California 2021-2022 Regular Session Status: Enacted

SB 979 — Health emergencies.

Last action — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 421, Statutes of 2022.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 10, 2022. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 70% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 6 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Existing law authorizes the Governor to declare a state of emergency, as specified, and the State Public Health Officer to declare a health emergency under certain circumstances, such as the imminent or proximate threat of the introduction of an infectious or communicable disease. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. When the Governor declares a state of emergency, existing law requires a health care service plan and a health insurer to provide an enrollee or insured who has been displaced or has the immediate potential to be displaced by that emergency access to medically necessary health care services. Existing law requires health care service plans and health insurers operating in a county included in a declaration of emergency to notify the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance whether the plan has experienced or expects to experience a disruption to its operation, among other things. Existing law provides for health care service plans and health insurers to take specified actions, including relaxing time limits for prior authorization, precertification, or referrals. This bill would revise those provisions to specifically apply to a declaration by the Governor of a state of emergency, or a health emergency declared by the State Public Health Officer, that displaces, or has the immediate potential to displace, enrollees, insureds, or health care providers, that otherwise affects the health of enrollees or insureds, or that otherwise affects or that may affect health care providers. The bill would authorize the Director of the Department of Managed Care and the Insurance Commissioner to issue guidance to health care service plans and health insurers regarding compliance with the bill's requirements during the first 3 years following the declaration of emergency, or until the emergency is terminated, as specified.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 421, Statutes of 2022.

  2. Approved by the Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5010.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6001.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. Ordered to third reading.

  8. Read third time and amended.

  9. Ordered to third reading.

  10. From consent calendar on motion of Assembly Member Reyes.

  11. Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.

  12. From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 3).

  13. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. June 14 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  15. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  16. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  17. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  18. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 3831.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  19. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  20. From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

  21. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  22. Set for hearing May 16.

  23. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  24. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 3542.) (April 27).

  25. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  26. Set for hearing April 27.

  27. April 6 hearing postponed by committee.

  28. Set for hearing April 6.

  29. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  30. From printer.

  31. Article IV Section 8(a) of the Constitution and Joint Rule 55 dispensed with February 7, 2022, suspending the 30 calendar day requirement.

  32. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Dodd · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Dodd

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Unfinished Business SB979 Dodd Concurrence

Passed 40 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 13000
Unaffiliated 23000
Republican 4000
Total 40000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Borgeas — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Pan — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Melendez — Yea
Newman — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Min — Yea
Roth — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Bates — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea

Official roll call →

SB 979 Dodd Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry

Passed 77 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 32000
Unaffiliated 37002
Republican 8001
Total 77003
% of votes cast 96%0%0%4%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Bloom — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Daly — Yea
Holden — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Wood — Yea
Smith — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Cooley — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Kiley — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Ting — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Medina — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Villapudua — Yea
Salas — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Low — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Gray — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Levine — Not Voting
Bigelow — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Vince Fong — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Not Voting
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass. To Consent Calendar.

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6001
Democratic 7000
Republican 2000
Total 15001
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Levine — Yea
Holden — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Not Voting
Vince Fong — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 3000
Republican 1000
Total 15000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Maienschein — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Wood — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 36 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 21002
Republican 4000
Democratic 11002
Total 36004
% of votes cast 90%0%0%10%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Newman — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Pan — Yea
Roth — Yea
Bates — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Melendez — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Min — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Hertzberg — Not Voting
Atkins — Not Voting
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Not Voting
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Not Voting
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 10 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 3000
Unaffiliated 7000
Republican 0001
Total 10001
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Gonzalez — Yea
Roth — Yea
Pan — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Melendez — Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 979 do?
Existing law authorizes the Governor to declare a state of emergency, as specified, and the State Public Health Officer to declare a health emergency under certain circumstances, such as the imminent or proximate threat of the introduction of an infectious or communicable disease. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. When the Governor declares a state of emergency, existing law requires a health care service plan and a health insurer to provide an enrollee or insured who has been displaced or has the immediate potential to be displaced by that emergency access to medically necessary health care services. Existing law requires health care service plans and health insurers operating in a county included in a declaration of emergency to notify the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance whether the plan has experienced or expects to experience a disruption to its operation, among other things. Existing law provides for health care service plans and health insurers to take specified actions, including relaxing time limits for prior authorization, precertification, or referrals. This bill would revise those provisions to specifically apply to a declaration by the Governor of a state of emergency, or a health emergency declared by the State Public Health Officer, that displaces, or has the immediate potential to displace, enrollees, insureds, or health care providers, that otherwise affects the health of enrollees or insureds, or that otherwise affects or that may affect health care providers. The bill would authorize the Director of the Department of Managed Care and the Insurance Commissioner to issue guidance to health care service plans and health insurers regarding compliance with the bill's requirements during the first 3 years following the declaration of emergency, or until the emergency is terminated, as specified.
Who sponsors SB 979?
SB 979 is sponsored by Dodd.
What is the current status of SB 979?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 10, 2022. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 979?
Track SB 979 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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