Bills designed to simplify city, county needle-exchange programs signed
Monday, October 10, 2005 -
The Daily Journal
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed bills authored by two North Coast legislators last week designed to simplify city and county needle-exchange programs and expedite hospital projects through the Office of Statewide Health and Planning Development.
Assemblywoman Patty Berg, D-Eureka, presented legislation for the second year to eliminate a section of state law that requires cities and counties to declare a health emergency every two weeks to continue operating needle exchange programs.
Assembly Bill 547 is designed to simplify needle-exchange program laws and fight the spread of AIDS and Hepatitis-C, according to Berg.
"This bill very simply saves lives," she said. "I'm very happy that it has been signed into law."
Several county health officers commented that they would be more likely to initiate needle-exchange programs if AB 5247 were signed to help fight the spread of blood-borne diseases that not only threaten intravenous drug users, but those who are knowingly or unknowingly linked to them.
"This is a great moment for public health. This bill will allow at least six more counties to conduct needle-exchange programs and protect not only injection drug users, but their families from infectious disease," Dr. Ann Lindsay, public health officer for Humboldt County, said.
The governor vetoed a similar bill presented by Berg last year, but AB 547 garnered support from key law enforcement groups, including the California Peace Officers Association and the California Narcotic Officers Association.
More than 1,800 people die from AIDS in California each year and 1,500 new infections occur through syringe sharing among intravenous drug users, according to Berg's office. Another 5,000 people become infected with Hepatitis-C in the same manner.
Injection drug users are the second largest group at risk of HIV infection and are the primary source of heterosexual, female and prenatal transmission.
There are a total of 14 cities and counties that currently operate needle-exchange programs, including Mendocino, Humboldt and Sonoma counties. Health officers from Butte, Inyo, Riverside, Sacramento, Siskyou, Solano and Yolo counties have expressed interest in operating exchange programs if AB 547 were signed into law.
Hospital project legislation
Senator Wesley Chesbro, D-Arcata, presented Senate Bill 224 which was signed by Schwarzenegger Thursday to expedite the OSHPD project review process for projects that do not require an engineer or architect.
For particular projects, construction or alteration is typically completed to make small improvements or repair and replace existing systems, or to keep up with routine maintenance in an effort to restore the facility to the same or improved operational status.
"I have heard from many hospitals in my district that small but vital projects have been delayed at OSHPD because they are overwhelmed with larger projects," Chesbro said. "This bill will help expedite small projects so hospitals can keep up with routine maintenance."
Hospitals will be required to provide OSHPD with a written description of the project prior to starting construction and the description will be reviewed quickly by OSHPD before workers are allowed to proceed.
According to Chesbro, this will ensure that the project meets the criteria of a simple repair or replacement and once the project is complete, OSHPD will review the modifications and provide final approval.
"SB 224 will allow OSHPD to focus its limited resources on major projects and not on projects that do not require the services of a licensed engineer and architect," Chesbro said. "This will speed up projects and save hospitals both time and money."
The new law will be implemented Jan. 1, 2006.
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