We will now be taking public
comments. When it is your turn
to speak and you hear your name
called, please come to the
podium state which of the
agenda items you would like to
speak on. You have one minute
per item to speak, two minutes
total for multiple agenda items
and one minute for general
public comment. We will let you
know when your time is up. When
speaking on the agenda items,
you must be on topic. If you're
making a general public comment,
you must address topics in the
jurisdiction of this committee.
If you're not speaking on topic,
or if we cannot tell whether
you're speaking on topic, you
will get one brief warning from
the chair or me. If you do not
immediately get on topic or
stray off topic, the chair will
cut you off and you will
forfeit the rest of your
speaking time. Thank you. Thank
you. I'd first like to call up
Lisa Baba and Melina G.
I'm
owner of Monteverdi Ranch
Equestrian Center. I'm speaking
on general public comment and I
would like to bring out the
lack of knowledge of the animal
services staff for equestrian
skills, especially in fire. And
that is reflected in the LA
Equestrian Advisory Committee
postmortem report of what can
be done better before we have
fire. With the retirement of
some of the current staff, you
will not have anybody who knows
how to load horses and
transport in times of emergency.
I'm here today to speak on the
motion by Monica Rodriguez.
This is my second agenda item,
and I am very much concerned
with the current animal
services. I have a truck. I
have paid my boarding
certificate and I was
Commendatory required to do an
entertainment permit, which I
do not need for my business.
The issue is the borders list.
As an equestrian facility. Next
speaker were you aware? Were
you speaking on an agenda item?
I'm not sure. Do I speak
General fund? She was. She was
speaking to agenda item number
four. Okay, okay. We go ahead.
Now. You have time for a minute
for general public comment. Can
you restart the clock for her,
please? Mr. Bencomo? Thank you.
So on the agenda item number
four, the issue that I'm
concerned about is as a
boarding facility, we are
required to take care of our
horses. We are not required to
do animal services job to
provide confidential
information of our borders.
That is not in the code. And
that is where I think Animal
Services has misinterpreted the
law. Also as livery stable. We
should not be having to pay an
entertainment permit because we
are not an entertainment entity
renting horses for trail rides,
which is a sport and recreation,
is part of boarding facilities.
It's boarding and livery. And
then the other terminology, I
think sunrise vaulters, which
is on my property, is not a
riding training. It doesn't
give lessons. Equestrian
vaulting is a sport that
requires gymnastics acrobatics.
It will be in the Olympics as a
demonstration in 2028, and it
is a sport that will be in
Australia in 32 under
equestrian. Next we have Karina
and Sam Chapman. I'm here to
talk about different the
fentanyl testing device. My
name is Sam Chapman. I'm a Los
Angeles resident. I lost my son
Sammy to fentanyl poisoning via
Snapchat. And I believe that
this is a life saving device
for many people. They are
concerned that these devices
will somehow give permission to
people to use drugs. But
fentanyl poisoning is one of
the leading causes of death in
the United States today, so
it's already run rampant. It's
worse than heart attacks or
COVID. And I believe that any
measures that we can take to
make this happen less often is
a public policy issue of prime
importance. This particular
device is something that
someone can use on the fly,
whereas the strips they have to
liquefy your drugs and it takes
a long time. This can happen
anywhere in a theater, on an
airplane. So it's it's much
more convenient than the
traditional way. And I do
appreciate the program you all
are putting in place. Thank you.
Thank you, sir, so much for
sharing that. And I'm so deeply
sorry for your loss. May Sammy
be resting in the warm embrace
of our ancestors. There are no
more speakers on the queue.
Madam, I apologize, Karina
Mendoza. Estoy aqui. Good
morning. My name is Karina
Mendoza. Por favor. Estoy aqui
para hablar sobre la agenda
numero uno. I'm here to speak
about agenda item number one.
Okay. Estoy aqui. No solo Como
miembro de la comunidad, sino
Como madre de antes de
secundaria. Today I'm here not
only as a member of the
community, but also as a mom of
high school students. Okay,
todas las mananas salir por la
puerta con mochilas y planes
para el futuro. Every morning I
see my kids live with backpacks
and plans for the future and
descubierto todavia and dreams
that they are not even aware of.
Casa Signos y Salud. And as any
parent, I suppose that they
will come back safe and healthy.
But position se siente flagyl.
But that thought is fragile.
