SACRAMENTO—A bill to protect Californians from the kind of red-tape fiascos that kept doctors from Hurricane Katrina victims passed the Assembly Health Committee on a 15 to 0 vote Tuesday.

“If a disaster ever hits California, we must ensure that people receive necessary medical care as quickly as possible,” said Berg, D-Eureka. “We can’t let bureaucratic hurdles get in the way.”

This bill would require California officials to recognize the out-of-state medical credentials of emergency volunteers during a declared state emergency. At the same time, the bill would create a system for California’s health care workers to register their credentials so that other states could benefit from their expertise in a disaster.

Assembly Bill 64 would prevent difficulties that plagued the Hurricane Katrina relief effort when volunteer doctors and nurses were prevented from giving aid because they lacked Louisiana licenses. California would face similar problems if a disaster struck.

AB 64, known as the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act, is part of a multi-state effort to create a national registry. Kentucky enacted similar legislation, and six other states have introduced legislation.

“We’re talking life and death here,” said Berg. “Inordinate red tape is not fine, and it’s certainly not worth dying over.”

Supporters of the bill include The California Nurses Association, the California Association of Physician Groups, the Regional Council of Rural Counties, and the Humane Society of the United States. 

AB 64 previously passed Assembly Business and Professions on a bipartisan vote. If approved by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, the bill would head for a vote of the entire Assembly before being sent to the state Senate.