CA SB 338

Author: Josh Becker
Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program.
06/23/2025 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
SB 338, as amended, Becker. Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program. Existing law establishes various programs to address the needs of migrant agricultural families. Existing law also provides funding to enhance and maintain rural health services.This bill would establish the Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program, and require the State Department of Public Health to administer the program to expand access to health services for farmworkers in rural communities. The bill would require the department to fund grants to a community organization or organizations to administer the program and to provide technical assistance to the organization or organizations for any licensing or reporting requirements necessary to fulfill the program obligations. The bill would require the organization awarded a grant, among other things, to deploy virtual health hubs, as defined, in 2 rural communities based on farmworker population and access to health care. Under the bill, the virtual health hubs would include, at a minimum, computers, Wi-Fi, cubicles for virtual visits, and exam rooms for telemedicine. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, to report the outcomes of the program to the Legislature. The bill would create the Farmworkers Health Equity Fund and would condition implementation of these provisions on no General Fund moneys being used.The bill would make findings and declarations in support of its provisions.