BILL ANALYSIS
SB 409
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 409 (Kehoe)
As Amended April 6, 2006
2/3 vote. Urgency
SENATE VOTE :Vote not relevant
LOCAL GOVERNMENT WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
(vote not relevant) (vote not relevant)
APPROPRIATIONS 14-0
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| | | | |
|Ayes:|Chu, Runner, Bass, Berg, | | |
| |Calderon, De La Torre, | | |
| |Emmerson, Karnette, | | |
| |Klehs, Leno, Nakanishi, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Saldana, | | |
| |Yee | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Appropriates $7 million [General Fund (GF)] in the
current budget year to supplement funding provided in the Budget
Act of 2005. Contains an urgency clause allowing this bill to
take effect immediately upon enactment. Specifically, this bill
appropriates $5.4 million to the Department of Health Services
(DHS) for pandemic flu vaccines, laboratory equipment, state
staff for pandemic flu planning/communicable disease outbreaks,
and $1.6 million to the Emergency Medical Services Authority
(EMSA) for personal protective equipment (PPE) for ambulance
personnel, as follows:
1)To EMSA: $1.6 million for the purchase and provision of PPE
for ambulance personnel who agree, through a contract with
EMSA or the local emergency medical services agency, to
participate in state and local disaster response. Recipients
of PPE are required to replace the equipment, as necessary,
and to provide necessary, ongoing training on the use of
equipment.
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2)To DHS:
a) $76,000 to oversee management of antiviral supplies,
vaccines, and medical supplies that need to be obtained and
distributed during a pandemic;
b) $415,000 to provide expanded capacity in the Microbial
Diseases Laboratory and the Viral and Rickettsial Diseases
Laboratory to implement new tests to control infectious
diseases, and to purchase a portable Raman Infrared
Microscopy System and a portable Gas Chromatographic/Mass
Spectroscopy System for the state laboratory in Richmond;
c) $460,000 to purchase doses of antiviral supplies used in
the prevention or treatment of influenza; and,
d) $4.5 million to strengthen pandemic influenza planning
efforts, conduct epidemiologic investigations of infectious
and communicable disease outbreaks, and provide
epidemiologic and statistical support as requested.
3)Exempts funds appropriated under this bill from State Contract
Act requirements, in order to rapidly implement pandemic
influenza planning and preparedness efforts, contracts or
other agreements entered into for pandemic influenza planning
or preparedness activities.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriates $7 million (GF) in 2005-06 ($5.4
million to DHS and $1.6 million to EMSA).
COMMENTS :
1)This urgency bill appropriates $7 million to enhance
California's ability to respond to public health emergencies,
whether naturally occurring or resulting from terrorism.
The appropriation in this bill for DHS is intended to strengthen
SB 409
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DHS' response to public health emergencies, including pandemic
influenza, strengthen the DHS laboratory infrastructure and
staffing, expand the state's disease surveillance, and improve
DHS' ability to respond to pandemic influenza and other
natural and intentional disasters that can jeopardize public
health.
The appropriation in this bill for EMSA is intended to purchase
PPE for 1,500 private ambulance units through grants from
local Emergency Medical Services agencies. This equipment
will ensure that private ambulance providers have a greater
level of protection to enable an "all hazard" response, with
an emphasis on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and
explosive events. EMSA indicates approximately 28% of the
ambulances in California have sufficient PPE to respond to
terrorism events and disasters.
2)DHS states that one of the most important public health issues
facing California is the threat of pandemic influenza. As of
January 2006, a pandemic influenza strain does not exist, but
a new strain of avian influenza has been spreading in bird
populations. As of April 4, 2006, there were 191 confirmed
human cases and 108 deaths from avian flu in nine nations.
The Governor's 2006-07 DHS budget appropriates $45.8 million
(GF), $103.8 million in federal funds, and provides 162.8
positions to support California's public health system's
capacity to respond to various events, including bioterrorism,
outbreaks of infectious diseases, and other public health
threats. Reports over the last few years by the RAND
Corporation and the Little Hoover Commission have urged
improvements to California's public health infrastructure.
Analysis Prepared by : Scott Bain / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
FN: 0013949