NOVEMBER 2004
SENATOR ORTIZ TO REMAIN AS HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIR; DUCHENY TO LEAD BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH
SACRAMENTO-Senate President pro Tem-elect Don Perata today announced that Senator
Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) will chair the Senate Health Committee, and that Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny (D-San Diego) will serve as Chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Health, Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs.
"As shes shown on stem cell research, prescription drug price relief, and a host of other issues,
Deborah Ortiz is one of the top health leaders in California, if not the nation," Perata said. "Having Senator Ortiz chair a committee focused on heath relieves a crushing bill load and gives her and her committee time to focus even more deeply on key challenges to the public health. Consumers and caregivers should be happy this strong fighter is staying in their corner."
"In recent years, our committee has tackled some of the most important public policy issues affecting California families," Ortiz said. "We have succeeded in making California the country's stem-cell research leader and it is critical that Californians remain confident that their tax dollars will be spent wisely. I am looking forward to continuing to fight for affordable health care and prescription drug coverage, and hold accountable charitable hospitals, which receive generous tax benefits in exchange for providing quality health care to our neediest citizens."
"Denise Ducheny knows Californias budget process inside and out, and she is committed to protecting the health of the people of her district and all the people of California," Perata said. "From a fiscal perspective and a policy perspective it makes sense to have Senator Ducheny in this key post."
"I appreciate Senator Peratas confidence in appointing me to oversee this critical portion of the state budget, and I look forward to the challenge of working on the vital health care issues facing us," Ducheny said. "We must maximize our dollars in this tough fiscal time, while we fight to provide greater access to affordable health care for all Californians."
The author of Californias historic stem cell research law, Senator Ortiz is a former member of the California Assembly. Senator Ortiz also served on the Sacramento City Council. She was first elected to the Senate in 1998. Senator Ortiz represents the 6th Senate District, which encompasses all of Sacramento County including the cities of Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Rio Linda and the communities of Arden-Arcade, Florin, Foothill Farms, La Riveria, North Highlands, South Sacramento, and Rosemont.
Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny was elected to the Senate in 2002. She had previously served three terms in the Assembly where she served as Budget Chair for four years. She has been practicing law in South San Diego since 1979, and previously served as an elected trustee of the governing board of the San Diego Community College District. Senator Ducheny represents the 40th Senate District, which includes all of Imperial and parts of Riverside and San Diego counties, portions of the City of San Diego and the cities of Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City, El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, Blythe, Indio, Coachella and Cathedral City.
GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY SIGNS NEW BILL
New Jersey governor R. Codey signed into law NJ senate Bill 5144. This makes New Jersey the first state in the nation to require physician cultural competency training. Additional information about the legislation can be attainted at the following website: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/
LATINO MED POLICY INSTITUTE ON MD/BMA PAGE
http://www.md-mba.org/mdmbas.html
