http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/10/10/arnolds-veto-dashes-hopes-of-health-care-reform/by James Parks, Oct 10, 2007
Despite calling for health care reform, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is expected today to veto a bill, AB 8, that would extend affordable coverage to the vast majority of uninsured Californians.
Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, says that by vetoing the bill:
Schwarzenegger will dash the hopes of working families who cannot afford to wait another day for change to happen.
The 127-page bill, which had strong support from working families, would establish a minimum standard, like the minimum wage, for employer health care spending. It would require employers to provide health coverage for workers or pay a fee to the state, which would then arrange insurance for those workers.
The bill also would help control the spiraling costs of health care and ensure that moderate-income working families would not have to spend more than 5 percent of their wages on health costs. AB 8 also would implement a prescription drug bulk purchasing program and a public insurance option to compete with private insurers.
Says Pulaski:
The governor should recognize the hard work and compromise that went into this bill, and use this framework as a starting point for real, affordable health care for all Californians. Working families know that if it’s not affordable, it’s not real health care reform.
FULL story at link.