BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1858
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Date of Hearing: May 5, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1858 (Blumenfield) - As Amended: April 13, 2010
Policy Committee: Health Vote:11-5
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the California Department of Public Health
to allow clinics meeting specified eligibility criteria to
provide needle exchange projects to reduce the spread of
infection such as HIV and viral hepatitis. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Authorizes DPH to approve needle exchange projects to be
administered by eligible clinics. This bill does not modify
the current law authority of local jurisdictions (cities and
counties) to approve needle exchange projects.
2)Requires DPH to establish and maintain information on their
website about needle exchange projects established pursuant to
this bill.
3)Requires DPH to produce biennial reports on needle exchange
projects established pursuant to this bill and submit these
reports to the local health officer in each jurisdiction.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Annual GF costs to the Department of Public Health (DPH) of
$30,000 to $40,000 in 2011 through 2013 to establish
regulations and comply with other requirements of this bill,
including hosting information about projects on the internet
and an expansion of reporting related to local health
jurisdictions.
2)Ongoing, likely absorbable costs for DPH to continue oversight
of needle exchange projects after 2013.
AB 1858
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3)Unknown, potentially significant savings to the extent this
bill reduces medical costs associated with infectious diseases
such as HIV and hepatitis.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill is sponsored by the Drug Policy Alliance
to increase the availability of needle exchange projects
statewide and to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases
such as HIV and viral hepatitis.
2)Background . Under current law there are authorized needle
exchange projects in 21 counties and 28 cities statewide.
Current law authorizes a needle exchange program in cities and
counties following approval of a county board of supervisors
and the local health officer. Current law also requires
public input with regard to any potential adverse impacts of
syringe exchange programs to ensure issues are addressed and
mitigated.
3)Reduced Disease Transmission . This bill expands avenues by
which needle exchange projects may be established. Needle
exchanges are a core harm reduction strategy for intravenous
drug users. Injection drug use and the sharing of contaminated
needles is one of the most common modes of HIV transmission.
In California, this is the second most common mode of
infection, leading to 20% of all AIDS cases statewide. To
successfully reduce transmission, HIV outreach and education
programs have included strategies to address intravenous drug
use.
3) Related Legislation . AB 547 (Berg), Chapter 692,
Statutes of 2005 established the needle exchange program
addressed and expanded in AB 1858.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081