISNER I
THINK YOU DID BETTER THAN I DID
WITH MY BILL LAST YEAR. THEN
THAT BILLS OUT WITH TEN VOTES.
THANK YOU. MEMBERS. THANK YOU.
WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN FOR
ABSENT COLLEAGUES. LET'S DO A
HOUSEKEEPING. THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. LET'S DO THE CONSENT
CALENDAR, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND
A SECOND FOR THE CONSENT
CALENDAR? I GOT A MOTION. GOT A
SECOND? CAN THE SECRETARY, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR FILE ITEM SEVEN
AB 2269 LARA FILE ITEM NINE AB
2471 JIM PATTERSON AND FILE ITEM
TEN AB 2540 CHEN ARE Dð PASS TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
FILE ITEM 11 AB 2702 TEN IS DUE
PASS TO THE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER
EDUCATION AND FILE ITEM 13 AB
2864. GARCIA AS Dð PASS, AS
AMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN I, BERMAN
I LARA LARA I ALANIS BAINES.
BAINES I, JUAN CARRILLO, JUAN
CARRILLO I CHEN. CHEN I DIXON.
GRAYSON. GRAYSON I, ERWIN.
JACKSON THÀNH. JACKSON I LOW.
LOWENTHAL MCKENNA. WHEN I
PELLERIN. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ.
SORIA SORIA. EISENBERG. CONSENT.
CALENDAR IS OUT WITH TEN VOTES.
WILL LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR
ABSENT COLLEAGUES. SO LET'S
QUICKLY JUST GO TO GO BACK TO
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR AB 2107,
EARLIER IN OUR EXCITEMENT TO GET
THROUGH ONE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER
CHEN'S FOUR BILLS, WE FAILED TO
CONFIRM A MOTION. AND SECOND,
FOR THE PRIOR VOTE. SO WE'RE
GOING TO STRIKE THAT PRIOR VOTE
AND START OVER. CAN I GET A
MOTION? AND SECOND ON AB 2107
GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON AB 2107 AB 2107 CHEN. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN I BERMAN I LARA LARA I
ALANIS BAINES. BAINES I JUAN
CARRILLO, JUAN CARRILLO I CHEN.
CHEN I DIXON. GRAYSON. GRAYSON
I, ERWIN. JACKSON. JACKSON. NOT
VOTING LOW. LOWENTHAL. MCKENNA
WHEN NGUYEN I PELLERIN. PELLERIN
I SANCHEZ. SORIA. SORIA I
ZUBIATE. THAT BILL IS ON CALL.
AND QUICK. PUBLIC SAFETY
ANNOUNCEMENT. NOT A PUBLIC
SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT. IT'S MORE
OF A PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT. IF YOU WORK FOR
ASSEMBLYMEMBER MCKENNA, PLEASE
GO FIND YOUR BOSS, WE'VE GOT ONE
MORE BILL PRESENTATION, AND
WE'RE SAVING THE LAST THE BEST
FOR LAST, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM
15 AB 3063, SO IF YOU WORK FOR
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCKENNA, TRACK
THEM DOWN, IN THE MEANTIME,
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK THROUGH
SOME OF THE OTHER BILLS SO THAT
FOLKS WHO MISSED THEM CAN ADD
ON, SORRY TO START AT THE TOP.
SO LET'S START AT THE TOP, AND
JUST RUN THROUGH THE LIST. MADAM
SECRETARY. AB 1775 HANEY. THE
MOTION IS TO PASS, AS AMENDED,
TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION. BERMAN A BERMAN I
ALANIS DIXON. GRAYSON AND
GRAYSON I ERWIN JACKSON. JACKSON
I MCKENNA. SANCHEZ ZUBER.
