Bill to Create New Kern County UC Medical School Passes Senate Committee

A bill that would create a new University of California medical school in Kern County continued to gain traction in the Senate this week, passing the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday in a unanimous 7-0 vote.

According to Assembly Bill 2357, authored by Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield), the bill would establish the University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the bill would require moneys in the endowment fund to be allocated to the University of California to support the annual operating costs for the development, operation, and maintenance of a branch campus of an existing University of California School of Medicine in the County of Kern. AB 2357 would also similarly require moneys in the endowment fund to initially be invested with the goal of achieving capital appreciation to create a balance sufficient to generate ongoing earnings to cover the estimated annual operating costs of a branch campus, and, upon the determination by the Controller that a sufficient balance is achieved and maintained in the endowment fund, would subsequently require moneys in the endowment fund to be invested to generate earnings to fund annual operating costs associated with the development, operation, and maintenance of a branch campus.

The bill would similarly require moneys in the endowment fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature and a determination by the Controller of sufficient funds in the endowment fund, to cover the University of California’s estimated costs of applying for and obtaining approval and accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

Assemblywoman Bains wrote the bill to go after health care professional shortages in California, as well increase the health care quality in the San Joaquin Valley and bring more higher paying jobs into the Central Valley. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Central Valley only has about half as many doctors as it currently needs, with other shortages of health care professionals as well.

“A medical school can do a lot of good for our community,” said Bains earlier this year. “We can address health care shortages, we can train more doctors and nurses, we can create more good paying jobs and diversify our economy. This is the way that we start to tackle our health care issues in the valley.”

Kern Health Systems CEO Emily Duran also noted that “Growing up in Kern County, I completely understand the benefits the San Joaquin Valley would receive to have our own School of Medicine. The “Grow Our Own” bill would give more of our residents the opportunity to pursue a medical profession where the local need is so great. Having more home-grown doctors and nurses in our county would create more access to healthcare in both rural and urban areas, therefore, securing better health outcomes for all.”

AB 2357, in contrast to much Democratic and Republican support, received little backlash from lawmakers. Only a few Republicans and Democrats had concerns over the bill, with most problems coming down to the cost of the new teaching hospital and it’s placement in Kern County. Opposition has mostly come in the form in voting to abstain, as seen last month during the Assembly vote when it passed 72-0, with 8 Republican and Democrat Assemblymembers voting to abstain.

However, with Kern County quickly becoming a major swing county for multiple races, with many local and state elections in the purple in the County, more and more lawmakers have come to support the bill. This was seen on Wednesday when the Senate Education Committee unanimously passed the bill 7-0, moving it to the Appropriations Committee.

Dr. Darren Curtis, who used to practice medicine in Bakersfield but moved his practice to Los Angeles, explained to the Globe that “Bakersfield is losing a lot of medical professionals at a time when Kern County is growing. People want cheaper places to live, and Kern County is one of those places. Putting a teaching hospital there gets students to put down roots there and brings in many professionals as well.

“And this is a longer plan. You get the teachers coming in off the bat, then get new students going into these professions over time. It also helps the state as a whole by increasing the number of medical professionals too, especially the Central Valley and SoCal.”

AB 2357 is currently awaiting a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.