BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 821
          Author:   Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development  
          Committee 
          Amended:  4/23/13
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE BUSINESS, PROF. & ECON. DEVELOP. COMM.  :  10-0, 4/29/13
          AYES:  Price, Emmerson, Block, Corbett, Galgiani, Hernandez,  
            Hill, Padilla, Wyland, Yee

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8


           SUBJECT :    Healing arts:  boards

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill makes several non-controversial minor,  
          nonsubstantive or technical changes to various provisions  
          pertaining to the health-related regulatory boards of the  
          Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA).

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

          1. Provides for the licensing and regulation of various  
             professions and businesses under various licensing acts  
             within the Business and Professions Code (BPC).

          2. Makes the following provisions relating to the Board of  
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             Behavioral Sciences (BBS):

             A.    Describes the qualifying degree program required to  
                obtain licensure as a licensed marriage and family  
                therapist (LMFT) or a licensed professional clinical  
                counselor (LPCC), if the applicant began graduate study  
                after August 1, 2012.  

             B.    Allows LMFT, licensed clinical social worker (LCSW),  
                and LPCC applicants to gain experience hours as a W-2  
                employee or a volunteer.  

             C.    Specifies examination eligibility requirements for  
                out-of-state LMFT and LPCC licensees.

             D.    States that the delinquent renewal fee for a license is  
                $75 for licensed educational psychologists (LEPs) and  
                LCSWs, respectively.

             E.    States that all applicants and interns must always be  
                under the supervision of a supervisor who is responsible  
                to the BBS for compliance with all laws and regulations.  

             F.    Allows an LPCC applicant to count up to 250 hours of  
                experience providing crisis counseling over the telephone.  


             G.    Outlines the requirements for direct supervisor contact  
                for professional clinical counselor (PCC) interns. 

             H.    Defines the practice of clinical social work and the  
                practice of professional clinical counseling.

          3. Provides that the Dental Board of California (DBC) shall have  
             and use a seal bearing the name "Board of Dental Examiners of  
             California."

          4. Makes the following provisions relating to the Dental Hygiene  
             Committee of California (DHCC):

             A.    Specifies that no person other than a registered dental  
                hygienist, registered dental hygienist in alternative  
                functions practice, registered dental hygienist in  
                extended functions or a licensed dentist may engage in the  

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                practice of dental hygiene or perform dental hygiene  
                procedures on patients.

             B.    Specifies that a registered dental hygienist in  
                alternative practice may operate one mobile dental hygiene  
                clinic registered as a dental hygiene office or facility.   
                The owner or operator of the mobile dental hygiene clinic  
                or unit shall be registered and operated in accordance  
                with regulations established by the DHCC.

             C.    All dental hygiene services provided by a registered  
                dental hygienist in alternative practice may be covered as  
                long as they are within the scope of Denti-Cal benefits  
                and they are necessary services.

          5. Makes the following provisions relating to the California  
             State Board of Optometry (CBO):

             A.    Authorizes the CBO to grant or refuse to grant  
                certificates of registration or an optometrist license and  
                may revoke or suspend the certificate of registration  
                license of any optometrist. 

             B.    Authorizes the CBO to make and promulgate rules and  
                regulations governing the procedures of the CBO, the  
                admission of applicants for examination for optometrists  
                and the practice of optometry. 

             C.    Specifies that it is unlawful for a person to engage in  
                the practice of optometry or to display a sign or in any  
                other way to advertise or hold himself/herself out as an  
                optometrist without having first obtained a certificate of  
                registration. 

             D.    Establishes the educational and examination  
                requirements for licensure and use of pharmaceutical  
                agents.

             E.    Outlines standards for evidence of education in the  
                areas of child abuse, alcoholism and substance dependency.

             F.    Specifies eligibility requirements for graduates from  
                foreign universities.


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             G.    Defines "branch office licenses" and specifies  
                provisions of such licenses.  

             H.    Specifies the procedure for reinstating a license after  
                revocation.

             I.    Provides guidelines for the use of "Dr." or "O.D." 

             J.    Declares that it is unlawful to include in any  
                advertisement relating to the sale or disposition of  
                goggles, sunglasses, colored glasses or occupational  
                eye-protective devices any words or figures that advertise  
                or have a tendency to advertise the practice of optometry.  


             K.    Clarifies that the false representation of facts is  
                unprofessional conduct.  

             L.    States that it is unlawful to use or attempt to use any  
                license issued by the CBO that has been purchased,  
                fraudulently issued, counterfeited or issued by mistake as  
                a valid license.  

