BILL NUMBER: AB 1373	CHAPTERED  08/30/04

	CHAPTER  320
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  AUGUST 30, 2004
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  AUGUST 27, 2004
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 12, 2004
	PASSED THE SENATE  JUNE 24, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 29, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 22, 2003

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Daucher and Chan

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2003

   An act to amend Section 1416.22 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to health care, and making an appropriation therefor, and
declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1373, Daucher.   Nursing home administrator:  licensing
examination.
   The existing Nursing Home Administrators' Act governs the
licensing and regulation of nursing home administrators.  The act
requires every applicant for an initial license as a nursing home
administrator to pass a nursing home administrator licensing
examination.  To qualify for the licensing examination, the act
requires the applicant to be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen
of the United States, be of reputable and responsible character,
demonstrate an ability to comply with the act, and comply with at
least one of several other requirements.
   This bill would revise the qualification requiring the applicant
to be a citizen of the United States to instead require the applicant
to be a citizen of the United States or a legal resident.
   By expanding the class of persons who may become licensed nursing
home administrators and thereby increasing licensing fees that are
deposited into a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make
an appropriation.
  This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an
urgency statute.
   Appropriation:  yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 1416.22 of the Health and Safety Code is
amended to read:
   1416.22.  (a) To qualify for the licensing examination, an
applicant must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen of the
United States or a legal resident, be of reputable and responsible
character, demonstrate an ability to comply with this chapter, and
comply with at least one of the following requirements:
   (1) Have a master's degree in nursing home administration or a
related health administration field.  The master's program in which
the degree was obtained must have included an internship or residency
of at least 480 hours in a skilled nursing facility or intermediate
care facility.
   (2) (A) With regard to applicants who have a current valid license
as a nursing home administrator in another state and apply for
licensure in this state, meet the minimum education requirements that
existed in this state at the time the applicant was originally
licensed in the other state.
   (B) The minimum education requirements that have existed in
California are as follows:


Prior to 7/1/73                    None
From 7/1/73 to 6/30/74             30 semester units
From 7/1/74 to 6/30/75             45 semester units
From 7/1/75 to 6/30/80             60 semester units
From 7/1/80 to 1/1/02              Baccalaureate degree

   (3) A doctorate degree in medicine and a current valid license as
a physician and surgeon with 10 years of recent work experience, and
the completion of a program-approved AIT Program of at least 1,000
hours.
   (4) A baccalaureate degree, and the completion of a
program-approved AIT Program of at least 1,000 hours.
   (5) Ten years of recent full-time work experience, and a current
license, as a licensed registered nurse, and the completion of a
program-approved AIT Program of at least 1,000 hours.  At least the
most recent five years of the 10 years of work experience shall be in
a supervisory or director of nursing position.
   (6) Ten years of full-time work experience in any department of a
skilled nursing facility, an intermediate care facility, or an
intermediate care facility developmentally/disabled with at least 60
semester units (or 90 quarter units) of college or university
courses, and the completion of a program-approved AIT Program of at
least 1,000 hours.  At least the most recent five years of the 10
years of work experience shall be in a position as a department
manager.
   (7) Ten years of full-time hospital administration experience in
an acute care hospital with at least 60 semester units (or 90 quarter
units) of college or university courses, and the completion of a
program-approved AIT Program of at least 1,000 hours.  At least the
most recent five years of the 10 years of work experience shall be in
a supervisory position.
   (8) If the applicant and the preceptor provide compelling evidence
that previous work experience of the applicant directly relates to
nursing home administrator duties, the program may accept a waiver
exception to a portion of the AIT program that requires 1,000 hours.

   (b) The applicant shall submit an official transcript that
evidences the completion of required college and university courses,
degrees, or both.  An applicant who applies for the licensing
examination on the basis of work experience shall submit a
declaration signed under penalty of perjury, verifying his or her
work experience.  This declaration shall be signed by a licensed
nursing home administrator, physician and surgeon, chief of staff,
director of nurses, or registered nurse who can attest to the
applicant's work experience.
  SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order to prevent the sudden disruption of services provided to
seniors residing in a number of the state's nursing homes, it is
necessary that this act take effect immediately.