Assemblymember Thomson (D) introduced AB 675 which will create “specified requirements for a patient classification system to provide sufficient staff to ensure safe patient care. UNAC/UHCP supports this important legislation. Unfortunately, Governor Gray Davis (D) vetoes the legislation, claiming that it conflicts with federal guidelines that require the Department of Health Services to make federal Medicare and Medicaid certification documents available to the public.
2000
UNAC/UHCP and AFSCME are the only two official supporters of legislation SB 1272 (Ortiz – D). This bill helps provide greater safety for home health workers and requires an employer to keep a record of any violence committed against a community health care worker. This bill is signed into law by Governor Gray Davis (D) on September 16, 2000.
2004
AB 2532 (Hancock – D) requires specified hospitals to provide “lift teams” to assist health care workers in lifting patients. UNAC/UHCP supports this legislation, but it is later vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R).
2005
UNAC/UHCP helps pass SB 363 (Perata- D) – hospital lift team legislation. This bill requires each general acute care hospital, except those located in rural areas, to establish a health care worker back injury prevention plan, which includes identifying the need for lift teams and devices on all shifts. Governor Schwarzenegger (R) vetoes the bill.
2006
State Legislature again passes lift team legislation SB 1204 (Perata- D) with the support of UNAC/UHCP and other healthcare organizations. Unfortunately, Governor Schwarzenegger (R) vetoes the bill again.
2008
UNAC/UHCP supports and advocates for the passage of safe patient handling legislation – SB 1151 (Perata- D) and AB 371 (Huffman – D). Both pieces of legislation require hospitals to implement safe patient handling and healthcare worker back injury prevention plans. Governor Schwarzenegger (R) vetoes both bills.
