BILL ANALYSIS Ó Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair SB 1236 (Price) - Healing arts boards. Amended: April 17, 2012 Policy Vote: BP&ED 7-0 Urgency: No Mandate: No Hearing Date: May 7, 2012 Consultant: Jennifer Douglas This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: SB 1236 would extend the sunset of the California Board of Podiatric Medicine until January 1, 2017 and specify that the board is subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. This bill would rename the Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California as the Physician Assistant Board and extend the sunset of the board until January 1, 2017 and specify that the board is subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. This bill would also expand specified reporting requirements to additionally include physician assistants. Fiscal Impact: Estimated annual cost of $1.09 million from the Board of Podiatric Medicine Fund (1110-0295) based on the 2010-11 Budget Act, all costs offset by existing fees. Estimated annual cost of $1.29 million from the Physician Assistant Fund (1110-0280) based on the 2010-11 Budget Act, all costs offset by existing fees. Background: Existing law provides for the certification and regulation of podiatrists by the California Board of Podiatric Medicine within the jurisdiction of the Medical Board of California. Under existing law the California Board of Podiatric Medicine will be repealed on January 1, 2013 and is required to be reviewed by the Joint Sunset Review Committee. Existing law also provides for the licensure and regulation of physician assistants by the Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California. Under existing law the committee will be repealed on January 1, 2013 and is required to be reviewed by the Joint Sunset Review Committee. Existing law places specific reporting requirements upon SB 1236 (Price) Page 1 specified health care licensing boards and licensees of those boards. Related Legislation: Other sunset review bills include: SB 1237 (Price) relating to the Board of Pharmacy and the Court Reporters Board. SB 1238 (Price) relating to the Board of Psychology and the Board of Behavioral Sciences. SB 1239 (Price) relating to the Board of Acupuncture. Staff Comments: This bill is one of four sunset bills authored by Senator Price as the Chair of the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee. In March 2012 the Committee conducted oversight hearings to review seven regulatory boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs, including the Board of Podiatric Medicine and the Physician Assistant Committee. This bill, and the accompanying sunset bills, is intended to implement legislative changes as recommended in the Committee's Background/Issue Papers for all of the agencies reviewed by the Committee. This bill is necessary to extend the sunset date of the Board of Podiatric Medicine and the Physician Assistant Committee in order to continue the regulation of podiatric medicine and the practice of physician assistants in California.