GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. WELCOME
TO THIS MORNING'S BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE HEARING.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, WE NEED
SENATORS, AND WE NEED ONE
REPUBLICAN ON THE COMMITTEE TO
SHOW UP SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET
STARTED, BUT I'M GOING TO GO
THROUGH FORMALITIES. WE HAVE
EIGHT BILLS ON TODAY'S AGENDA,
INCLUDING JUST ONE BILL ON
CONSENT, SB 1024 BY SENATOR
OCHOA BOGH, FOR EACH MEASURE
BEING PRESENTED TODAY, WE WILL
BE ALLOWING PRIMARY WITNESSES
HERE IN THE ROOM 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. WITH THAT,
WE WILL WAIT. WE WILL NOT BEGIN
TODAY'S HEARING BECAUSE WE HAVE
NO ONE TO PRESENT A BILL WE
HAVE. DO YOU HAVE SOME DAD
JOKES? I DON'T HAVE ANY DAD
JOKES, WAS THAT DAD? NO. YEAH, I
DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANY DAD JOKE.
I'M DO YOU HAVE ANY JOKES? OPEN
MIC NIGHT, KARAOKE. NO ONE'S A
NO ON KARAOKE. STEPHANIE HAHAHA.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO PUT THAT
PRESSURE BACK. THAT WAS WELL
PLAYED THOUGH. ALL RIGHT, ALL
RIGHT, LET'S LET'S GET SOME
FOLKS. SERGEANTS, CALL EVERYBODY
, SEND SEARCH DOGS, SEND THE
HOUNDS. THE SEARCH PARTY'S. FOR
WHAT IT'S WORTH, THE CHAIR OF
BUDGET IS, TALKING SMACK ABOUT
THE FACT THAT THE VICE CHAIR OF
BNP CHOSE BUDGET OVER BNP. SO
WHEN EVERYONE SEES THE VICE
CHAIR OF BNP, PLEASE GIVE HIM
GRIEF. FOR I'M CHOOSING MY WORDS
VERY CAREFULLY. AFTER A CERTAIN,
SLIP UP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
NOW, MY COMMITTEE CONSULTANT IS
TALKING SMACK. IT'S A ROUGH
MORNING.
WHAT. OKAY, I TAKE IT BACK. WE
ARE NO LONGER WAITING FOR
REPUBLICANS TO GET STARTED, BUT
WE NEED SENATORS. SO, WE'VE GOT
11 MINUTES TO GET A SENATOR
HERE, OR ELSE I'M GAVELING DOWN
THE HEARING AND ALL THE BILLS ON
THE AGENDA DIE. GOTCHA. 11
MINUTES. TEN MINUTES.
A REPUBLICAN BEAT A SENATOR. BUT
NOW WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU, SENATOR ALVARADO. GILL WE
ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE. AGENDA
ITEM NUMBER THREE, SB 820, COME
ON, COME ON UP. COME ON UP.
ABSOLUTELY. GET COMFORTABLE.
ASSEMBLY. WE'RE HERE TODAY.
HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. ALL RIGHT.
YEAH. IT'S ON NOW. IT'S ON NOW.
YOU'RE GOOD. GOOD. ALL RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT THIS. ALL RIGHT. WELL,
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, I'M
HERE TO PRESENT ON SENATE BILL
820, CANNABIS ENFORCEMENT AND
SEIZURE OF PROPERTY. THE ILLEGAL
CANNABIS ECOSYSTEM HAS CAUSED
MAJOR ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL
DAMAGE HERE IN CALIFORNIA. AND
MANY OF THE STATES ESTIMATED
50,000 ILLEGAL CULTIVATION SITES
HAVE BEEN FOUND TO USE BANNED
PESTICIDES THAT CAN POISON
WILDLIFE AND WATER SUPPLIES THAT
ARE BELIEVED TO ACCOUNT FOR
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF GALLONS
OF WATER STOLEN FROM FARMS AND
NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES EACH
YEAR, STATE AND LOCAL
ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS HAVE MINIMAL
IMPACT ON DISMANTLING THESE
COMMERCIAL GROWERS WITHOUT
ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ENABLED
THESE LUCRATIVE ILLEGAL
OPERATIONS TO QUICKLY BOUNCE
BACK AND THEN RESUME UNLICENSED
GROWING AND SELLING OF CANNABIS.
A RECENT RECENT REPORT VALIDATED
PREVIOUS REPORTS THAT TWO THIRDS
OF ALL CANNABIS SALES CONDUCTED
IN CALIFORNIA ARE STILL TAKING
PLACE IN THE ILLICIT MARKET.
THIS IS WHERE THE PRICE IS
UNTESTED, UNTAXED. THESE
PRODUCTS ARE CHEAPER BY AS MUCH
AS 50. SENATE BILL 820 SIMPLY
ADOPTS THE SAME CIVIL ASSET
FORFEITURE PROCESSES CURRENTLY
APPLICABLE TO UNLICENSED
MANUFACTURING OF ALCOHOL
BEVERAGES. THIS APPLIES TO
UNLICENSED COMMERCIAL CANNABIS
ACTIVITIES UNDER SENATE BILL
820. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BILL IS
TO ACT AS A DETERRENT TO OTHER
ILLICIT OPERATORS AND PROMOTE
ENTRANCE INTO THE LEGAL,
REGULATED CANNABIS MARKET. THIS
BILL WOULD, UPON A JUDGMENT IN
FAVOR OF THE FORFEITURE, ALLOW
THESE ASSETS TO BE SOLD AT
PUBLIC AUCTIONS, REINVESTING THE
FUNDS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND
INTO THE CANNABIS CONTROL FUND
TO CARRY OUT PROVISIONS OF THE
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS EQUITY ACT.
IT'S VITAL TO NOT ONLY SHUT DOWN
BAD ACTORS, BUT TO SUPPORT
LICENSED CANNABIS BUSINESSES
THAT ENHANCE RELIABLE ACCESS TO
REGULATED, TESTED CANNABIS IN
THE LEGAL MARKET. WE'VE ACCEPTED
MANY AMENDMENTS TO ADDRESS THE
OPPOSITION THÀNH, INCLUDING
INCREASING THE PLANT THRESHOLD
TO OVER 1000 LIVE PLANTS AND
RESTRUCTURING THE LOCAL
DISTRIBUTION TO EITHER BE
REIMBURSED. EITHER TO BE
REIMBURSED OR RECEIVE 15% OF THE
PROCEEDS, WHICHEVER IS LESS. THE
REMAINING A MAJORITY OF THE
PROCEEDS WILL GO TO THE CANNABIS
CONTROL FUND'S SOCIAL EQUITY
PROGRAM HERE TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL IS SARAH
DUCKETT FROM RURAL COUNTY
REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA
AND TRINITY COUNTY SUPERVISOR
JILL COX. GREAT. YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES EACH. GOOD MORNING, MR.
CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
I AM JILL COX, THE TRINITY
COUNTY SUPERVISOR. AND HERE, ON
BEHALF OF THE RURAL COUNTY
REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA,
BOTH RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES
, EVEN THE ONES WITH THE MOST
EXPANSIVE COMMERCIAL CANNABIS
PROGRAM RAIMES HAVE BEEN
INUNDATED WITH UNLICENSED AND
UNREGULATED CANNABIS ACTIVITY
THAT IS UNDERMINING THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF RESIDENTS AND OUR
REGULATED CANNABIS BUSINESSES.
TRINITY COUNTY HAS SEEN AND
CONTINUES TO SEE, THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH
ILLEGAL CANNABIS ACTIVITY
FIRSTHAND. THE REALITY,
UNFORTUNATELY, IS THAT MANY
ILLICIT CANNABIS OPERATIONS ARE
ABLE TO QUICKLY RECOVER
FOLLOWING ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
DUE TO COMPLICIT LANDLORDS
EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS AND
REMAINING SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT
USED FOR THE CULTIVATION,
MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION AND
RETAIL SALES OF CANNABIS. WE
OFTEN SEE THIS IN THE NORTH
COAST AND EMERALD TRIANGLE,
WHERE ILLEGAL OPERATORS ARE BACK
IN BUSINESS JUST EIGHT DAYS
AFTER ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES.
THIS PROPOSED BILL PROVIDES AN
IMPORTANT TOOL TO SHUT DOWN
UNLICENSED BUSINESSES BY
REMOVING THE OPERATING
INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT, HOOP
HOUSE INFRASTRUCTURE, IRRIGATION
SYSTEMS AND TRIMMING EQUIPMENT.
THIS WILL HELP COUNTIES PREVENT
AND DISINCENTIVIZE ILLEGAL
CANNABIS ACTIVITIES BY
DISRUPTING THE OPERATIONS
THEMSELVES. IN ADDITION, SB 820
WOULD INVEST 85% OF THE
ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDS IN THE
CANNABIS CONTROL FUND TO SUPPORT
EQUITY BUSINESSES. WE INTEND TO
WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
CANNABIS CONTROL TO ENSURE THAT
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP AND
COMPLIANCE COSTS, BENEFITING
EQUITY APPLICANTS IS AN ELIGIBLE
AND PRIORITIZED USE OF STATE
EQUITY FUNDS. IT IS VITAL TO NOT
ONLY SHUT DOWN BAD ACTORS, BUT
TO SUPPORT LICENSED CANNABIS
BUSINESSES THAT ENHANCE RELIABLE
ACCESS TO REGULATED AND SAFE
CANNABIS PRODUCTS IN THE ILLEGAL
MARKET. FOR THESE REASONS, I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. GOOD MORNING, SARAH DUCKETT.