OKAY, SO THAT BILL IS OUT. WITH
ENOUGH VOTES, HOW MANY VOTES
WITH 11 VOTES. I NEED A MOTION
AND A SECOND FOR AB 1918 BY
DOCTOR WOOD. GOT A MOTION IN A
SECOND AND A COUPLE. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON AB 1918. WOOD. THE MOTION IS
DUE. PASS AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN I BERMAN I FLORA. FLORA I
ALANIS BAINES. BAINES I JUAN
CARRILLO, JUAN CARRILLO I CHEN
CHEN I DIXON. GRAYSON. GRAYSON I
, IRWIN. JACKSON. JACKSON I LOW.
LOWENTHAL. MCKENNA. WHEN NGUYEN
I PELLERIN. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ.
SORIA. SORIA I ZUBER. THAT BILLS
OUT WITH TEN VOTES WILL LEAVE
THE ROLE OPEN. PERHAPS AND
COLLEAGUES. WE NEED A MOTION.
AND SECOND FOR AB 2012 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LEE. GOT A
MOTION. GOT A SECOND? THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MADAM SECRETARY.
PLEASE CALL THE VOTE ON AB 2012.
LEE THE MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN A BERMAN. AYE. FLORA.
FLORA I ALANIS BAINES. BAINES I
JUAN. CARRILLO. JUAN CARRILLO I
CHEN. CHEN I DIXON. GRAYSON
GRAYSON. I IRWIN. JACKSON.
JACKSON AN I LOW. LOWENTHAL.
MCKENNA NGUYEN. NGUYEN I
PELLERIN. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ.
SORIA SORIA I SABER. THAT BILL
IS OUT WITH TEN VOTES EITHER ALL
OPEN FOR ABSENT COLLEAGUES AS WE
DID 2107. WE DID 2148. OH, NO.
YEAH, WE DID 2148. I DON'T KNOW
IF FOLKS HAVE JOINED. WHAT'S
THAT?
YEAH. WHY DON'T WE RUN THROUGH
IT? OH, THE ONES WHO. OKAY THEN
LET'S JUST KEEP MOVING. SO THEN
THE CARILLO BILL. ON AB 23, 27,
WENDY CARRILLO, THE MOTION IS TO
PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN I BERMAN I ALANIS ALANIS
I DIXON. GRAYSON. GRAYSON. I
IRWIN JACKSON. JACKSON I
LOWENTHAL. MCKENNA. SANCHEZ
ZUBIATE.
THAT BILLS OUT WITH 12 VOTES
WILL LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR
ABSENT MEMBERS
.
CORRECT SO I THINK 2860. ON AB
2860, ALANIS. ALANIS. I. DO WE
HAVE ANY
?
AB 2888 CHEN ALANIS. ALANIS. I.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ALANIS.
ALANIS I. ON AB 1775, HANEY.
ALANIS. ALANIS. I. ON AB 1918,
WOULD ALANIS. ALANIS I. ON AB
2012 LEE ALANIS. ALANIS I. ON AB
2107 CHEN ALANIS. ALANIS I. ON
AB 2148 LO ALANIS ALANIS I. ON
AB 2202 RENDON, ALANIS. ALANIS I
.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IRWIN
IRWIN. I. ON AB 1775. HANEY
IRWIN. IRWIN. NOT VOTING. ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL, I. ON AB 1918. WOULD.
IRWIN IRWIN I. LOWENTHAL
LOWENTHAL. I. ON AB 2012. LEE.
IRWIN. IRWIN I. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL I. ON AB 2107. CHEN,
IRWIN, WE HAD TO RECALL THE
VOTE, IRWIN. IRWIN I LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL. I ON AB 2148, LO
IRWIN. IRWIN I LOWENTHAL I OKAY.
ON AB 2202 RENDON. IRWIN. IRWIN.
I LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL. I. ON AB
2327 WENDY. CARRILLO. IRWIN.
IRWIN. I LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL. I
. MCKENNA. HERE. WE'RE GOING TO
SOME MEMBER MCKENNA, PLEASE,
PRESENT AGENDA ITEM 15 AB 3063.
GOOD MORNING. I WAS GOING TO SAY
GOOD AFTERNOON, BUT WE HAVEN'T
GOTTEN THERE YET. NOT YET. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. I AM HERE TO
PRESENT AB 3063, WHICH WILL
CLARIFY THE ADDITION OF
FLAVORING AGENT TO ENHANCE THE
TASTE OF A PRESCRIPTION DOSE
DOES NOT CONSTITUTE COMPOUNDING.
