By Chris Richburg
The death of rap superstar Kanye West’s mother has prompted the approval of a new bill requiring hospital patients to take a physical exam, before having elective cosmetic surgery.
The LA Times reports the California Senate passed the requirement on Wednesday (August 13) with a vote of 37 to 1.
According to Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles), the measure, known as AB 2968, was in response to Donda West’s passing.
The former educator/author died last year from complications related to cosmetic surgery.
Earlier this year, Donda West’s niece, Yolanda Anderson, and California state Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter (D-Rialto) introduced AB 2968 into the state’s legislature.
For Ridley-Thomas, the tragedy comes as a wake-up call for patients and their families to take steps to ensure a safe medical experience.
"Many of us are concerned about the quality of care extended to those who receive elective surgery," the senator told the Times.
Donda West’s family believes that coronary artery disease would have been discovered with a physical exam.
A coroners report found that heart disease and clogged arteries also played a role in the scholar’s death.
Since West’s death, lawmakers and physicians around the country have lobbied for more restrictions for patients undergoing cosmetic surgery.