California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 108, a $25 million emergency grant for cash-strapped public and nonprofit hospitals, days after Sen. John Laird, the Santa Cruz Democrat chairing Senate Budget, introduced it on May 4, 2026. Eligibility requires under 10 days' cash on hand and over half of patients on government insurance or uninsured. The Department of Health Care Access and Information names recipients May 26. Likely applicants include Watsonville Community, Madera Community, and Southern Inyo hospitals. Lawmakers including Sens. Cabaldon, Smallwood-Cuevas and Grove criticized the narrow criteria amid looming Medi-Cal cuts under Trump's H.R. 1.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 108, a $25 million emergency grant for cash-strapped public and nonprofit hospitals, days after Sen....