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AB-1965 Public health: Office of Tribal Affairs.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 05/30/2024 09:00 PM
AB1965:v97#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  May 30, 2024
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 04, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1965

Introduced by Assembly Member Blanca Rubio
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry, Bonta, Haney, Schiavo, and Weber)

January 29, 2024

An act to add Section 131022 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1965, as amended, Blanca Rubio. Public health: Office of Tribal Affairs.
Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health that is led by the State Public Health Officer, who is appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The Governor is authorized to appoint, upon the recommendation of the State Public Health Officer, 2 chief deputies, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
This bill would establish the Office of Tribal Affairs within the department to be led by a Tribal Health Liaison to assist in addressing the public health disparities impacting tribal communities. The bill would require the office to communicate needs and to propose specific solutions from tribal communities to the department and state entities, as specified. The bill would provide that the Tribal Health Liaison be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the State Public Health Officer and would require the State Public Health Officer to regularly consult with and consider input and information provided by the Tribal Health Liaison. The bill would require the Tribal Health Liaison, among other duties, to regularly consult with California tribal representatives, as specified, and oversee the department’s tribal health equity meetings, advisory groups, and workgroups. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The health impacts of colonialism and state-sponsored historical trauma persist in tribal communities in a deep-rooted and enduring way. Existing law requires, due to major health disparities, the state to conduct studies on the health of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities across the state.
(b) Unfortunately, AIAN focused studies, recommendations, and policy solutions have not been produced by some state agencies, including the State Department of Public Health, for many years.
(c) According to the State Department of Public Health, age-adjusted opioid overdose death rates in California were highest amongst AIANs in 2022. Further, in 2020 and 2021, diabetes prevalence and mortality were two times higher among AIANs in California as compared with non-Hispanic Whites. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021 AIAN women had the highest rates of syphilis (21.3 per 100,000), which was a 57.5 percent increase from 2020, and AIAN babies were up to eight times more likely to have newborn syphilis than babies born to White mothers. Although AIANs contributed only 0.7 percent of all live births in the United States in 2021, they made up 3.6% of all congenital syphilis cases. Sudden Infant Death rates were highest among AIANs at 213.5 per 100,000 live births in 2020.

SEC. 2.

 Section 131022 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

131022.
 (a) There is within the State Department of Public Health an Office of Tribal Affairs to assist in addressing the public health disparities impacting tribal communities.
(b) The Office of Tribal Affairs is led by the Tribal Health Liaison, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the State Public Health Officer.
(c) The Tribal Health Liaison shall, among other duties, oversee the department’s tribal health equity meetings, advisory groups, and workgroups. do both of the following:
(1) Oversee the department’s tribal health equity meetings, advisory groups, and workgroups.
(2) Regularly consult with California tribal representatives on regulations, rules, and policies that may impact tribes.
(d) The State Public Health Officer shall regularly consult with and consider input and information provided by the Tribal Health Liaison.
(e) The office shall do all of the following:
(1) Engage with tribes and other relevant partners to understand their needs.
(2) Serve as the liaison to communicate needs and to propose specific solutions from tribal communities to the department, the California Health and Human Services Agency, state COVID-19 task forces, and other state agencies.
(3) Ensure that the support and technical assistance provided by the department is culturally competent and timely.
(4) Launch and coordinate an advisory board of tribal representatives to ensure ongoing feedback and input on emerging issues for the purpose of ensuring culturally and community-responsive program improvements.
(5) In collaboration with tribes, develop and establish a tribal consultation policy.
(f) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Department” means the State Department of Public Health.
(2) “Office” means the Office of Tribal Affairs established pursuant to this section.