The Legislature reconvenes its extraordinary session on health care Monday and officially embarks on the long public debate over the governor's proposed budget.
Almost every budget proposal is greeted with opinions about what's missing in it. The big question is, among the cacophony of requests for more funding, which big-ticket health care proposal is likely to be advanced by legislative leaders?
The front-burner issue is replacing the $1.1 billion "MCO" (managed care organization) tax, and both the state Senate and Assembly are convening their special sessions on health today to address it.
Some of the higher-profile pieces of health legislation this session will be on the agenda Monday because the special session on health didn't adjourn when the regular session did last year. A slate of anti-tobacco bills introduced in special session also will be raised in the Assembly today.
Health coverage for undocumented adults promises to be pushed hard in the Legislature this year after that effort ended in a compromise last year to cover undocumented children in California.