Legislative Updates

Legislative Updates

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Legislative Updates 〰️

SB 1184 - Confidentiality of Medical Information Act: school-linked services coordinators

This bill will change the California Medical Privacy act to authorize a health care provider or service plan to disclose your child’s medical information to a school-linked services coordinator.

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Date: April 5th

SB 1184 was amended.

(23) To the extent not preempted by federal law, the The information may be disclosed to a school-linked services coordinator. coordinator pursuant to a written authorization between the health provider and the patient or client that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Please contact and call the Judiciary Committee members immediately:

Inform committee members that “Due to new amendments to SB 1184, this bill is no longer necessary, as the amendment now repeats existing law.”

Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or contractor from disclosing medical information, as defined, regarding a patient of the provider of health care or an enrollee or subscriber of the health care service plan without first obtaining an authorization, except as prescribed. The act authorizes a provider of health care or a health care service plan to disclose medical information in certain circumstances, including by authorizing disclosure to providers of health care, health care service plans, contractors, or other health care professionals or facilities for purposes of diagnosis or treatment of the patient.

PROBLEMS:

- Expands circumstance under which can request and share information

  • Yes, pending receipt of written authorization

  • HOWEVER, if most parents electronically sign the re-enrollment papers without reading, they are likely going to sign these.

- Expands recipients – before psychologist, school nurse, and clinical social worker.

  • NOW any person with a credential that allows him or her to perform “school counseling, school psychology, child welfare and attendance services, and school social work” at any grade level. § See Education Code, Section 44266

- Unnecessary because other laws exist requiring the written authorization

Letters can be sent to the Committee through any of the following ways:

SB 920 - Medical Board of California: investigations: record requests.

Sen Melissa Hurtado sent out a press release, that she is pulling SB 920 https://sd14.senate.ca.gov/news/press-release/hurtado-releases-statement-her-decision-pull-senate-bill-920.

A hearing date has been set for April 26th in Senate Judicial committee. This is due to a clerical error because it was double referred.

SB 1479 - COVID19 testing in schools: COVID19 testing plans (PAN)

Requires schools to continue COVID19 testing. This bill would require each school district, county office of education, and charter school to create a COVID-19 testing plan and designate one staff member to report information on its COVID-19 testing program to the department. The bill would require that all COVID-19 testing data be in a format that facilitates a simple process by which parents and local educational agencies may report data to the department. By imposing new obligations on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also authorize each school within a school district to name a staff member to lead its COVID-19testing program. The bill would require the department to determine which COVID-19 tests are appropriate for the testing program.

Contact the Senate Education Committee members with your opposition.

Senate Health Committee Hearing: March 30 at 1pm - PASSED COMMITTEE Referred to Senate Education Committee.

Opposition Letter Reminder Deadlines.

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Opposition Letter Reminder Deadlines. 〰️

OPPOSITION LETTER REMINDER


YOUR LETTERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE PORTAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. GET THEM SUBMITTED BY THE DEADLINES TO BE INCLUDED IN BILL ANALYSIS. ENCOURAGE ALL ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES TO DO THE SAME.


The deadline to submit an opposition letter for:

  • AB 2098- Physicians and surgeons: unprofessional conduct (Low): Monday April 11th by 5pm (8 days before the hearing at 5:00 pm)

  • AB 1797 - Development of a state immunization registry:

    Tuesday April 12th by 12pm

  • SB 920 - Medical Board: investigations: Monday April 19th by 5pm

Please don’t wait until the last minute.

Other bills to submit opposition now:

  • SB 1390 social media disinformation (PAN)

  • SB 866 Minors: vaccine consent (Wiener)

  • SB 871 Public health: immunizations (Pan)

  • SB 920 Medical Board of California: investigations: record requests (Hurtado)


Submit all your opposition letters for each bill to the Legislative Portal. Please keep all submissions in a professional tone, tailor to the respective committee and limit to one page. Please encourage all medical professionals and organizations to also submit letters of opposition.

Instructions and link to submit letters here.

List of bills to oppose and Talking Point Compilation from all organizations.

Also call committee members for meetings and/ voice your opposition.

AB 1797
Development of a state immunization registry (Weber)

Would merge the three CA Immunization Registry tracking systems to create one statewide system and all vaccines will be required to be entered into the CA Immunization Registry (CAIR). Schools and other entities would have access to all vaccine records, rather than just those of their students/patients or the particular vaccines required for school.

Assembly Health Committee:
Hearing date: April 19th at 1:30 p.m.

AB 2098 - Physicians and surgeons: unprofessional conduct (Low)

This bill would designate the dissemination or promotion of misinformation or disinformation related to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, or “COVID-19,” by a physician or surgeon as unprofessional conduct, allowing the Medical Board to take action against such physician or surgeon.

Assembly: Business and Professions Committee

Hearing Date: April 19th at 9 a.m

Information regarding a call-in option for testimony will be made available and updated the night prior to the hearing date.



UPCOMING HEARINGS

Please attend hearings make public comment of opposition. Some committee webpages list a Public comment Call in number. Please click on link for calendar.

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