Hopes of single payer supporters across the country were dashed Friday night when the Democratic Speaker of the California legislature killed a single payer health insurance reform bill by written by California Democrats.

California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced Friday afternoon that he was “hold” on the bill to bring universal, single-payer health care to the most populous state, effectively killing the bill for at least the rest of 2017.

“I have decided SB 562 will remain in the Assembly Rules Committee until further notice,” Rendon said in a statement.

The Healthy California Act (SB 562) by Sens. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, and Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, passed the California State Senate 23-14 last month, but will now be denied a similar floor vote by the State Assembly.

Breaking: Assembly Speaker Rendon is not allowing single-payer healthcare bill to be heard in 2017. Bill being held in Rules Cmte.

— John Myers (@johnmyers) June 23, 2017

BIG LATE FRIDAY NEWS: Single-payer is being held in the Assembly Rules Committee "until further notice," @Rendon63rd says. https://t.co/bn3veJBfKG

— Christopher Cadelago (@CapitolAlert) June 23, 2017

.@Calnurses responds, condemns Rendon for announcing move to shelve single-payer late on a Friday pic.twitter.com/4wBQI4Us7N

— Melanie Mason (@melmason) June 24, 2017

Single-payer bill authors @senricardolara & @toniatkins say they’re “disappointed” it was shelved(but don’t sound as spitting mad as nurses) pic.twitter.com/jxxR67a5BV

— Melanie Mason (@melmason) June 24, 2017

Despite his actions, Speaker Rendon claims to be a personal supporter of single-payer.

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