BILL NUMBER: AB 1140	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Niello

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to amend Section 680 of the Business and Professions Code,
relating to healing arts.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1140, as introduced, Niello. Healing arts.
   Existing law requires a health care practitioner, as defined, to
disclose, while working, his or her name and license status on a
specified name tag. However, existing law exempts from this
requirement a health care practitioner, in a practice or office,
whose license is prominently displayed.
   This bill would make a nonsubstantive, technical change to these
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 680 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   680.  (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a health
care practitioner shall disclose, while working, his or her name and
practitioner's license status, as granted by this state, on a name
tag in at least 18-point type. A health care practitioner in a
practice or an office, whose license is prominently displayed, may
opt to not wear a name tag. If a health care practitioner or a
licensed clinical social worker is working in a psychiatric setting
or in a setting that is not licensed by the state, the employing
entity or agency shall have the discretion to make an exception from
the name tag requirement for individual safety or therapeutic
concerns. In the interest of public safety and consumer awareness, it
shall be unlawful for any person to use the title "nurse" in
reference to himself or herself and in any capacity, except for an
individual who is a registered nurse or a licensed vocational nurse,
or as otherwise provided in Section 2800. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit a certified nurse assistant from using his or her
title.
   (b) Facilities licensed by the State Department of Social
Services, the State Department of Mental Health, or the State
Department of  Public  Health  Services 
shall develop and implement policies to ensure that health care
practitioners providing care in those facilities are in compliance
with subdivision (a). The State Department of Social Services, the
State Department of Mental Health, and the State Department of 
Public    Health  Services  shall
verify through periodic inspections that the policies required
pursuant to subdivision (a) have been developed and implemented by
the respective licensed facilities.
   (c) For purposes of this article, "health care practitioner"
 means   shall mean  any person who engages
in acts that are the subject of licensure or regulation under this
division or under any initiative act referred to in this division.