CURIOUS ABOUT ACHD MEMBER BENEFITS?

ADVOCACY RESOURCES

UPCOMING WEBINAR: FEBRUARY 13

CEO MESSAGE

This month, ACHD is excited to unveil a fresh new look for the Advocate. Working with our partners, Decorum Marketing, we’ve polished our monthly communication with ACHD members and others in order to bring you an updated look and feel! The Advocate will continue to feature the elements you’ve come to know, such as my CEO message, Sarah Bridge's Legislative Update, messages from sponsors, and upcoming events — now with quick links to useful ACHD website resources. If you have feedback on how we can improve the Advocate, do not hesitate to let us know. 

In other good news, ACHD is thrilled to welcome Jennifer Escobar Belden to our team. Jennifer joined ACHD as the Director of Operations in January and is working diligently with me as ACHD builds the foundation for our future after the administrative services agreement with BETA Healthcare Group expires. Jennifer has a master’s degree from the University of California, Davis, and was previously the Sr. Director of Operations for Strategies 360. She is a fantastic addition to our team and will be a valuable partner to me operationally.  

As we kick off the legislative season here in Sacramento, we are proud to offer, as part of our Educational Webinar Series, "How to be an Effective Advocate". We will explore the strategies and skills needed to be an effective advocate for healthcare district issues, such as understanding the legislative process, crafting a compelling message, building relationships with legislative leaders, and mobilizing support and action. The webinar features our own Sarah Bridge, along with Valerie Lakey, a seasoned advocate from Mayers Memorial Hospital District.  

In closing, the bill introduction deadline is next Friday, February 16^th. The advocacy team is currently monitoring the bills being introduced that may impact healthcare districts and considering our positions. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me directly with any questions you may have. 

ACHD hopes that the recent storms in California did not severely impact your communities. If there is anything we can do to support you, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

On February 5^th, Senator Mike McGuire was sworn in as the Senator Pro Tempore, replacing Senator Toni G. Atkins, who is now a gubernatorial candidate. On February 8^th, it was reported that Senator Scott Wiener will be sworn in as Senate Budget Chair, replacing Senator Nancy Skinner, who has termed out. These changes will be accompanied by several Senate leadership and committee changes. While these changes are expected to be announced shortly, they may not take effect immediately. ACHD will update members as new leadership and committee assignments are announced.

February 16^th marks the deadline for legislators to introduce new bills. It is important to note that this is just the first of many important deadlines, and several hundred of the bills introduced will be non-substantive in nature and may be amended after introduction. ACHD will review all newly introduced bills over the next several weeks and adopt final positions on many of them.

Budget:

Over the next few months, the full budget committee and various subcommittees will hold over 60 hearings regarding the Governor’s proposed budget and legislative proposals. Due to the significant budget deficit of $38 billion, legislators are being asked to severely limit their budget requests and to carry bills with no state-fiscal impact. For those interested in or working on in-district budget requests, please see the Assembly’s directions for legislators to submit requests.

The first notable hearing will be the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services, on February 26^th, which is available to stream here. The hearing will cover the Department of Healthcare Services items, including the Managed Care Organizations tax.