Arnold Schwarzenegger Signs Donda West Plastic Surgery Law

Mauldin Brand Agency

California law, written in response to death of Kanye's mother, requires mandatory health checks before cosmetic surgery.
By Gil Kaufman

Kanye and his mother, Donda West
Photo: Vince Bucci/ Getty Images

It's been a busy week for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition to signing a strong new anti-paparazzi bill, the governor signed a bill, called the Donda West Law, that requires anyone undergoing plastic surgery in the state to receive a mandatory physical examination first, according to the Los Angeles Times.
 
The bill was written in response to the death in 2007 of Kanye West's mother, Donda, 58, who died of complications related to cosmetic surgery. Dr. West's family reportedly believe that a pre-op physical exam would have uncovered coronary artery disease. West underwent several plastic surgery procedures without medical clearance and her coronary disease and postoperative factors are believed to have contributed to her death.


The California state Senate passed the measure last summer, with California being home to the largest plastic surgery industry in the U.S. Dr. West's niece, Yolanda Anderson, was one of the primary movers behind getting the initial bill passed, which also requires a mandatory written clearance before surgery. However, facing a flood of bills on his desk at the time, Schwarzenegger vetoed the first pass of the bill in February 2008, then signed it after it was resubmitted this past February.

"Sometimes patients may think they are well enough for cosmetic surgery, but in reality are not," said Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter, one of the leading sponsors of the bill. "This bill will potentially save lives."

After his infamous run-in with Taylor Swift at the VMAs last month, Kanye West told talk-show host Jay Leno that his mother would have been disappointed in his behavior. West also said that the pain from his mother's death still haunts him and that after two years of nonstop touring, recording and appearances, he's decided to take some time to deal with his emotions.

"Obviously, I deal with hurt, and so many celebrities, they never take the time off, and I never took the time off, really," West explained on Leno's show. "I've really never taken the time off. It's been music after music and tour after tour. And I'm just ashamed my hurt caused someone else hurt."