BILL ANALYSIS AB 2300 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 28, 2010 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 2300 (Emmerson) - As Amended: April 5, 2010 Policy Committee: Business & Professions Vote: 11-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill requires the California Department of Public Health (DPH) to issue temporary licenses after July 1, 2011 to genetic counselors meeting specified current law eligibility. FISCAL EFFECT Fee-supported special fund workload in the range of $50,000 to the Department of Public Health (DPH) to administer temporary licenses. SB 1364 (Johnson), Chapter 941, Statutes of 2000 established genetic counselor licensing standards and specifications. DPH has failed to promulgate related regulations. Fee authority for licensure is established in current law. COMMENTS 1)Rationale . This bill establishes a temporary genetic counselor license to address the absence of a regulatory framework established in legislation in 2000. 2)A technical amendment to be adopted in committee replaces "genetic counseling" with "as a licensed genetic counselor". 3)Background . Genetic counselors interpret genetic tests, explain options to families with certain genetic risks of disease, and help connect individuals with supportive and educational resources. Genetic counselors are trained to translate complex genetic medicine into terms easily understood. AB 2300 Page 2 Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081