ON BEHALF OF THE RURAL COUNTY
REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA
VÀ, THIS MEASURE IS A COMPLETE
CIVIL PROCESS. NO CRIMINAL
CONVICTION IS REQUIRED. WE HAD A
NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE
DISCUSSED DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF
THE BILL IN THE SENATE. WE TOOK
A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS IN SENATE
PUBLIC SAFETY TO START
ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS, TO
CLARIFY THAT A WARRANT IS
REQUIRED, CREATE A NARROW LIST
OF ITEMS USING AN UNLICENSED
CANNABIS. OPERATORS THAT MAY BE
SEIZED INCLUDE THE REQUIREMENT
THAT THE SECTION ONLY APPLIES TO
CULTIVATION ABOVE A THOUSAND
PLANS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LARGE
SCALE GROWS PROVIDES A PROMPT
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS FOR THE
RETURN OF PROPERTY INCORRECTLY
SEIZED. CREATES ADDITIONAL
MECHANISMS TO PROTECT THE
PERSONAL PROPERTY OF WORKERS,
SIMILAR INNOCENT PARTIES, AND
OPERATORS ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN THE
STATE LICENSING PROCESS FROM
SEIZURE. IT ALSO CLARIFIES REAL
PROPERTY IS NOT SUBJECT TO
SEIZURE AND INCREASES THE
PERCENT OF PROCEEDS FROM THE
AUCTION TO 85% THAT GOES
DIRECTLY TO EQUITY BUSINESSES.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WE ARE
COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH THE OPPOSITION AND
STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD THIS BILL
MOVE TO PUBLIC SAFETY. I ALSO
HAVE ARTHUR WILEY, GENERAL
COUNSEL FOR OUR CRC AND FORMER
TEHAMA COUNTY COUNSEL, HERE TO
ASK TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU.
GREAT. WE'LL GET YOU IF WE HAVE
ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL? COME ON UP.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HELLO
THERE YOU GO. OKAY. PERFECT,
DUKE COONEY, ON BEHALF OF ACLU
CALIFORNIA ACTION, WE ARE IN
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION, CIVIL
ASSET FORFEITURE GRANTS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THE
AUTHORITY TO TAKE POSSESSION OF
PROPERTY SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY
SUSPECT THAT THE PROPERTY WAS
USED TO COMMIT A CRIME. PROPERTY
OWNERS DON'T HAVE TO BE
SUSPECTED, CHARGED OR CONVICTED
OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE THEIR
BELONGINGS. FORFEITURE WAS
ORIGINALLY PRESENTED AS A WAY TO
CRIPPLE LARGE SCALE CRIMINAL
ENTERPRISES BY DIVERTING THEIR
RESOURCES, BUT TODAY, AIDED BY
DEEPLY FLAWED FEDERAL AND STATE
LAWS, MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS
USE FORFEITURE TO BENEFIT THEIR
BOTTOM LINES, MAKING SEIZURES
MOTIVATED BY PROFIT RATHER THAN
CRIME FIGHTING FOR PEOPLE WHOSE
PROPERTY HAS ALREADY BEEN SEIZED
THROUGH THE CIVIL ASSET
FORFEITURE PROCESS. LEGALLY
REGAINING SUCH PROPERTY IS
NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT. EXPENSIVE
AND OFTEN COSTS SOMETIMES EXCEED
THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. CIVIL
ASSET FORFEITURE SUBVERTS
CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES LIKE
PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNREASONABLE
SEARCHES AND SEIZURES, THE
PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE, AND
THE RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS. THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED
TO TAKE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY UNLESS
THEY'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF A
CRIME, AND THEY'VE BEEN AFFORDED
THE PROCEDURAL PROTECTIONS
AGAINST CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS
THAT OUR CONSTITUTION
GUARANTEES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO
ADD ON, LET'S JUST DO EVERYONE
AT ONCE. ANYONE IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL WHO WANTS
TO ADD ON IS ME TOO. NAME
ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH, IF
ANY, IN POSITION ON THE BILL.
CLIFTON WILSON, ON BEHALF OF THE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
SISKIYOU AND MENDOCINO, BOTH IN
SUPPORT, THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. WALEED RAJESH, ON
BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA CITIES IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEEING NO
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES, WE DO NOT
YET HAVE A QUORUM, BUT BRING IT
BACK TO COLLEAGUES FOR ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS. SEEING NONE. SENATOR,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
WHEN APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
WORKING WITH US ON THIS BILL AND
THE ISSUE OF UNLICENSED
CANNABIS. CANNABIS OPERATORS.
WHILE THERE ARE STILL CONCERNS
AROUND THE FORFEITURE
PROVISIONS, I KNOW THE AUTHOR
AND SPONSOR WILL CONTINUE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AS THE BILL MOVES
FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE. AND WITH THAT, I'LL
BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE BILL
TODAY ONCE WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY.
APPRECIATE YOU. MINORITY LEADER
JONES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
YOU ARE THE LOTTERY WINNER. YOU
JUMP FROM LAST TO SECOND. HEY,
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT THAT'S THANK
YOU FOR, JUST I JUST APPRECIATE
YOUR PRESENCE, SIR. ALVARADO,
GIL AND I. THERE WE GO. THERE WE
GO. LESSON FOR LIFE. READY? WHEN
YOU ARE WITH AGENDA ITEM EIGHT,
SB 1225. WITH YOU THIS MORNING
IN THE ASSEMBLY. IS IT GOING
OKAY? GOOD. I COULD HEAR ME, SB
1225 ALLOWS THE BUREAU OF REAL
ESTATE APPRAISERS TO REMOVE
NOTICES OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION
FROM THEIR WEBSITE IF CERTAIN
CONDITIONS ARE MET, IN ORDER TO
BE ELIGIBLE FOR REMOVAL, THE
DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION MUST BE
AT LEAST TEN YEARS OLD AND
DETERMINED BY THE BUREAU TO NO
LONGER BE NECESSARY TO ENSURE
CONSUMER PROTECTION. LICENSE
DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION IS A
VALUABLE TOOL IN PROTECTING
CONSUMERS AND PROMOTING
TRANSPARENCY. HOWEVER, THERE IS
CURRENTLY NO WAY FOR THE BUREAU
TO REMOVE THE INFORMATION WHEN
IT IS NO LONGER RELEVANT, SUCH
AS WHEN THE LICENSEE HAS BEEN
REHABILITATED. THE PENALTY HAS
BEEN REMOVED, AND MANY YEARS
HAVE PASSED. OUTDATED
DISCIPLINARY RECORDS DRAW
ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE CURRENT
ONES THAT ARE USEFUL IN
IDENTIFYING ACTIVE THREATS TO
CONSUMER PROTECTION. SB 1225
WILL GIVE THE BUREAU THE
AUTHORITY IT NEEDS TO DECLUTTER
AND STREAMLINE ITS DATABASE WITH
ME. THIS MORNING IS MIKE BULLOCK
TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL. GREAT YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES. I'LL TAKE ABOUT 30S.
MR. CHAIR, MIKE BALLARD, ON
BEHALF OF THE APPRAISAL
INSTITUTE, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
COMMITTEE, THE BILL, EVERYONE
SAYS THEIR BILL IS SIMPLE. THIS
REALLY IS A SIMPLE BILL WHICH
ALIGNS THE REAL ESTATE APPRAISER
LAW WITH THE REAL ESTATE LAW.
APPLY TO REAL ESTATE BROKERS AND
SALESPEOPLE. GIVES THE BUREAU
CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF REAL
ESTATE APPRAISERS THE SAME
AUTHORITY THAT THE DRA
COMMISSIONER HAS TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE TIME THAT HAS PASSED
REHABILITATION BY THE LICENSEE
AND ALLOWS THEM TO REMOVE IT
FROM PUBLIC POSTING. THEY DON'T,
CEASE TO OWN THE INFORMATION,
AND THEY STILL SHARE IT WITH
OTHER REGULATORY AGENCIES. IT'S
JUST GIVING THEM THE SAME
AUTHORITY REAL ESTATE HAS. WE
WOULD ASK FOR A VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND BEFORE
I LOSE MY VICE CHAIR, IT LOOKS
LIKE WE HAVE A QUORUM. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
BURMAN HERE, FLORA. HERE. ALANIS
BANES, JUAN CARRILLO CHEN.
DIXON. GRAYSON. IRWIN JACKSON.
LOW. LOWENTHAL MCKENNA. HIÆN.
PELLERIN SANCHEZ. SORIA ZUBER.
GREAT. WE ARE NOW OPEN FOR
MOTION'S AND SECONDS, ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL? GOT A MOTION BY.
WE'LL SAY LOWENTHAL. SECOND BY
GRAYSON, SEEING NO PRIMARY. ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION, ANY ADD
ONS? ANY ME TWOS YOU WANT TO ADD
ON IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL OR
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? THERE'S
MOVEMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ADD ONS. THERE IS ADD
ON. THERE'S NOT ADD ONS, THERE'S
STAFF, THERE'S PEOPLE. THERE'S
ASSEMBLY MEMBER, ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES? NO
SEEING NONE. SENATOR. MINORITY
LEADER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
YOU'RE RUNNING A GREAT
COMMITTEE. I ASKED FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU SIR, I THINK
IT'S A GREAT BILL. I'M HAPPY TO
THANK THE AUTHOR AND SPONSORS
FOR PUTTING THIS SENSIBLE
MEASURE FORWARD, THE BILL ENJOYS
A DUE PASS. HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT
TODAY. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE VOTE ON SB 1225. JONES.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASSED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN. A BERMAN. AYE. FLORA
ALANIS BANES, JUAN. CARRILLO,
JUAN. CARRILLO. AYE. CHEN CHEN.
AYE. DIXON. GRAYSON. GRAYSON
AYE. IRWIN. IRWIN. I. JACKSON.
LOW LOW I. LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL.
AYE. MCKENNA HIÆN. HIÆN. AYE.
PELLERIN. PELLERIN. AYE SANCHEZ.
SORIA SORIA. AYE. ZIPPER. THANK
YOU SIR. APPRECIATE IT. MEMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
SENATOR PORTANTINO. GOOD TO SEE
YOU SIR. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO
PRESENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO,
SB 607.