THIS BILL WAS UNANIMOUSLY
SUPPORTED LAST YEAR IN THIS
COMMITTEE AND WAS VETOED BY THE
GOVERNOR. AS A RESULT, ON
NOVEMBER 1ST, 2023, THE NUMBER
OF PHARMACIES PROVIDING
FLAVORING DROPPED FROM 3100
ROUGHLY TO 30 TOTAL, A WHOPPING
99.5% REDUCTION IN ACCESS TO
SERVICE LITERALLY OVERNIGHT.
THIS MEASURE WILL AFFIRM
EXISTING STANDARDS AND PRACTICES
AT PHARMACIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA,
BRINGING THE PRACTICE OF
FLAVORING BACK TO INDEPENDENT
AND RETAIL PHARMACIES, THEREBY
THEREBY MAKING IT EASIER FOR
PARENTS, CHILDREN AND THOSE WITH
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO
HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICINE. THEY
WILL ACTUALLY TAKE. THIS MEASURE
IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE PUBLIC
HEALTH AND REFLECTS AN EMERGENCY
CLAUSE. FURTHER THE PROVISION OF
THE BILL WILL SUNSET IN 2030. WE
ARE IN TALKS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE AND HOPE TO COME TO A
SOLUTION SOON. WITH ME HERE
TODAY IS SARAH BRIDGE,
REPRESENTING A-C-H-D. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, SARAH
BRIDGE, ON BEHALF OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH
CARE DISTRICTS HERE IN PROUD
SUPPORT OF AB 3063, A-C-H-D
REPRESENTS THE 77 HEALTH CARE
DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
WHICH PROVIDE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES. THEY ARE PUBLIC
ENTITIES THAT OPERATE A WIDE
RANGE OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES,
INCLUDING OPERATING HOSPITALS,
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES,
CLINICS AND PHARMACIES. I WANT
TO START BY THANKING THE AUTHOR
FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN THIS
SPACE. AB 3063 MAKES NECESSARY
CLARIFICATIONS THAT FLAVORING
AGENTS USE TO ENHANCE THE
PALATABILITY OF PRESCRIPTIONS DO
NOT CONSTITUTE COMPOUNDING A
THOUSANDS OF PHARMACIES ACROSS
CALIFORNIA, AS THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER HAS ALREADY MENTIONED,
HAVE ALREADY CEASED FLAVORING
CHILDREN'S MEDICATIONS IN
ANTICIPATION OF THE BOARD OF
PHARMACY'S REGULATIONS ON
COMPOUNDING WITHOUT THIS
CLARIFICATION, THIS UNFORTUNATE
PRACTICE WILL CONTINUE. THE GOAL
OF THE BILL IS SIMPLE AND
NECESSARY. PROTECT THE ABILITY
TO FLAVOR MEDICATIONS AND MAKE
IT EASIER FOR PARENTS AND
CHILDREN, FOLKS WITH
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO
ACCESS PALATABLE MEDICATIONS
THAT THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO
CONSUME. WE KNOW THAT IF
MEDICATIONS GO UNTAKEN, THE
CONDITIONS CAN SERIOUSLY WORSEN,
AND ADDITIONAL MEDICARE MEDICAL
CARE MAY ARISE. THERE IS SIMPLY
NO REASON THAT CALIFORNIA SHOULD
MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR
CHILDREN TO TAKE MEDICINES WHEN
WE DON'T HAVE TO. THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE OF HARM TO A CHILD AS A
RESULT OF FLAVORING, AND THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF STATES
ALLOW A FULL OR LIMITED
EXEMPTION FOR FLAVORING IN LAWS
GOVERNING PHARMACY COMPOUNDING,
AB 3063 SIMPLY AFFIRMS EXISTING
INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND
SAFEGUARDS AGAINST THE AMBIGUITY
IN REGULATIONS THAT MAY THREATEN
THIS STANDARD PRACTICE. IT IS
FOR THESE REASONS THAT HB IS IN
SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE AND
STRONGLY AND RESPECTFULLY URGE
YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY WANT TO
ADD ON IN, IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL NAME ORGANIZATION YOU'RE
WITH AND POSITION ON THE BILL?
