From: PAC/LAC [listserv@paclac.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 5:06 PM
To: List Member
Subject: Governor Schwarzenegger signs SB 246!!!

September 26, 2006

Dear Perinatal Health Community,

Congratulations!!!

Governor Schwarzenegger has just signed Senate Bill 246 into law. Thank you to everyone for your dedicated advocacy work and support for PAC/LAC's public policy activities surrounding human milk throughout this past year.

Please see the press release below on many important pieces of legislation to benefit women's health. Senate Bill 246 will officially take effect on January 1, 2007. For more information on how this will impact hospital-based providers please feel free to contact PAC/LAC at any time.

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From: govpressoffice@GOV.CA.GOV
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 3:26 PM
Subject: Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Benefit Women's Health

GAAS:681:06

For Immediate Release: Contact: Margita Thompson

Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Sabrina Demayo Lockhart

916-445-4571

Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Benefit Women's Health

Consistent with his commitment to protect the health and well-being of all Californians, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed a package of legislation to benefit the health of California women.

"By signing this legislation, I am proud to continue California's leadership role in promoting women's health," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "From helping women as they transition to motherhood to ensuring women have the information and services they need to treat and prevent disease, these new laws are a step toward my goal of a healthier California."

Specifically, the Governor signed:

SB 1245 by Senator Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont): Health Care Coverage: Cervical Cancer Screening Test - This bill clarifies existing law by expressly requiring health plan coverage to include the HPV test, which detects cervical cancer, upon referral by the patient's health care provider, in addition to the Pap test and the option of FDA-approved cervical cancer screening tests.

SB 246 by Senator Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont): Human Milk: This bill would allow hospitals that collect, process, store or distribute human milk from mothers for their own children to comply with standards set forth by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America and exempts them from tissue bank licensure.

SB 1260 by Senator Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) and Senator George Runner (R-Lancaster): Reproductive Health and Stem Cell Research: This bill establishes guidelines, consent procedures and standards for financial compensation for women donating eggs for stem cell research funded outside of Proposition 71.

SB 1555 by Senator Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough): Umbilical Cord Blood Banking and Prenatal Screening: This bill requires DHS to expand prenatal screening to include all tests that meet or exceed the current standard of care as recognized by medical or genetic organizations. In addition, this measure requires the licensing of facilities to store umbilical cord blood and requires the Department of Health Services to conduct an awareness campaign.

SB 1851 by Senate Committee on Health: Cancer: Informed Consent: This bill modifies a requirement that patients with breast cancer be provided a written summary of alternative methods of treating breast cancer by requiring that it be furnished after cancer diagnosis, not prior to diagnosis.

AB 2583 by Assemblymember Joe Nation (D-San Rafael): Dispensing prescription drugs and devices; refusal to dispense: This bill would require the Pharmacy Board to create and provide a sign informing a patient of their right to timely access to a prescribed drug or device that a pharmacist has refused to provide based on ethical, moral or religious grounds. This bill would require pharmacies to post in a visible place or near entrance of business.

AB 2251 by Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa): Reproductive Health Care Services - Confidentiality of Personal Information: This bill seeks to protect the personal safety of reproductive health care providers, employees, volunteers and patients by prohibiting the posting of such people's personal information on the Internet, under specified circumstances.

SB 603 by Senator Deborah V. Ortiz (D-Sacramento): Anti-Reproductive Rights Crimes: Requires the Commission on the Status of Women and others to report on the implementation of the Reproductive Rights Law Enforcement Act and the effectiveness of the plan created by the Attorney General.

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