BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 1348 Page 1 Date of Hearing: June 29, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Lorena Gonzalez, Chair SB 1348 (Cannella) - As Amended May 31, 2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Business and Professions |Vote:|15 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill requires regulatory boards and bureaus under the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) that authorize veterans to apply military experience and training towards licensure requirements to post information on the board's website about applying military experience and training towards licensure requirements. FISCAL EFFECT: 1)Minor one-time costs to DCA boards and bureaus to place SB 1348 Page 2 information on their websites about the ability for veterans to apply military experience and training to license requirements (various funds). 2)One-time cost of about $100,000 for the Dental Board of California to amend various existing regulations regarding license applications to include the required information in the bill (State Dentistry Fund). COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. According to the author, "While current law requires licensing boards within the DCA to ask on every application for licensure if the applicant has [served] or is serving in the military, the law does not require the applicable boards to also include on their websites, a statement advising veteran applicants about their ability to apply that experience and training towards licensure requirements?. By building off of AB 1057 [(Medina), Chapter 693, Statutes of 2013], this bill closes this technical gap in code, ensuring veterans receive notification when applying for licensure in boards that accept military experience and training towards their licensure requirements." 2)Background. Under existing law, various professions and vocations are licensed by boards and bureaus within DCA. Existing law requires each licensing board and bureau to ask applicants for licensure whether the applicant has military experience. Current law requires licensing boards and bureaus to provide for methods of evaluating training and experience gained in the military, if such training is applicable to the license requirements for licensed professions or vocations. SB 1348 Page 3 Beginning on July 1, 2016, licensing boards and bureaus are required to assist applicants with military experience and to expedite their applications. This bill also requires that boards to post information on their websites regarding the application of military experience. While many boards already do this, this bill would codifies the practice. 3)Current Legislation. SB 1155 (Morrell), pending in the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, requires on or after January 1, 2018, every board under the DCA to waive initial license fees for veterans, as specified. Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081