Esta cambiando significa
seguros para nuestros hijos
because unfortunately, fentanyl
is modifying that that was
secured for our kids. Como
madre es muchos de Los jovenes
mueren por una sobredosis. As a
mom, I most are fearful for
those kids that die after an
overdose. That never the
intention to do. So. Son
Estudiantes, son atletas.
They're not addicts, they're
students. They're athletes.
Tomar una decision equivocado
por curiosidad. These are just
young people who maybe made a
wrong decision. Just out of
curiosity, it's important to
solar no tendra una sobredosis.
I know that education is
important, but education just
by itself won't stop an
overdose. Por eso las pruebas,
son. Importantes. Ya no podemos
depender de Los antiguos
métodos Como todo cambiado.
That's why evidence is
important. We cannot depend on
former methods. Everything has
changed. Con el fentanyl cosas
ahora nuestra comunidad
necesita herramientas nuevas
with the fentanyl in all these
different things. Now the
community needs new tools.
Funcionan para esta sucediendo
hoy unidad nuestros Estudiantes.
Better technology to do things
that are happening in our
communities with our students.
Esperamos a nuestra familia
Personalmente. Please don't
wait until these effects are on
families. Protegernos dandole
las herramientas Los pueden
ayudar. I feel that we have to
protect them, giving them the
tools that can help them. La
oportunidad de volver a casa
signos y signos. Let's give
them the opportunity to go back
safe and healthy. Prevention.
Porque ninguna familia deberia
perder a un hijo. Please let's
try to prevent this, because no
family should be in the
position of losing a child. UN
amigo, hermano por una
sobredosis venido a friend or a
brother or a sibling for an
overdose that we could have
prevented ayudar a nuestra
comunidad no solo escuelas sino
a personas adultos. I feel that
this is going to help our
community, not only schools but
also adults. Muchas gracias por
escuchar. Thank you very much
for listening to me and for
taking into account what I've
just said. Thank you. Justice.
Madam chair, there are no more
speakers on the queue. Thank
you members, if there are no
objections or questions, I
would like to approve items one,
three, four and five on consent.
Any concerns? No. I yield.
Thank you. Thank you. Miss
Ramirez, can you please read
the items into the record? Item
one Department on Disability
report relative to a Fentanyl
Detection Device Distribution
pilot program. As part of the
Opioid Mediation program, the
Government Operations Committee
amended the item on October 7th,
2025. On January 13th, 2026,
the Arts, parks, libraries, and
community Enrichment, the
Community Enrichment Committee
continued the item to January
27th, 2026. Item three City
Administrative Officer Report
relative to retroactively
authorizing the Department of
Animal Services to execute a
long term agreement with paws
for life K9 rescue to provide
adoption, veterinary and animal
welfare services at the North
East Valley Animal Service
Center. Item for motion.
Rodriguez, Lee. Relative to
instructing the Department of
Animal Services, with the
assistance of the City Attorney,
to review and report on the
interpretation and enforcement
of Los Angeles Municipal Code,
article three, section 53.1 5.1,
which governs equine licensing,
boarding permits, operations
and related activities. To
suspend the issuance and
collection of equine related
fines, citations, and permit
revocations and related matters.
Item five Board of Recreation
and Park Commissioners report
relative to authorizing the
Department of Recreation and
Parks to submit a two year
grant application and accept
the Kaiser Permanente Operation
Splash Grant for 2026 and 2027.
If awarded to support the
aquatic programing. This item
is also referred to the Budget
and Finance Committee. Madam
chair, for the record, does the
committee wish to concur with
the action of the Government
Operations Committee for item
one? Yes, please. Thank you.
Okay. Mr. Bencomo, can you
please call the roll for the
items? Council member Jurado.
Yes. Council member. Hernandez.
Yes. Council member. Nazarian.
Absent. Two eyes, these items
are approved. Thank you. Now
let's take up item two. Miss
Ramirez, can you please read
the item into the record? Item
two. City attorney report and
draft ordinance relative to
amending the Los Angeles
Municipal Code to incorporate
Los Angeles County Code section
11.02 .085 through 11.41 .045
to authorize the county
Department of Public Health to
collect and publish data and
policies on medical debt
collection and financial
assistance activities from
hospitals operating within the
City of Los Angeles. Thank you.
Representatives from the County
of the Department of Public
Health. Come. Thank you for
joining us. Please introduce
yourselves and feel free to
give us a brief presentation.
Okay. You gotta press the
button. There we go. Good
morning. My name is Melina
Budoff. I'm from L.A. County
Department of Public Health,
where I lead the health care
consumer protection unit. Good
morning. Council members,
Joshua Bobrowski with
Government affairs and Jacob
Kramer with government affairs,
public health. Good morning,
council members, and thank you.
