BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 1028
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 1, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                  AB 1028 (Patterson) - As Amended:  April 3, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              Business,  
          Professions and Consumer Protection           Vote: 13-0

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

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes a vocational nurse (VN) licensure applicant  
          to apply for an interim permit (IP) at the same time the  
          applicant submits the licensure application, and requires the  
          Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (Board)  
          to issue the IP immediately after the IP and licensure  
          applications have been processed.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          If half of the licensure applicants seek an IP, costs for  
          increased workload to the Board are estimated at $42,000 in  
          2013-14 and $76,000 ongoing.  These costs should be offset by  
          the Board's $40 IP fee, which would increase revenue by  
          approximately $86,040 in the first year and $172,080 ongoing.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  .  This bill seeks to expedite the issuance of a  
            vocational nursing IP by allowing an applicant to submit an IP  
            application simultaneously with the application for licensure  
            by examination. Under existing law, an IP is obtainable after  
            a VN candidate is approved to take the exam. The author  
            asserts there are extraordinary delays in application  
            processing times. 

           2)Health Reform  .  In support, the California Hospital  
            Association (CHA) argues the high number of newly insured  
            individuals under the federal Affordable Care Act increases  
            demand on an already strained system.  CHA asserts this bill  
            provides an opportunity for hospitals and health systems to  








                                                                  AB 1028
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            expand VN use in new care delivery models.

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