CBS13 COVID Lab investigation leads to new law

CBS13 COVID Lab investigations leads to new laws

A year ago this month, CBS13 released a special report -- THE COVID LAB: State Secrets Exposed.

The multi-year investigation gave voice to brave whistleblowers who exposed public health failures at the height of the Pandemic.

Both state and federal regulators later concluded that the lab posed "immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety" and was "likely to cause serious injury or harm, or death." Still, the California Department of Public Health didn't warn the public, or even pause testing, as problems continued for nearly a year. Instead, they quietly renewed PerkinElmer's $1.7B state contract.   

Following these reports, State Senator Scott Wilk introduced several pieces of legislation that were intended to transcend COVID and ensure accountability and transparency long after the pandemic was over.

Senate Constitutional Amendment 7 was later replaced with Senate Bill 1271 and was signed into law in 2022. It takes effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and requires state agencies to submit the terms of proposed contract renewals for large no-bid state contracts, like PerkinElmer's, to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for review. The Newsom administration quietly renewed PerkinElmer's no-bid contract amid ongoing state and federal investigations of the lab, even though PerkinElmer failed to fulfill its contractual obligations and was at risk of losing its license.  

Senate Bill 947, The Whistleblower Protection Act, unanimously passed the State Senate but later stalled in the Assembly ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. It would have extended whistleblower protections beyond government employees to include employees of government contractors like PerkinElmer. Notably, PerkinElmer was awarded a $1.7B no-bid contract to run the state COVID lab and subsequently sued the whistleblowers who exposed wrongdoing. Wilk's office plans to reintroduce the whistleblower protection legislation in 2023.  

The state ultimately terminated its $1.7B COVID lab contract with PerkinElmer.  


WATCH THE CBS NEWS SACRAMENTO SPECIAL REPORT
THE COVID LAB: State Secrets Exposed

CONTINUING COVERAGE - THE COVID LAB: A Year-Long Investigation by Julie Watts TV Investigates on YouTube

This 30 Minute Special Report followed the first 14-months of a CBS13 investigation that prompted government investigations, resulted in three pieces of new legislation, and was the subject of national media coverage that shined a spotlight on hidden public health failures during the peak of the pandemic.

Each of the original daily newscast reports is linked below.  For ease of navigation, you'll also find video-chapter links for the special report: THE COVID LAB: State Secrets Exposed.

  • 0:00 Prologue
  • 02:16 Introduction
  • 03:22 CHAPTER 1 A Billion-Dollar Promise
  • 07:06 CHAPTER 2: False Positives
  • 12:54 CHAPTER 3: The Whistleblowers
  • 18:55 CHAPTER 4: Fixing A Flawed Test
  • 24:01 CHAPTER 5: State Secrets Revealed

(This report first aired on Dec 30, 2021)


FOLLOW OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE:

STATE SECRETS: The Whistleblower Investigation 

Asleep At the Lab: Whistleblower Allegations From Inside CA's Billion-Dollar COVID Lab

CA's Billion-Dollar COVID Testing Lab Under Investigation Following CBS13 Whistleblower Report

Questionable COVID Results – More Concerning Whistleblower Allegations From State COVID Lab

PerkinElmer Sues Whistleblower After Allegations About Troubled CA COVID Testing Lab

Regulators Find 'Significant Deficiencies' At CA COVID Testing Lab – Whistleblowers Respond


STATE SECRETS: The Troubled Test

State COVID Test Not FDA Authorized

Same COVID Test, Different Results: FDA Looking Into State Lab 'Test Result Concerns'

CBS13 Investigates: Should Rapid Test Be Used To Test School Athletes?

Delayed School COVID Results, Canceled Games and Contamination Concerns

Are False Positives or Sensitive Tests Responsible For School COVID Spikes?

CA COVID LAB Returns Fewer Than 1 Out Of 5 Results Within Required 48hrs During Omicron Surge


 STATE SECRETS: Continued Accountability

Continued Accountability: Delayed Investigation Report, Denied Interview Requests

Lawmakers Demand Answers –What's CDPH Hiding At The $1.7B COVID Testing Lab? 

Theranos Trial Reveals Details of Federal Investigation at Troubled CA COVID Lab, No-Bid Contract Renewed

State Inspections Confirm Whistleblower Allegations At Troubled California COVID Lab

Lab Experts Criticize State's Response To Risk Of 'Serious Injury, Harm or Death' At CA COVID Testing Lab

CBS13 COVID Lab Investigation Prompts New Legislation to Protect Whistleblowers & Taxpayers

California Department of Public Health Terminates $1.7B COVID Testing Lab Contract

Whistleblower Protection Legislation Moves Forward - Following Investigations Into Troubled COVID Testing Lab



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