GOOD MORNING, SARAH PALERMO WITH
THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
PHARMACY COALITION IN STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
, AARON NORWOOD REPRESENTING
FLAVOR RX IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
THE BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
KATIE LAYTON ON BEHALF OF THE
CHILDREN'S SPECIALTY CARE
COALITION. AND SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. ANY PRIMARY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? SEEING
NONE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO ADD ON
IN OPPOSITION TO THE BILL, SEE
NONE. BRINGING IT BACK TO
COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS OR MOTIONS OR SECONDS.
DOCTOR BAYNES, I ASSEMBLYMEMBER
MCKENNA GREAT. BILL LOVED TO,
JOIN ON AS A COAUTHOR FOR THIS.
BILL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT,
ESPECIALLY AS A PHYSICIAN, THAT
OUR KIDS TAKE THEIR MEDICATION.
AMOXICILLIN COMES IN A BUBBLE
GUM FLAVOR. AND I KNOW THAT
BECAUSE THE KIDS COME IN AND ASK
FOR THE BUBBLE GUM FLAVORED
MEDICATION, SO IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE STRIVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT IT'S KID FRIENDLY FOR
OUR KIDS, BECAUSE MEDICATION IS
GROSS AND IS, WHAT DO THEY SAY,
A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR MAKES THE
MEDICINE GO DOWN, I THINK.
DOCTOR BAYNES, CAN I TAKE THAT
AS A MOTION. GOT A MOTION. WE'LL
GET A SECOND FROM LOWENTHAL FOR
THE THIRD FROM SORIA. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER ALANIZ THEY ALREADY TOOK
MY THUNDER. I WAS GONNA BE THE
MARY POPPINS. THANK AND I WAS
GONNA MOTION IT, TOO, SO. OKAY.
THANK. APPARENTLY, DOCTOR EGGMAN
SAYING IT ON THE SENATE FLOOR
LAST YEAR. SO MAYBE WE'LL DO
THAT ON THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR THIS
YEAR. I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF
THERE'S ANYTHING TO SAY AFTER
THAT. ANYBODY WANT TO TRY? NO.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? JUST A SPOONFUL OF
SUGAR? HELP THE MEDICINE GO
DOWN. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. THERE IT IS. THANK YOU
, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE
AUTHOR, SINGING IN THE HEARING.
IT'S A GOOD WAY TO END IT, AND I
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR RENEWING
HER EFFORTS ON THIS ISSUE. WE
ALL SUPPORT ACCESS TO FLAVORED
MEDICATION FOR CHILDREN AND
OTHER VULNERABLE PATIENTS, LAST
YEAR, I DID EXPRESS A CONCERN
THAT THE BILLS KIND OF LATE
AMENDMENTS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO
WORK OUT ISSUES WITH THE BOARD'S
OPPOSITION. WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE
THAT THE BOARD, THE CALIFORNIA
STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY IS
OPPOSED, AND WHILE I KNOW IT'S
ALWAYS UNFORTUNATE TO GET A BILL
VETOED, THERE IS NOW AT LEAST AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH
STAKEHOLDERS ON RESOLVING SOME
OF THESE OUTSTANDING CONCERNS,
APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR OPENNESS TO
DOING THAT, AND SO WITH THAT, I
KNOW THE AUTHOR IS COMMITTED TO
WORKING OUT THE CONCERNS RAISED
BY THE BOARD AND REFLECTING THE
GOVERNOR'S VETO. AND I'M HAPPY
TO SUPPORT THE BILL TODAY. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON AB 3063. MCKENNA. THE MOTION
IS DUE PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN. A
BERMAN. AYE. FLORA LARA. AYE
ALANIS. AYE. ALANIS. AYE. BAINS
BAINS. AYE. JUAN. CARILLO. CHEN
CHEN. AYE. DIXON. GRAYSON.
