BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 564
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 2, 2014

                         ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair                        

                    SB 564 (Monning) - As Amended:  June 19, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                             HealthVote:11-7

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires California ski resorts to report injuries to  
          the Department of Public Health (DPH) on a monthly basis, and  
          requires DPH to make reports publicly available on their web  
          site. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Costs to DPH for the first year of implementation could exceed  
          $150,000 GF.  Costs are likely to be lower in future years as  
          data procedures and analytical methodology are routinized.   

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . The author argues there is significant morbidity and  
            mortality associated with ski and snowboard injuries, and that  
            current data collection methods, such as hospital-based  
            sampling approaches, are insufficient because they do not  
            capture snow sports-related injuries in sufficient detail.

           2)Background  .  The Safe and Active Communities Branch within DPH  
            conducts a number of activities related to surveillance and  
            prevention of injuries.  The field of injury control is based  
            on findings that causes of injuries are understandable and  
            predictable, and injuries are preventable.  DPH reports this  
            scientific approach of data collection, analysis, and  
            evidence-based policy change to prevent injury has shown  
            success in reducing senior falls, suicide, pedestrian  
            incidents, and shaken baby syndrome, for example. There is  
            currently no data reporting specific to snow sports, but DPH  
            collects hospital treatment data which includes diagnosis codes  
            that relate to various types of injuries, and reports this data  








                                                                  SB 564
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            through an online portal. 
                
            3)Support  .  California Ski and Snowboard Safety Organization, a  
            non-profit organization dedicated to safety of California ski  
            resorts, and a number of health care provider groups support  
            this bill. 

           4)Opposition  .  The National Ski Areas Association and numerous  
            California ski resorts oppose this bill, citing the belief that  
            reporting is onerous and will not increase safety, but that  
            data collected will be used to support litigation.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081