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AB-591 Hospital emergency room: geriatric physician.(2013-2014)



Current Version: 02/20/13 - Introduced

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AB591:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2013–2014 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 591

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   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.