MR. CHAIR. FOR THE RECORD, YOU
ARE THE BEST REFEREE IN THE
LEGISLATURE. YOU ARE THE BEST
REFEREE ON THE PITCH. WE'RE
GOING TO MISS YOU. I SHOULD SAY,
BEST GOALIE. EXCUSE ME. I MEANT
TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SB
607 SIMPLY HAS PRESCRIBERS OF
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND
CONTAINING AN OPIOID TO DISCUSS
RISKS AND DANGERS OF OPIOIDS AND
OPIOID ADDICTION WITH THEIR
PATIENTS. KIND OF MAKES SENSE.
TALK ABOUT THE RISKS. LET
PATIENTS BE INFORMED. MAKE A
DECISION. EXISTING LAW REQUIRES
A PRESCRIBER TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC
INFORMATION WITH THEIR PATIENTS,
BUT ONLY REQUIRES THEM TO DO SO
WHEN CONSULTING A MINOR
PRESCRIBE MAY DISCUSS DETAILS
ABOUT PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS WITH
THE MINOR, THE MINOR'S PARENTS
OR GUARDIAN, OR ANOTHER ADULT
AUTHORIZED FOR MEDICAL
TREATMENT, ACCORDING TO THE
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION, MORE THAN 1 MILLION
PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE 1999 FROM
DRUG OVERDOSES. CURRENTLY 75% OF
ALL OVERDOSE DEATHS INVOLVE AN
OPIOID, AND IN RECENT YEARS,
OPIOID RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS
HAVE CONTINUED TO INCREASE FOR
BOTH PRESCRIPTION AND
NON-PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS.
HOWEVER, OPIOID OVERDOSES ARE
NOT EXCLUSIVE TO MINORS. BY
HAVING PRESCRIBERS DISCUSS
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT
OPIOIDS WITH ALL PATIENTS, MORE
PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO OPT OUT OF AN OPIOID
PRESCRIPTION AND INSTEAD SEEK
OTHER TREATMENT OPTIONS. WITH ME
TODAY, I HAVE RANDY POLLOCK, WHO
IS IN SUPPORT OF SB 607 AND WHEN
APPROPRIATE, WOULD RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, RANDY POLLOCK, ON
BEHALF OF HALEON, A CONSUMER
PRODUCT COMPANY THAT
MANUFACTURES THERMAL FUEL,
THERMAL FUEL, SENSODYNE, TUMS,
CENTRUM, EMERGENCY AND ADVIL. I
AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF SB 607 AND
THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT IT WILL
PLAY IN INFORMING PATIENTS OF
POTENTIAL DANGERS OF BEING
PRESCRIBED OPIOIDS, OPIOIDS ARE
AN EFFECTIVE AND APPROPRIATE
TREATMENT OPTION FOR CERTAIN
TYPES OF PAIN, SUCH AS ADVANCED
CANCERS, CERTAIN TYPES OF
SURGERIES, AND OTHER INJURIES OR
CONDITIONS CHARACTERIZED WITH
SEVERE PAIN. HOWEVER EVEN SHORT
TERM USE OF OPIOIDS CAN INCREASE
RISK FOR SIDE EFFECTS. DRUG
INTERACTIONS. AND AS SENATOR
PORTANTINO HIGHLIGHTED, THE
POTENTIAL FOR ADDICTION AND EVEN
DEATH. HOWEVER, FOR MANY TYPES
OF COMMON PAIN, THERE ARE
EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO
OPIOIDS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY
EXPERTS FOR USE AS A FRONT LINE
TREATMENT. OPTIONS TREATMENT OF
PAIN INCLUDES BOTH
NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL AND
PHARMACOLOGICAL OPTIONS. OTHER
STATES HAVE GONE FURTHER TO
COMBAT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. MANY
STATES HAVE PASSED LAWS THAT
HELP INFORM THE PATIENT'S RIGHT
TO BE COUNSELED ON NON OPIOID
ALTERNATIVES. HOWEVER, WE
BELIEVE REQUIRING THE COUNSELING
OF ALL PATIENTS TO THE POTENTIAL
RISK OF ADDICTION WITH OPIOIDS,
NOT JUST FOR MINORS, WHICH IS
THE CURRENT LAW IS A SMALL BUT
VERY CRITICAL STEP FORWARD. WE
KNOW IT WILL SAVE LIVES FOR
THOSE REASONS. WE SUPPORT AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL? COME ON UP. YOU
HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.
CHAIRS AND MEMBERS, GEORGE
SUAREZ WITH THE CALIFORNIA
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. WE ARE IN A
RESPECTFUL OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED
POSITION RELATING TO SB 607.
THIS BILL WILL MANDATE
PHYSICIANS AND OTHER PRESCRIBERS
TO DISCUSS ADDICTION AND
OVERDOSE RISKS FROM OPIOIDS
BEFORE PRESCRIBING TO A PATIENT
OF ANY AGE. WE AGREE WITH THE
SENTIMENT BEHIND THIS TYPE OF
NOTIFICATION, AND WE CAN ASSURE
YOU THAT AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF PHYSICIANS ALREADY
PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION IN
CLINICAL PRACTICE. BUT THIS TYPE
OF NOTIFICATION SHOULD NOT BE
PUT INTO STATE LAW. THE ISSUE
WITH THIS WELL-INTENDED BILL IS
THAT IT PUTS FEDERAL GUIDELINES
INTO STATE STATUTE, SETTING A
BAD PRECEDENT WHILE ALSO PUTTING
PRESCRIBERS AT RISK OF GIVING
INACCURATE INFORMATION. WHEN NEW
FEDERAL GUIDELINES ARE
INEVITABLY RECOMMENDED TO
PRESCRIBERS, FEDERAL GUIDELINES
ARE TYPICALLY INTEGRATED INTO
CLINICAL PRACTICE. PHYSICIANS
ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES AS
PART OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO
DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY CARE.
PUTTING THESE GUIDELINES INTO
STATE LAW IS NOT PARTICULARLY
RELEVANT TO SPECIFIC TREATMENT
PLANS. PATIENTS ALREADY RECEIVE
AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION DURING MEDICAL
VISITS, INCLUDING DETAILS ABOUT
THEIR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT
OPTIONS INCLUDING POTENTIAL SIDE
EFFECTS, AND FOLLOW UP CARE
INSTRUCTIONS MANDATING THAT
PHYSICIANS ADD FEDERAL
GUIDELINES ON PRESCRIPTIONS TO
THIS LIST CAN OVERWHELM PATIENTS
, LEADING TO A CONFUSION AND
DIFFICULTY IN RETAINING CRITICAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR
IMMEDIATE CARE NEEDS. PATIENTS
RELY ON THEIR PHYSICIANS TO
PROVIDE PERSONALIZED ADVICE THAT
IS CUSTOMIZED TO THEIR UNIQUE
HEALTH SITUATIONS. ONE SIZE DOES
NOT FIT ALL IN THIS. MANDATING
THIS NOTIFICATION COULD MAKE
PATIENTS FEEL THAT THEIR CARE IS
BEING DRIVEN BY STATUTORY
COMPLIANCE, RATHER THAN
PERSONALIZED MEDICAL JUDGMENT.
THIS CAN ERODE THE TRUST THAT
THE PATIENT AND PHYSICIAN
RELATIONSHIP. DUE TO THESE
CONCERNS, CMA REQUESTED
AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD LIMIT
LIABILITY FOR PRESCRIBERS WHO
UNINTENTIONALLY FAIL TO NOTIFY
THEIR PATIENTS OF VOLATILE
NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. IT IS
OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE
AMENDMENTS WERE NOT ACCEPTED.
THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IS
ALWAYS EVOLVING, AND SO ARE
CLINICAL AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
FOR THESE REASONS, WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU VOTE
NO ON THIS MEASURE TODAY. THANK
YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GO
AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, KIM STONE OF STONE
ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ORTHOPEDIC
ASSOCIATION. ALSO IN A
RESPECTFUL OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED
POSITION, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS
PRESCRIBE OPIOIDS POST-SURGERY
MUCH LESS THAN THEY USED TO, BUT
STILL DO PRESCRIBE OPIOIDS FOR
PAIN POST-SURGERY. SOMETIME NOT
ONLY TO RELIEVE THE SUFFERING OF
THE PATIENT, BUT ALSO TO PROMOTE
THE HEALING AND WOULD THEREFORE
REQUEST AN EXEMPTION FOR POST
SURGICAL PRESCRIPTIONS TO THE
BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY WANTS TO
ADD ON EITHER IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION, OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL. LET'S JUST TAKE EVERYONE
AT ONCE. BUT I DON'T SEE PEOPLE
RUSHING TO THE FRONT. SO WE'RE
GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO
COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS. COLLEAGUES, ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DOCTOR
BANES? YES. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. HUM. I'LL JUST START
OFF WITH THIS. HOW MANY PEOPLE
IN THIS ROOM PRESCRIBE OPIOIDS?
SO IT'S ALL LEGALLY, LEGALLY,
LEGALLY. OKAY. SO IT'S ONLY ME.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT. I
UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUSNESS OF
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE OPIOID
CRISIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I
HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR VERY MANY
YEARS AS A PHYSICIAN WHO
ACTIVELY PRESCRIBES OPIOIDS, IT
IS PART OF MY TRAINING. IT IS
PART OF WHAT I DO TO MAKE SURE
THAT I COUNSEL MY PATIENT ON THE
RISKS AND BENEFITS OF ANY
MEDICATION THAT I GIVE. I
UNDERSTAND YOUR HEART IS IN THE
RIGHT PLACE. HOWEVER, IT IS A
LITTLE BIT INSULTING TO A
PHYSICIAN TO BE TOLD YOU'RE NOT
DOING YOUR JOB ENOUGH TO BE
PROVIDING RISKS AND BENEFITS OF
MEDICATIONS. THIS IS PART OF
EVERY PHYSICIAN'S TRAINING, AND
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
BEEN DOING. I REALIZE THERE IS
AN OPIOID CRISIS. IT'S VERY
SERIOUS. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
TO PROVIDE ACCURATE LEGISLATION
THAT GETS TO THE ROOT OF THE
PROBLEM OF THIS OPIOID CRISIS?
