BILL ANALYSIS
SB 139
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Date of Hearing: August 22, 2007
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mark Leno, Chair
SB 139 (Scott) - As Amended: August 20, 2007
Policy Committee: Higher Education
Vote: 7-0
Health 17-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill makes changes to nursing education provisions and
requires the creation of a healthcare workforce clearinghouse.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development (OSHPD) to establish a health care workforce
clearinghouse to be funded from the California Health Data and
Planning Fund.
2)Requires OSHPD, in conjunction with the Employment Development
Department (EDD), state licensing boards, and state higher
education agencies, to collect the following data:
a) Supply of health care workers by specialty.
b) Geographic distribution of workers by specialty.
c) Diversity of the workforce.
d) Current and future workforce demands.
e) Systemic educational capacity.
3)Requires OSHPD to submit an annual report on the health care
workforce to the Legislature.
4) Makes several changes to increase the supply of nurses in
California, including:
SB 139
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a) Modification of the State Nursing Assumption Program of
Loans for Education (SNAPLE) Program.
b) Modification of enrollment and retention policies.
FISCAL EFFECT
Special fund costs of $83,000 in 2007-08, $832,000 in 2008-09,
$1.3 million in 2009-10, and $1.6 million annually thereafter to
OSHPD from the California Health Data and Planning Fund for the
creation and maintenance of the health care workforce
clearinghouse.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill makes changes to nursing education law
enacted by SB 1309 (Scott), Chapter 837, Statutes of 2006 and
requires OSHPD to create a healthcare workforce clearinghouse.
The latter provision was initially included in SB 1309 but
eliminated due to concerns regarding cost. OSHPD administers
programs addressing health care community development,
construction, quality and cost indicators, and rural issues.
OSHPD also administers workforce related programs such as the
Health Manpower Pilot Projects Program, the Song-Brown
Program, the Health Careers Training Program, and the Health
Professions Education Foundation.
2)Healthcare Workforce . There are currently 230,000 nurses
working in California. When accounting for part-time nurses,
that number decreases to 200,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs).
According to estimates, California will need approximately
240,000 nurse FTEs by 2014. Several factors limit the growth
in the supply of nursing professionals under current law,
including limited nursing enrollments, attrition, funding
shortages and faculty shortages.
According to a recent report by the University of California,
the state faces a shortfall of up to 17,000 physicians by
2015. The factors attributing to a provider shortage include
population growth, aging of the current provider work force,
and a lack of capacity in training programs.
3)Related Legislation . SB 764 (Migden), pending on the Suspense
File of this committee, requires OSHPD to submit a report to
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the Legislature and the California Department of Health Care
Services (DHCS) by June 1, 2009 on the California physician
and surgeon workforce.
SB 1775 (Presley), Chapter 1206, Statutes of 1994 repealed the
requirement that the Medical Board of California prepare
reports to assist in health staffing planning based on
biennial surveys of licensed physicians. The biennial
questionnaires were required to determine the numbers,
distribution, and nature of practices of physicians in
California.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081