BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 769|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 769
Author: Alquist (D)
Amended: 5/28/09
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 11-0, 4/22/09
AYES: Alquist, Strickland, Aanestad, Cedillo, Cox,
DeSaulnier, Leno, Maldonado, Negrete McLeod, Pavley, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Federal funding: economic stimulus: local
health
administration
SOURCE : Health Officers Association of California
DIGEST : This bill requires federal funding received
pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009, for purposes of chronic disease prevention and
wellness, to be subject to appropriation by the Legislature
commencing with the 2009-10 fiscal year.
ANALYSIS : Under existing federal law, the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), makes
supplemental appropriations for job preservation and
creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and
science, assistance to the unemployed, and state and local
fiscal stabilization, for the fiscal year ending September
30, 2009.
CONTINUED
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Existing state law establishes local health departments to
protect and preserve the public health, and provides for
the allocation of state aid to local health departments
according to a specified formula for prescribed purposes,
including communicable disease control activities and
community and public health surveillance activities.
This bill:
1.Requires federal funding received pursuant to the
Recovery Act, for purposes of chronic disease prevention
and wellness, to be subject to appropriation by the
Legislature commencing with the 2009-10 fiscal year.
2.Provides that its provisions apply when federal funding
is allocated and expended for disease control and
prevention activities by local health jurisdictions.
Background
The Recovery Act includes spending increases and tax
relief, intended to spur an economic recovery and create
jobs. The final bill includes $507 billion in spending
programs and $282 billion in tax relief. According to a
summary of the House Committee on Appropriations, the money
allocated for healthcare-related activities is distributed
as follows:
1. Health Information Technology: $19 billion to jumpstart
efforts to computerize health records.
2. Prevention and Wellness Fund: $1 billion to fight
preventable chronic diseases and infectious diseases. Of
this amount, $300 million goes towards immunization
programs and $650 million goes towards clinical and
community-based prevention and wellness strategies.
3. Healthcare Effectiveness Research: $1.1 billion for
Healthcare Research and Quality programs to compare the
effectiveness of different medical treatments.
4. Community Health Centers: $2 billion for the provision
of services to the uninsured, renovate clinics, and make
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health information technology improvements.
5. Training Primary Care Providers: $500 million to address
workforce shortages and future demand.
6. Indian Health Service: $500 million to modernize aging
hospitals and health clinics and make healthcare
technology upgrades to improve healthcare for
underserved rural populations.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/27/09)
Health Officers Association of California (source)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the Health Officers
Association of California (HOAC), hiring public health
nurses and other professionals will immediately stimulate
the economy by providing an infusion of money to local
health departments that have been forced to slash their
workforce as a result of the economic downturn. HOAC
writes that this bill will make sure that public health
funding provided by the federal government will be used
where it can do the most good, both for the economy and for
public health.
CTW:do 5/27/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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