BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1310
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          Date of Hearing:   April 14, 2009

                   ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
                                 Mary Hayashi, Chair
                   AB 1310 (Hernandez) - As Amended:  April 2, 2009
           
          SUBJECT  :   Healing arts: database.

           SUMMARY  :   Requires the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to  
          collect information from licensees of specified healing arts  
          boards for the purpose of healthcare workforce development.    
          Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Requires the following healing arts boards to collect  
            specified information about its licensees on applications for  
            initial licensure or renewal:

             a)   The Acupuncture Board;

             b)   The Dental Hygiene Committee of California;

             c)   The Dental Board of California;

             d)   The Medical Board of California;

             e)   The Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine;

             f)   The California Board of Occupational Therapy;

             g)   The State Board of Optometry;

             h)   The Osteopathic Medical Board of California;

             i)   The California State Board of Pharmacy;

             j)   The Physical Therapy Board of California;

             aa)  The Physician Assistant Committee, Medical Board of  
               California;

             bb)  The California Board of Podiatric Medicine;

             cc)  The Board of Psychology;

             dd)  The Board of Registered Nursing;








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             ee)  The Respiratory Care Board of California;

             ff)  The Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board; and,

             gg)  The Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric  
               Technicians of the State of California.


          2)Requires DCA, in consultation with the Healthcare Workforce  
            Development Division (division) and the Health Care Workforce  
            Clearinghouse (clearinghouse), to select a database and add  
            the following data collected by the specified boards to that  
            database:

             a)   First name, middle name, and last name;

             b)   Last four digits of social security number;

             c)   Complete mailing address;

             d)   Educational background and training, including, but not  
               limited to, degree, related school name and location, and  
               year of graduation, and, as applicable, the highest  
               professional degree obtained, related professional school  
               name and location, and year of graduation;

             e)   Birth date and place of birth;

             f)   Sex;

             g)   Race and ethnicity;

             h)   Location of high school;

             i)   Mailing address of primary practice, if applicable;

             j)   Number of hours per week spent at primary practice  
               location, if applicable;

             aa)  Description of primary practice setting, if applicable;

             bb)  Primary practice information, including, but not limited  
               to, primary specialty practice, practice location ZIP Code,  
               and county; and,








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             cc)  Information regarding any additional practice,  
               including, but not limited to, a description of practice  
               setting, practice location ZIP Code, and county.

          3)Requires DCA to submit the information in the database to the  
            clearinghouse annually on or before January 1;

          4)Requires the clearinghouse to prepare a written report  
            containing the findings of this data and submit the written  
            report annually to the Legislature no later than March 1,  
            commencing March 1, 2012. 

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Permits the healing arts boards to collect information on  
            individuals for purposes of licensure. 

          2)Establishes the division within the Office of Statewide Health  
            Planning and Development (OSHPD), which supports health care  
            accessibility through the promotion of a diverse and competent  
            workforce and provides analysis of California's health care  
            infrastructure. 

          3)Establishes the clearinghouse, which serves as the central  
            source for collection, analysis, and distribution of  
            information on the health care workforce employment and  
            educational data trends for the state. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown

           COMMENTS  :   

           Purpose of this bill  .  According to the author's office, "Under  
          current law, the clearinghouse, created by SB 139 (Scott)  
          Chapter 522, Statutes of 2007, is charged with collecting data  
          from the various health boards ?.to establish an ongoing data  
          stream of changes in California's workforce and provide the  
          necessary information needed to make complex policy changes to  
          meet California's health workforce needs.  Currently, healing  
          arts boards are not mandated to provide any information to the  
          clearinghouse, which makes it difficult for OSHPD to produce the  
          necessary results.  This bill provides that all of the health  
          licensing boards are required to collect and submit specific  
          data on age, race, gender, practice location, and type of  








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          practice to the clearinghouse."

           Background  .  In 2005, the University of California authored a  
          comprehensive assessment of healthcare workforce needs which  
          recommended that state and national workforce data be reviewed  
          on a regular and systematic basis to assure that strategic  
          planning efforts are developed and aligned properly.  In  
          response, Senator Scott authored SB 139, Chapter 522, Statutes  
          of 2007, which created a health care workforce clearinghouse to  
          serve as the central source of health care workforce and  
          educational data in the state.  The clearinghouse is responsible  
          for the collection, analysis, and distribution of information on  
          the educational and employment trends for health care  
          occupations.  

          SB 139 required OSHPD to work with the state licensing boards to  
          collect information on the current supply of health care  
          workers, their geographical distribution, diversity, and  
          education.  However, DCA and the state licensing boards are not  
          required to collect this information, nor are they required to  
          report to OSHPD.  This bill mandates specified boards to collect  
          the necessary information and transmit it to OSHPD, via DCA. 


           Related legislation  :  SB 43 (Alquist) permits a healing arts  
          board to collect information regarding the cultural and  
          linguistic competency of persons licensed, certified,  
          registered, or otherwise subject to regulation by that board,  
          and declares such information to be confidential and not subject  
          to public inspection.

                 
           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          None on file.

           Opposition 
           
          None on file.
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Sarah Huchel / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301