Governor Brown Calls Extraordinary Session to Implement Federal Health Care Reform

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued the following proclamation convening an extraordinary session of the California State Legislature on January 28, 2013 to continue the work of implementing the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

A PROCLAMATION

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

WHEREAS, an extraordinary circumstance has arisen and now exists requiring that the Legislature of the State of California be convened in extraordinary session;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, in accordance with Section 3(b) of Article IV of the Constitution of the State of California, hereby convene the Legislature of the State of California to meet in extraordinary session in Sacramento, California, on the 28th day of January, 2013, at a time to be determined, for the following purpose:

To consider and act upon legislation necessary to implement the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), in the following areas: ‪

a.      California’s private health coverage market, and rules and regulations governing the individual and small group markets related to guaranteed issue of coverage, pre-existing condition exclusions, rating restrictions, and any other requirements necessary to conform state law to federal rules.

‪b.      California’s Medi-Cal program and changes that are necessary to implement federal law, including requirements for eligibility, enrollment, and retention.

‪c.      Options that allow low-cost health coverage to be provided to individuals who have income up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level within the California Health Benefit Exchange, to the extent allowed by federal law or regulations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 24th day of January 2013.