Bill Text: CA AB591 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 591 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Hospital emergency room: geriatric physician.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB591 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB591-Introduced.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 591	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Fox

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to add Section 1255.4 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to health facilities.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 591, as introduced, Fox. Hospital emergency room: geriatric
physician.
   Existing law provides for the licensure of health facilities,
including general acute care hospitals, by the State Department of
Public Health. The violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor.
   This bill would require each general acute care hospital with an
emergency department to have, at all times, a geriatric physician
serving on an "on-call" basis to that department. By creating a new
crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1255.4 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   1255.4.  Each general acute care hospital with an emergency
department shall, at all times, have a physician specializing in
geriatric medicine serving on an "on-call" basis to the hospital's
emergency department.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.