The California Rare Diseases Caucus Holding an Informational Hearing at State Capitol The California Rare Diseases Caucus will hold an Informational Hearing today at the State Capitol in Sacramento. According to Global Genes, a rare disease advocacy organization, there are 7,000 distinct types of rare and genetic disease. It takes, on average, eight years for a rare disease patient to receive an accurate diagnosis. The financial and emotional costs of delayed and inaccurate diagnoses are significant. Rare diseases, although by definition rare, all together affect more people than cancer and AIDS combined. Building awareness of the care and treatment access issues impacting rare disease patients is an important goal. CalRare, a ... August 27, 2019 Legislation 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: August 3, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. November Ballot Rundown California’s ballot has evolved into an impressive — and daunting — laundry list of policy proposals, running the gamut of fiscal and social policy. While the 17 measures on the ballot are not a statewide record, many of the state’s hot-button political issues — including healthcare, guns, criminal justice, and environmental protection — will all be decided by voters this fall. Tax measures loom large this year, with ... August 3, 2016 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight, Propositions 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: June 21, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Budget and Election Watch This week, we’ll wrap up the primary election, and focus on what to watch in November. But we begin with the state budget, which was approved by lawmakers last week after quick agreement with Gov. Jerry Brown. The budget is another big win for Brown, who won support from Democrats to boost budget reserves by billions above the constitutionally guaranteed minimum. Brown did offer more money for ... June 21, 2016 Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: April 26, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. The Legislative Scramble Last week was a frantic one inside the Capitol as lawmakers faced a key deadline to pass bills out of policy committee. Measures that did not receive committee approval last week were shelved for the year. A number of major proposals lived to fight another day, but many efforts were left on the prominent pile of abandoned bill ideas that accumulates each and every year. Among those bills ... April 26, 2016 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: April 11, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. A Higher Wage (and Higher Tobacco Tax?) Gov. Jerry Brown continued to make history when he signed a $15/hour minimum wage into law. The governor, whose administration had publicly opposed calls for a higher wage, couched the increase in moral terms at a Los Angeles signing ceremony. What’s notable is that the higher wage will take effect statewide. Others had thought that more economically depressed areas of the state might ... April 12, 2016 Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: March 28, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Making the Ballot A deal was reached among Democratic leaders in Sacramento late last week on a plan to bring California’s minimum wage to $15 per hour — the highest in the nation and double the national minimum. The deal comes after years of wrestling in the legislature, and a statewide push that began years ago with a handful of public sector unions in Los Angeles. The accord avoids a fight ... March 28, 2016 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: February 17, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Whirlwinds of Change The California Coastal Commission ousted executive director Charles Lester last week, setting off a political firestorm that reached all the way to the governor’s office. Lester’s critics on the commission characterized the issue as one of management, claiming they had tried for years to get him to be more responsive to commissioners and others with business before the commission. Lester’s backers took the effort to oust him ... February 17, 2016 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: February 1, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Crime and the Coast Gov. Jerry Brown announced plans for a major new ballot initiative this fall — but it wasn’t climate change or tax reform in the governor’s crosshairs. Instead, Brown will focus on criminal justice, seeking changes in the parole system to allow more flexibility to locals and to help alleviate the pressures of the jail and prison system caused by years of lock-em-up policies. Those policies, ironically ... February 1, 2016 CMA, Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA Capitol Insight With Anthony York: January 4, 2016 CMA Capitol Insight is a biweekly column by veteran journalist Anthony York, reporting on the inner workings of the state Legislature. Back to Work The Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown are back in Sacramento, taking up much of the unfinished business of the 2015 legislative year, and with a few new initiatives in store. The action begins in earnest later this week when Brown releases his state budget plan. With state revenues still strong, the dynamics of the state budget fight are familiar: Democrats will be pushing for expanded spending on social ... January 4, 2016 Legislation Capitol Insight 0 0 Comment Read More »
Update on Federal Legislation From AMA Just before midnight on December 15, House leaders revealed the details of two legislative packages for passage before Congress adjourns for the holidays. The FY2016 omnibus appropriations package will fund federal agencies and programs through September 30, 2016. Many of the earlier debated policy riders, such as the proposal to “defund” Planned Parenthood, were omitted from the bill. However, the $1.1 trillion spending package does include a two-year delay of the so-called “Cadillac tax” on benefit-rich health insurance plans (for 2018 and 2019), as well as a one-year delay of ... December 17, 2015 Legislation AMA 0 0 Comment Read More »