BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 673
Author: John A. Pérez (D), et al.
Amended: 6/1/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 6-3, 06/08/11
AYES: Hernandez, Alquist, De León, DeSaulnier, Rubio, Wolk
NOES: Strickland, Anderson, Blakeslee
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 6-3, 08/25/11
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Lieu, Pavley, Price, Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Emmerson, Runner
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 49-24, 05/12/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Office of Multicultural Health: LGBT
communities
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill adds consideration of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities to the duties
of the Office of Multicultural Health (OMH).
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
Establishes OMH within the Department of Public Health
(DPH) to perform various duties on behalf of DPH and the
Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), including:
CONTINUED
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Developing plans to address gaps in health status
and access to care among the state's diverse racial
and ethnic communities;
Conducting state-funded projects to improve
effectiveness of services to ethnic and racial
communities,
Disseminating information and serving as a liaison
within state departments and to health care providers
regarding racial and ethnic communities, and
consulting regularly with representatives from these
communities; and
Ensuring that programs keep data and information
regarding ethnic and racial health statistics.
This bill:
1.Adds LGBT communities to the entities included within
OMH's responsibilities.
2.Requires OMH to also ensure that programs keep data and
information regarding gender identity and gender
expression.
Background
Office of Multicultural Health . OMH was created in August
1993 through Executive Order W-58-93 by Governor Pete
Wilson, and in 1999 was established in statute by AB 1107
(Cedillo), Chapter 146, Statutes of 1999. OMH is a shared
office within the Office of the Director DPH and the Office
of the Director of DHCS. OMH serves as a focal point in
both departments for improved planning and coordination of
activities and programs related to racial and ethnic
populations in California, and as a liaison between both
departments and outside stakeholders. OMH's programmatic
costs are shared equally by DHCS and DPH.
OMH is currently responsible for the following:
Performing strategic planning within state
departments to develop department-wide plans for
implementation of goals and objectives to close the
gaps in health status and access to care among the
state's diverse racial and ethnic communities;
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Coordinating state-funded pilot projects and
planning projects related to improving the
effectiveness of services to ethnic and racial
communities;
Communicating and disseminating information and
performing a liaison function within the departments
and to providers of health, social, educational, and
support services to racial and ethnic communities;
Consulting regularly with representatives from
diverse racial and ethnic communities, including
health providers, advocates, and consumers;
Performing internal staff training, internal
assessments of cultural competency, and training of
health care professionals to ensure more
linguistically and culturally competent care;
Serving as a resource for ensuring that programs
keep data and information regarding ethnic and racial
health issues and measures, strategies and programs
that address multicultural health issues, as well as
issues that impact the health of racial and ethnic
communities;
Providing technical assistance to counties, other
public entities, and private entities seeking to
obtain funds for initiatives in multicultural health,
including identification of funding sources and
assistance with writing grants;
Reporting to the Legislature biennially on the
status of OMH's activities.
The OMH has a 21-member Council on Multicultural Health
which advises the Departments and Directors on
multicultural health issues. The Council is composed of
members from California's multiethnic communities, with
diverse professional backgrounds. The Council assists both
DPH and DHCS in developing culturally competent policies
and programs and serves as a conduit for the exchange of
information with California's diverse racial and ethnic
communities.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
Staff to perform new duties $30 $60
$60General
related to LGBT communities
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/25/11)
AFSCME
American Academy of Pediatrics
California Immigrant Policy Center
Equality California
Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
National Association of Social Workers
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/25/11)
California Right to Life Committee, Inc.
Pacific Justice Institute
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) claims that LGBT youth are at particular risk for
victimization through bullying and violence, which can
result in multiple mental and physical health concerns.
AAP believes this bill will put California in a better
position to address LGBT issues by yielding additional
research and information, and use of that information.
Equality California supports the bill because it will allow
OHM to address the gap in health disparities in the LGBT
population. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
claim that members of the LGBT community often have unique
health experiences and needs, but do not always receive the
care they deserve. By including issues of sexual
orientation and gender identity within OHM's scope, the
state will be better able to develop and implement more
inclusive public health policy to serve California's
diverse population.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The California Right to Life
Committee, Inc. (CRLC) believes this bill is an attempt to
further advance the "homosexual movement." According to
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CRLC, "this bill would require another government employee
to address this special group adding to the cost and to the
bureaucracy." CRLC claims that assisting public and
private entities to write grants and find funds is "another
vehicle to bring this group into mainstream acceptance."
They do not believe that health problems should be
addressed by singling out one group, and suggests the LGBT
group itself take more responsibility in addressing its
health concerns.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 49-24, 05/12/11
AYES: Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Block,
Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan,
Butler, Campos, Carter, Chesbro, Davis, Dickinson, Eng,
Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani,
Gatto, Gordon, Hall, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill,
Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Lara, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma,
Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez,
Skinner, Solorio, Swanson, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,
John A. Pérez
NOES: Bill Berryhill, Conway, Cook, Donnelly, Beth Gaines,
Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Harkey, Jeffries, Jones,
Knight, Logue, Mansoor, Miller, Morrell, Nestande,
Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Silva, Smyth, Valadao, Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Achadjian, Charles Calderon, Cedillo,
Garrick, Gorell, Portantino, Torres
CTW:nl 8/26/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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