Workforce
This page tracks California legislation that can impact workforce issues related to Urban Indian Health Organizations, including medical school funding. This tracker is updated regularly and provides links to the California Legislative Information website for additional resources.
Click here to view an recently chaptered bills.
AB 2370: Assembly member Wagner (District 68)
Industrial Welfare Commission: wage orders:hours worked
Summary: This bill would declare that the definition of “hours worked” as it pertains to the health care industry, in that existing wage order, was valid and enforceable on and after October 1, 2000, and continues to be valid and enforceable.
Last Action: 03/17/2016 Referred to Committee on Labor and Employment
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 952: Senator Anderson (District 38 )
Pharmacy technicians: licensure requirements
Summary: This bill would substitute for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board a pharmacy technician certifying organization offering a pharmacy technician certification program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies that is approved by the California State Board of Pharmacy.
Last Action: 08/10/2016 Enrolled and presented to the Governor.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1863: Jim Wood (District 2 )
Improving Access to Behavioral Health Services (MFT Bill)
Summary: This bill will increase Californians’ access to culturally appropriate behavioral health services by permitting Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) services at an FQHC or RHC to be reimbursed on a per-visit basis, just as services provided by other mental health professionals are reimbursed. Adding MFT’s would require a rate adjustment.
This is the same MFT Bill that was vetoed by the Governor last round because of the MCO tax, a substantial Medi-Cal revenue source, had not been resolved. With bipartisan support and momentum from the last session, FQHCs are optimistic. It is important to highlight, however, that adding MFT services will require a scope change.
Last Action: 08/11/2016 From committee: Do pass.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 2048: Assembly member Gray (District 21)
National Health Services Corps State Loan Repayment Program
Summary: In administering the National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program in accordance with federal law and regulations, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development is required to strive, whenever feasible, to equitably distribute loan repayment awards between eligible urban and rural program sites, after taking into account the availability of health care services in the communities to be served and the number of individuals to be served in each program site. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.
Last Action: 08/30/2016 Enrolled and presented to the Governor.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 1261: Senator Stone (District 28)
Physicians and surgeons: licensure exemption
Summary: Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts practitioners by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law provides an exemption from these requirements for a health care practitioner licensed in another state who offers or provides health care for which he or she is licensed during a state of emergency, as defined, and upon request of the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority, as specified.
This bill would provide an exemption similar to that sponsored event exemption to be administered by the Medical Board of California, applicable only to a physician, defined as a person licensed or certified in good standing in another jurisdiction of the United States, who offers or provides health care services for which he or she is licensed or certified, and who engages in acts that are subject to licensure or regulation under the Medical Practice Act. That exemption would be for health care services that are provided through free clinics, as defined, rather than through sponsored events. Such a physician would be authorized to volunteer for up to 60 days in a calendar year, which need not be consecutive.
Last Action: 08/11/2016 Read for the third time, passed, and ordered to Senate.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 1177: Senator Galliani (District 5)
Physician and Surgeon Health and Wellness Program
Summary: This bill would authorize the board to establish a Physician and Surgeon Health and Wellness Program for the early identification and appropriate interventions to support a physician and surgeon in his or her rehabilitation from substance abuse, physical or mental illness, burnout, or other similar conditions, as specified.
Last Action: 08/12/2016 From committee: do pass.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 2179: Assemblymember Gipson (District 43)
Hepatitis C testing
Summary:Existing law authorizes an HIV counselor who receives specified training and works in specified counseling and testing sites to perform HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), or combined HIV/HCV tests, including performing skin punctures for purposes of withdrawing blood for purposes of these tests, as specified.This bill would authorize a hepatitis C counselor who receives specified training and works in described counseling and testing sites to perform HCV tests, and add hepatitis C counselors performing those tests to the specified professionals and others referred to above.
Last Action: 08/31/2016 Enrolled and presented to the Governor.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 1184: Senator Cannella (District 22)
Health professionals: loan repayment
Summary:Existing law, the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act, declares the intent of the Legislature to increase the number of students and residents receiving quality education and training in specified primary care specialties and as primary care physician’s assistants, primary care nurse practitioners, and registered nurses. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.
Last Action: 03/3/2016 Referred to Committee on Rules
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 1204: Senator Hernandez (District 22)
Health professionals: loan repayment
Summary: The bill would increase the monetary limits for loan repayment and would expand the eligibility for loan repayment funds to include those physicians providing psychiatric services.