AS THE ONLY PERSON SITTING IN
HERE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW THAT
ACTIVELY PRESCRIBES OPIOIDS, I
WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS BILL
TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE
PHYSICIANS OUT THERE THAT
ALREADY DO THIS. AND WITH THIS
BILL MOVING FORWARD, IT CREATES
MORE BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE FOR
PHYSICIANS TO DO WHAT THEY'VE
BEEN DOING ALL ALONG. MY BIGGEST
PLEA TO EVERYONE IN LEGISLATION
IS EMPOWER YOUR PHYSICIAN TO
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS WHEN IT
COMES TO PRIOR AUTH, WHEN IT
COMES TO EVERYTHING, MY ANSWER
WILL ALWAYS BE EMPOWER YOUR
PHYSICIAN BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING
THE RIGHT THING AND WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE TO EMPOWER WHAT THEY
ARE DOING ALREADY. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. DOCTOR BANS MEMBER
LOWENTHAL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT
TO THANK THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING
THIS VERY IMPORTANT LEGISLATION
FORWARD. AND I WANT TO, CONVEY
MY REGRETS TO MY FRIENDS AT CMA
AND TO THE VERY IMPORTANT WORDS
OF MY COLLEAGUE FROM BAKERSFIELD
. YOU KNOW, PERFECT IS THE ENEMY
OF GOOD. AND WE'RE IN THE MIDST
OF A CRISIS RIGHT NOW. AND I
APPLAUD THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING
SOMETHING FORWARD THAT IS GOING
TO GIVE US POTENTIALLY BETTER
DATA. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD
BE DOING, IS STUDYING THE DATA
ON THE OUTCOMES OF LEGISLATION
LIKE THIS, AND SEE IF IT IS
MAKING AN IMPACT. SO WE NEED TO
TRY. WE NEED TO BE COURAGEOUS IN
ORDER TO TRY THESE TYPES OF
THINGS. AND I THINK THAT, THERE
IS NO ILL INTENT AS FAR AS I CAN
READ TOWARDS THE MEDICAL
COMMUNITY ON THIS. WHATSOEVER IT
IS SIMPLY UNDERSCORING SOMETHING
THAT SHOULD BE DONE. THERE
CERTAINLY, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE,
NO INTENT ON DOING ANYTHING
DISRESPECTFUL OTHERWISE TO THE
MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DEDICATED
THEIR LIVES TO, YOU KNOW,
KEEPING US HEALTHY. AND I JUST
APPLAUD THE AUTHOR FOR THINKING
OUTSIDE THE BOX ON THIS. I WILL
BE SUPPORTING THIS BILL TODAY.
THANK YOU, MR. LOWENTHAL. ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM COLLEAGUES? SÐNG GRAYSON?
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, JUST A
QUESTION, BECAUSE I AM NOT ONE
THAT PRESCRIBES OPIOIDS LEGALLY,
IN ANY FORM OR FASHION. I DO
HAVE A QUESTION, THIS BILL BY
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS BILL,
WHAT ADDITION DOES IT AND I MEAN
THIS IN THE MOST RESPECTFUL WAY
THAT I ASK THE QUESTION, BEING
WHAT'S BROUGHT UP, BEEN BROUGHT
UP IN COMMITTEE, WHAT EXACTLY
IS, IS REQUIRED? THAT WOULD BE
AN ADDITION TO A DOCTOR WHO IS
ALREADY DOING A THING, AS AS
DESCRIBED ALREADY, GIVING THE
INFORMATION OUT AND PROVIDING
THE RIGHT COUNSEL AND
ADVISEMENT, IF THE DOCTOR'S
ALREADY DOING IT, THEN THERE
WOULD BE NO NET EFFECT. THIS
JUST REQUIRES IT TO HAPPEN. SO
IF YOU'RE ALREADY DOING IT,
YOU'RE NOT INCREASING YOUR
BURDEN. OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO
ALSO HEAR FROM CMA OR FROM
OPPOSITION. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. SO THE CONCERN
IS, IS THAT SOME VARIATION OF
THIS IS ALREADY DONE IN CLINICAL
PRACTICE. BUT AS AS I MENTIONED
THAT IT IT CAN BE UNIQUE FOR
EVERY INDIVIDUAL PATIENT,
DIFFERENT SETTINGS, DIFFERENT
TYPES OF INJURIES OR CONDITIONS.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO JUST PUT ONE
SIZE FITS ALL. SO THAT'S ONE
COMPONENT OF THE NEXT WOULD BE
THAT, FEDERAL GUIDELINES DO
CHANGE FREQUENTLY. AND DOCTORS
ALWAYS WANT TO STAY UP TO DATE
WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST AND
NEW THINGS IN MEDICINE AND
PRESCRIBING RECOMMENDATIONS. WE
WOULD NOT WANT TO PUT SOMETHING
INTO STATE STATUTE THAT DOES
NOT, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THAT AS WE
MOVE FORWARD. SO THAT IS OUR
CONCERN WITH IT. BUT IT IS
INTEGRATED IN SOME CAPACITY AND
EXISTING CLINICAL PRACTICE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO I
KNOW THAT THE OPPOSITION
EXPRESSED OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.
AND SO WITH THAT, TODAY I'LL BE
SUPPORTING IT. BUT I KNOW THAT
THE AUTHOR HAS PLENTY OF TIME TO
BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OPPOSITION
AS THEY MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER
GRAYSON. ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING
NONE. BRING IT BACK. SENATOR
PORTANTINO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR,
AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF
THE GOOD DOCTOR. AND, YOU KNOW,
WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH THIS ISSUE.
WE ALL, YOU KNOW, HAVE HAD
FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS,
CONSTITUENTS, WE ALL KNOW
PHYSICIANS, AND WE ALL KNOW
FOLKS WHO ARE ON ALL SIDES OF
THIS ISSUE, BUT FUNDAMENTALLY,
WE'RE DOING IT FOR CHILDREN, I
DON'T BELIEVE GIVING INFORMATION
OUT HURTS A PHYSICIAN'S ABILITY
TO BE A PHYSICIAN. I APPRECIATE
THE CONCERNS OF LEGISLATING
PROTOCOLS FOR PROFESSION, BUT I
DO THINK WE ARE IN A CRISIS, AND
I DO THINK IF A CONVERSATION
CAUSES A FAMILY TO CHOOSE AN
ALTERNATIVE PAIN MEDICATION TO
AN OPIOID, THEY'LL MAKE THAT
DECISION BASED ON THE
INFORMATION THEY'RE GOING TO GET
FROM THEIR PHYSICIAN FOR THE
BEST INTERESTS OF THAT FAMILY
AND THAT FAMILY MEMBER. AND SO I
THINK THE NET BENEFIT, WILL
PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION FOR
FOLKS TO MAKE, INTELLIGENT
DECISIONS FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH
CARE AND EMPOWERING THE, THE
PATIENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH
THEIR PHYSICIAN. AND SO WITH
THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
PORTANTINO, FOR BRINGING THIS
BILL FORWARD TODAY, ALSO FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUE. VERY IMPORTANT
ISSUE. I AGREE WE MUST CONTINUE
TO ADDRESS THE OPIOID CRISIS
THROUGH EVERY AVAILABLE
APPROACH, INCLUDING PATIENT
EDUCATION. AND I KNOW AND WE'VE
HEARD TODAY THAT THE BILL HAS
SOME OPPOSITION AND CONCERNS,
LEGITIMATE CONCERNS THAT WERE
RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. AND I KNOW THAT
YOU'LL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH
THOSE ISSUES, WITH WITH ALL
STAKEHOLDERS. BUT IN THE
MEANTIME, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT
THE BILL TODAY. MADAM SECRETARY,
WE NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.
LOWENTHAL FROM, SOME MEMBER
NGUYEN A SECOND, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON SB 607 PORTANTINO. THE MOTION
IS DUE PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE
ON APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN.
BERMAN. AYE. FLORA ALANIS.
BAINES. BAINES. NO. JUAN.
CARRILLO JUAN. CARILLO. AYE.
CHEN. DIXON. GRAYSON GRAYSON.
AYE. IRWIN. IRWIN. AYE. JACKSON
JACKSON. AYE. LOW. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL AYE. MCKENNA. HUAN.
WEN. AYE. PELLERIN PELLERIN.
AYE. SANCHEZ. SORIA ZUBIATE.
THAT BILL HAS EIGHT VOTES. WILL
LEAVE THE MOTION ON CALL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. I SEE SENATOR
NEWMAN READY TO PRESENT AGENDA
ITEM NUMBER ONE, SB 552. READY
WHEN YOU ARE, SIR.
AM I ON? YEAH. NOW YOU ARE. NOW
I'M ON, I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT SB 552,
WHICH PROVIDES TECHNICAL CLEANUP
TO THE 2017 REVISION OF THE
CALIFORNIA SWIMMING POOL ACT, A
MEASURE WHICH I CARRIED AND
WHICH WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY
THEN GOVERNOR BROWN. OVER THE
LAST FEW MONTHS, MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN WORKING WITH THE OPPOSITION
TO DEVELOP AMENDMENTS THAT
ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND MOVE
THEM TO NEUTRAL. BUT
UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO TIMING, WE
WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THOSE
AMENDMENTS IN THIS COMMITTEE.
