- Lyme in California 2008
- 2007 Cases Reported by
One Lab by County - Lyme & TBDs Under-
recognized in California - Prevention Poster
(1.84MB)
Legislation
State Legislation
In 1999, the Legislature passed a bill establishing the Lyme Disease Advisory Committee (LDAC) to advise the California Department of Health Services about Lyme disease. California Lyme Disease Association is entitled to have one member on LDAC and meetings are open to the public. The bill also requires, among other things, that the department establish a Lyme disease information program; provide detailed information regarding Lyme disease and its treatment to physicians; and provide information to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board about risk factors for exposure to Lyme disease.
Since 2001, CALDA has been involved in successful legislation thanks to the efforts of volunteer Legislative Advocate Herb Dorken, PhD, now retired.
In 2002, through legislative advocacy, CALDA was instrumental in amending Section 3212.12 of the Labor Code to include Lyme disease as a compensable disability for certain public employees, like policemen and forestry workers. The new law provides workers’ compensation to certain state law enforcement and California Conservation Corps personnel, including Lyme disease that develops or manifests itself during a period while the person is in that service.
In 2004 CALDA obtained hearings with the Senate Health Committee and worked with the Department of Health Services to pass legislation streamlining the Department’s ability to track emerging infections and making Lyme disease reportable by laboratories starting in January, 2005.
In 2005, CALDA worked on and supported legislation amending Section 2234.1 of the Business & Professions Code to extend the physician protection provision in an alternative medicine bill to physicians who treat persistent Lyme disease, provided they meet certain conditions. The Senate committee amendment specifically recognizes in statute the treatment of “persistent Lyme disease.”
In 2008 the California Legislature passed AJR 30, a resolution sponsored by CALDA memorializing the US Congress and the President of the United States to enact the federal bill "Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2007.”
The Legislature has passed bills supporting Lyme Disease Awareness Week or Month since 2005.
CALDA continues to maintain a presence in Sacramento to work for changes that will improve the quality of health care available to people with Lyme disease.
CALDA encourages patients and group leaders to call, write, and meet with state legislators whenever possible to discuss issues of importance to people with tickborne diseases. Legislators who have heard from many constituents are likely to be more receptive to CALDA's efforts to pass legislation.
Federal Legislation
CALDA is one of over 80 groups representing more than 30 states supporting the "Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2007," companion bills H.R. 741 (Smith/Stupak) and S. 1708 (Dodd/Schumer/Hagel). This federal legislation authorizes an additional $100 million over five years for Lyme and tick-borne disease research, physician education, prevention, and task force formation. The Lyme community has been trying to pass federal legislation since 1998. Lyme disease research is seriously underfunded compared to other diseases, such as West Nile virus. Click here to view funding of West Nile Virus vs. Lyme Disease.
To read the actual bill language, download the bills from the lefthand side of this page or go to the Library of Congress website http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html, which also provides the latest updates on the bills' status, including cosponsors.
CALDA urges people to contact their US Congress members to co-sponsor H.R. 741 and S. 1708. For form letters and instructions on how to contact your congress members, go to the national Lyme Disease Association website at http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/IB_Federal.html
Contact your legislators
Go to the official site for California legislative information to track bills, find your state legislators by typing in your ZIP code, learn about the legislative process, or search the California Codes. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov
CALDA encourages patients and group leaders to call, write, and meet with state legislators whenever possible to discuss issues of importance to people with tickborne diseases. Legislators who have heard from many constituents are likely to be more receptive to CALDA's efforts to pass legislation.