Thank you on behalf of Doctor
Ferrer, Council member
Hernandez. Hernandez, for
authoring and to Council Member
Padilla for co-sponsoring this
critical motion and to members
of the committee for hearing
this item today. Medical debt
continues to be a critical
public health issue in Los
Angeles. Our department
analysis revealed that 1 in 9
LA County adults carry
burdensome medical debt
totaling over $2.9 billion in
2023. This crisis has
disproportionate impacts on
Angelenos, especially in
communities of color and
families with children, and
contributes to negative impacts
on financial health, mental
health and housing stability
that have substantial taken a
substantial toll on the health
of families and communities.
This ordinance will allow L.A.
County Public Health to collect
data from 34 plus hospitals in
the city of L.A. to strengthen
critical financial assistance
programs that prevent medical
debt. The data collection
efforts are part of our
comprehensive initiative to
reduce medical debt, and will
be provided at no cost to the
city, our hospitals are. Our
hospitals are critical pillars
in their communities, and these
data collection efforts will
help them to prevent medical
debt for their patients.
Compliance with the ordinance
is designed to require minimal
additional administrative
effort for hospitals following
adoption. Public health will
work closely with the hospitals
to support efficient onboarding
process. In the first six
months. This ordinance will
require hospitals to report
data they already collect for
internal monitoring and
regulatory compliance. This
includes aggregate data on debt
collection and financial
assistance operations, such as
the number of applications,
denial rate, and reasons for
denial. The ordinance will also
require hospitals to report
individual level data on
accounts sent to collections.
This is the same information
that the hospitals are
currently providing to debt
collectors. That data will
allow us to income match on the
back end, and see if there are
missed opportunities where
patients should have received
financial assistance in advance,
will provide that feedback to
the hospitals so that they can
improve their systems. Overall,
all the data public health
receives will be sorry. All the
data public health receives
will be submitted through the
same secure data portals that
they've been using to report
Covid 19 data, so they're not
new. No information regarding
citizenship status will be
collected. Privacy is protected
in that the portal is HIPAA
compliant, and there is no
health care information
collected whatsoever. The
ordinance was developed with
extensive stakeholder input,
including from legal aid and
community organizations, as
well as the hospitals and the
hospital association. An early
data from the hospitals in
unincorporated Los Angeles
County is very promising, and
shows that reporting is
feasible, low burden, and we've
got 11 hospitals currently
reporting using their existing
administrative systems with no
disruption to patient care or
core operations. By expanding
the ordinance to the city of
Los Angeles, where
significantly expanding the
reach of this effort to build a
better health system for all
the residents of the city and
the county. Thank you for your
partnership and for your
attention. We appreciate this
initiative. Yes, thank you for
your presentation. I want to
turn it over to Council Member
Hernandez for questions. Thank
you. I yield I don't have very
question, very many questions.
I'm just grateful that you all
are here and grateful for the
partnership. This is something
that Doctor Ferrer uplifted as
a need and and as having good
outcomes when done at the
county. And so I'm very excited
about this, this opportunity.
When people have medical debt,
it, you know, worsens many
things. Their financial ability
to like just their money, right.
Like you're in debt, but also
it prevents you from even
seeking medical care if you're
already in debt, which worsens
people's health outcomes, maybe
shortens their life spans. And
I remember there was a
documentary many years ago
about what medical debt had
done to people in the Midwest
and in the East Coast, where
their entire they went bankrupt,
they lost their homes, got into
deep credit card debt just to
survive. And the fact that this
data will help us then go back
and see, oh, there's these
people with medical debt. Let's
see if they qualify or we miss
them for qualifying for support
and assistance. That's a game
changer. So I'm excited and I
if you could just maybe tell us
what it amount of maybe amount
of money or amount of people
that the county has been able
to support on the back end with
that assistance in terms of the
debt relief. So the county
supervisors have allocated some
funds to go toward medical debt
relief. Yes. Working in
partnership with the national
nonprofit that buys. Unpaid
medical debt or medical debt
for pennies per dollar. To date,
we have purchased, purchased
and retired $363 million worth
of medical debt for over
171,000 Angelenos. That's
incredible households. So we're
making a dent in relieving. And
the data ordinance is part of
our effort to prevent medical
debt from ever happening by
ensuring that financial
assistance is working on the
front end before the debt is
gets that far. Phenomenal work.