THE LANGUAGE FOR THOSE
AMENDMENTS, HOWEVER, WHICH
INCLUDE A NEW WRITTEN DISCLOSURE
ON THE EFFICACY OF POOL FENCES,
HAS BEEN AGREED TO BY ALL
PARTIES AND HAS BEEN SHARED WITH
YOUR STAFF AND THE ASSEMBLY
COMMITTEE ON HOUSING COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT. THIS BILL IS
REFERRED TO THAT COMMITTEE AND
THOSE AMENDMENTS WILL BE TAKEN
PRIOR TO THAT HEARING. ACCORDING
TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH, DROWNING REMAINS
ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES FOR
DEATH OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AGED
14 AND YOUNGER IN CALIFORNIA,
ROUGHLY 75% OF THOSE FATAL
CHILDHOOD DROWNINGS OCCUR AT
HOME POOLS OR SPAS TO HELP
BETTER PREVENT SUCH TRAGEDIES,
THE CALIFORNIA SWIMMING POOL
SAFETY ACT OF 1996 REQUIRES
RESIDENTIAL POOLS TO BE
INSTALLED WITH AT LEAST ONE ANTI
DROWNING SAFETY DEVICE, SUCH AS
A POOL FENCE, A POOL COVER, OR A
BACKYARD DOOR EXIT ALARM. SB 442
OF 2017, WHICH I AUTHORED,
EXPANDED AND ENHANCED THOSE
PROTECTIONS BY INCREASING THE
NUMBER OF REQUIRED SAFETY
FEATURES FROM 1 TO 2, AS WELL AS
REQUIRING HOME INSPECTORS TO
DOCUMENT FOR NEW HOME BUYERS,
WHICH, IF ANY, SAFETY DEVICES
ARE EITHER INSTALLED OR NEEDED,
SINCE ITS IMPLEMENTATION,
HOWEVER, THE LANGUAGE OF SB 442
HAS FREQUENTLY BEEN
MISINTERPRETED AS A REQUIREMENT
FOR HOME INSPECTORS TO CONDUCT
COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY TESTS THAT
ARE ACTUALLY FAR BEYOND THEIR
CAPACITY OR THE INTENDED SCOPE
OF THE BILL. FURTHER, AND
PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE
LANGUAGE OF LANGUAGE OF SB 442
AS DRAFTED INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED
FOR REQUIRED SAFETY DEVICES TO
BE INSTALLED OR COMBINED IN WAYS
THAT DID NOT CREATE THE
OVERLAPPING FAIL SAFE
PROVISIONS. THE MEASURE SOUGHT
TO ENSURE SPECIFICALLY THE, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE,
YOU COULD HAVE BOTH A LATCH AND
ALARM ON THE SAME DOOR, WHICH
OBVIOUSLY DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF
THE INTENDED REDUNDANCY. SB 552
ADDRESSES BOTH OF THESE
OUTSTANDING ISSUES. FIRST BY
CLARIFYING THE ROLE OF HOME
INSPECTORS AND SECOND, BY
CLOSING THE TWO STEP SAFETY
DEVICE LOOPHOLE, THEREBY
ENSURING THAT THESE LIFE SAVING
FEATURES ARE PROPERLY EMPLOYED
TO MOST EFFECTIVELY PREVENT
CHILDHOOD DEATHS AND INJURIES.
WITH ME TO TESTIFY TODAY ARE
DAVE PACE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE
INSPECTION ASSOCIATION AND STEVE
BARROW, ON BEHALF OF THE
ORIGINAL SPONSORS OF SB 442, THE
CALIFORNIA COALITION FOR
CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND HEALTH. I
AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR YOUR
VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU. SENATOR,
YOU EACH HAVE TWO MINUTES. ALL
RIGHT. MY NAME IS STEVE BARROW.
I'M THE STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
FOR THE CALIFORNIA COALITION FOR
CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND HEALTH.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 35
YEARS DOING MOST OF THE TRAFFIC
SAFETY POOL, DROWNING, ALL KINDS
OF SAFETY ISSUES FOR CHILDREN, I
LEARNED ABOUT DROWNING,
FIRSTHAND WHEN I WAS AN EMT. TWO
PARAMEDIC BEING ON A LOT OF
DROWNING INCIDENTS AND DEALING
WITH IT AT THAT END, I WAS ALSO
ON THE TEAM THAT HELPED IN 1996
TO WRITE AND PASS THE POOL
SAFETY ACT. AND THEN WE WORKED
WITH SENATOR NEWMAN, WHO WORKED
HARD TO CLEAN UP AND STRENGTHEN
THE POOL SAFETY ACT THROUGH SB
442 IN 2017. SO WE'VE HAD A LOT
OF BACKGROUND IN IN THIS ARENA,
BOTH ON POLICY AND ALSO IN
PRACTICAL TERMS, IT IS WORTH
REPEATING THIS IS THE LEADING
CAUSE OF DEATH FOR 1 TO 4 YEAR
OLDS. IT'S THE SECOND LEADING
CAUSE OF DEATH FOR, CHILDREN 5
TO 14 AND THE THIRD LEADING
CAUSE OF DEATH FOR TEENAGERS AND
YOUTH 15 TO 24. MOST OF THE
DROWNINGS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN ARE
IN POOLS, RESIDENTIAL POOLS,
PRIMARILY, BUT PUBLIC POOLS
ALSO, 7.5 TIMES HIGHER. BLACK
CHILDREN HAVE 7.5 TIMES HIGHER
RATE OF DROWNING THAN THEIR
PEERS, AND THAT PRIMARILY IS IN
THE POOL SETTING, EVERYTHING WE
DO ABOUT DROWNING IN CALIFORNIA
IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD.
THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE A BILL
THAT'S THAT'S LIKE ON THE EDGES
OF CLEANING UP SOMETHING, BUT
EVERY STEP LIKE THIS IS
IMPORTANT. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF
STEPS WE HAVE TO DO TO GET TO
ZERO DROWNING IN CALIFORNIA. AND
WE APPLAUD SENATOR NEWMAN FOR
CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD TO
FINDING THE STEPS WE NEED TO
TAKE FORWARD. WE'RE HERE TO
SUPPORT THE BILL. I'M HERE TO
ANSWER TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, WITH
BACKGROUND I HAVE ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, JERRY DESMONDE WITH THE
CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE
INSPECTION ASSOCIATION, KOREA,
IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE,
APPRECIATING THE LEADERSHIP OF
SENATOR NEWMAN AND MR. BARROW
AND HIS ORGANIZATION TO ADDRESS
POOL SAFETY AND TO PLAY OUR PART
AS THE HOME INSPECTORS. AND WE
SPECIFICALLY, AS THE SENATOR
MENTIONED, APPRECIATE THE
CLARITY THAT'S BEING PROVIDED ON
WHAT A HOME INSPECTOR SHALL LOOK
FOR IN TERMS OF THE TWO POOL
SAFETY FEATURES THAT MUST BE
PRESENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S
CLEAR FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
AND WE SUPPORT THE BILL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. ANY PRIMARY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? SEEING NONE ANYBODY WANTS
TO ADD ON AS A ME TOO TO THE
BILL. SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION?
COME ON UP, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MEMBERS JOHN NORWOOD, ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA POOL AND SPA
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, DO WE HAVE A
MOTION OR A SECOND FROM
COLLEAGUES? I GOT A MOTION FROM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER PELLERIN, SECOND
FROM LOWENTHAL, THIRD FROM
BAINS. I THINK. OH, AND WE HAVE
A COMMENT. SO I TAKE IT BACK. SO
YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE YOUR BILL,
THAT WOULD BE WILD. DOCTOR
BAINS, PLEASE. I'M READY. MIGHT
I MIGHT NOT, MIGHT NOT. IT'S A
LITTLE JUDGMENTAL. I WAS GOING
TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THIS, BILL, AND I LIKE TO BE
ADDED ON AS A COAUTHOR, THIS
BILL IS SO IMPORTANT. CHILDHOOD
DROWNINGS ARE DEVASTATING FOR
FAMILIES. AND WE'RE GOING INTO
SUMMER, AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT
THIS SUMMER, AND THE IMPACT ON
CHILDREN, AS A PHYSICIAN, WE
HAVE BEEN SEEING ALARMINGLY
NUMBERS INCREASING IN CHILDHOOD
DROWNINGS. WE NEED TO DO ALL WE
CAN TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN LEARN
HOW TO SWIM PROPERLY AT YOUNGER
AGES. AND I THOROUGHLY SUPPORT
THIS BILL, AND I WOULD LOVE TO
BE ADDED ON AS COAUTHOR. THANK
YOU. SHE DOESN'T LIKE IT. SHE
LOVES IT IS WHAT I MEANT TO SAY
EARLIER. SO THANK YOU, DOCTOR
BAINS. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES?
SEEING NONE. SENATOR WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU. I'M
HAPPY TO ADD DOCTOR BAINS AND
ANY OF THE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO
BE A COAUTHOR, CALIFORNIA HAS
BEEN A LEADER, AS IN SO MANY
THINGS, NATIONALLY ON CHILDHOOD
DROWNING PREVENTION. SO SB 442
OF 2017 ACTUALLY RAISED, I
THINK, STANDARDS AND HAS SERVED
AS A MODEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK.
AND I'M GRATEFUL ESPECIALLY TO
MR. BERA FOR HIS WORK, THIS IS A
CLEAN UP, BILL, BUT BUT TO MR.
BARROW'S POINT, REALLY
IMPORTANT. EVERY LIFE SAVED IS A
TRAGEDY. PREVENTED EVERY
TRAUMATIC INJURY PREVENTED IN A
POOL IS LITERALLY MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF MONEY SAVED FOR
CALIFORNIANS. APPRECIATE THE
SUPPORT, THE NEXT STEP, OF
COURSE, IS WATER SAFETY AND
MAKING SURE THAT MORE
CALIFORNIANS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG
PEOPLE, LEARN HOW TO SWIM, BUT
THAT'S FOR ANOTHER BILL. SO
ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE TODAY. AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU
PLAN TO AMEND THE BILL IN
ASSEMBLY HOUSING COMMITTEE, AND
THAT THOSE AMENDMENTS ADDRESS
OUTSTANDING CONCERNS WHICH
REFERENCED IN YOUR IN YOUR
INTRO. HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE BILL
TODAY. MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE VOTE ON SB 552. NEWMAN.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. BERMAN
AYE. BERMAN. AYE. FLORA LARA.
