Oxnard can't take on ambulance service under governor's veto

The city of Oxnard won't be allowed to take over the community's ambulance services from the County of Ventura under Gov. Gavin Newsom's veto of a bill Saturday.

State Assemblyman Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, authored the bill that would give Oxnard the authority to administer ambulance services within city limits after two California courts ruled against Oxnard's lawsuit to do the same thing in 2021. The city appealed to the state Supreme Court, but the high court declined to review the case in 2022.

City officials argued they could provide better ambulance service, particularly in Oxnard's lowest-income neighborhoods, than the community gets through the system administered by the county.

Newsom agreed with Bennett that ensuring "equitable, efficient and quality access" to emergency care is a state priority, but raised concerns about potential disruption to the statewide system for responding to medical emergencies.

He said the bill carried a risk of inconsistency in the delivery of emergency medical services and could compromise uniformity of operations by authorizing a single city to bypass regional agreements.

The bill would create a "unique operational model in Ventura County" that is different from the law applicable in the other 57 counties, he wrote in his message accompanying the veto.

"Though this bill is narrow, I am concerned that it will set a precedent for other cities to pursue similar legislation in the future," further fragmenting the system, he said.

Reached by phone Sunday, Oxnard Mayor John Zaragoza said he was declining comment because he was unfamiliar with details of the governor's decision.

This story may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard can't take on ambulance service under governor's veto