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Kathryn Austin Scott
Senior Vice President, State Relations and Advocacy

1215 K Street, Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
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(916) 443-7401
(916) 552-7540 Direct
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CHA News Article

CHA Issues Alert on State, Federal Hospital Funding
For CEOs, CFOs, government relations executives

Anne O'Rourke Kathryn Austin Scott

Last week, CHA issued an alert asking hospital leaders to urge state and federal lawmakers to allocate billions more in funding to support hospitals and health systems in their efforts to fight COVID-19 and help California safely reopen. A House bill has been introduced and is expected to be voted on Friday, so letters to representatives are needed before then. 

CHA News Article For Members

CHA Posts Legislative Update

As CHA continues to work on its legislative agenda, an update on bills currently being tracked on behalf of hospitals is available in our Legislative Update.

CHA News Article

CHA Issues Alerts on Employment Status, Nurse Staffing Ratio Penalty Bills
For CEOs, Government Relations Executives

Kathryn Austin Scott

Yesterday, CHA issued two Advocacy Alerts: one on Senate Bill (SB) 227 (Leyva, D-Chino), which creates unnecessary and duplicative penalties for hospitals that don’t meet nurse staffing rations, and one on Assembly Bill 5 (Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego), which threatens hospitals’ ability to contract with independent businesses — such as nurse registries, staffing agencies or other employers — for critical patient services.

CHA News Article

CHA Secures Amendments to Nurse Staffing Ratio Bill, Continues Advocacy to Oppose
For CEOs, CNOs, Government Relations Staff

Kathryn Austin Scott

One of CHA’s highest legislative priorities this year has been Senate Bill (SB) 227 (Leyva, D-Chino), which would create duplicative and mandatory fines for hospitals if they do not meet required nurse staffing ratios. With help from member hospitals, our advocacy generated key amendments last week, including:

  • An exemption for hospitals that — in response to an unforeseeable and uncontrollable fluctuation — promptly make an effort to maintain staffing requirements
  • A 50% reduction in the fines (now $15,000 for the first violation and $30,000 subsequently)
  • A reduction in the length of time required to revert to a first violation (lowered from six years to three)
CHA News Article

Contact Legislators and Urge Opposition to Nurse Staffing Ratio Bill
For CEOs, Government Relations Executives

Kathryn Austin Scott Gail Blanchard-Saiger

CHA has extended the deadline for its Advocacy Alert asking members to urge their assemblymembers to oppose Senate Bill (SB) 227, which would create an unreasonable, mandatory penalty system for hospitals that do not meet nurse staffing ratios. The deadline for letters is now 5 p.m. on June 11. 

CHA News Article

Special Elections This Week Yield Legislative, Ballot Measure Results
For CEOs, Government Relations Staff

Kathryn Austin Scott

This week’s special elections yielded important results for hospitals, including the defeat of a Los Angeles ballot measure that would have taxed hospitals. Measure EE, proposed by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), would have enacted a parcel tax (a type of property tax ) to generate money that would support smaller class sizes and staffing increases for the next 12 years. Hospitals in the LAUSD would have been subject to the new tax. 

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