AYE. ALANIZ BAINES. BAINES. AYE.
JUAN. CARRILLO. JUAN CARRILLO.
AYE. CHEN. CHEN. AYE. DIXON.
GRAYSON IRWIN. IRWIN. I. JACKSON
JACKSON. I LOW. LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL AYE. MCKENNA. HIÆN.
PELLERIN PELLERIN, I SANCHEZ.
SORIA. LIBRE THANK YOU. MEMBERS.
THAT BILL IS NINE VOTES. WE'LL
LEAVE IT OPEN, AND, SENATOR
CORTEZ, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
, READY TO PRESENT AGENDA ITEM
NUMBER FOUR, SB 1050 TÍNH.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, I APPRECIATE YOU
ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT SB 1015
TO YOU TODAY. SB 1015 WILL HELP
CALIFORNIA BUILD AN ADEQUATE
NURSING WORKFORCE THAT REFLECTS
THE DIVERSITY OF OUR STATE. IT
WILL INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN
THE MANAGEMENT OF CLINICAL
EDUCATION PLACEMENTS FOR NURSING
STUDENTS TO BECOME A REGISTERED
NURSE, A NURSING STUDENT NEEDS
500 HOURS OF HANDS ON CLINICAL
EDUCATION. IN 2022, A STAGGERING
92 OF CALIFORNIA'S 152 NURSING
PROGRAMS WERE DENIED ACCESS TO
CLINICAL PLACEMENTS. EXCUSE ME?
CLINICAL PLACEMENTS FOR THEIR
STUDENTS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND
STATE UNIVERSITIES ARE ACUTELY
AFFECTED. THE CLINICAL IMPACTION
THREATENS OUR STATE'S ABILITY TO
KEEP THE NURSING PROFESSION
ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. CURRENTLY IT'S
UNKNOWN HOW NURSING PROGRAMS
MANAGE AND COORDINATE CLINICAL
PLACEMENTS FOR THEIR STUDENTS AT
CLINICAL SITES. THIS BILL GIVES
THE BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING
AUTHORITY TO COLLECT AND REPORT
INFORMATION ON HOW NURSING
PROGRAMS MANAGE THEIR CLINICAL
PLACEMENTS, INCLUDING HOW THEY
COORDINATE WITH OTHER NURSING
PROGRAMS AND CLINICAL
FACILITIES. IT ALSO REQUIRES THE
BOARD TO STUDY, DEVELOP AND
RECOMMEND STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL
PLACEMENTS TO ALL NURSING
PROGRAMS. SB 1015 TAKES THE
FIRST STEPS TO ADDRESS THE
GROWING ISSUE OF INEQUITABLE
ACCESS TO CLINICAL PLACEMENTS
FOR NURSING STUDENTS, AS THE
STATE FACES A NURSING SHORTAGE,
ONE THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF, WE
MUST ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
CLINICAL EDUCATION FOR BOTH
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NURSING
INSTITUTIONS WITH US TODAY TO
TESTIFY, WE HAVE MARI LOPEZ FROM
THE CALIFORNIA NURSES
ASSOCIATION AND ERIC BACH FROM
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AT
THE APPROPRIATE TIME, I'D
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR. YOU
EACH HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING CHAIR, AND
GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS. I'M MARI
LOPEZ. I'M A LEGISLATIVE
ADVOCATE FOR THE CALIFORNIA
NURSES ASSOCIATION, REPRESENTING
OVER 100,000 REGISTERED NURSES
ACROSS THE STATE AND THE PROUD
SPONSOR OF SB 1015. CLINICAL
EDUCATION IS A VITAL PART OF
EVERY NURSE'S EDUCATION, THROUGH
CLINICAL EDUCATION, NURSES
RECEIVE THE DIRECT HANDS ON
PATIENT EXPERIENCE, PATIENT CARE
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR
LICENSURE AS AN RN. HOWEVER
CLINICAL PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY
DIFFICULT TO SECURE FOR NURSING
FOR NURSING PROGRAMS AND
FRUSTRATING STUDENTS AS GOALS OF
BECOMING NURSES. IN THE LATEST
NURSING SCHOOL SURVEY BY THE
BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING
SCHOOLS REPORTED THAT THE
INABILITY TO SECURE PLACEMENTS
WAS THE NUMBER TWO REASON FOR
NOT ENROLLING MORE STUDENTS, AND
CALIFORNIA NEEDS A COMPREHENSIVE
UNDERSTANDING OF CLINICAL
PLACEMENT, A FUNCTION THAT THE
BURN IS BEST SITUATED TO CONDUCT
. SB 1015 IS A COMMON SENSE
REFORM THAT WOULD PROVIDE
TRANSPARENCY AND HELP ENSURE
EQUITY IN CLINICAL PLACEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF
CALIFORNIA'S NURSING STUDENTS.
THIS BILL TAKES IMPORTANT STEPS.
FIRST, IMPORTANT FIRST STEPS IN
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF
CLINICAL EDUCATION PLACEMENTS
THAT MORE SEVERELY IMPACT OUR
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND CSU
NURSING PROGRAMS. THIS BILL
ACHIEVES THIS BY CODIFYING
REQUIREMENTS THAT THE BERM
COLLECT, ANALYZE, AND REPORT
CLINICAL PLACEMENT INFORMATION.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE
AUDIT THE STATE AUDITOR'S
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE BIR
COLLECT THIS INFORMATION TO
ASSESS CLINICAL PLACEMENT
CAPACITY. THIS BILL WOULD ALSO
HAVE THE BURNS NURSING AND
WORKFORCE EDUCATION ADVISORY
COMMITTEE ANALYZE CLINICAL
PLACEMENT ISSUES AND RECOMMEND
STANDARDS TO THE BURN TO ENSURE
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CLINICAL
PLACEMENTS. PUBLIC NURSING
SCHOOLS ARE VITAL IN KEEPING THE
NURSING PROFESSION AFFORDABLE
AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
CALIFORNIANS. FOR THESE REASONS,
CNA RESPECTFULLY ASKS THE
COMMITTEE TO VOTE YES ON SB
1015. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. ERIC MAKI WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE. JUST FIRST
OF ALL, THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING FORWARD THIS IMPORTANT
BILL AND ECHO MUCH OF WHAT HAS
ALREADY BEEN SAID. I JUST WOULD
LIKE TO UNDERSCORE THAT THE DATA
COLLECTED THROUGH THIS BILL
WOULD PROVIDE VALUABLE
INFORMATION THAT WILL ULTIMATELY
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF NURSES IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA CAN
PRODUCE. THE CSU CURRENTLY HAS
OVER 9000 STUDENTS AT THE BSN,
MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL LEVEL, AND
WE GRADUATE 3000 NURSING DEGREES
EACH YEAR. THERE'S MORE THAT CAN
STILL BE DONE. THIS BILL WILL
HELP ACHIEVE THAT. FOR THAT, WE
SUPPORT AND ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY PRIMARY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? I DON'T THINK SO. ANYBODY
WANTS TO ADD ON IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL, SEEING
NONE BRING IT BACK TO COLLEAGUES
, YES, DOCTOR BAINES, ANOTHER
GREAT BILL. I WOULD LOVE TO BE
ADDED ON AS THE COAUTHOR. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GUYS'S WORK
ON THIS AS A PAST CHAIR FOR THE
SONG BROWN CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE
POLICY COMMISSION. THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON. THAT COMMISSION WAS
SUNSETTED. AND, HOWEVER, I WOULD
ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK BACK
TO THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING
IN OUR FINAL MONTHS BEFORE WE
ENDED THE COMMISSION, BECAUSE
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE
DISCUSSING, INCREASING,
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
NURSES, IN ADDITION TO CREATING
MORE TRAINING SPOTS, IS
SOMETHING AT THE HEART OF SONG
BROWN. I AM REALLY CONCERNED
WITH THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, AND
THE CUTS TO NURSING EDUCATION
AND ROTATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS
EVEN MORE, MORE CRITICAL. SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE AUTHOR
FOR BRINGING THIS UP, AND I'D
LOVE TO BE ADDED ON AS A
COAUTHOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
DOCTOR WEINSTEIN. I TAKE THAT AS
A MOTION. OH, YES. SO MOVED.
ABSOLUTELY GOT A SECOND FROM
LOWENTHAL. I GOT A THIRD FROM
OVER HERE, ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
COLLEAGUES SEEING NONE. SENATOR,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I THANK
YOU SO MEMBER FOR YOUR COMMENTS
AND ENCOURAGEMENT. AND OF
COURSE, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ADD
YOU AS COAUTHOR, AND WE'LL GET
RIGHT ON THAT. AND, TO THE CHAIR
AND THE COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR HELP WITH THIS BILL. AS AS
WE WORKED IT THROUGH. AND I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR AND
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
IMPORTANT BILL FORWARD. I WAS
ACTUALLY JUST TALKING WITH WITH
FOLKS ABOUT THIS LAST NIGHT AT A
BACKYARD BARBECUE. YOU CAN TELL
HOW EXCITING MY CONVERSATIONS
ARE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
NURSE PLACEMENTS, AND COMMUNITY
COLLEGES VERSUS VERSUS OTHER,
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, THE LACK OF
CLINICAL PLACEMENTS IS A
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. AND I HOPE
THIS STUDY PROPOSED UNDER THIS
BILL PRODUCES RECOMMENDATIONS WE
CAN USE TO IMPROVE THE
SITUATION. WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY
TO SUPPORT THE BILL TODAY. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON SB 1015. CORTEZ, THE MOTION
IS DUE. PASS TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. BERMAN. BERMAN.
AYE. FLORA FLORA. AYE. AL-ENEZI.
BAINES. BAINES. AYE HUANG.
CARILLO. HUANG. CARILLO. AYE.
CHEN. CHEN. AYE DIXON. GRAYSON.
