Bill Text: CA AB2080 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2080

CA State Legislature page for AB2080

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: University of California: schools of medicine: report.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-29 - Referred to Com. on ED. [AB2080 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2080-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2080

Introduced by Assembly Members Arambula and Garcia

February 05, 2024

An act to add Section 66207.5 to the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2080, as introduced, Arambula. Postsecondary education: University of California and independent institutions of higher education: admissions.

Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, and independent institutions of higher education, as defined, as 2 segments of postsecondary education in the state.

This bill would request University of California and independent institution of higher education medical schools to give admission preference to eligible applicants who speak one or more languages other than English. The bill would request the Regents of the University of California and the governing boards of independent institutions of higher education to develop and implement procedures for purposes of the bill’s provisions.

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

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

SECTION 1.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) According to the United States Census Bureau, nearly 44 percent of California’s households speak a language other than English.

(b) Nearly seven million Californians report speaking English “less than very well.”

(c) Data shows that a medical provider’s ability to speak the same language as the patient increases trust and patient satisfaction while decreasing poor clinical outcomes due to miscommunication.

(d) It is critical to increase the number of physicians in California who can deliver health care services in a language other than English.

SEC. 2.

Section 66207.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66207.5.

(a) To increase the number of physicians in California who can deliver health care services in a language other than English, in order to better serve the needs of California’s patient population, each University of California and independent institution of higher education medical school is requested to give admission preference to eligible applicants who speak one or more languages other than English.

(b) The Regents of the University of California and the governing board of each independent institution of higher education are requested to develop and implement procedures for purposes of this section.