author: Skinner
The further a person needs to go to obtain emergency medical care, the more likely they are to suffer or even die. The problem is being exacerbated as hospitals close as their owners search for greater profits. SB 687 would mandate that non-profit hospitals — which are often profit-driven despite their tax status — receive written approval from the state Attorney General before closing their general care or emergency departments, creating a more robust chain of accountability and an increased ability to block these closures. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)