PPAC California Legislative Updates

If you remember, that’s the combined amount of state windfall income along with a huge chunk of federal stimulus funds proposed mostly for one-time spending in California. An effort of this scale has never been attempted, making this year’s budget historic in size and sweep. The vast and sprawling array [...]

PPAC Government Affairs Committee Chair, William Arroyo, MD, and I gave input to a recent California Medical Association specialty society meeting to discuss and formulate an AB 890 strategy for the Board of Registered Nursing. (The BRN is ramping up activities of it’s Nurse Practitioner Advisory Group). CMA is setting [...]

$100 billion. State budget surplus has reached an astounding $75.7 billion which, combined with federal stimulus funds of just over $26 billion, fuel Governor Newsom’s $100 billion “California Roars Back” plan. More detail available in the Governor’s May Revised budget published May 14. Broad spending priorities were leaked beforehand, with big chunks being directed to stimulus checks [...]

AB 1178 (Irwin) was narrowed slightly (Chair of Assembly Health Committee wanted 180-day TAR free zone instead of our proposed 365 days) Assembly Health Committee vote: 15-0, all members, both parties, voting in favor. Note, California Medical Association lent an assist and testified in support. Thanks, CMA! 20 second time out. [...]

Akilah Weber, MD has apparently won the contest for the 79th Assembly District seat on April 6th! You may remember Dr. Weber is an OB-GYN with a strong interest in children and youth mental health from the San Diego area. Pat on the back for PPAC’s political action committee which gave [...]

Xavier Becerra, California’s Attorney General, confirmed and will lead national health efforts as Secretary of the US Health and Human Service Agency. The Secretary will recommend an Assistant Secretary for behavioral health - PPAC is rooting for a psychiatrist. Mr. Becerra, a co-author of the Affordable Care Act, worked hard [...]