IRWIN IRWIN. AYE. JACKSON.
JACKSON. AYE. LOW LOWE. AYE.
LOWENTHAL. LOWENTHAL. AYE.
MCKENNA HIÆN. PELLERIN.
PELLERIN. AYE SANCHEZ. SORIA.
ZUBER. THAT BILL IS OUT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. I BELIEVE DOCTOR
JACKSON, YOU ARE HERE TO FOR
FIRST AS A VERY APPRECIATED AND
WELL RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO TO
PRESENT A BILL, I AGENDA ITEM
SIX SB 1067 BY SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR,
HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS BILL FOR
SENATOR SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS SB
1067, AND, WHICH WOULD CREATE AN
EXPEDITED LICENSURE PROCESS AS
SPECIFIED HEALING ARTS BOARD FOR
PRACTITIONERS WHO PLAN TO WORK
IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. SENATOR SMALLWOOD
CUEVAS WILL BE ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS, AS WELL,
DESPITE SERVING OUR MOST
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES,
PROVIDERS AND CLINICS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE HAVE REPORTED HIGH
VACANCY RATES AND PROLONGED
PERIODS TO FILL STAFF VACANCIES
FOR KEY POSITIONS LIKE
PHYSICIANS, DENTISTS AND NURSE
PRACTITIONERS ONLY. FURTHER
DEEPENING OUR HEALTH CARE
WORKFORCE SHORTAGE, EXPEDITING
LICENSES FOR PRACTITIONERS WHO
PLAN TO SERVE OUR MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IS A
VALUABLE INCENTIVE TO WORK IN
THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THEM
THE MOST. RECENTLY, THE MEDICAL
BOARD OF CALIFORNIA ESTABLISHED
THEIR OWN PROCESS TO EXPEDITE
LICENSE APPLICATIONS FOR
PRACTITIONER SERVING IN
MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS. SB
1067 IS MODELED AFTER THIS
PROCESS TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT
CALIFORNIA'S COMMUNITIES WITH
THE HIGHEST NEED FOR ACCESSING
QUALITY HEALTH CARE. WITH US
TODAY ARE TYLER JACKSON FROM
KPCA ADVOCATES AND NANETTE
STARR. POLICY DIRECTOR AT
CALIFORNIA CONSORTIUM FOR URBAN
INDIAN HEALTH, TO PROVIDE
TESTIMONY AND ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MAY
HAVE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JACKSON.
YOU EACH HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER, MR.
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS, TAYLOR
JACKSON WITH THE CALIFORNIA
PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATION, OAN
PROUD SPONSORS OF SB 1067. WE
REPRESENT ALMOST 1300 COMMUNITY
HEALTH CENTERS AROUND CALIFORNIA
. THIS INCLUDES FQHCS COMMUNITY
CLINICS, RURAL HEALTH CENTERS,
AND FREE CLINICS. AS THE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SAID, THERE IS A
HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE
IN OUR STATE. HISTORICALLY, THIS
HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED
UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WHO
ACCESS SAFETY NET SERVICES. OUR
DATA SHOWS THE AVERAGE COMMUNITY
HEALTH CENTER NEEDS MORE THAN
SIX MONTHS TO FILL A PHYSICIAN
VACANCY, AND MORE THAN FOUR
MONTHS TO FILL A DENTIST OR
NURSE PRACTITIONER VACANCY.
HEALTH CENTERS IN MORE
UNDERSERVED AREAS CAN SOMETIMES
GO YEARS WITH VACANCIES. PART OF
THIS IS BECAUSE THE HEALING ARTS
BOARDS WHO LICENSED PROVIDERS
HAVE LENGTHY BACKLOGS FOR
PROCESSING APPLICATIONS FOR
LICENSURE, WHICH PREVENTS
PROVIDERS FROM JOINING THE
WORKFORCE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THIS HAS LEFT US IN AN UNTENABLE
POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO
RECRUITING DELAYS IN PROCESSING
FORCED US TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
HIRING CLINICIANS BEFORE THEIR
APPLICATION IS PROCESSED AND
COVERING THEIR SALARIES. WHILE
WE WAIT MONTHS FOR THEM TO
BECOME LICENSED. WHEN WE CAN
BILL FOR THEIR SERVICES, OR WE
WAIT TO HIRE CLINICIANS UNTIL
THEIR LICENSE IS APPROVED, WHICH
OFTEN MEANS LOSING THOSE
CANDIDATES TO EMPLOYERS WHO CAN
AFFORD TO PAY SALARIES WITHOUT
BILLING. NEITHER OPTION IS
FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE. MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THE SITUATION
CREATES SUBSTANTIAL BARRIERS IN
ADDRESSING URGENT HEALTH NEEDS
IN OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WE
HAVE CLINICIANS WHO COULD SEE
PATIENTS AND RESPOND TO NEEDS
AND REDUCE SUFFERING. BUT
INSTEAD, PATIENTS MUST WAIT.
THIS BILL WILL HELP TO QUICKLY
GET HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO THE
AREAS THEY ARE NEEDED MOST.
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR I VOTE
ON 1067. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD MORNING, MISTER CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
NANETTE STARR. I'M THE DIRECTOR
OF POLICY AT THE CALIFORNIA
CONSORTIUM FOR URBAN INDIAN
HEALTH, REPRESENTING URBAN
INDIAN HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
ACROSS CALIFORNIA IN THE POST
PANDEMIC ERA, WHERE WE HAVE
CONTINUED TO SEE AN INCREASE IN
MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND
PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS, WE STILL
EXPERIENCE THE ACCESS CRUNCH TO
TRY TO COMBAT THIS, WE HAVE
WORKED TO ADD ADDITIONAL
PSYCHIATRY SUPPORT AT OUR HEALTH
CENTERS, BUT IT HAS TAKEN
UPWARDS OF SIX MONTHS TO GET OUR
PSYCHIATRIST CREDENTIALING. SO
WHEN WE'RE TASKED WITH PROVIDING
FOLLOW UP WITHIN 30 DAYS OF A
PSYCH RELATED ER VISIT OR
HOSPITAL DISCHARGE, THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MOST
EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS THE MOST
SEVERE PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS
ARE UNABLE TO MEET OUR PATIENTS
NEEDS BECAUSE OF RED TAPE.
HIRING PROVIDERS TO WORK IN
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH
CENTERS FQHCS IS HARD, AND
MAKING THEM WAIT FOR LICENSING
MAKES HIRING INCREDIBLY
DIFFICULT. AS SAFETY NET
PROVIDERS, WE SERVE THE MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS,
DELIVERING ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE
SERVICES, EXPEDITED LICENSURE
AND HIGH NEEDS AREAS, REDUCES
PATIENT WAIT TIME, ALLEVIATES
PROVIDER STRAIN, AND ALSO HELPS
IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES.
PREVENTATIVE CARE IS MORE COST
EFFECTIVE THAN EMERGENCY
TREATMENT. THE AVERAGE COST FOR
AN ER VISIT IS ABOUT $3,000 FOR
NON LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS,
IT CAN EASILY EXCEED 20,000 FOR
MORE SEVERE CASES. SO MANY OF
THESE VISITS ARE AVOIDABLE WITH
TIMELY PRIMARY CARE. HEALTH
PLANS REQUIRE US TO ESTABLISH
CARE WITH PATIENTS WITHIN 90 TO
120 DAYS. YET LICENSING DELAYS
FOR OUT OF STATE OR NEWLY
ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS MAKE THIS
GOAL UNATTAINABLE, CREATING A
MISALIGNMENT THAT HINDERS
PATIENT CARE. TO ENSURE
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
FOR ALL, WE MUST PRIORITIZE
RECRUITING HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS TO FQHCS AND OTHER
UNDERSERVED AREAS. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND I RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL SEEING NONE, ANYBODY
WHO WANTS TO ADD ON IN SUPPORT
OR IN OPPOSITION TO THE BILL,
PLEASE COME ON UP. PROVIDE YOUR
NAME, ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH,
IF ANY, AND POSITION ON THE BILL
. MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS. ADAM
KAGAN, ON BEHALF OF ULTIMATE
HEALTH SERVICES IN SUPPORT.
ROSANNE HELMS, REPRESENTING THE
BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES.
THE BOARD HAS THE SUPPORT, IF
AMENDED, POSITION ON THE BILL
AND IS REQUESTING SOME
AMENDMENTS TO FURTHER CLARIFY
WHO WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE
EXPEDITE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
JARED MOSS, ON BEHALF OF THE SAN
DIEGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. MEGAN ALLRED,
ON BEHALF OF SAN ISIDRO HEALTH
AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU, JOHN
DREBINGER WITH THE STEINBERG
INSTITUTE IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
VIRGINIA HEDRICK, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR THE CALIFORNIA
CONSORTIUM FOR URBAN INDIAN
HEALTH, IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
BRING IT BACK TO COLLEAGUES.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, MOTION
SECONDS. DOCTOR BAINS, ANOTHER
GREAT BILL. WOULD LOVE TO JOIN
ON AS A COAUTHOR FOR THIS. AND
ON A SIDE NOTE, IT REMINDED ME
THAT I NEED TO DO MY RE
CREDENTIALING FOR MY CLINIC IN
DELANO RIGHT NOW. I JUST SENT
OUT THE EMAIL. SO THANK YOU. SO
MUCH FOR THIS BILL. SUPER
IMPORTANT TO EXPEDITE OUR RURAL
HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE. SO THANK
YOU. I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED ON AS
A COAUTHOR AND MOTION TO MOVE AS
WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
DOCTOR BAINS. DO I HAVE A
SECOND? GOT THIS. I'M I'M GOING
TO GIVE IT TO PELLERIN ASSEMBLY
MEMBER PELLERIN ON THE SECOND.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? YOU TWO TIED. I GAVE
IT TO YOU LAST TIME. DON'T BE
MAD AT ME. ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? MOTION, WE
HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
DOCTOR JACKSON, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? Ó HAPPY TO PRESENT
THIS BILL. AND SINCE I AM
PRESENTING THE BILL, I WOULD
LIKE TO ADD MYSELF AS A COAUTHOR
. GOOD CALL. THANK YOU. DOCTOR
JACKSON, FOR PRESENTING THIS
BILL ON SENATOR SMALL CREVICES
BEHALF AND FOR CONFIRMING THAT
SHE'S ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS. I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT
THE BILL TODAY, MADAM SECRETARY,
PLEASE CALL THE VOTE ON SB 1067.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. THE MOTION IS
DUE PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN I BERMAN I FLORA. FLORA I
ALANIS. ALANIS I BAINES. BAINES
I, JUAN. CARRILLO, JUAN.
CARRILLO I CHEN. DIXON GRAYSON.
IRWIN. IRWIN I. JACKSON. JACKSON
I LOW, LOW I, LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL LOWENTHAL, I,
MACKINNON. HIÆN NGUYEN I
PELLERIN. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ.
SORIA. ZIPPER. ZIPPER I. THAT
BILL IS OUT. WOULD LOVE TO HAVE
SENATOR BRADFORD COME ON OVER TO
SENATE BNP. BUT IN THE MEANTIME,
I'D LOVE A MOTION AND A SECOND
ON SENATOR ALVARADO. GIL'S BILL,
SB 820 GOT A MOTION ON PELLERIN,
A SECOND FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER
NGUYEN, THIS IS AGENDA ITEM
THREE WAS PRESENTED EARLIER WHEN
WE DID NOT HAVE A QUORUM, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON SB 820. ALVARADO. GIL, THE
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
BERMAN AI BERMAN I FLORA. FLORA
I ALANIS ALANIS I BAINES. BAINES
I JUAN CARRILLO, JUAN. CARRILLO
I CHEN DIXON. DIXON I GRAYSON.
IRWIN, IRWIN I JACKSON. JACKSON
I LOW, LOW I LOWENTHAL. LOW
GENTLE I MCKENNA. HIÆN HIÆN I
PELLERIN. PELLERIN I SANCHEZ.
SORIA. ZIPPER ZIPPER I THAT
BILLOWS OUT AND DO WE HAVE A
MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. GOT A MOTION
BY, VICE CHAIR FLORA. GOT A
COUPLE OF SECONDS BY ASSEMBLY
MEMBER NGUYEN. YOU HAVEN'T HAD A
CHANCE YET TODAY. I DON'T THINK,
I'M TRYING TO BE EQUITABLY DONE.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FILE.
ITEM FIVE SB 1024. OCHOA BOGH.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
BERMAN I BERMAN I FLORA. FLORA I
ALANIS. ALANIS I BAINES. BAINES
I, JUAN CARRILLO, JUAN. CARRILLO
I CHEN. DIXON. DIXON I, GRAYSON
IRWIN, IRWIN I JACKSON. JACKSON
I LOW, LOW I LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL, I MCKENNA. MCKENNA. I
HIÆN. HIÆN I PELLERIN. PELLERIN
I SANCHEZ. SORIA ZIPPER. ZIPPER
I. THAT BILL IS OUT. I HAVE
STALLED FOR SENATOR BRADFORD FOR
AS LONG AS I CAN. I GUESS I
COULD HAVE GONE SLOWER. HE'S
WRAPPING UP IN JUDICIOUS SOUNDS
LIKE. OKAY WE'LL BE HERE READY
AND WAITING. YES, ABSOLUTELY,
THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY. IF
YOU WANT TO RUN THROUGH FOR
FOLKS WHO WERE ABSENT EARLIER.
SB 552 NEWMAN, THE, ON SB 552
NEWMAN ALANIS. ALANIS. AYE.
DIXON. DIXON. AYE GRAYSON. LOW.
LOW LOW I MCKENNA MCINERNEY I
WHEN I SANCHEZ. SORRY IS A BURR
ZIPPER I THAT BILL IS OUT.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCKENNA WILL
PRESENT FOR SENATOR BRADFORD.
BRADFORD AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
SEVEN, SB 1109. WE HAVE A
BIPARTISAN MOTION IN SECOND.
APPARENTLY WE DON'T WRITE DOWN
WHO DOES IT. SO I'M NOT GOING TO
SAY IT ANYMORE. YEAH THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCKENNA. CHAIRS
I AM PRESENTING SB 1109 ON
BEHALF OF SENATOR BRADFORD. IT'S
A STRAIGHTFORWARD MEASURE THAT
REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF
CANNABIS CONTROL TO COLLECT AND
REPORT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
OF CANNABIS LICENSEES. THIS
INFORMATION WILL VOLUNTARILY
PROVIDE WILL BE VOLUNTARILY
PROVIDED BY CANNABIS CANNABIS
LICENSEES. IN RECENT YEARS, THE
LEGISLATURE HAS FOCUSED ON
ENSURING THAT CALIFORNIA'S
CANNABIS MARKET IS INCLUSIVE AND
SUPPORTIVE OF INDIVIDUALS
IMPACTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS, AS
INTENDED, WITH THE VOTERS PASSED
WHEN THE VOTERS PASSED PROP 64.
MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE
EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY ENTERING
THE MARKET AND CONTEND THAT THE
MARKET CONTINUES TO LACK IN
DIVERSITY. CALIFORNIA HAS A
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS
EQUITABLE AND FAIR FOR ALL, SB
1109 WILL HELP PROVIDE NECESSARY
TRANSPORT AGENCY ABOUT
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS CANNABIS
INDUSTRY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. DO WE HAVE ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL? SEEING NONE, ANY
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL, SEEING NONE ANYBODY
WANTS TO ADD ON IN SUPPORT OR
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL, SEEING
NONE. BRING IT BACK TO
COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS. SEEING NONE. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
FOR THE SENATOR? I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. MY FAVORITE
CLOSE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MCKENNA, FOR PRESENTING SENATOR
BRADFORD'S BILL, WHICH I KNOW IS
JUST ONE MORE PIECE OF THE
SENDER'S LONG HISTORY OF
LEADERSHIP, OF PROMOTING EQUITY
IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY. I'M
HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE BILL TODAY.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE
VOTE ON SB 1109. BRADFORD THE
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY. BERMAN I
, BERMAN I FLORA. FLORA I ALANIS
. ALANIS I BAINES. BAINES I,
HUANG CARILLO HUANG CARILLO I
CHEN CHEN I DIXON. DIXON I
GRAYSON IRWIN, IRWIN I JACKSON,
JACKSON I LOW, LOW I LOWENTHAL.
LOWENTHAL I MCKINLEY. MCKENNA I
HUAN WEN I PELLERIN. PELLERIN I
SANCHEZ. SORIA ZIPPER. ZIPPER. I
THAT BILL IS OUT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GIVE US ONE MINUTE FOR
BOOKKEEPING, AND THEN WE'LL BE
BACK TO RUNNING THROUGH THE
AGENDA FOR FOLKS.
ON SB 607, PORTANTINO, THE
MOTION WAS Dð PASSED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
FLORA. FLORA I ALANIS. ALANIS.
NOT VOTING. CHEN CHEN NOT
VOTING. DIXON DIXON. NOT VOTING
LOW. HIGH. LOW I MCKENNA
MCKINNON I. ZIPPER ZIPPER I OR
SANCHEZ. SORIA ZEBRA. ZEBRA I.
THAT BILL IS OUT.
SB 820. ALVARADO. GIL. THE
MOTION WAS DUE. PASS TO THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY. CHEN
CHEN I GRAYSON. MCKENNA. MCKENNA
I SANCHEZ. SORIA.
ON SB 1015. CORTEZ ALANIS.
ALANIS I. DIXON. DIXON I.
MCKENNA. MCKINNON. I HIÆN WHEN
I. ZIPPER ZIPPER I.
ON SB 1067. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS
CHEN. CHEN I DIXON. DIXON. I
GRAYSON. MCKENNA. MCKENNA. I
SANCHEZ.
CHANGE. OKAY SOMEBODY WANTED TO
CALL. PORTANTINO. SB 607. OKAY.
ON SB 1225, JONES. FLORA. HI,
FLORA. I ALANIS. ALANIS I BAINES
. BAINES I DIXON. DIXON I
JACKSON. MCKENNA. MCKINNON. I
ZIPPER. ZIPPER I.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WERE LAID
OFF. I WAS LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE.
YEAH. NÓ OR LARA? OH, I'LL PICK
ONE. ONCE UPON A TIME. CRUNCH
VOTE CHANGE ON SB 607.
PORTANTINO, FLORA. NOT VOTING.
FLORA. NOT VOTING.
ON CONSENT. ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. MCKENNA MCKINNON. I.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, CHEN
CHEN I.
OF COURSE. I KNOW. THERE'S A LOT
GOING ON RIGHT NOW, MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE RUN THROUGH
THE AGENDA. ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ I. ON
SB 552. NEWMAN. SANCHEZ SANCHEZ.
I ON SB 607. PORTANTINO. SANCHEZ
. SANCHEZ. NOT VOTING. ON SB
820. ALVARADO. GIL. SANCHEZ
SANCHEZ. I ON SB 1015. CORTEZ.
SANCHEZ SANCHEZ I. OH OH.
SANCHEZ. NOT VOTING. ON SB 1067.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ I. ON SB 1109 BRADFORD.
SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ I. ON SB 1225.
JONES. SANCHEZ. SANCHEZ I.
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, SORIA.
SORIA I. ON SB 552. NEWMAN.
SORIA. SORIA I. ON SB 607
PORTANTINO. SORIA SORIA I. ON SB
820, ALVARADO. GIL. SORIA. SORIA
I. ON SB 1015 CORTEZ. SORIA.
SORIA I ON SB 1067. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SORIA SAU I ON SB 1109
BRADFORD. SORIA SORIA I. ON SB
1225 JONES, I ALREADY HAVE YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SORIA THAT THE HEARING IS
ADJOURNED.