General Election Endorsements

UNAC/UHCP’s Board of Directors has endorsed the following candidates for public office in California and Hawaii, who we believe will best represent the interests of health care professionals, labor unions, and our communities. We encourage UNAC/UHCP members to vote for these candidates in California and Hawaii’s November 3, 2026, General Election, and to volunteer to help get these candidates elected in the weeks leading up to the primary.

The Latest:

Success

The UNAC/UHCP sponsored bills AB2066 & AB2301 have passed in the CA State Legislature. Our members’ lobby visits and testimony at each stage have been invaluable in getting us this far.

Both bills are now headed to the Governor’s desk for signature.

Lobby Visits:

UNAC/UHCP members met face-to-face with state senators and their staff members on our three priority bills: AB 1929, AB 2066, and AB 2301.

• Sen. Catherine Blakespear’s team — Kaiser San Diego RNs (KSDHCPA) Kara Ricks and Elisabeth Cochran.
• Sen. Bob Archuleta — Kaiser Downey RNs (KDRNA) Brenda Gonzales and Elizabeth Flores, with staff rep Gerardo Bajamundi.
• Sen. Caroline Menjivar’s district team — Kaiser Southern California Pharmacist (UPSC) Harout Nazarian of Panorama City Kaiser.
• Sen. Tom Umberg — Kaiser Orange County RNs (KOCPA) Stephanie Morales and Mary Koundan

Stories That Landed

With Sen. Blakespear’s team, Kara and Elisabeth shared their own paths to becoming nurses.

The RNs helped legislative aides understand the financial strain, the years balancing work, family, and school, and all the barriers that turned a straight path into a long detour. AB 2301 would clear that path by letting California Community Colleges offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Harout, Stephanie, and Mary spoke on all three bills.

With Sen. Archuleta, Brenda and Elizabeth walked through AB 1929’s investment-disclosure requirements. It was also Elizabeth Flores’s first lobby meeting ever — a first-time advocate helping move a senator on a major bill. That’s member power.

Next Up

The Legislature returns from summer recess on August 3. Fiscal committees have until August 14 to advance bills, and the Legislature has until August 31 to send bills to the Governor. UNAC/UHCP continues advocating for its legislative priorities as they move through the Senate.

Assembly Bill 2066: On June 25, 2026, Assembly Bill 2066 unanimously passed the Senate Health Committee and now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. AB 2066 would:

• Establish pregnancy as a triggering or qualifying life event that allows individuals to enroll in or change their health insurance coverage outside of the standard open enrollment period.
• Ensure pregnant individuals can obtain health insurance when they need it most, supporting healthier pregnancies and improved maternal and infant outcomes.

UNAC/UHCP Legislation in Motion

UNAC/UHCP–Sponsored Bills Signed into Law

UNAC/UHCP secured two major legislative victories in 2025, as Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law bills that strengthen patient safety, hold hospitals accountable, and expand nurses’ authority across California.

Senate Bill 596 (Menjivar): Nurse Staffing Ratio Enforcement
SB 596, written by Senator Caroline Menjivar, closes dangerous loopholes in California’s nurse-to-patient staffing ratio laws by clearly defining a hospital’s “on-call list” as only nurses formally scheduled for on-call shifts or assigned to float pools—ending hospitals’ ability to claim phantom staffing resources. The law prohibits contacting off-duty nurses not on call, treats each day of noncompliance as a separate violation, and establishes clear investigation timelines for the California Department of Public Health, delivering real enforcement and accountability that protects patients and nurses.

Assembly Bill 876 (Flora): CRNA Independent Practice
AB 876, written by Assemblymember Heath Flora, authorizes Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to provide complete anesthesia care—preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative—without physician supervision. By recognizing CRNAs’ advanced training and affirming their independent authority across health care settings, the law expands access to anesthesia services, particularly in rural and underserved communities, and ensures patients receive timely, high-quality care.

Together, these laws demonstrate the power of union advocacy to advance patient safety, strengthen the nursing profession, and put health care decisions in the hands of qualified clinicians.

UNAC/UHCP–Political Action and Support

Fighting Attacks on Medicaid and Labor

Lawmaker Support for Our Kaiser Contract Campaign

Legislative Wins

Safe Work Environments for Better Care

SB 327 (2015) – Protecting 12-Hour Shifts for Nurses
Preserves the ability for nurses to work 12-hour shifts—an important scheduling option that supports continuity of care, reduces handoff errors, and increases patient familiarity with care teams.

SB 1299 (2014) – Preventing Violence in Healthcare Settings
Requires hospitals to implement workplace violence prevention plans, helping reduce the risk of assaults on healthcare workers so they can focus on delivering safe, uninterrupted care.

SB 17 (2017) – Drug Price Transparency to Protect Access
Increases transparency on drug price hikes, making essential medications more affordable and available to patients—especially in emergencies and chronic care situations.

Safe Staffing and Pandemic Protections

SB 227 (2019) – Enforcing Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
Empowers regulators to fine hospitals that violate safe staffing laws. Enforced ratios ensure nurses aren’t overwhelmed—critical to preventing errors, hospital-acquired infections, and avoidable deaths.

SB 1159 (2020) – Protecting Healthcare Workers During COVID-19
Provides automatic workers’ compensation coverage to frontline workers who contract COVID-19, keeping infected staff home and preventing further spread to vulnerable patients.

Expanding Safe Access to Care

SB 1237 (2020) – Nurse Midwives Can Provide Routine Care Independently
Allows certified nurse midwives to provide prenatal and reproductive care without physician supervision, expanding access to safe maternal care and reducing delays in treatment.

AB 890 (2020) – Nurse Practitioners Improve Access and Continuity
Grants experienced nurse practitioners the authority to practice independently in underserved settings. This helps reduce ER visits and improves chronic disease management—especially in primary care deserts.

Strengthening the Future Nursing Workforce

AB 1577 (2024) – Prioritizing Clinical Training for Nursing Students
Ensures hospitals partner with community colleges and CSU programs to offer clinical placements. More training slots means more skilled nurses at the bedside—boosting safety for future patients.

As dedicated healthcare professionals, we’re proud to have successfully stood up for patient safety, professional standards, and the integrity of care by helping defeat proposals that would have placed professionals and the communities we serve at risk.

Protected Patient and Nurse Privacy
We helped defeat SB 1111, which would have required nurses’ home addresses to be posted online—needlessly compromising the personal safety of frontline caregivers. Patient care is strongest when healthcare workers can focus on healing, not on threats to their privacy and security.

Defended Clinical Expertise on the Pharmacy Board
We stopped SB 716, which would have weakened pharmacists’ voices on the Board of Pharmacy. Patients deserve a regulatory board guided by professionals who understand the real-world implications of medication safety, access, and oversight.

Preserved Safe Pharmacy Staffing Standards
We blocked SB 617, which sought to dangerously increase the pharmacist-to-technician ratio from 1:2 to 1:3. That change could have led to rushed medication preparation and reduced oversight—risking patient safety in every prescription filled. We stood firm for accuracy, accountability, and safe patient care.