CAMLT POLITICAL UPDATE
By Public Policy Advocates, LLC
GOVERNOR/LEGISLATURE
The Legislature has returned from spring recess and has begun what will be a very heavy committee hearing calendar for the month of April. April 26th is the last day for policy committees to hear and report to fiscal committees, fiscal bills introduced in their house.
California is facing a massive budget deficit. The Legislative Analyst’s office (LAO) initially estimated a $58 billion deficit at the time of the Governor’s budget proposed in January 2024. A number of factors are expected to drive that figure up by the time the Governor delivers his May Budget Revise. The LAO estimates that the deficit could grow to $73 billion.
LEGISLATION
We are currently in the second year of the 2-year legislative session. Public Policy Advocates in conjunction with CAMLT continues to confront legislation to expand scope of practice and efforts to dilute standards. At the direction of CAMLT, PPA secured an Author and had legislation introduced to secure grants for training programs. Please check the website for ongoing updates on bill status.
Click on each bill number for access to full text of each measure:
CAMLT SPONSOR BILL
AB 2702 (Chen) Training programs for clinical laboratory scientists and medical laboratory technicians: grants. As introduced 2/14/24 and amended 3/14/24 – SPONSOR/SUPPORT
This measure would authorize the State Department of Public Health within the California Health and Human Services Agency, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish a grant program to provide funding to training programs that both offer training programs for clinical laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians and are approved by the department or accredited by a recognized accrediting program approved by the department. AB 2702 would also authorize the department to award grants to those training programs in the amount of no more than $600,000, to be used within 3 years of receiving a grant.
Passage of this bill may finally provide funding to Clinical Laboratory Science educational programs to expand the number of students these programs accept. This funding must be flexible enough to be used to fund laboratory preceptorships as that is a clear chokepoint for the laboratory workforce pipeline.
Location: AB 2702 passed out of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on April 2nd. The measure has been referred to the Assembly Higher Education Committee. Passed through Assembly Higher Education Committee on April 16, 2024 (11 Ayes, 0 Noes) and re-referred to Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
AB 2107 (Chen) Clinical laboratory technology: remote review. As amended 4/3/24 – NEUTRAL
AB 2107 is Sponsored by the California Society of Pathologists. If passed, this measure would authorize pathologists and laboratory personnel acting within their scope of practice to review digital material at a remote location under a primary site’s CLIA certificate if CLIA requirements are met. AB 2107 would also authorize a clinical laboratory to utilize a temporary site for remote review and reporting of digital materials if the designated primary site or home base is certified under CLIA and the work being performed in the temporary site falls within the parameters of the primary site’s CLIA certificate. The bill would authorize pathologists and licensed laboratory personnel to remotely review digital materials if the digital materials are related to their ordinary course of onsite work. This measure has registered opposition from the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union, California State Council and the United Food and Commercial Workers, Western States Council.
Location: AB 2107 had its first policy hearing on April 2 where is passed out of committee and was referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. To be heard again April 24, 2024 at 9:30am -1021 O Street, Room 1100
AB 3009 (Ward) Healing arts: clinical laboratories. As introduced 2/16/24 – WATCH FOR AMENDS
AB 3009 is currently a spot bill. Its true intent will not be known until it is substantially amended, if at all. Current bill verbiage is as follows “This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to clinical laboratories.”
Location: AB 3009 has not been set for hearing.