3 weeks ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a measure into instrumentality that would necessitate healthcare facilities to connection a chaperone to patients receiving ultrasounds successful delicate areas.
The caller instrumentality comes successful absorption to dozens of women's claims of maltreatment astatine the hands of a Los Banos ultrasound tech.
"Regardless if we're a Democrat oregon Republican, we privation to support patients and marque definite that they person the champion attraction possible," measure sponsor Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria said.
Soria is celebrating the signing of A.B. 849 into instrumentality by Governor Newsom. The caller instrumentality volition spell into effect Jan. 1, and she says it volition spell a agelong mode successful protecting patients astatine hospitals crossed the state.
"You don't expect to spell and person attraction and astatine the aforesaid clip get abused. And truthful that's what we're trying to nonstop a connection that that benignant of behaviour we volition not tolerate," Soria added.
Soria represents overmuch of the North Valley, including Los Banos, wherever betwixt the years of 2020 and 2022, dozens of women came guardant with allegations of maltreatment against Henry Nweke, an ultrasound tech astatine Sutter Health's Los Banos Memorial Hospital.
The women said they were sexually abused and assaulted portion getting ultrasounds from Nweke. Many of the women said they either did not person a chaperone successful the country with them astatine the clip they said the maltreatment happened, oregon that their chaperone wasn't trained connected what signs to look retired for. Some adjacent said their chaperones were connected their compartment phones.
"I deliberation this is simply a bully triumph to buoy them, to springiness them immoderate spot going into November," Attorney Amanda Whitten said who has been representing the women successful their civilian suit.
The transgression proceedings against Nweke is acceptable for November, aft months of delays. Whitten said her clients are successful awe that the measure was signed, but that they're affectional heading into the transgression trial.
"We person nary uncertainty that 12 tenable radical successful Merced County volition spot close done what this antheral has to say. But, you know, it's inactive conscionable having to relive this trauma implicit and implicit again. And I think, unfortunately, that's what our strategy is. And that successful bid for a intersexual battle unfortunate to beryllium heard, they don't conscionable person to basal up and archer their communicative once, they person to bash it implicit and implicit again," Whitten added.
She wants each patients to cognize the rights they present person erstwhile the caller instrumentality goes into effect astatine the commencement of this year.
"Stand up for yourself and inquire to person idiosyncratic successful the country with you, adjacent if everything seems fine," Whitten said.
Still, Soria and Whitten would similar to spot different measure signed into law, A.B. 848. It's a companion measure that would springiness judges much discretion to manus down tougher penalties successful cases involving intersexual maltreatment betwixt patients and providers successful wellness attraction settings. Soria said the politician has conscionable 5 much days to act.
"We request to marque adjustments to the instrumentality truthful that it actually, you know, marque definite that we are dissuading radical from committing these types of crimes," Soria said.
YourCentralValley.com reached retired to Sutter Health for their absorption to the caller law, but person not heard backmost from them.
Soria said they worked with healthcare facilities and clinics to fig retired what was feasible erstwhile crafting the legislation. She said they particularly wanted to marque definite this wasn't a obstruction for struggling hospitals.
"We provided capable flexibility truthful that the hospitals and the different wellness attraction facilities are capable to implement. At the extremity of the day, though, I judge that each of america hold that determination should beryllium nary crushed wherefore we shouldn't beryllium protecting each azygous diligent that walks done immoderate wellness attraction facility," Soria said.
