CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Assembly OKs Rules for Cholesterol Tests

Emergency legislation to regulate the nonprofit, mobile operations that draw blood for cholesterol tests was passed by the Assembly and sent to Gov. George Deukmejian. The bill, approved on a 55-0 vote, would require programs for cholesterol and other blood tests to register with county health departments, which would charge a fee to administer their oversight of the testing centers. The bill also would require technicians to be licensed clinical lab technologists or be certified by a licensed physician or surgeon. Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco) said she introduced the bill because investigations have found that improper methods used to draw blood at the unregulated testing centers have caused infection and led to faulty results. Speier’s office said the governor is expected to sign the bill.