BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 941 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 6, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 941 (Wood) - As Introduced February 26, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Health |Vote:|19 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill exempts a clinic conducted, maintained, or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization from licensure as a clinic by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). AB 941 Page 2 FISCAL EFFECT: Minor annual revenue loss to DPH, to the extent tribal clinics no longer pay approximately $700 per facility in licensing fees per facility. DPH oversight workload will be reduced commensurately with any reduction in licensure fees. COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. According to the author, this bill creates a single licensing standard for tribe-operated clinics, by clarifying the exemption from clinic licensing in existing law for clinics operated by federally recognized tribes applies to clinics that are not located within Indian country. The author notes when tribe-operated health programs operate a clinic on federal Indian trust land or in affiliation with an institution of higher learning they are exempt from licensure. However, other clinics tribes operate must be licensed. 2)Support. This bill is supported by numerous tribes, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, the California Primary Care Association, and several other organizations. 3)Opposition. The California Nurses Association (CNA) opposes this bill, noting without licensing, clinics would not have to comply with state building or state professional standards which assure minimal protections for employees working in clinics who may or may not be tribal members. CNA believes the exemption proposed by this bill does not assure any minimum standards of care for tribal clinics operating within California but not on tribal land. 4)Previous Legislation. AB 2264 (Levine) of 2014, was substantially similar to this bill. AB 2264 was amended to AB 941 Page 3 address entirely different subject matter. Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081