BILL NUMBER: AB 244 VETOED DATE: 10/11/2009 To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 244 without my signature. I have vetoed similar measures twice before. The addition of a new mandate, especially one of this magnitude, will only serve to significantly increase the overall cost of health care. This, like other mandates, also increases cost in an environment in which health coverage is increasingly expensive. California has over 40 mandates on its health care service plans and health insurance policies. While these mandates are well-intentioned, the costs associated with the cumulative effect of these mandates mean that these costs are passed through to the purchaser and consumer. I continue to have serious concerns about the rising costs of healthcare and must weigh the potential benefits of a mandate with the comprehensive costs to the entire delivery system ? and for that reason, I cannot support this bill. Sincerely, Arnold Schwarzenegger