Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula backed out of a news conference in Sacramento on Monday, days after GV Wire was the first to report that he had checked into a substance-abuse rehabilitation facility in January.

Arambula, D-Fresno, co-authored SB 1422 — with Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles — to extend Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom scaled back his budget, removing illegal immigrants from Medi-Cal access.

A coalition of health care and immigrants’ rights groups — under the banner of #Health4All — held a noon news conference at the state Capitol to support policy proposals. Arambula was a scheduled speaker.

“We were alerted a few minutes prior to the event that he will not make it today,” Health Access California spokesperson Rachel Linn Gish told GV Wire.

Gish added that organizers were told Arambula was running late and would not be able to attend.

Sen. Mia Bonta, D-Oakland, mentioned other legislators authoring bills to help immigrants with health care. She did not mention Arambula during the news conference.

Arambula’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An Arambula bill about water rights is scheduled to be heard by the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on Tuesday.

The office of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, told GV Wire that Arambula’s situation “is a personal matter and our office will not be commenting.”

Revelations from Divorce Documents

Arambula missed a month of work from the state Capitol — an excused absence for health reasons. Arambula said he checked into an inpatient rehabilitation facility for alcohol and marijuana addiction from Jan. 7 to Feb. 6.

He revealed his stay in rehab in a declaration filed in divorce proceedings with his wife of 11 years, Elizabeth Arambula.

His wife also accused Arambula of financial coercion by withdrawing more than $900,000 from the couple’s assets and cutting off credit cards.

The Fresno-based Marjaree Mason Center, which shelters and counsels domestic violence victims, considers financial coercion a form of domestic violence.

Court documents show Arambula said his wife is preventing access to the couple’s three daughters, 14, 13, and 10. In text messages provided by his wife in court filings, Arambula said he was “working to separate finances since you asked me to take the divorce seriously.”

Arambula is running for Fresno City Council District 3 in the June 2 primary. He posted a video on his Facebook campaign page on Saturday showing him knocking on doors.

GV Wire’s story about Arambula missing work at the Capitol to undergo rehabilitation and the divorce filings was quickly followed up on by local and national media.