SACRAMENTO (KRON) — The California Senate voted 28 to 11 to approve legislation that would extend health coverage to children under 19 who are in the country without documentation.
If the bill is approved, California would be the first state in the nation to extend state funded insurance to undocumented children.
The bill would also ask for federal authorization to sell unsubsidized private health insurance to undocumented people through the state’s health exchange.
Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) calls this bill a historic move to expand access to health care.
Some Republics say that it won’t help immigrants access doctors because they say there is a shortage of doctors who accept Medi-Cal.
The bill now moves to the Assembly.