Sarah Downey News
New brief studies impact of rebate walls on drug affordability
The current COVID-19 health crisis and drug affordability has put growing attention on the practice of rebate walls – in which drug manufacturers provide volume-based discounts to insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) – because it’s also kept lower-cost prescriptions off the market.
More COVID-19 workplace mandates soon take effect; ‘This has been a year unlike any other in employment law’
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing unprecedented change for businesses this past year, a number of new laws and regulations also are taking effect with respect to case reporting and leaves of absence.
FDA, CDC, California clear Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for distribution; ‘People should take the vaccine because it will help us get back to normal’
With the U.S. FDA’s approval of the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 11, the question becomes how many people will need to get it in order to stop community spread and end virus lockdowns.
Issues of equity, economic recovery set to be addressed in new legislative session; 'Marshall plan' solution needed, expert says
The first week of California’s new legislative session should provide a glimpse of pandemic recovery policy that will strive to balance mitigation of the COVID-19 public health crisis with improved coordination to address economic difficulties.
Lawmakers, prosecutors work to develop solutions to EDD fraud
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing to determine what happened with the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD), which has paid millions on fraudulent employment claims, and failed to use tools as advised by the federal government like cross checking identification against inmate records.
California continues losing streak on annual list of nation’s 'Judicial Hellholes'
California once again ranks near the bottom of the American Tort Reform Foundation’s (ATRF) annual ranking of “Judicial Hellholes,” which evaluates local court actions and state civil justice systems to determine its list.
FDA COVID-19 vaccine approval expected this week; California readies for initial distribution
With U.S. FDA approval of a COVID-19 vaccine expected as soon as Dec. 10, state regulators are preparing for the first rollout of inoculations, though it remains unclear how many people will need to receive the vaccine before there is significant impact on community spread and virus restrictions.
California business community calls for further relief as new stay-at-home mandate takes effect; ‘Leaders should be talking to specific industries’
As California enacts regional stay-at-home orders to help prevent spread of COVID-19, concerns persist for businesses about making it through the pandemic without financial help, which Gov. Gavin Newsom sought to address with a $500 million grant initiative and tax relief.
Business group urges full consideration for U.S. Department of Labor Secretary
California’s recent issues with processing jobless benefits has prompted a local business group to take out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal that questions whether state Labor Secretary Julie Su should be considered a candidate for U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Curfew mandate causes concern about more restrictions; ‘Imperative public officials rely on relevant studies and data to make these decisions’
California’s new curfew is not as strict as a stay-at-home order, but it has raised concerns that a more restrictive mandate could still be implemented, and at least one sprawling county has indicated plans to sue to allow areas without high COVID-19 case rates to operate with fewer restrictions.
Business community calls on state to show data behind latest operating restrictions; ‘We can do a better job at micro-targeting things'
The state’s recent rollbacks of most counties to the purple – most restrictive – tier has raised questions among the business community about what county-specific data led to the new restrictions when numbers suggest many COVID-19 cases have resulted from social events.
New property transfer tax undoes protections approved by voters; ‘An enormous tax increase on California families’
The controversial Proposition 19 ballot measure, narrowly approved by voters Nov. 3, was presented as a way to help seniors and wildfire agencies, but will also raise taxes when parents pass a house or small business onto their children.
CAL/OSHA approves new workplace COVID-19 mitigation measures
After seven hours of taking comments from the public, the California Occupational Safety and Health (CAL/OSHA) Standards Board voted Nov. 19 to adopt new emergency rules on COVID-19 workplace prevention measures.
Prop 22 passage could trigger more changes to workplace laws; Would bode well for economic recovery, expert says
While Proposition 22’s resounding passage sent a message of voter preference for independence over regulation and could further efforts to amend AB5, it’s unclear how that may take shape in Sacramento.
COVID-related claims appearing in wage and hour cases; ‘There should be a right to cure, especially now’
As litigation combining COVID-19 prevention procedures with wage claims continues to mount, new polling shows most workers would prefer to receive help from elected officials rather than trial lawyers.
Judge issues final ruling banning Newsom from unilateral use of Emergency Services Act to pass laws; ‘We still need to abide by checks and balances'
A Sutter County judge on Friday ruled that Gov. Gavin Newsom is prevented from issuing any executive orders that change any current laws or unilaterally create new ones, even during a state of emergency.
‘No’ campaign against property tax measure now ahead by 650,000 votes; ‘It is now clear that Proposition 15 is defeated’
As the number of ballots left to count in California has decreased, the vote margin against Proposition 15 has grown enough to declare defeat of the controversial property tax increase.
New law limits chance to remedy before enforcement; ‘Expanded compliance hurdles open up businesses to more litigation’
With voters’ passage of Proposition 24, a new law which will expand consumer data regulation, businesses now have another set of safeguard measures to implement or risk facing civil suits for non-compliance.
Decisive Proposition 22 victory could lead to similar measures in more states
While many poll watchers had expected a razor-thin decision on the Proposition 22 ballot measure exempting gig drivers from California’s AB 5 law, voters delivered overwhelming support for the companies’ push to let their workers stay independent contractors.
Rent control measure fails to garner voter support; ‘Would have worsened California’s housing crisis’
California voters overwhelmingly rejected a rent control initiative that opponents argued would have exacerbated the state’s housing shortage, delivering it a roughly 20 percentage point defeat as they had when a similar measure was on the ballot two years ago.