BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  SB 943
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          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 943 (Business, Professions and Economic Development 
          Committee)
          As Amended  August 15, 2011
          Majority vote 

           SENATE VOTE  :39-0  
           
           BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS            9-0               
          APPROPRIATIONS      17-0        
           
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Ayes:|Hayashi, Bill Berryhill,  |Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey,          |
          |     |Allen, Butler, Eng,       |     |Blumenfield, Bradford,    |
          |     |Hagman, Hill, Ma, Smyth   |     |Charles Calderon, Campos, |
          |     |                          |     |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto,   |
          |     |                          |     |Hall, Hill, Lara,         |
          |     |                          |     |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, |
          |     |                          |     |Solorio, Wagner           |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Makes several non-controversial, minor, nonsubstantive 
          or technical changes to various provisions pertaining to 
          health-related regulatory boards of the Department of Consumer 
          Affairs (DCA) and professions regulated primarily under the 
          Business and Professions Code (BPC).  Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Makes the following changes relating to the Dental Hygiene 
            Committee (DHC):

             a)   Extends the sunset date from January 1, 2012, to January 
               1, 2014, on the DHC's authority to grant licensure to 
               dental students who work in a practice that serves patients 
               insured by Denti-Cal, the Healthy Families Program or other 
               government programs, or that has a sliding scale fee based 
               on income, as specified; 

             b)   Specifies that applicants for licensure as a registered 
               dental hygienist (RDH) in alternative practice may have a 
               degree from an institution accredited by a regional 
               accrediting agency recognized by the United States 
               Department of Education.  Deletes a provision that 
               institutions may be recognized by the Council on 








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               Postsecondary Accreditation; and,

             c)   Simplifies the phrase "dental health diagnosis" to read 
               "dental diagnosis," as it pertains to functions that an RDH 
               in alternative practice may perform.

          2)Makes the following changes relating to the Board of 
            Registered Nursing (BRN):

             a)   Limits the BRN's determination that military education 
               and experience establish competency to practice registered 
               nursing, to consider military education only; and,

             b)   Amends an incorrect reference to code section regarding 
               authorized nurse practitioners.

          3)Makes clarifying changes to the grandfathering provisions for 
            practicing polysomnographic technologists.

          4)Extends the sunset date on the Veterinary Medicine Practice 
            Act from January 1, 2012, until January 1, 2013.

          5)Makes the following changes relating to the Board of 
            Behavioral Sciences (BBS):

             a)   Adds "couple and family therapy" to the list of 
               acceptable subjects that satisfy masters or doctoral degree 
               requirement for licensure applicants;

             b)   Amends references to the Bureau for Private 
               Postsecondary Education (Bureau) to reflect the Bureau's 
               name change;

             c)   Clarifies how required experiential hours may be 
               allocated between "face-to-face" counseling and 
               "client-centered advocacy";

             d)   Includes "clinical counselor intern" in the list of 
               interns or associates a marriage and family therapy (MFT) 
               corporation or licensed professional in private practice 
               may supervise or employ;

             e)   Increases the number of interns an MFT corporation or 
               licensed individual in private practice may employ at one 








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               time from two per licensed therapist to three per licensed 
               therapist.  Also increases the total number of interns a 
               corporation may have at one time from 10 to 15.  Changes 
               references to a professional corporation to clarify that 
               these provisions apply to an MFT corporation;

             f)   Adds licensed professional clinical counselors to the 
               list of qualified members of professional groups that shall 
               not be prevented from doing work of a psychosocial nature; 

             g)   Includes clinical counselor intern in the list of 
               interns or associates a licensed clinical social worker 
               (LCSW) corporation or licensed professional in private 
               practice may supervise or employ; and,

             h)   Increases the number of interns an LCSW corporation or 
               licensed individual in private practice may employ at one 
               time from two per licensed therapist to three per each 
               employee or shareholder who has satisfied specified 
               requirements.  Also increases total number of interns a 
               corporation may have at one time from 10 to 15.

          6)Makes additional technical, clarifying changes.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to Assembly Appropriations Committee, 
          approximately $120,000 (special fund) annually in regulatory 
          costs will continue to be incurred as a result of a provision 
          extending the sunset on the Veterinary Medical Board's oversight 
          of veterinary technicians by one year.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, this bill consolidates a 
          number of non-controversial provisions related to various 
          regulatory programs and professions governed by the Business and 
          Professions Code.  Many of the provisions of this bill are 
          minor, technical and updating changes, while other provisions 
          are substantive consensus changes intended to improve the 
          ability of various licensing programs and other entities to 
          efficiently and effectively administer their respective laws.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Angela Mapp / B.,P. & C.P. / (916) 
          319-3301                                               FN: 
          0002137









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