Lawmakers Vote Penalties for Doctors Intoxicated on the Job

Legislation to make it a misdemeanor for intoxicated doctors and surgeons to treat patients has been given final approval by the state Legislature.

A 64-0 Assembly vote sent the measure (SB 1876) by Sen. Wadie P. Deddeh (D-Bonita) to Gov. Pete Wilson’s desk.

Under the bill, requested by the state Medical Board, convicted doctors would face 60 to 180 days in jail and fines ranging from $200 to $1,200. Current law only allows the board to discipline drunken doctors for unprofessional conduct. An aide to Deddeh said the bill reinstates criminal penalties that were inadvertently deleted by 1980 legislation.

GOVERNOR

Bills Signed

Sexual Assault: SB 296 by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) to prohibit the disclosure of the names and addresses of sexual assault victims without their consent.

Welfare Workers: AB 3617 by Assemblyman Bob Epple (D-Norwalk) to prohibit people employed by welfare service agencies from personally benefiting from placing a child within the system.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

Dental Training: Passed and sent to the governor on a 58-9 vote a bill (AB 194) by Assemblyman Curtis Tucker Jr. (D-Inglewood) to prohibit foreign dental school graduates from taking the state licensing test after three failures unless they obtain additional training.

Whistle-Blowers: Passed on a 41-28 vote and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments a bill (SB 1742) by Sen. Nicholas Petris (D-Oakland) to make employees fired for lodging complaints about inadequate workplace safety standards eligible for court-awarded damages and attorney’s fees.

SENATE

Floor Action

Offshore Oil Drilling: Passed on a 21-7 vote and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments a bill (AB 854) by Assemblyman Ted Lempert (D-San Mateo) to prohibit new state leases for the extraction of oil or gas in state waters between San Simeon Point in San Luis Obispo County and the Farallon Islands off San Francisco.

Breast Cancer Research: Passed and returned to the Assembly on a 23-3 vote a bill (AB 2652) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-S. San Francisco) to permit a state income tax refund checkoff system for donations to help finance breast cancer research work.

Lead Testing: Passed on a 32-0 vote and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments a bill (AB 1659) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-S. San Francisco) to require the state to conduct a sample survey of public schools to determine if lead levels in water, paint and soil are safe for children there.

Credit Reporting: Passed and sent to the governor on a 25-5 vote a bill (SB 1447) by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) to permit a consumer to file a lawsuit against a credit reporting agency that gives out false information with malice or willful intent to injure the consumer.

Blue Sky Plates: Passed and sent to the governor on a 23-4 vote a bill (SB 1395) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to authorize special “blue sky” license plates and special parking places for the owners of automobiles that use clean-air fuels.

Budget Cuts: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 35-0 vote a resolution (SCR 36) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) to authorize a toll-free telephone number starting Sept. 1 to let taxpayers call in suggestions on how to cut the state budget to save money.