Political Pulse –A Look Back at 2022

California legislators, who were elected during the November 8th General Election, were sworn into office on December 5, 2022. This being California, there was not much question about which party continues to hold onto a majority of the seats in the state Assembly and state Senate. Democrats continue to hold roughly 3 out of 4 seats in both the Senate and the Assembly, enough to keep super-majorities.

Even if the partisan balance remains roughly the same, there are still some big changes in Sacramento. The Legislature saw a surge in retirements and early exits this election cycle resulting in nearly a 30 percent turnover in the Legislature. The freshman class will now have a record number of women and LGBTQ members. Included in that freshman class of women is our very own Jasmeet Bains, MD. Dr. Bains is the first family physician and first Sikh American and woman of Indian American descent to be elected to the California Legislature. Dr. Bains won her first campaign for public office with an overwhelming margin. The November 21, 2022, results from the Kern County Registrar of Voters showed Dr. Bains leading with 60.5 percent of the vote, while her challenger reported 39.5 percent.

There will also be a change in leadership in the state Assembly. After a protracted battle that split the chamber’s Democratic caucus, Assembly Democrats voted unanimously to make Assembly Member Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, the next Speaker, but he will not assume the role until June 30, 2023. Current Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, was re-elected to open the legislative session wherein he will serve as Speaker and facilitate the transition until June 30. The Assembly Speaker is one of the most powerful jobs in California politics. The leader determines committee assignments, sets policy priorities, and has a major role in negotiating the state budget.

Aside from legislative members, California also voted on seven statewide ballot propositions in the 2022 General Election. Four ballot measures were defeated and three were approved, including the two CAFP-supported propositions - Proposition 1, the Constitutional Right to Reproductive Freedom, and Proposition 31, a Referendum

on the 2020 Law that Would Prohibit the Retail Sale of Certain Flavored Tobacco Products.

Proposition 1 was the most popular measure statewide, winning two-thirds of the vote. Support for Proposition 1 was mostly concentrated in the Democratic coasts, where it received a higher share of the vote in those counties than any other measure on the ballot. Approval of Proposition 1 means the California Constitution would be changed to expressly include existing rights to reproductive freedom—such as the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion and use contraceptives.

As for the law that would prohibit the retail sale of certain flavored tobacco products in California, the tobacco industry has been fighting it since it passed in 2020. They first went through the Courts to prevent enforcement of the law. CAFP signed onto an Amicus Curiae (“friend of the court”) brief opposing their efforts. The tobacco industry, however, gathered enough signatures to qualify a referendum – Proposition 31 - that blocked the law from taking effect until voters could decide whether to uphold or overturn it. That allowed tobacco companies to continue selling the products in question for another two years — likely earning them at least $1 billion in profits. Fortunately, the approval of Proposition 31 means inperson stores and vending machines in California cannot sell most flavored tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers.

CAFP advocates for family physicians and patients in a number of arenas, including through legislation, regulations, administrative action, ballot propositions, and legal measures. CAFP will continue to advocate on issues within CAFP’s legislative priorities: continued on page 12

1. Advancing payment reform and system transformation, including transforming current payment models; reducing system complexity and administrative burden, including not legislating the practice of medicine; and creating new care models that promote better health outcomes, health equity, and access to care.

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2. Promoting the growth of the primary care physician workforce, including guiding financial and policy changes in medical education that support primary care, and creating a more diverse workforce.

3. Defining and raising the profile of family medicine, including through conducting public education and awareness; leadership development; and supporting full spectrum family physicians.

4. Supporting physician wellness, including alleviating burnout and supporting efforts that promote physician mental and emotional health.

5. Promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), including through advocating for policy changes that improve health equity and advancing a more diverse family medicine workforce.

In the legislature, CAFP will have a particular focus on JEDI, system transformation, and raising the profile of family medicine, hence the theme for the 2023 AMAM will be health equity. There will be a presentation on evaluating policy with an equity lens by Courtnee Melton-Fant, PhD, Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems Management and Policy at the University of Memphis. In addition, the Family Physicians Political Action Committee (FP-PAC) will continue to support candidates who promote issues important to family medicine and to educate current legislators on the importance of family medicine. Though not all CAFPsupported candidates get elected, we continue to have strong champions in the Legislature.

As we saw with Dr. Bains, we know family physicians are remarkable advocates and leaders. To further promote family physician advocacy and leadership, we will have two advocacy training tracks at AMAM – the first is on crafting your message, telling your story, and meeting with your legislator, which will be presented and facilitated by Nina Surya, who is an expert speech and leadership coach and executive partner at MediaWorks. The second training track is on running for office and serving on advisory committees, which will be presented and facilitated by experienced political consultant and partner at the Strategy Group, Danielle Cendejas.

AMAM is your chance to make change in health care policy! Come join us at AMAM and please also contribute to the FP-PAC. Find more information and to register today at familydocs.org/ amam!