Health Care Reform

The League of Women Voters promotes a health care system for the United States that provides access to a basic level of quality for all U.S. residents and controls health care costs.

October 1, 2008

  • Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Senator Sheila Kuehl’s SB 840, the League-supported bill proposing comprehensive single payer health care coverage for Californians. Read Senator Kuehl’s statement PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. in response to the veto.
  • Assembly Member Mark Leno, who is expected to be elected to the state senate in November, will reintroduce the bill in the 2009-2010 legislative session. The League will continue to educate Californians and gather support for this crucial reform as the fight continues into 2009!
  • For more information on SB 840, see Background.

August 2008

  • We are a strong supporter of SB 840, which has been passed by the legislature and is on its way to the Governor’s desk. Join other single payer supporters in a rally at the Capitol on September 8 to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign this important bill!
  • Click here for a flyer about the rally PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. and transportation to Sacramento. Read our July 14 Call to Action to learn more about efforts to pass SB 840.

January 2008

  • ABX1 1 is the health care reform bill promoted by Assembly Speaker Núñez and Governor Schwarzenegger. We oppose this bill because it does not propose a system that will provide adequate, affordable coverage to all Californians.
  • The Senate Health Committee held a hearing on the bill on January 23 and a vote is scheduled for Monday, January 28. Help us tell Senators to vote no.
  • The LWVC sent a letter PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. to committee members.
  • The funding provisions for this Núñez-Schwarzenegger proposal appear in an initiative PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. that is awaiting title and summary for petition circulation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has published a fiscal analysis of ABX1 1 and the initiative.

December 2007

  • ABX1 1 was passed by the Assembly on December 17 on a 46-31 party-line vote and sent to the Senate for consideration. Senate President pro Tem Perata has asked the LAO to provide an analysis of the bill’s impact on the state budget situation before ABX1 1 is heard in the Senate Health Committee.
  • See Assembly Passes Health Care Reform Package PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. for a brief analysis by the California Budget Project, or click on ABX1 1 to see analyses by the Legislature.

November 2007

  • Governor Schwarzenegger called a special legislative session on health care. ABX1 1 is an amended version of AB 8, Assembly Speaker Núñez's bill that was passed near the end of the regular legislative session and vetoed. We oppose this bill. See our Call to Action and Letter to Speaker Núñez. PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • See the LWVC Evaluation Criteria for Health Care Reform Proposals, a tool we use in assessing current proposals for reform.
  • See also our previous Call to Action to see why AB 8 was NOT the solution to California's health care crisis.
  • How did the major reform proposals size up? See our comparison chart PDF File. Click to download Adobe Acrobat Reader..
  • We are a strong supporter of Senator Sheila Kuehl's SB 840, a bill proposing comprehensive single payer health care coverage. For more information on SB 840, see Background.
  • The League of Women Voters of California joined with other endorsers of SB 840 and the OneCareNow campaign at the State Capitol for the launch of SB 840, the California Universal Healthcare Act, in February. The halls, hearing rooms, offices, and other public spaces were filled to overflowing by advocates for the bill.
  • See photos and stories of League campaigns!
  • Read LWVC President Hirohama's speech at the August 11 OneCareNow Rally in Los Angeles.

Calls to Action!!

We support SB 840 and opposed ABX1 1.

See Calls to Action.

Background