Thank you very much. Thank you
so much. Thank you for putting
this forward. It's super
important. We know that medical
debt I think affects 36 to 41%
of Americans. And that's a lot
of people. And it's actually
more common than student loan
debt. And and it's one of the
things that impacts people
fiscally and health wise. And
they're dealing with these
multiple issues at the same
time and really set them back
as council member, Hernandez
said. So I have a question. I
have a couple questions. How
can the city be assured that
this data, particularly from
low income and vulnerable
communities, cannot be accessed
or repurposed by federal
agencies or third parties? It's
protected. The the data are
transferred in a private portal.
It's an encrypted system. So
these are the existing data
systems that we we use for
other all data reports. And I
don't know how to answer beyond
that. We haven't had a breach.
Joshua, could you please and
just to add that, you know,
public health has a long
history of dealing with
protected health information.
In this case, this data will
not have protected health
information, but we are
accustomed to dealing with
privacy laws and protecting
confidential information.
Fabulous. And how many
hospitals are currently
reporting under the county's
ordinance, and how many
additional hospitals would be
required to report if the city
adopts this ordinance. So
currently, we are receiving
data from 11 hospitals
throughout the county, and once
an additional 34 hospitals,
which will take us of the of
the 92 acute care hospitals in
L.A. County, an additional 34
will be located in Los Angeles,
the city of Los Angeles, and
then will be reporting. Okay.
And then my last question is,
how can the city partner with
the county to help close the
gap once initial data is
available, or is that something
we'll talk about later? Maybe.
That's a great question. We
will. We're just beginning to
to analyze the data so we know
that the the reports are coming
in. And then once we are able
to analyze and identify missed
opportunities, we will go back
to the hospitals at the systems
level to make changes. And also
we can come together with the
city and the other cities that
have signed on and make a
unified response back. Fabulous.
And one other thing to add is
as part of this initiative, we
have formed an LA County
Medical Debt Coalition, which
partners with hospitals, legal
aid associations, community
partners and the Hospital
Association to work on a range
of efforts around medical debt,
of which this one this piece is
one. And also the medical debt
relief project is one. And that
is an opportunity that, you
know, we would love
participation from the city,
from from any members of the
council that want to
participate. It's a great forum
where we bring people together
to have these discussions and
and work towards different
solutions, either at the county
level or the state level. I
would just note the city
actually has participated in
the coalition, and so we've
appreciated that partnership.
And and I think eventually
helping to disseminate
information to, to consumers as
well about how they can
continue to avail themselves of
the protections in place. Okay.
Great. Thank you. Mr. Bencomo.
Ready to take the roll? Yes,
Councilmember Hernandez.
Councilmember. Yes. Oh, sorry
about that. I was going to say
to record Mr. Nazarian.
Councilmember Nazarian. Yes.
And then make a comment. Then
we can go to the roll. Thank
you very much. No questions. I
just want to say what a fanboy
I am. Of all the work that you
do, I had the benefit of
working with you closely. Mr.
Bobrovsky is probably very
tired of my phone calls during
the time of Covid, so I very
much appreciate everything you
did. I hope you're getting a
little bit of a different
exposure now, and having an
opportunity to restock your
arsenal with the information
and the data necessary so that
we can continue plowing through.
So I'm looking forward to our
collaborative efforts. And
thanks again. Appreciate you
being here. Thank you very much,
Madam Chair. Councilmember. Yes.
Council member Hernandez.
Absolutely. Yes. Council member.
Nazarian. Yes. Three eyes, this
item is approved. Okay, great.
Is there anything on the desk?
The The desk is clear, madam
chair. Okay. Thank you, thank
you. Can I be added to the
consent calendar, please? If
the committee would like to
reconsider the items. Okay. If
Council Member Nazarian wishes
to be added to those votes,
reconsideration would be
necessary. No. Okay, then let's
let's do it. Yes. And these are
for items one, three, four and
five for voting to reconsider.
And then we're going to have to
vote again on all the items and
have it read into the record
again, not read into the record,
just the votes. Okay. And this
is the vote to reconsider.
Council member Jurado. Yes.
Council member. Hernandez.
Councilmember. Nazarian. Yes.
And to vote on items one, three,
four, and five. Councilmember.
Jurado. Yes. Councilmember.
Hernandez. Yes. Councilmember.
Nazarian. Yes. Three ayes.
These items are approved.
Meeting is adjourned. The
meeting is adjourned. Thank you.
Thank you.