[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Don Perata
President pro Tem
California State Senate

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

The Capitol has been buzzing for weeks about the two Democratic leaders working to combine their health care plans into one bill. Today Assembly Speaker Nunez and Senate Pro Tem Perata announced the details of the new bill, which grabs features from both leaders legislative proposal. This is the start of a new period in the push for health care reform. Now we have on proposal that the legislature can use to negotiate with the governor's office at is is known as AB 8.

Here are two big details.

• Employers my spend at least 7.5 of payroll costs on health care. This requirement extends to all employers regardless of size. Self-employed individuals are exempt.
• No requirement that every resident purchase health insurance (aka individual mandates).

More details should trickle out in the upcoming days, but these are the two biggest bones of contention with the governor. Arnold had proposed that 4% of payroll go to health care insurance, which is woefully inadequate and below what most employers who contribute to health care spend. Earlier today Arnold, anticipating this announcement gave a press conference on health care.