BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 409|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 409
Author: Kehoe (D), et al
Amended: 4/27/06
Vote: 27 - Urgency
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 9-0, 05/03/06
AYES: Ortiz, Runner, Aanestad, Alquist, Chesbro, Cox,
Figueroa, Kuehl, Maldonado
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-0, 4/27/06 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Emergency health care services: appropriations
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill appropriates from the General Fund
$5,451,000 to the Department of Health Services and
$1,622,000 to the Emergency Medical Services Authority for
the 2005-06 fiscal year, for specified public health
purposes.
Assembly amendments delete the previous version of the bill
related to local government, add an urgency clause, and
ensure that public firefighters who are currently not
equipped with personal protective equipment receive access
to Emergency Medical Services Authority funds.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Establishes Department of Health Services (DHS) for the
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administration and oversight of various health care
programs.
2.Establishes Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA)
for the coordination and integration of all state
activities concerning emergency medical services.
This bill:
1.Appropriates from the General Fund $5,451,000 to DHS and
$1,622,000 to EMSA for the 2005-06 fiscal year, for
specified public health purposes as follows:
To DHS:
$76,000 to oversee management of antiviral supplies,
vaccines, and medical supplies that need to be obtained
and distributed during a pandemic;
$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;
$460,000 to purchase doses of antiviral supplies used in
the prevention or treatment of influenza; and,
$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.
To EMSA:
$1.6 million for the purchase and provision of personal
protective equipment (PPE) for fire and ambulance
personnel who agree, through a contract with EMSA or the
local emergency medical services agency. Recipients of
PPE are required to replace the equipment, as necessary,
and to provide necessary, ongoing training on the use of
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equipment.
2.Exempts the 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.
Background: Pandemic influenza preparedness
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.
Since December 2003, this new strain of avian influenza,
Avian Influenza A (H5N1), has spread through domestic and
wild bird populations in a number of countries in Asia
(most recently, Siberia, Russia, and Turkey) and is now
considered to be endemic (entrenched and continually
present). The World Health Organization and other experts
warn that the threat of pandemic influenza from Avian
Influenza A (H5N1) is imminent and will have devastating
consequences that extend beyond health and medical systems,
into every sector of society. For a pandemic to occur a
novel influenza A virus must emerge; it must cause serious
disease in humans; and it must have the capability to
spread easily from person to person. Two of these three
conditions for a pandemic have been met: (1) the novel
virus Avian Influenza A (H5N1) has appeared, for which no
immunity exists in the population; and (2) it has caused
disease in humans. As of December 7, 2005, the cumulative
number of human cases of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) since
December 2003 was 135 cases with 69 deaths, for a fatality
rate of 51 percent.
(Note: The Senate Health Committee analysis of SB 409
contains thorough background and discussion regarding
pandemic influenza.)
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
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Local: No
According to the Senate Health Committee analysis, the
Governor's proposed 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.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/3/06)
California Department of Health Services
California Medical Association
California State Association of Counties
County Health Executives Association of California
County of San Diego
Health Officers Association of California
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to DHS, this bill will
provide both DHS and EMSA with resources to continue its
preparations for public health emergencies, including
pandemic influenza. Specifically, the appropriation will
provide DHS with resources to hire personnel; purchase
antiviral supplies; purchase equipment for the Richmond
Lab; and, provide funding for local county health
departments to strengthen pandemic planning, conduct
epidemiologic investigations for disease outbreaks and
provide support to health efforts.
The California State Association of Counties states that
the funding in this bill will provide counties with
resources for essential activities to prepare for pandemic
influenza. County health departments must develop plans
for activities such as out reach and planning with
community partners including health care facilities and
providers, law enforcement, businesses and schools,
development of the capability to received, store and
dispense antivirals and vaccine, expansion and surveillance
capability, expansion of risk communication tools and
planning for reaching and serving special populations.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-0, 04/27/06
AYES: Aghazarian, Arambula, Baca, Bass, Benoit, Berg,
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Bermudez, Blakeslee, Bogh, Calderon, Canciamilla, Chan,
Chavez, Cogdill, Coto, Daucher, De La Torre, DeVore,
Dymally, Emmerson, Evans, Frommer, Garcia, Goldberg,
Hancock, Harman, Jerome Horton, Shirley Horton, Houston,
Huff, Karnette, Keene, Klehs, Koretz, La Malfa, La Suer,
Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber, Lieu, Liu, Matthews, Maze,
Montanez, Mountjoy, Mullin, Nakanishi, Nation, Nava,
Negrete McLeod, Niello, Parra, Pavley, Plescia, Richman,
Ridley-Thomas, Ruskin, Saldana, Salinas, Strickland,
Torrico, Tran, Umberg, Vargas, Villines, Wolk, Wyland,
Yee, Nunez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chu, Cohn, Haynes, Jones, Leslie,
McCarthy, Oropeza, Sharon Runner, Spitzer, Walters
CTW:nl 5/3/06 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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