Last Action: 3/15/2016 April 4th hearing canceled at the request of author
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 1139: Senator Lara (District 33)
Health professionals: undocumented immigrants: scholarships, loans, and loan repayment
Summary:This bill would prohibit specified programs within the foundation, including programs which are funded by the continuously appropriated Health Professions Education Fund, the Medically Underserved Account for Physicians, and the Mental Health Services Fund, from denying an application based on the citizenship status or immigration status of the applicant.
Last Action: 06/30/2016 Re-referred to Committee on Appropriations.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 1039: Senator Hill (District 13)
Professions and vocations
Summary: The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact future legislation that would establish a Dental Corps Scholarship Program, as specified, to increase the supply of dentists serving in medically underserved areas.
Last Action: 08/12/2016 From Committee: Do pass.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 2216: Rob Bonta (District 18)
Addressing California’s Primary Care Provider Shortage (Graduate Medical Education)
Summary: This bill will support community health centers ability to educate and train providers in California. California currently faces a primary care workforce crisis that undermines health centers’ ability to meet the needs of the local community and puts the health of our most vulnerable populations at risk.
Last Action: 06/23/2016 Do pass and re-referred to Committee on Appropriations.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 22: Senator Roth (District 31)
Medical residency training program
Summary: Requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) to establish a non-profit public benefit corporation to be known as the California Medical Residency Training Foundation.
California has a critical shortage of primary care physicians. In order to maintain our current rate of utilizations, we must train 8000 more primary care physicians by 2030. Our statewide shortage is further aggravated by misdistribution. Only 16 of California’s 58 counties meet the recommended 60-80 primary SB 22 (Roth) Page 5 of 9 care physicians per 1,000 people. With an increasing Medi-Cal population, these already underserved areas will see their services stretched even thinner. SB 22 will create a voluntary public-private partnership to fund additional primary care physician residency positions to be placed in these underserved areas of California. By providing a state match of up to $20 million for private contributions, SB 22 would create a fund to provide additional residency positions while allowing a state sanctioned but privately run non-profit organization have a say in the distribution of the positions within these areas. By working closely with private and public stakeholders, the bill aims to create a consensus based solution to meet the need for more doctors in California as access to healthcare continues to grow.
Last Action: 02/29/16 From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Committee on Rules.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 174: Assemblymember Gray (District 21)
University of California: Medical Education
Summary: This bill regards the role of the University of California with respect to access to health care in the San Joaquin Valley. UC PRIME is training program that helps meet the needs of CA’s underserved populations by training future health workers. The program requires coursework, clinical experience, independent study, and mentoring to prepare students to serve a certain population as future health workers. The bill would appropriate $1.25 million from the General Fund to the University of California regents beginning with the 2016–17 fiscal year and every year after. The money would support expansion of the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) PRIME program.
Last Action: 08/27/2015 Held under submission
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
See SB 131
Nurse Practitioners: Scope of Practice
Summary: Under the Nursing Practice Act, nurse practitioners licensed by the Board of Registered Nurses are required to consult with a physician or surgeon prior to ordering medical equipment or certifying a disability for insurance purposes, along with a variety of other services including approving, signing, modifying or adding a treatment plan for a patient.
This bill permits nurse practitioners with certification from a national body recognized by the board of practice to complete the actions listed above without supervision of or adherence to standardized procedures of a surgeon or physician. The bill requires the nurse practitioner to instead refer a patient to a physician, surgeon, or licensed health care provider if the situation is beyond their scope of practice. The bill requires that a nurse practitioner must also refer a client to a surgeon or practitioner for services such as laboratory, diagnostic, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, psychometric testing, home infusion therapy, as well as diagnostic imaging goods or services if the licensee or licensee’s family member has a financial interest in the patient. Any violation of this is punishable as a misdemeanor after review by the Medical Board of California.
This bill would also expand the definition of a “licensee” to include nurse practitioners, effectively expanding the scope of an existing crime and requiring implementation a state-mandated local program. Along with the Medical Board of California, the bill would require the Board of Registered Nursing to review the case before imposing disciplinary action.
Additionally, while existing law requires that specified healing arts licentiates undergo a peer review, the bill would expand the definition of “licentiates” to include nurse practitioners. The Board of Registered Nursing, would again have to submit reviews for this purpose.
This bill requires no reimbursements from the state.
Last Action: 06/28/2016 Hearing canceled at the request of the author.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site click here
SB 131: Senator Cannella
University of California: medical education
Summary: This bill would present findings and declarations of the Legislature regarding the role of the University of California with respect to access to health care in the San Joaquin Valley. The bill would appropriate $1,855,000 from the General Fund each fiscal year, commencing with the 2016–17 fiscal year, for allocation to the University of California to support expansion of the San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education, as specified.
Last Action: 02/01/2016 Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site click here
