Sacramento – AB 44, a bill authored by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino), that arose from the December 2nd 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino was signed by Governor Brown on Friday. Introduced on the one-year anniversary of the attack, the bill requires that employees injured in an act of terrorism must receive the immediate services of a nurse case manager and that they be told of the medical treatment options that are available.
“Months after the December 2nd attack in San Bernardino, survivors faced unacceptable delays and denials for critical medical treatment,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “AB 44 is a small but important step to ensure that workers injured by an act of terrorism receive the proper attention they deserve in the workers’ compensation system.”
AB 44 also includes Legislative intent language that specifies that treatment provided to all injured workers, including mental health treatment and counseling services for psychological injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, is provided by health care providers who are trained and qualified to treat those injuries. In addition, because of the unique circumstances surrounding the number and severity of injuries that can be caused by a single act of domestic terrorism, it is appropriate to provide workers with injuries that result from an act of domestic terrorism with additional advocacy services, as provided by this bill.
“I am glad that we were able to make a large improvement in the care for victims of the December 2nd terrorism attack”, said Assemblymember Reyes. “I can’t begin to express my thanks to everyone who worked so hard on this and to the victims who have gone through so much already but also lent their voices and shared their experiences of this traumatic ordeal.”
For more information on AB 44 or to follow it online, click here.
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47 which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.
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