BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 808
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 1, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                     AB 808 (Fong) - As Amended:  April 9, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              Business,  
          Professions and Consumer Protection           Vote: 10-2

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires applicants for an acupuncture license to pass  
          a practical examination in addition to the existing written  
          examination, beginning January 1, 2016.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Costs to the Acupuncture Fund of at least $200,000 initially to  
          develop the practical examination with ongoing costs of at least  
          $500,000 annually to administer the examination.  

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  .  The author notes current law does not require a  
            practical examination for an acupuncture license and asserts  
            this bill, will assure consumers or patients "that the  
            acupuncturist profession has the essential educational and  
            clinical standards to practice acupuncture, because any  
            reduction to the acupuncture examinations would dilute the  
            quality of the profession.  The practical examination will  
            determine if the acupuncturist's competence to diagnose and  
            treat patients is effective.  This will help ensure that  
            licensed acupuncturists have both the ability and quality to  
            practice in California."  

           2)Prior Legislation  .  AB 1105 (Jackson, Dunn, Reyes and Solis),  
            Chapter 67, Statutes of 1999, made numerous changes in the law  
            concerning the responsibilities of the Department of Consumer  
            Affairs, and included a provision deleting the practical  
            examination requirement for an acupuncture license replacing  
            it with a written examination.  








                                                                  AB 808
                                                                  Page  2


            AB 1889 (Fong) of 2012 was nearly identical to the current  
            measure and was held on this committee's Suspense File.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Debra Roth / APPR. / (916) 319-2081