The Legislature finds and declares that:
(a) In California there are approximately 300 community clinics and free clinics that provide primary health care at low cost for a significant portion of the medically underserved population.
(b) These clinics account for more than 3,000,000 patient visits annually.
(c) Increasingly large caseloads, the debilitating effects of inflation on purchased goods and services, and a lack of financial resources are forcing many community and free clinics to curtail services needed in their communities.
(d) Recognizing the contribution of community and free clinics to the health care of Californians and the contribution of the clinics to lowering the costs of health care, it is in the interest of the people of this state to ensure continuation of clinic programs by providing necessary funding.
(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1996.)