LAKE COUNTY – A bill moving through the state legislature that would create universal health care in California has the support of county leaders.

At its July 17 meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted to support SB 840, the California Universal Healthcare Act, authored by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) and co-authored by North Coast Sen. Patricia Wiggins.

Kuehl's bill would impose a health tax on wages paid by both the county and employees in lieu of health insurance premiums, according to a letter to the board from Supervisor Ed Robey, who asked the board to support the bill.

The bill, according to Kuehl's office, would cover all California residents, with eligibility based on residency rather than employment or income, and would require no new spending.

Robey had staff from the county's administrative office conduct a brief analysis of the bill's potential impact on the county. “The findings indicate that as currently proposed this legislation would result in a savings of over $1.5 million to the County general fund,” Robey wrote.

The analysis showed that, in some cases – such as employees with single coverage – their costs actually would go up. Robey proposes that, if the bill passes, the county should cover those increases out of its savings.

At the Tuesday meeting, Robey's suggestion that the health care system needs to be changed drew support from other board members, including Denise Rushing and Anthony Farrington.

But Supervisor Rob Brown said he didn't have faith in government running health care or insurance, and that he feels those functions are more appropriately left with private enterprise.

“Private enterprise running health care in this country is a disaster,” Rushing replied.

Brown responded that “the jury is still out” on whether or not the government could effectively run a universal health care system.

Robey moved to have Board Chair Jeff Smith sign a letter supporting SB 840 and send it to Sens. Kuehl and Wiggins, Assemblywoman Patty Berg and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Rushing seconded the motion, which received a 4-1 vote, with Brown voting against it.

The bill passed the state Senate in a 23-15 vote on June 6, according to a bill history on the Senate's Web site.

From there, it moved to the Assembly, passing the Assembly Committee on Health 12-5 July 9. It has since been sent to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, where it is awaiting further action.

If the bill does pass the legislature, it's likely heading for a veto on the governor's desk.

Schwarzenegger vetoed SB 840 when it arrived on his desk last fall, saying, “I cannot support a government-run health care system.”

He added that the bill would require a “vast” new bureaucracy to take over the state's health care system, which he called a “serious and expensive mistake.”

Not long after vetoing SB 840, Schwarzenegger introduced his own solution to the health care crisis, which was itself heavily criticized for, among other things, its $12 billion price tag.

To see the full text of SB 840 and its history, visit the Senate Web site at http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_840&sess=CUR&house=B&site=sen.

To read Kuehl's statements about the legislation, visit http://dist23.casen.govoffice.com.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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