HEALTH CARE

Perinatal Bill Passes Hurdle: The measure to restrict health insurers from discharging mothers and newborn babies until 48 hours after delivery was endorsed by the state Senate Insurance Committee on a 7-1 vote. The bill by Assemblywoman Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont) next goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration. Figueroa introduced the bill following a report in The Times about a Kaiser Permanente facility in Los Angeles that had begun discharging mothers and babies as early as eight hours after delivery. Kaiser and other health insurers did not formally oppose the bill.