After getting blocked by two Senators who think money from the California Hospital Association (CHA) is more important that basic human dignity, SB 275 has made it to the Senate Floor. (Btw, the two senators in question have lost their Appropriation Cmte. seats as a result).
Well, now that the ModSquad has faded to black (hopefully to stay permanently in the Seventies), the bill will likely pass the Senate shortly. Whether Correa and Calderon have decided whether human decency or corporate lobbying cash is more important is still an open question.
HOSPITAL HOMELESS DUMPING BILL (SB 275) HEADS TO SENATE FLOOR WITH STRONG SUPPORT
After delaying a vote on the hospital homeless discharge bill (SB 275) in order to engage the California Hospital Association (CHA) in another round of negotiations, Sen. Gilbert Cedillo’s (D-Los Angeles) bill heads to the Senate floor for a final vote in that house. SB 275 passed out of the Appropriations Committee today on a strong vote, 11 to 4, with Republican Sen. Roy Ashburn included in the bi-partisan support for the bill.
The bill makes it a specific crime to discharge hospital patients to any facility other than a residence without patient consent. Sponsored by Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, SB 275 seeks to address a deficiency in the law when prosecuting cases specific to patient dumping.
The CHA, a lobbying association representing the state’s hospitals, has contented they have policies in place to address the safe transfer of homeless patients to shelters upon discharge. However on May 14th as Cedillo presented the bill to committee, a new dumping incident was reported in Los Angeles. The incident occurred at the Union Rescue Mission, a shelter located in downtown Skid Row, which has dealt with prior episodes of patient abandonment.
Detractors feel that SB 275 sets too high of a standard for the medical facilities. “What does it say about our ethics and humanity? These people are more vulnerable than when they went in to the hospital. Currently there is no law that punishes the transportation of patients without their consent,” said Cedillo.
Cedillo has introduced a series of bills on issues surrounding homelessness – SB 2, Fair Share Zoning, which would require cities and counties to plan for emergency shelters, special needs facilities and transitional housing, SB 119, Medical Drug Treatment for Minors, and SB 275, hospital homeless discharge bill. “I acknowledge there are larger issues at hand involving lack of adequate care offered to homeless populations. This is why we have proposed a package of bills to proactively address the interrelated issues that cause homelessness before they become acute,” remarked Cedillo.