CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: August 5, 2015 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Recess, but Not Rest It may be recess for the Legislature, but that doesn’t mean a rest for politics. While lawmakers were scattered off to their districts or far-away lands for the summer junket season, the anti-vax forces were busy gathering signatures to recall Senator Richard Pan, MD, for authoring Senate Bill 277, which removes the personal belief exemption from school vaccination requirements. While it is unclear whether an actual referendum ... August 5, 2015 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: July 22, 2015 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. An International Impact Gov. Jerry Brown is at the Vatican this week, where he will join Pope Francis and leaders around the globe for a climate change conference. The gathering weaves together threads throughout the former Jesuit seminarian governor’s life that have all shaped him in profound ways. Before Brown was an elected official, he was a student at a Jesuit seminary at Sacred Heart Novitiate in Los Gatos. He ultimately ... July 22, 2015 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
Senate Bill 277 Clears Assembly California Medical Association News Release: June 25, 2015 School Vaccination Bill to Protect Public Health Receives Resounding “yes” Vote, Moves Back to Senate for Final Vote Senate Bill 277 jumped its final hurdle in the state Assembly today, clearing the house with overwhelming 46–30 approval. The bill now heads back to the Senate, where legislators will consider amendments made in the Assembly. “The California Medical Association (CMA) would like to thank the assemblymembers who supported this important piece of legislation that will improve public health and keep our communities safe,” CMA President ... June 25, 2015 Legislation, Vaccinations SB 277, Vaccinations 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: June 23, 2015 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Finding the Fix: Healthcare and Transportation Democratic lawmakers and Governor Jerry Brown came to agreement on a $115.4 billion spending plan this week, which included billions more for schools, the California State University system, and child care, while agreeing to expand Medi-Cal coverage to thousand of undocumented children. Despite some of the details of the landmark agreement, the budget may be more notable for what was not in the spending plan. ... June 24, 2015 CMA, Legislation Anthony York, CMA Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: May 11, 2015 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Ballot Measures and Budgets The fight for 2016 is officially underway, as initiative proponents begin to file their ballot proposals with the attorney general’s office. Among the major policy proposals beginning the process is a new tobacco tax backed by health care providers to help ensure network adequacy for California’s poor. The new Save Lives California Coalition, which includes the American Heart and Lung Associations, as well as the California Medical ... May 11, 2015 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight: March 30, 2015 From Drought to Political Firestorm and More CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. If you’ve passed California Medical Association (CMA) headquarters at 12th and J St. recently, you may have noticed some new artwork. Courtesy of the California Department of Public Health, posters warning of the dangers of e-cigarettes, or “vaping,” adorn the building’s brick walls. The poster, however, is just one component of CMA’s recent resurgence in campaigning against tobacco. CMA is sponsoring and supporting a ... March 30, 2015 CMA, Legislation CMA Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight: March 16, 2015 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. The Budget Showdown Begins It’s showdown season in the Capitol, as lawmakers and administration officials begin sparring early over the issues that will shape the 2015–16 budget. Looming large are questions over Medi-Cal, which was back in focus in Sacramento this week. The Assembly and Senate health committees held an oversight hearing on the growing government healthcare program. The four-hour hearing featured Jennifer Kent in her new roll as director of the ... March 16, 2015 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
SB 128 – The End of Life Option Act As has been widely reported in the media, legislation has been introduced in Sacramento that would legalize physician prescribing of lethal medications to terminally ill patients who request assistance ending their lives. If SB 128 (Wolk), The End of Life Option Act, is enacted into law, California would join five other states in allowing and regulating physician-assisted suicide / physician aid-in-dying (PAS / PAD). Click here to access the full text of the bill. The California Medical Association (CMA) has current, longstanding policy in opposition to PAS and has successfully ... March 13, 2015 CMA, House of Delegates, Legislation Physician Aid in Dying, Physician-assisted Suicide 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight: March 2, 2015 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Major Policy Proposals They’re baaaack … in the Capitol. Nurse practitioners and their allies in Sacramento are back with legislation that will renew the scope of practice fight that has dogged the Capitol for the last several years. State Senator Ed Hernandez and Assemblywoman Susan Eggman are carrying the bill, which would open the way for nurse practitioners to perform dozens of core healthcare functions without doctor supervision. For now, Senate Bill ... March 3, 2015 CMA, Legislation CMA Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. February 2, 2015 — Setting the Stage It’s time to mark turf in Sacramento. Less than one month after Gov. Jerry Brown laid out his vision for California’s budget, Senate Leader Kevin de León spoke to the press club in Sacramento to offer a slightly competing vision. De León pushed Brown to do more to help the poor in California, laying out a legislative plan that the Senate leader said is focused ... February 2, 2015 CMA, Legislation CMA Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »