Committee OKs Bill Outlawing Sex Between Doctors, Patients

A Senate committee has approved legislation making it a crime for a physician to have sexual relations with a patient.

A 9-0 vote sent the bill (SB 743) by Sen. Daniel E. Boatwright (D-Concord) from the Business and Professions Committee to the Appropriations Committee for more screening.

The measure would make the first act of sexual relations punishable as a misdemeanor and subsequent acts punishable as either misdemeanors or felonies.

Currently, the Medical Board can only discipline physicians who have sexual relations with people under their care.

“The relationship between physician and patient should be of the highest professional standard,” Boatwright said. “Patients should not have to worry about being taken advantage of when they confide the most intimate things about their emotional and physical health to their physicians.”

GOVERNOR

Created a California Military Base Reuse Task Force to promote the rapid conversion of decommissioned military bases and other defense facilities to civilian uses.

ASSEMBLY

Committee Action

Domestic Violence: The Health Committee approved a bill (AB 890) by Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman (D-Los Angeles) to require doctors to receive training in recognizing signs of domestic violence as a condition of receiving their licenses to practice medicine. A 13-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Motorcycle Helmets: The Transportation Committee rejected a bill (AB 2331) by Assemblywoman Juanita M. McDonald (D-Carson) to require only motorcycle riders under 21 years of age to wear safety helmets. An 8-7 vote was cast on the bill, but nine yes votes were required for approval. Reconsideration granted.

Front Firms: The Utilities and Commerce Committee approved a bill (AB 340) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) to prohibit companies bidding on state and local contracts from bypassing legal requirements for participation of minority and women’s businesses by creating “front firms.” A 9-2 vote sent the bill to the Public Safety Committee.

Transit Bids: The Transportation Committee approved a bill (AB 1258) by Katz to give preference in bidding on transit projects in Los Angeles County to companies that employ workers, purchase goods and pay taxes there. A 16-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Bill Introductions

Unicameral Legislature: ACA 24 by Assemblyman Jan Goldsmith (R-Poway) would ask voters in 1994 to eliminate the 80-member Assembly and 40-member Senate and replace them with a 120-member unicameral Legislature with four three-year term limits. The Speaker would be elected by secret ballot. All bills would have to be approved twice in final form with a seven-day wait between votes.

SENATE

Committee Action

Official Salary Limit: The Governmental Organization Committee approved a constitutional amendment (SCA 12) by Sen. Quentin L. Kopp (I-San Francisco) to limit the annual salary of all elected officials to no more than the $120,000 paid to the governor. A 7-3 vote sent the bill to the Constitutional Amendments Committee.

Defense Conversion: The Governmental Organization Committee approved a bill (SB 458) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to establish a state program to ensure California gets its fair share of federal defense conversion dollars resulting from military base closures. A 7-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Bill Introductions

Unicameral Legislature: SCA 28 by Sen. Lucy Killea (I-San Diego) would ask the voters in 1994 to eliminate the 40-member Senate and 80-member Assembly and replace them with a 120-member unicameral Legislature with three four-year term limits. The Speaker would be elected by secret ballot. All bills would have to be approved twice in final form with a seven-day wait between votes.

Capital Fact

About 89,000 gold miners came to California in 1849 to seek their fortunes.