CAPM supports and occasionally sponsors legislation and regulations that enhance public health and disease prevention and control in California. We follow the legislative priorities of the California Medical Association, being represented on its Council on Legislation and Legislative Leadership Day. We also consult on bills with the Health Officers Association of California and other organizations, as well as selecting bills on our own initiative. Following are some examples of CAPM’s recent legislative involvement. Legislative advocacy consumes only a minor proportion of CAPM’s budget.
- Letter to Assembly Member Bonta, supporting his bill, AB 966, to make condoms available in state prisons (1/13/14); and to Governor Brown asking for signature. Bill passed both houses and was signed into law.
- Letter to Assembly Member Hall, supporting his bill, AB 1576, to require condom use and infection control for adult film actors (3/19/14). Bill passed Assembly but failed to pass out of Senate Appropriations Committee.
- Letter to Assembly Member Brown, supporting her bill, AB 1898, to make HIV co-infections reportable and permit communication about them (5/19/14); and to Governor Brown requesting signature. Bill passed both house, and was signed into law.
- Letter to Assembly Member Williams, supporting his bill, AB 1667, to revise TB screening for school employees (5/27/14); and to Governor Brown requesting signature. Bill passed both houses, and was signed into law.
- Letter to Assembly Member Dickinson, supporting his bill, AB 1500, to prohibit direct shipping of tobacco products to minors (5/27/14). Failed to pass out of Assembly Appropriations Committee.
- Letter to Assembly Member Mullin, supporting his bill, AB 1437, to prohibit sale of meat from antibiotic-treated animals (5/27/14). Failed to pass out of Assembly Health Committee.
- Letter to Senator Monning, supporting his bill, SB 1000, to require health warning labels on sugary drinks (5/27/14) Failed to pass out of Assembly Health Committee.
- Letter to Senator Hill, supporting his bill, SB 835, to prohibit use of medically important antibiotic to food animals, except if prescribed for veterinary purposes (6/23/14); and to Governor Brown requesting signature. Bill passed both houses, but was vetoed.
- Letter to Senator Hill, supporting his bill, SB 1311, to require antibiotic stewardship in acute care hospitals (5/27/14); and to Governor Brown requesting signature. Bill passed both houses, and was signed into law.
In addition, CAPM has agreed to join a coalition headed by the California Medical Association, to protect MICRA (the Medical Insurance Compensation Act) against an initiative sponsored by trial lawyers.
- Letter to Gov. Brown (successfully) requesting signature for AB 446 (Mitchell) on HIV testing (9/30/13)
- Letter to Gov. Brown (unsuccessfully) requesting signature for AB 999 (Bonta) on condoms in prisons (9/30/13)
- Letter to Gov. Brown (successfully) requesting signature for SB 402 (DeLeon) on breastfeeding (9/19/13)
- Letter to Assembly Member Hall, supporting AB 640 (formerly AB 332) on condoms for adult film industry (8/8/13) Replaced by AB 1576 in 2014, see above.
- Letter to Senator Corbett, supporting SB 648 to regulate electronic cigarettes (5/27/13) Withdrawn from Assembly Governmental Operations Committee when lacked sufficient votes.
- Letter to Assembly Member Ammiano, supporting AB 336 against condom use as evidence in prostitution cases (6/20/13) Withdrawn from Senate Public Safety Committee after weakened by amendments, but passed in that form in 2014.
- Letter to Assembly Member Nestande, supporting AB 609 requiring electronic availability of results of state-funded research (5/27/13) Failed to pass out of Senate Governmental Organization Committee.
- Letter to Gov. Brown (successfully) requesting signature for AB 1640 (Mitchell), on CalWorks for pregnant women (8/27/12)
- Letter to Gov. Brown (successfully) requesting signature for AB 2253 (Pan), on electronic conveyance of confidential lab results (8/27/12)
- Letter to Gov. Brown (unsuccessfully) requesting signature for SB 1318 (Wolk), requiring influenza immunization for clinic employees (8/27/12)
CAPM-SPONSORED LEGISLATION: In 2011, CAPM sponsored a bill, SB 380 (Wright), to require the California Medical Board to periodically disseminate information to physicians on the application of nutrition and lifestyle for prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. The Board is also empowered, but not required, to mandate that these subjects be addressed in CME courses on chronic diseases. The bill passed, was signed into law, and became effective in 2012. However, as of 2014, CAPM is still urging the Board to implement this bill; and several CAPM members serve on a Working Group called for in the bill, to advise the Board on this matter.