GRAYSON AYE. IRWIN. IRWIN. AYE.
JACKSON. JACKSON AYE. LOW.
LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL. AYE.
MCKENNA MCKENNA. AYE. NGUYEN.
WHEN I. PELLERIN. PELLERIN. AYE.
SANCHEZ. SORIA SORIA. ISABELLA
BURR. AYE. THAT BILLS OUT WITH
14 VOTES. WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN
FOR ABSENT COLLEAGUES. AND WE
WILL TRY TO RUN THROUGH
.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, MCKENNA
. MCKENNA. I. ON AB 1775. HANEY.
MCKENNA MCKENNA I. BURR ZUBER I
OH, MY APOLOGIES ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. ZABIR ZABIR. AYE. ON
AB 1918 TÍNH, WOULD, MCKENNA.
MCKENNA. AYE. ZABIR ZABIR. AYE
ON AB 2012. LEE MCKENNA. AYE.
MCKENNA. AYE. ZABIR ZABIR. AYE
ON AB 2107 CHEN. MCKENNA
MCKENNA. AYE. ZABIR ZABIR. NOT
VOTING.
ON AB 2148. LOH MCKENNA. MCKENNA
AYE. ZABIR. ZUBER. AYE ON AB
2202. RENDON. MCKENNA MCKENNA.
AYE. ZEBRA. ZEBRA. AYE ON AB
2327. WENDY CARILLO MCKENNA.
MCKENNA AYE. ZEBRA. ZEBRA. AYE
ON AB 2860. GARCIA IRWIN. IRWIN.
AYE MCKENNA. MCKENNA. AYE.
ZEBRA. ZEBRA AYE. ON AB 2888.
IRWIN IRWIN. AYE. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL AYE. MCKENNA. MCKENNA.
AYE. ZEBRA ZEBRA. AYE AND.
THAT ROLE IS IN
.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. LOW
LOW. AYE. ON AB 1918. WOULD LOW.
LOW. AYE ON AB 2012. LEE. LOW.
LOW. AYE ON AB 2107 CHEN. LOW.
LOW. AYE. ON AB 2202. RENDON.
LOW LOW. AYE. ON AB 2888 CHEN.
LOW LOW. AYE. ON AB 3063
MCKENNA. LOW LOW. AYE. MISS
SANCHEZ, ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. SANCHEZ SANCHEZ. AYE
ON AB 1775. HANEY SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ. NÓ ON AB 1918. WOULD.
SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ AYE. ON AB
2012. LEE. SANCHEZ SANCHEZ. AYE
ON AB 2107 CHEN SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ. AYE ON AB 2148. LOW
SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ. AYE ON AB
2202. RENDON. SANCHEZ SANCHEZ.
NOT VOTING. ON AB 2327 WENDY
CARILLO. DIXON.
AB DIXON. YES SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ.
AYE ON AB 2860. GARCIA. SANCHEZ
DIXON. DIXON. YES. SANCHEZ
SANCHEZ. AYE. ON AB 2888. CHEN.
DIXON DIXON. YES. SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ AYE. ON AB 3063.
MCKENNA. DIXON YES. DIXON. AYE.
SANCHEZ SANCHEZ. AYE. AND THEN
LET ME GO. YOU GOT IT, ON THE.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. DIXON
DIXON. AYE ON AB 1775. HANEY
DIXON. NO. ON AB 1918. WOULD.
DIXON. AYE ON AB 2012. LEE DIXON
. DIXON. AYE. ON AB 2107 CHEN
DIXON. DIXON AYE ON AB 2148 LOW.
DIXON. DIXON. AYE ON AB 2202.
RENDON. DIXON ON DIXON. NO ON AB
2327. WENDY CARILLO. DIXON. AYE.
I THINK I HAVE YOU ON. I'M
SORRY. AND I'M. WE'RE GOOD.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THE HEARING
IS ADJOURNED