BILL NUMBER: AB 818INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hernandez FEBRUARY 26, 2009 An act to amend Section 1279.7 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health facilities. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 818, as introduced, Hernandez. Health facilities: connection ports. Existing law establishes various programs for the prevention of disease and the promotion of the public health under the administration of the State Department of Public Health, including, but not limited to, a program for the licensure and regulation of health facilities. Existing law, to become operative January 1, 2011, prohibits certain health facilities from using an intravenous, epidural, or enteral feeding connection that would fit into a connection port other than the type it was intended for, unless an emergency or urgent situation exists and the prohibition impairs the ability to provide health care. This bill would delay the operative date of this prohibition until January 1, 2014. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1279.7 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 1279.7. (a) A health facility, as defined in subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (f) of Section 1250, shall implement a facility-wide hand hygiene program. (b) Beginning January 1,20112014 , a health facility, as defined in subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (f) of Section 1250, is prohibited from using an intravenous connection, epidural connection, or enteral feeding connection that would fit into a connection port other than the type it was intended for, unless an emergency or urgent situation exists and the prohibition impairs the ability to provide health care.