The movement for healthcare justice seems to have been stalled in Sacramento. The California Labor Federation has been working hard to pass AB 880 (Gomez) or the "Close the Walmart Loophole" bill. AB 880 failed to pass the Assembly, despite the support of a majority of the Assembly - 46 out of 80 members.
AB 880 would require employers with 500 or more workers to pay a penalty for every one of their employees on Medi-Cal, removing the incentive to cut hours and dodge the legal responsibility to provide healthcare for full-time workers. Rather than have businesses like Walmart cut hours, eliminate full-time jobs, push workers on to Medi-Cal, and increase profits at the taxpayers' expense, AB 880 closes a gap in the Affordable Care Act.
AB 880 needed 52 votes to pass, and eight Democrats - five of them endorsed by the State Federation of Labor and three from Los Angeles County - either abstained or voted against closing the Walmart loophole. Here are their names:
Abstained:
Raul Bocanegra (Pacoima)
Steve Fox (Lancaster) (Fed-
Al Muratsuchi (Torrance) (Fed-endorsed)
Henry Perea (Fresno) (Fed-endorsed)
Rudy Salas (Bakersfield) (Fed endorsed)
Opposed:
Cheryl Brown (San Bernardino)
Tom Daly (Anaheim)
Adam Gray (Merced) (Fed-endorsed)
While the Affordable Care Act is not the final word on healthcare reform, California has the opportunity to implement a progressive first step on the road to universal coverage. AB 880 is an important way to keep big businesses from exploiting weaknesses in federal health reform. The opposition or absence of labor's so-called friends is, in short, disappointing.
AB 880 is in the "inactive file," but reconsideration has been granted, which means the Assembly can vote on 880 again sometime during the session. We hope that the Legislature will put people over profits and pass AB 880.
Published July 12th, 2013Like this post? Consider sharing it on
Facebook or 
Twitter.