BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2190
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Date of Hearing: April 20, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2190 (Salas) - As Amended April 5, 2016
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|Policy |Business and Professions |Vote:|16 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill extends the operation of the California Acupuncture
Board (CAB) and the CAB's authority to appoint an executive
officer until January 1, 2019.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Cost of approximately $3.5 million per year, for calendar years
2017 and 2018, to continue the operation of the CAB beyond the
current January 1, 2017 sunset (Acupuncture Fund).
AB 2190
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COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. In March 2016, the Senate Business and Professions
Committee and the Assembly Business and Professions Committee
conducted joint oversight hearings to review 11 different
regulatory entities. Sunset review bills, such as this one,
are intended to implement any legislative changes identified
as a result of the hearings and extend regulatory authority
for entities reviewed at the hearings. This bill extends the
sunset for the CAB for two years.
2)Background. The CAB regulates the practice of acupuncture and
Asian medicine in California. According to the CAB's most
recent sunset review report, it regulates 17,801
acupuncturists, 11,644 of which are actively practicing in the
state. The practice of acupuncture involves the stimulation
of certain points on or near the surface of the body by the
insertion of needles to prevent or modify the perception of
pain or to normalize physiological functions. The primary
responsibility of the CAB is to protect California consumers
from incompetent and fraudulent practice through the
enforcement of the Acupuncture Licensure Act and the CAB's
regulations. The CAB provides oversight through a variety of
activities, including licensing, enforcement and monitoring.
3)Continued Regulation of Acupuncturists by the CAB. While the
CAB has had issues in the past, Committees' staff has observed
improvements in the CAB's operations since its last sunset
review in 2014. The CAB has appeared to improve its overall
administration and performance, in the areas of regulations,
processing time for applications, oversight of continuing
education, and staffing changes. Therefore, this bill will
extend the CAB's sunset date to January 1, 2019. The two-year
AB 2190
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sunset will allow for legislative follow-up on a shorter time
cycle than the usual four-year cycle in order to monitor CAB's
continued improvement.
4)Related Legislation. AB 2190 through AB 2194 (Salas) and SB
1192 through 1196 (Hill) are all 2016 sunset review bills on
various topics.
Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)
319-2081