BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1202
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Date of Hearing: August 8, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 1202 (Leno) - As Amended: May 29, 2012
Policy Committee: Business and
Professions Vote: 9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill modifies numerous provisions relating to the Hygiene
Committee of California (committee) within the Dental Board of
California, including raising statutory maximum fee levels and
creating new fee categories. Specifically, this bill:
1)Raises the statutory maximum levels of several fees:
a) License application fee, from $50 to $250.
b) Biennial renewal fees, from $80 to $250.
c) Delinquency fee, from $40 to one-half the renewal fee
(maximum of $125).
d) Curriculum review and site evaluation, from $1,400 to
$2,100.
2)Establishes and creates statutory maximum levels for several
new fee categories as:
a) Certification of licensure, maximum of $250.
b) Registration of an extramural dental facility, maximum
of $250.
c) Registration of a mobile dental hygiene unit, maximum of
$150.
d) Biennial renewal fee for a mobile dental hygiene unit,
maximum of $250.
e) Additional office permit, maximum of $250.
f) The biennial renewal fee for an additional office,
maximum of $250.
g) The initial application and biennial special permit fee,
set equal to the biennial renewal fee of $250.
3)Allows the committee to issue a special permit for
out-of-state dental hygiene instructors to teach in
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California. Modifies certain requirements related to
potential out-of-state licensees.
4)Authorizes, instead of requires, the committee to approve
dental hygiene educational programs accredited by the
Commission on Dental Accreditation.
5)Requires potential licensees to complete certain courses
related to "extended functions" (gingival soft tissue
curettage, nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia, and local
anesthesia).
6)Tightens requirements related to failure of clinical exams.
7)Allows Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice
(RDH-AP) to establish mobile clinics, and establishes site
registration requirements for RDH-APs.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time costs for development and promulgation of regulations
and standards related to approval of educational programs,
registration of places of practice and mobile clinics for
RDH-APs, and registration of extramural dental facilities, as
well as workload analysis to support fee increases, in the
range of $80,000.
2)One-time costs in the range of $100,000 to modify IT systems
to support a number of changes made by this bill.
3)Likely minor ongoing costs, under $50,000, to manage various
new requirements and to exercise the additional authority
granted to the committee by this bill.
4)All costs would be funded through the Dental Hygiene special
fund. As this bill raises statutory maximum levels for
existing fees and creates statutory maximum levels for new
fees, additional revenue will not be generated until the
committee increases fees by resolution as authorized under
existing law. However, additional costs related to this bill
are expected to be fully covered by increased fee revenue.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author indicates this bill implements changes
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identified by the committee and the California Dental
Hygienists' Association that ensure the committee is best able
to oversee the profession. Provisions of this bill ensure
dental hygienists are properly trained and licensed, ensure
approved educational programs are high-quality, expand access
to dental care by allowing mobile treatment sites, and allow
the committee flexibility to raise fees to address a projected
deficit in 2016-17.
2)Fiscal Comments Related to Fee Levels . Fees related to core
licensure and renewal fees provide most of the revenue to
support committee functions. Some of the steep increases in
these fee ceilings for these licensure and renewal fees appear
unwarranted. For example, the committee will be authorized to
increase the total fee to obtain an initial license from $50
to $250. Licensure renewal fees could also increase from $80
to $250.
Information provided from the committee to the Senate Business
and Professions Committee indicates the committee is projected
to collect approximately $700,000 in renewal fees, which
provides the majority of the committee's revenues. Based on
this level of current and projected fee collection, the
$167,000 deficit projected for fiscal year 2016-17 could be
covered entirely by more modest increases in licensure and
renewal fees. Even a doubling of renewal fees to $160 would
provide far in excess of the committee's projected annual
expenditures for the next five years.
This bill also creates a fee category for certification of
licensure, with a maximum fee of $250. The committee
indicates certification of licensure is a verification sent to
another state board or similar entity that the licensee is in
good standing. Workload costs for checking licensure status
and sending verification do not appear to warrant a $250
maximum fee level.
3)Prior Legislation . SB 853 (Perata) of 2008 created the Dental
Hygiene Committee of California to regulate the profession.
Analysis Prepared by : Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
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