BILL ANALYSIS AB 64 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 9, 2007 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mark Leno, Chair AB 64 (Berg) - As Amended: April 18, 2007 Policy Committee: Business and Professions Vote: 10 - 0 Health 17 - 0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill would allow healthcare and veterinary professionals to voluntarily register their appropriate licenses and credentials with the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) in California so that they may be called on to provide appropriate services and care during a state, local or health emergency or a state of war. In addition, this bill provides that any voluntary health practitioner who is providing services will be considered an employee of this state for workers compensation purposes. FISCAL EFFECT 1)Administrative costs of less than $100,000 to create and administer the registry. 2)Unknown, but potentially significant, state workers compensation costs to the extent that a voluntary health practitioner is injured when providing assistance during an emergency or traveling to or from an emergency. COMMENTS 1)Purpose . This bill is intended to significantly streamline the process of credentialing health care professionals during an emergency. Currently, the mechanics of qualifying interstate recognition of health care volunteers varies from state to state. By pre-registering volunteers and establishing interstate agreements, health care practitioners can be dispatched to emergencies in other states more quickly without AB 64 Page 2 having to meet the other state's licensing requirements. Likewise, as this is part of a national effort to create a uniform system to recognize out-of-state health care professionals and veterinarians who volunteer their services during an emergency, this legislation will enable to governor to enter into mutual aid agreements which will allow out of state health care professionals to quickly begin assisting California in case of an emergency. The author states that the delayed response following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita revealed that, although laws exist to provide for the interstate recognition of licenses issued to "federalized" healthcare workers and state public employees (EMAC provides for the deployment of "state resources"), no uniform and readily understood system exists to recognize licenses issued to other health professionals traveling from one state to another to assist during these disasters. 2)Workers' Compensation Coverage . The State of California, as an employer, and many cities and counties are self-insured for workers' compensation claims. Payments are treated in a pay as you go manner. Therefore, any increase in workers' compensation claims has a direct impact on state and local funds. For non-self-insured employers, premiums are paid through a private insurer or the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF). Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 319-2081