Legislative Update

Legislation Updates

By Cameron Rehmani Seraji, Pharm.D. Candidate, USC School of Pharmacy, Legal Affairs Co-Chair

CSHP focuses on a number of legislative bills that can affect the pharmacy practice. Below are a couple of the bills under review that CSHP encourages members to support.

SB 944 (Pan) – California Health Benefit Exchange: Affordability Assistance

CSHP is asking for support of SB 944

The bill would require the Exchange to implement those options for providing health care affordability assistance. The bill would require the affordability assistance to reduce cost-sharing which includes; copays, coinsurance, maximum out-of-pocket costs, and to eliminate deductibles for all benefits. The bill would specify the actuarial value of cost sharing assistance based on the income level of the enrollee and would require the Exchange to adopt standard benefit designs consistent with these specifications.

Timeline Lead Author: Pan (S) Introduced on February 8th, 2022 Last Action on August 31st, 2022: [Assembly] Passed

Legislative Information Link https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB944

SB 866 (Wiener) – Minors: Vaccine Consent

CSHP is asking for support of SB 866

This bill would additionally authorize a minor 12 years of age or older to consent to vaccines that meet specified federal agency criteria. The bill would authorize a vaccine provider, as defined, to administer a vaccine pursuant to the bill, but would not authorize the vaccine provider to provide any service that is otherwise the vaccine provider’s scope of practice.

Timeline Lead Author: Wiener (S) Introduced on January 20th, 2022 Last Action on May 12th, 2022: [Senate] Passed

Legislative Information Link https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB866