Sacramento - With the committee assignments handed down Tuesday by California State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, Dr. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) has been asked to play a central role in crafting health care legislation for the State.

Speaker Nunez has tapped Hernandez to serve on the Assembly Committee on Health as well as the Committee on Business and Professions.  Additionally, Dr. Hernandez was selected to serve on Budget Subcommittee 1 – which has direct oversight over the portions of the budget dealing with Health and Human Services. 

“I have a unique voice within my caucus as the only healthcare provider who has met with and served patients on a regular basis (Dr. Ed Hernandez is a licensed optometrist and currently operates two practices with his wife Diane).  I will use my background and experience to help organize all of the competing interests in an effort to craft the most comprehensive reform possible”, said Hernandez.

Dr. Hernandez has already been named Chair of the Public Employees, Retirement, and Social Security (PERS) Committee.  With the new committee assignments announced today and the Governor’s pledge to make health care his top legislative priority, Dr. Hernandez will be at the center of what promises to be the most critical policy debate this legislative session.

“I am honored to have been given this opportunity and I will work hard to ensure that every Californian has access to affordable health care,” added Hernandez.

Hernandez was also elected Chair of the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Caucus today, and has said that in addition to health care reform he will focus on transportation funding and economic development.