Asm. Jacqui Irwin

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of medicine by the Medical Board of California. The act authorizes a medical assistant to administer medication only by intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections and to perform skin tests and additional technical supportive services upon the specific authorization and supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon, a licensed podiatrist, a physician assistant, a nurse practitioner, or a certified nurse-midwife. Existing law defines the term "technical supportive services" to mean simple routine medical tasks and procedures that may be safely performed by a medical assistant who has limited training and who functions under the supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon, a licensed podiatrist, a physician assistant, a nurse practitioner, or a certified nurse-midwife. This bill would define "technical supportive services" to also include drawing up a local anesthetic provided specified conditions are met. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This measure would, among other things, mark June 25, 2018, as the 68th anniversary of the Korean War and encourage participants in specified discussions regarding North and South Korea to have a sincere intention of achieving peace in the region.

Existing law contains provisions governing the operation and financing of community mental health services for the mentally disordered in every county through locally administered and locally controlled community mental health programs. Existing law further provides that, to the extent resources are available, the primary goal of the use of funds deposited in the mental health account of the local health and welfare trust fund should be to serve specified target populations, including, among others, California veterans in need of mental health services who meet specified eligibility requirements. Existing law prohibits a county from denying county mental health services to an eligible veteran based solely on his or her status as a veteran. Existing law requires a county to refer a veteran to the county veterans service officer, if any, to determine the veteran's eligibility for, and the availability of, mental health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or any other federal health care provider. This bill would prevent a county from denying an eligible veteran county mental or behavioral health services while the veteran is waiting for a determination of eligibility for, and availability of, mental or behavioral health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would make specific findings and declarations about the county's duty to provide mental and behavioral health services to veterans.

Existing law provides for the certification and regulation of podiatrists by the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs, and establishes the Board of Podiatric Medicine Fund. This bill, on and after July 1, 2019, would change the name of the California Board of Podiatric Medicine to the Podiatric Medical Board of California and the name of the Board of Podiatric Medicine Fund to the Podiatric Medical Board Fund.

This measure would recognize June 8 as World Oceans Day, and would declare that the Legislature intends to act decisively in 2018 in regard to passing legislation aimed at reducing plastic pollution in California rivers, beaches, and ocean, and would further declare that the State of California is determined to seek additional ways to curb plastic pollution on those waterways and beaches, and in other natural spaces and communities.

This measure would recognize June 12, 2018, as the 120th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and would call upon the people of the state to observe the month of June with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.

Existing law provides that libel is a false and unprivileged written publication that injures the reputation and that slander is a false and unprivileged publication, orally uttered, that injures the reputation, as specified. Existing law makes certain publications and communications privileged and therefore protected from civil action, including certain communications concerning the job performance or qualifications of an applicant for employment that are made without malice by a current or former employer to a prospective employer. Existing law authorizes an employer to answer whether or not the employer would rehire an employee. This bill would include among those privileged communications complaints of sexual harassment by an employee, without malice, to an employer based on credible evidence and communications between the employer and interested persons regarding a complaint of sexual harassment and would authorize an employer to answer, without malice, whether the employer would rehire an employee and whether or not a decision to not rehire is based on the employer's determination that the former employee engaged in sexual harassment.

This measure would condemn the decision to end the Temporary Protected Status designation for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Sudan. The measure would also urge the United States Congress to enact a bipartisan permanent solution for Salvadorans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, and Sudanese with Temporary Protected Status.