CURIOUS ABOUT ACHD MEMBER BENEFITS?

ACHD CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE 73RD ANNUAL MEETING

WHAT'S NEW IN MAY

CEO MESSAGE

Advocacy Committee members were in Sacramento May 6-7^th for ACHD’s Annual Advocacy Day. Members had over 30 appointments with legislators and their staff, as well as with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Governor’s Office. Advocacy messages focused on high priority bills and included support for ACHD’s sponsored bill AB 533, which re-establishes the authority for district hospitals and clinics to utilize design-build for construction projects. This bill has moved into the Senate and currently has no opposition. Also included in our advocacy was opposition to AB 810, which would require all special district to move to “.gov” or “. ca.gov” website domains and email addresses by 2031. The bill is currently in the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Suspense file items will be taken up later in the spring.

Also on the legislative front, we have good news to share. As a result of ACHD’s advocacy, AB 1113, a bill that would require each FQHC and FQHC "look-a-likes" to have an annual mission spend ratio, as defined, of no less than 90%, has been amended to exempt FQHCs owned or operated by healthcare districts. Be sure to check out Sarah Bridge's update below for more on this bill, as well as news on other high priority bills.

Yesterday, Governor Newsom issued his state budget revision, or “May Revise”, an updated version of his original January budget proposal. The May Revision incorporates the latest data on state revenues and spending, which may change significantly from the January proposal due to economic shifts. The Governor’s May Revision indicates that California’s budget has an estimated $12 billion deficit. The Governor will need to have hard conversations about priorities with the Legislature in order to reach a budget deal before the start of the fiscal year in July. Sarah's piece below links to a detailed summary of the Governor's revised state budget. ACHD’s press release can be read, here.

Stay tuned to your email for registration details for ACHD’s 73^rd Annual Meeting, September 24-26, taking place in San Diego at the Sheraton San Diego Resort. This event is a great opportunity to network with your healthcare district peers and hear from speakers on timely topics in a beautiful setting. Registration will go live in late May.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to us if we can provide you with assistance. We are here to support you!

With gratitude,

The legislature is gearing up for a major couple of weeks as the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees meet to dispense with bills from their house of origin by May 23. Many bills will head to the suspense file, where many will live and die based on the fiscal impacts to the state and political capital of the bill’s author and sponsors. ACHD will be providing an update to members following the suspense file, related to outcomes of bills. As most of ACHD’s high priority bills have yet to be heard in appropriations, there is little change from our last update. Please be on the lookout for Calls to Action and bill updates as the legislative process continues.

Bill Update:

AB 1113 (Gonzalez)- Federally qualified health centers: mission spend ratio- ACHD Neutral

ACHD successfully secured an exemption for healthcare district FQHC and FQHC “look alike” clinics, coming out of the Assembly Health Committee.  The bill otherwise would have required healthcare districts to comply with a 90% mission spend ratio. Basedon these negotiated amendments, ACHD has removed opposition and move to a neutral position. 

Budget Update:

Yesterday, Governor Newsom presented the 2025-26 May Revise. For those interested in watching the Governor’s presentation and press conference it can be viewed here. A summary of the budget and budget details are available, here. The Governor in his press conference, criticized federal actions—particularly from the Trump administration—for targeting growth drivers such as research, innovation, and science. Cuts have included $400 million to programs like NIH grants, libraries, literacy efforts, and volunteer services. ACHD has compiled a high-level initial summary of the May Revise, with a particular focus on the Health and Human Services Budget.

ACHD will be working over the next month to provide additional details to members and advocate on budget priorities. The legislature must pass a balanced budget by midnight on June 15^th, with initial budget actions going into effect on July 1. However, please note that the Governor and Legislature have both signaled that more budget work may need to occur as federal changes are implemented.

ACHD’s Advocacy Day:

A huge thank you to ACHD’s Advocacy Committee members who joined our team in Sacramento last week. It is the leadership, advocacy and dedication of our members that makes our legislative wins possible. We look forward to our continued work with this Committee to strengthen relationships with the new class of legislators and to help support ACHD’s mission and storytelling.

DATE: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 TIME: 10:00 AM-11:00 AM (PDT)

Join the Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) and Streamline for an essential update on online ADA compliance requirements specific to California healthcare districts. As digital accessibility enforcement increases, staying ahead of evolving standards is more critical than ever.

This session will provide a clear overview of current ADA mandates for public-facing digital content, with a particular focus on document accessibility requirements—including PDFs, forms, and other downloadable materials. Learn what makes a document accessible, what your obligations are under California and federal law, and explore practical remediation solutions to ensure your district's digital content meets compliance standards.

Whether you're just beginning to address online ADA requirements or looking to enhance your current practices, this session will equip you with actionable insights and tools to better serve your community and reduce legal risk.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand key ADA compliance requirements for online content specific to California healthcare districts, with a focus on accessible documents such as PDFs and forms.
2. Identify effective remediation strategies and tools to make existing digital assets accessible, ensuring legal compliance and improved public access.

Presented by:

Mac Clemmens

Maria Lara