In February 2007 California Assembly member Mark Leno introduced the California Health Places Act (AB 1472). Critical for health, environmental justice and sustainability, the bill would create a new program in the California Department of Public Health to guide and support local health impact assessment of land use and transportation planning. This legislation was developed through a collaborative process convened by the Program on Health Equity and Sustainability in June 2006.

The California Healthy Places Act is co-authored by Assembly members Mark De Saulnier, Dave Jones, Loni Hancock, and Mary Salas. The bill is being sponsored jointly by California Pan Ethnic Health Network, Human Impact Partners, and the Latino Issues Forum. In 2007, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) has also introduced similar legislation at the Federal level H.R. 398 Healthy Places Act of 2007 to improve the environment for health.

The California Healthy Places Act passed successfully out of the Health Committee of the California Assembly on April 17th, 2007 with the support of many public and private organizations including the state chapter of the American Planning Association, the California Nurses Association, California Medical Association, the Center for Public Health Advocacy, the California Association of Area Governments, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, and the Planning and Conservation League. At the Assembly Committee hearing, Dr. Rajiv Bhatia provided testimony in support of AB1472 on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco. The bill language may be accessed through the California Legislature website.