Legislation

2011 California Legislative Priorities

SB 90 (Steinberg) – Seismic Safety Delay (OPPOSE)

This bill would extend the deadline for hospitals to meet state-required seismic safety upgrades from 2013 and 2015 to 2020 and 2022. This legislation puts all health care workers and patients at grave risk. The hospital industry has succeeded in delaying vital seismic safety upgrades for years but as recent events in Japan highlight, its critical for hospitals to be able to withstand the impact of natural disasters, including earthquakes. SIGNED INTO LAW

AB 675 (Hagman) – Continuing Education Credits (OPPOSE)

This bill would prohibit RN continuing education requirements from having any political advocacy content. RNs rely on political advocacy to advance legislation benefitting their patients — such as the passage of RN-to-ptient ratios, and to provide a balancing voice to efforts by the hospital industry, insurance companies, and their lobbyists, to weaken laws intended to ensure patient care comes before profits. FAILED IN ASSEMBLY BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE

AB 30 (Hayashi) – Health facilities/correction facilities security plans. (SPONSOR/SUPPORT)

This bill would require security plans in hospitals and correctional facilities to prohibit workplace violence. As repeated stories in the media have demonstrated, RNs experience significantly higher levels of violence than many other workers, including some fatal attacks by patients. HELD IN ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS

AB 375 (Skinner)-  RN Presumptive Eligibility (SPONSOR/SUPPORT)

This bill would presume that RNs who contract workplace illnesses are presumed eligible for worker’s compensation. In addition to the workplace violence noted in the section above, RNs are also exposed to on-the-job injuries and illnesses at much higher levels that many other workers yet must go through a burdensome process to prove their workplace injuries are related to their employment. Injuries to other workers such as police and firefighters are presumed to be job-related.

AB 554 (Yee)- Ratio Enforcement: Penalties (SPONSOR/SUPPORT)

This bill would enforce monetary penalties for hospital facilities that don’t comply with the RN-to-patient ratio law, which mandates a safe level of staffing in hospitals to ensure safe patient care. Without these penalties, hospitals would be able to violate RN-to-patient ratios knowing there was no penalty for doing so. HELD IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS

 AB 1136 (Swanson)- Lift Teams (SUPPORT/SPONSOR)

This bill would require hospitals to use lift teams and equipment to transfer and reposition patients, thus cutting down on RN and worker back injuries. Nurses already have an abnormally high rate of on-the-job injuries, including back injuries which can be particualrly hard to recover from, and can lead to a life-time of pain and disability. This legislation is now moving to the Senate floor.

SB 161 (Huff) Unlicensed Administration of Diastat (OPPOSE)

This bill would allow unlicensed school employees to administer valium rectally to school children having seizures, thus performing a medical function more appropriately performed by licensed, trained medical personel. Nurses oppose this legislation over concerns for the safety of children.

AB 1321 (Wieckowski) Municipal Bankruptcy (SUPPORT)

This bill would established guidelines for municipal bankruptcy proceedings. This bill would protect California taxpayers by providing modest checks-and-balances to ensure that municipal bankruptcy is truly used as a last resort, rather than a quick fix or a negotiating tactic.

Legislation