Stanislaus News

Assemblymember Alanis announced today that his bill, AB 1902, supporting Californians who identify as blind or having low vision, has been signed into law by the Governor. The new legislation mandates that pharmacy dispensers provide accessible prescription medication labels upon request. These labels can include large font for those with low vision and braille or text-to-speech technology for patients who are blind.

“This movement toward accessible prescription medication labels has persisted for more than a decade now,” said Assemblymember Alanis. “I am ecstatic to see these recommendations become law and to help the blind community move one step closer to receiving accessible healthcare.”

The California Council of the Blind sponsored the bill, which is based on recommendations from a 2013 United States Access Board Working Group report. AB 1902 aims to ensure all Californians receive necessary accommodations within the healthcare space.

“I want to thank the countless stakeholder groups who not only advocated for this bill throughout the entire legislative process but also provided valuable feedback to ensure that our pharmacies are adequately prepared to implement this policy,” added Alanis.

The law will take effect on January 1, 2025. It marks the tenth bill authored by Assemblymember Alanis to be signed into law during his first term. He still has seven other measures pending for the Governor’s consideration.

Assemblymember Juan Alanis represents the 22nd Assembly District, which includes Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Denair, Patterson, Gustine, Newman, Hilmar, Ballico, Snelling, Keyes, Grayson, Crows Landing, Diablo Grande, Stevinson & Empire.