It’s taken a lot of work to get here. A CPA sponsored bill setting up a continuum of substance use treatment for youth like AB 1031 (Nazarian) is also a consensus bill. Without opposition, with bi-partisan legislator support, it just missed being a unanimous consent item (skip testimony, go straight to a vote) this last week as the Senate Health Committee, chaired by pediatrician Richard Pan, MD approved it 9-0. That milestone completes its policy review for 2019. Next stop, fiscal review by the Appropriations Committee, i.e. how much is it going to cost and who will pay? The other sponsored bill AB 565 (Maienschein) loan repayment for public psychiatry is currently undergoing fiscal review. As I write this, I’m awaiting word on an arcane ruling, whether AB 565 will be “28.8’d.” This rule provides a path straight to the floor of the house (this case Senate) skipping fiscal review in an appropriations committee because it is deemed to have a light cost footprint on state finances. Fingers crossed.