             M.    Specifies that a licensed optometrist may be employed  
                to practice optometry by a physician and surgeon who holds  
                a certificate under this division and who practices in the  
                specialty of ophthalmology or by a health care service  
                plan.  

             N.    Includes various specifications regarding the name of  
                an optometric corporation.

          6. Makes the following provisions relating to the California  
             Board of Pharmacy (BOP): 

             A.    Permits the BOP to issue licenses to hospital  
                pharmacies within any licensed hospital, institution or  
                establishment that maintains and operates organized  
                facilities for the diagnosis, care and treatment of human  
                illnesses to which persons may be admitted for overnight  
                stay according to the rules and regulations of the CBO. 

             B.    Specifies that a hospital pharmacy also includes a  
                pharmacy that may be located outside of the hospital, in  

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                another physical plant that is regulated under a  
                hospital's consolidated license issued.

             C.    Defines "pharmacy" as an area, place or premises  
                licensed by the BOP and specifies that a pharmacy shall  
                not include any areas in a facility licensed by the  
                Department of Public Health where certain supplies, drugs  
                and devices are stored. 

             D.    Specifies the minimum requirements necessary to apply  
                for a designated representative license.  

          This bill:

          1. Makes the following changes relating to the BBS: 

             A.    Adds language specifying that a LMFT or LPCC applicant  
                for licensure must have a minimum of seven contact hours  
                of training or coursework in child abuse assessment and  
                reporting.  

             B.    Clarifies that experience gained as an independent  
                contractor and/or reported on an IRS Form 1099 does not  
                count toward licensure as an LMFT, LPCC or LCSW.

             C.    Amends the out-of-state licensee experience  
                requirements for LMFT and LPCC applicants to a rate of 100  
                hours to 1,200 hours per month. 

             D.    Amends the delinquency fee requirements for LEPs and  
                LCSWs to not exceed $75.  

             E.    Clarifies that associate clinical social workers must  
                at all times be under the supervision of a supervisor who  
                is responsible to the BBS.  

             F.    Allows up to 375 experience hours to be gained  
                providing telehealth counseling for LPCC applicants  
                consistent with what is allowed for LMFT applicants. 

             G.    Specifies that PCC interns are not required to have  
                direct supervision for attendance at workshops, seminars,  
                training sessions, or conferences.


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             H.    Specifies that the practice of clinical social work  
                includes the use, application and integration of the  
                coursework and experience required by BPC Section 4996.2  
                (which describes required training and education) and BPC  
                Section 4996.23 (which describes required supervised  
                experience).

             I.    Makes the law regarding scope of practice for LPCCs  
                more consistent with the scope of practice law for the  
                BBSs other license types.

             J.    Specifies that work performed as an independent  
                contractor or reported on the Internal Revenue Service  
                (IRS) 1099 form cannot count towards clinical training  
                experience for PCC interns or trainees. 

          2. As it relates to the CBO, clarifies the preferred name for a  
             license is "optometrist license" and the preferred name for  
             certifications is "optometrist certification(s)" and makes  
             conforming changes.

          3. Replaces the phrase "Board of Dental Examiners of California"  
             with "Dental Board of California."

          4. Makes the following changes relating to the DHCC: 

             A.    Replaces the phrase "registered dental hygienist in  
                alternative functions" to "registered dental hygienist in  
                alternative practice."

             B.    Amends the Sections of statutory law referenced in BPC  
                Section 1926.2(b) from "Article 3.5" to "Article 9" and  
                BPC Section "1658" to Section "1925."

             C.    Adds "registered dental hygienist" and "registered  
                dental hygienist in extended functions" to Welfare and  
                Institution Codes Section 14132(q)(2) in order to conform  
                statute to allow these practitioners to bill and be paid  
                for the services that they provide to patients.  Corrects  
                references for dental hygiene services.

          5. Makes the following changes relating to the BOP: 

             A.     Provides the BOP with the express authority to issue a  

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                second license to a (board licensed) hospital pharmacy for  
                the purpose of conducting centralized hospital packaging.

             B.    Defines the term "Correctional Pharmacy" and provides  
                the express authority for the BOP to issue the license.

             C.    Specifies the setting in which the one year of paid  
                work experience must be earned.

           Comment
           
          This bill is one of the annual Omnibus Committee bills authored  
          by the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development  
          Committee which consolidates a number of non-controversial  
          provisions related to various regulatory programs and  
          professions governed by the BPC.  Consolidating the provisions  
          in one bill is designed to relieve the various licensing boards,  
          bureaus and professions from the necessity and burden of having  
          separate measures for a number of non-controversial revisions.


          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.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No


          MW:d  5/17/13   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  NONE RECEIVED

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