New California health care-related laws in effect Jan 1, 2009

From the CaliforniaHealthline article (the bolding is mine):

Hospital Infection Control

* SB 1058, also by Alquist, requires hospitals to screen certain high-risk patients for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and report their infection rates to the state. Beginning in 2011, the information will be accessible to the public on a state Web site.
* SB 158 by Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) gives the state additional authority to look into infection outbreaks and complaints about lax infection control practices. The law also requires hospitals to provide education and training opportunities for workers (Rojas, Sacramento Bee, 12/27/08).

End-of-Life Care

* Doctors who treat terminally ill patients will be required to inform them on all end-of-life options, including hospice care and the right to refuse treatment.

Click here to access this article and read about even more health care-related laws.