Governor OKs Funds for AIDS Drug, Courts

Gov. George Deukmejian announced Saturday that he has signed bills reflecting his compromise with the Legislature over the 1988-89 state budget.

The package includes $216 million to help the state begin taking over funding of trial courts from financially distressed county governments, and provides money to make the life-prolonging drug AZT available to AIDS patients.

In his weekly radio message, Deukmejian said the compromise legislation authorizes $48 million for health-related programs. He said they include mental health, in-patient emergency services, and AIDS.

“Our new funding for AIDS includes necessary resources to make sure that AIDS patients whose lives depend on the drug AZT will continue to receive that needed medicine,” the governor said.

Applause, Criticism

At a Los Angeles rally, representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and a number of health and gay groups applauded the state action but criticized the federal government for not extending the national program, which runs out Sept. 30.