Bill Text: CA AB1462 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 1462

Bill Title: Veteran overdose deaths.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2023-10-13 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 844, Statutes of 2023. [AB1462 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1462-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 1462

CHAPTER 844

An act to add Section 102792 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to veterans.

[ Approved by Governor October 13, 2023. Filed with Secretary of State October 13, 2023. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1462, Jim Patterson. Veteran overdose deaths.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health under the direction of the State Public Health Officer. Existing law requires that each death be registered with the local registrar of births and deaths in the district in which the death was officially pronounced or the body was found. Existing law sets forth the persons responsible for completing the certificate of death and the required contents of the certificate, including, but not limited to, the decedent’s name, sex, and birthplace. Existing law requires a person completing the certificate of death to record whether the decedent was ever in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Existing law also requires the State Department of Public Health to access data within the electronic death registration system to compile a report on veteran suicide in California and requires the department to annually provide that report to the Legislature and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to access data within the electronic death registration system to compile a report on veteran drug overdose deaths in California and require the department to annually provide that report to the Legislature and the Department of Veteran Affairs on or before March 15 each year. The bill would require the report to include a cross-tabulation of the specified data and compare it to the data from the previous year. The bill would also require the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard to reflect overdose deaths by veterans.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 102792 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

102792.

(a) (1) The State Department of Public Health shall access data within the electronic death registration system implemented pursuant to Section 102778 to compile a report on veteran drug overdose deaths in California. The report shall include, but may not be limited to, information on the ages, sexes, races or ethnicities, counties of residence, and drug or drugs causing overdose deaths of veterans.

(2) The report shall include a cross-tabulation of the data specified in paragraph (1), and shall compare the data to the data from the previous year.

(b) (1) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually provide the report compiled pursuant to subdivision (a) to the Legislature and the Department of Veterans Affairs on or before March 15 each year.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(c) The California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, maintained by the State Department of Public Health on its internet website, shall be updated to reflect veteran status in information reported about deaths.