Grow Our Own Bill signed in major victory for Kern County's healthcare future

(Sacramento, CA) September 30, 2024 – Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano) delivered a major victory for Kern County despite the tough state budget year with the signing of the “Grow Our Own Bill” by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday.

“As a family doctor providing care to the most underserved areas of California and past Chair of the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission, and now as the Assemblywoman, I transformed my experiences and work into a vision for a healthier future for Kern County. This is a dream come true for the valley. Your zip code should not determine how long you will live.”

“While we still have a ways to go before we can get shovels in the ground, I am excited we can move forward with this transformational project for Kern County,” said Dr. Bains.

The Grow Our Own Bill, now signed into law, has two main parts. The University of California must build a medical school in Kern County once funding thresholds are met, and the California State Treasury will open an endowment in January 2025 that allows multiple sources to contribute to the medical school's initial and ongoing funding.

The proposal to establish a University of California medical school campus in Kern County has garnered significant support from various sectors. The Wonderful Company, Kaiser Permanente, American Pistachio Growers, SEIU California, Blue Shield, California Life Sciences, Kern Health Systems, The City of Shafter, The City of Wasco, and the Wasco Union High School District, among many others, sent in letters of support for the bill.

“With a new medical school, Kern County can be a hub of medical innovation and economic activity, improve healthcare access, create good-paying jobs in the healthcare sector and the businesses that support the healthcare sector, and diversify our local economy,” said Dr. Bains.

“This project is a win-win-win for our community.”

The Central Valley is home to some of the worst healthcare outcomes in the state. The University of California, in its own research, found that the Valley is one of California's fastest-growing, poorest, and least-healthy regions.

One of the driving factors behind the poorer healthcare outcomes is the lack of physicians. In 2021, the California Health Care Foundation reported that the San Joaquin Valley had just 47 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, short of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ recommended supply ratio of 60-80 per 100,000 and the state average of 60 per 100,000. The American Medical Association estimates that over 83 million Americans currently live in areas with insufficient access to primary care physicians.

This is the third bill from this session authored by Dr. Bains and signed by Newsom that expands or protects healthcare in Kern County.

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