Sacramento, CA – California State Assemblymember Dr. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) saw several pieces of legislation he has authored or coauthored successfully pass out of the California State Assembly and move on to the Senate this week.

“I was energized this week,” said Hernandez “it was really rewarding to know that all the work we have put in on making these bills move forward has brought us to this point.  Now we have to focus on seeing them through the Senate.”

In total, Hernandez successfully pushed through 17 out of 20 bills in his legislative package, including several that have received widespread attention.  Assembly Bill 16, which would change the way public immunizations are implemented in California.  The bill would require that all immunizations in California be administered according to the recommendations of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).  The recommendations would be required only after a five year waiting period and subject to approval by California’s chief doctor, the State Public Health Officer.

“This bill will ensure that our state's immunization policy is not overshadowed by a highly politicized and partisan process, but will instead reflect the best scientific and medical knowledge by tying it to the best standard available,” continued Hernandez, “It will leave the decision as to how and when to implement a vaccine to the public health professionals best qualified to make that determination, while still leaving parents the option to decide whether to immunize their child.”

Another one of Hernandez’ bills that made it through the Assembly this week is AB 1010.  This legislation is of critical importance to groundwater cleanup efforts in the San Gabriel Valley and would extend the sunset date of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (WQA) to January 1, 2017, allowing time for the WQA to further its efforts.

“The Water Quality Authority has worked to ensure that we have a safe and reliable source of drinking water for local residents of the San Gabriel Valley,” added Hernandez, “despite the success of the cleanup effort to date, the WQA remains more than $520 million short of accomplishing its mission.  We need to take the time to do the job right.”

Hernandez also saw his legislation to protect the pay of public employees who were called into active military duty after September 11, 2001 move to the Senate.  AB 696 will permanently protect special incentive payments to active duty Reservists and National Guard Troops, earned while exposed to hazardous duty or hostile fire, so the state will continue to make up the difference between their pay as public employees and their regular military pay without counting the extra duty payments.

“These men and women are putting their lives on the line for their country everyday” said Hernandez, “the least we can do is make certain they get to keep the little extra compensation they get for that sacrifice.”

Assembly Bill 8, which Hernandez and seven other legislators coauthored with Speaker Fabian Núñez, would expand health care coverage in California to millions of those currently uninsured and also made it out of the Assembly yesterday. 

“As a health care provider, I have seen far too many times the dire consequences when people who cannot afford health insurance put off preventative care” remarked Hernandez, “It is a tragedy that in this day and age, in this country and this state, people suffer and die simply because they do not have the money to get treatment.  This legislation will serve to change all that.”