Policy Alert: Governor Signs CFHC Priority Bills Into Law

The deadline for the Governor to sign bills into law has passed.

Out of 889 bills sent to his desk, he signed 760, vetoed 128 and let 1 go into law without action.

California Family Health Council applauds the Governor for recognizing the importance of promoting and providing access to vital health services by signing nearly all of our priority bills that passed through the legislature this session.

Governor Brown signed these priority bills into law:

• AB 499 (Atkins) will fill a gap in existing law by allowing minors to consent to and receive medical services to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
• AB 1296 (Bonilla) will streamline and simplify eligibility and enrollment for the California Health Benefits Exchange, Healthy Families and Medi-Cal as required by federal law.
• SB 41 (Yee) will allow pharmacists and physicians to furnish syringes as part of the state's comprehensive approach to preventing the spread of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• SB 299 (Evans) will ensure that employer-provided health care coverage is continued for women on Pregnancy Disability Leave.

Many thanks to all of you who took action to help these bills become law.

Unfortunately, one of the bills the Governor vetoed was AB 568 (Skinner), a bill that would have reduced the risks to pregnant inmates and their pregnancy by minimizing restraints on incarcerated women.

While the Governor's veto of AB 568 was disappointing, we are very pleased he signed several of CFHC's priority bills and ask that you please join us in thanking the Governor for signing these important public health bills into law.

• Download a sample thank you letter that addresses all the bills.
• Since the Governor signed AB 499 despite strong opposition from anti-vaccination and anti-choice groups, you can also download a stand-alone letter thanking him for signing AB 499.

If you have any questions about these bills, please contact Amy Moy at moya@cfhc.org.