By KATY GRIMES

“Consumer friendly, seamless enrollment, affordable health coverage is on the way in California,” says Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara. What’s more,  “an independent public entity not affiliated with an agency or department” will bring it about.

Last Friday, the Assembly approved legislation that will start the process to establish government-sponsored health insurance in California. The bills will create the California Health Benefits Exchange to apply for, and receive, federal health care funds. The exchange is the California arm of President Barack Obama’s recently enacted federal health care act, and would allow people to compare insurance plans and buy coverage through a “consumer-friendly” website.

The exchange will be governed by a five-member board, with the membership made up of the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency as well as other members appointed by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee and the Assembly speaker.

But the measures lack the sweeping support some might assume. Many Republican lawmakers have objected as the bills have traveled through legislative committees. Every committee vote has been divided along party lines, or with Republicans abstaining. Their primary objection has been the continuing attempt to expand government while the state strains under a $19 billion budget deficit.

But Assemblyman Bill Monning, D-Santa Cruz, recently spoke in support of one of the bills. “It will enable the state to obtain more federal money,” Monning said in support of SB 900.

Monning is also an author of a companion bill, AB1602, which is co-authored by Assembly Democrats John Perez and Karen Bass, as well as Democratic Senators Alquist and Steinberg.  This companion bill is currently in the Senate and would enact the “California Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”

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