What’s Inside: Biocom California Public Policy Team Recaps 2021; Supreme Court Blocks Workplace Vaccine Mandates; San Diego Opts In for SB10; and More
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Throughout 2021, our team worked to interpret complex policy and its implications for our members. We have complied this recap report of the biggest takeaways and issues addressed with our members in mind.
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From the Biocom California Public Policy Team
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Happy New Year
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Supreme Court Blocks Workplace Vaccine Requirements
On January 13, the Supreme Court stopped the Biden administration’s vaccination-or-testing requirement for employers with 100+ employees, stating that Congress had not given OSHA the power to impose such a sweeping requirement in workplaces across the nation. The court has been supportive of state requirements targeting the pandemic but wary of broad federal responses. A smaller version of the policy was allowed to go forward requiring vaccinations for most health-care workers at the facilities that receive Medicaid and Medicare funds.
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Single Payer Health Care is Back on the Table
In early January, California lawmakers will begin reviewing the latest update to a single payer health care plan that has sparked debate in the state capitol for years. The plan, titled CalCare, will attempt to get all Californians insured by the same entity and allow access to any doctor, regardless of network. Funding for this plan would be come from the creation of a tax on companies earning more than $2 million, businesses with 50 or more employees, and individuals making more than roughly $150,000 a year.
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San Diego
San Diego County Board of Supervisors Renews its Leaders for Second Year
On January 11, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Nathan Fletcher to serve a second term as Chair. Fletcher, who has served as a supervisor since 2019, took the helm as chair in 2021, becoming the county’s point person for COVID-19 response, mental health reform and other government initiatives. The board also continued Supervisor Nora Vargas into a second year as vice chair. This is the first time a supervisor has served two consecutive terms as chair since 1948.
Mayor Todd Gloria’s State of the City Address
On January 12, Mayor Todd Gloria delivered his second annual State of the City address focusing on key issues for the coming year: chronic homelessness, housing shortages, and increasing infrastructure needs. Mayor Gloria discussed proposals to make infrastructure repairs throughout the city, strategies for permanent solutions to the homelessness crisis, and methods to ensure more housing is built. Gloria’s biggest announcement is that the city will opt into Senate Bill 10, allowing local governments to implement a streamlined zoning process for increasing residential density near mass transit.
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Bay Area
Drought Conditions Improve
As of January 13, the Bay Area has moved out of the ‘exceptional’ drought category and down to ‘severe’ drought. The Bay Area’s drought conditions improved after a series of storms and heavy rain during the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022. Water restrictions are still in place for several Bay Area counties and Biocom California will continue to monitor the restrictions that may affect members.
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Los Angeles
GrowLABio Initiative to Expand Bioscience Industry in Los Angeles Region
Biocom California recently hosted its inaugural GrowLABio meeting, an initiative to convene stakeholders and facilitate conversations to address impediments to the industry’s growth in the region including a lack of wet lab space and identified parcels of land where life science facilities can locate. GrowLABio aims to help create more multi-tenant lab space and life sciences jobs in order to accelerate the pathway from NIH grant to research lab to incubator to life sciences campus to patient. For more information about GrowLABio or to participate, contact our Los Angeles team at: (213) 943-2920.
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Friday, January 28
Virtual
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The Working Group members meet monthly to address policy issues in the Bay Area and provide a forum to deliver input on proposed legislative changes at city and county levels of government.
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Wednesday, March 2
Farmer & the Seahorse, San Diego
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Join us to explore the current hurdles in gene therapy research and how we as an industry can advance therapies and improve care.
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Roundtable with Asm. Luz Rivas – January 13
Assemblymember Rivas joined Biocom California for a great roundtable discussion on important issues facing the life sciences.
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Emily Cassel
Associate Manager, Govt. Affairs & Events
San Diego
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Laure Clark
Director, Federal Policy & Govt. Affairs
Washington, D.C.
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Melanie Cohn
Director, Regional Policy & Govt. Affairs
San Diego
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Jimmy Jackson
Senior Vice President & Chief Policy Officer
San Diego
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Izzie Omer
Regulatory Policy Associate
Washington, D.C.
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Richard White
Associate Manager,
Federal Advocacy
Washington, D.C.
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