BILL NUMBER: AB 1570	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 15, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 29, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 17, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 28, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 2, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 16, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Salas

                        MARCH 16, 2009

   An act to add and repeal Section 1620 of the Business and
Professions Code, relating to dentistry  , and making an
appropriation therefor  .



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1570, as amended, Salas. Malpractice insurance: volunteer
dentists.
   Under existing law, the Dental Practice Act, the Dental Board of
California is responsible for the licensure and regulation of
dentists.  Licensure fees imposed upon dentists are deposited
into the State Dentistry Fund for the purposes of administering the
act and are subject to appropriation by the Legislature 
 Existing law provides for the Dental Corps Loan Repayment
Program of 2002 in the Dental Board of California and the Dentally
Underserved Account in the State Dentistry Fund for loan repayments
to dentists serving in underserved areas  .
   This bill would require the board, in conjunction with the Health
Professions Education Foundation, to study the issue of its providing
malpractice insurance for dentists who provide these services and
report its findings to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2012.
 The bill would authorize the board to contract with an
independent entity to conduct the study.  The bill would
 make implementation of its provisions contingent on an
appropriation of funds for that purpose, as specified  
authorize the board to expend funds from the Dentally Underserved
Account to fund the study. By authorizing the expenditure of those
funds for a new purpose, the bill would make an appropriation  .

   Vote: majority. Appropriation:  no   yes
 . Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 1620 is added to the Business and Professions
Code, to read:
   1620.  (a) The board, in conjunction with the Health Professions
Education Foundation, shall study the issue of its providing
malpractice insurance to dentists who provide voluntary, unpaid
services, and report its findings to the Legislature on or before
January 1, 2012.
   (b) The report shall include, but not be limited to, a discussion
of the following items:
   (1) The cost of administering a program to provide malpractice
insurance to the dentists and the process for administering the
program.
   (2) The options for providing malpractice insurance to the
dentists and for funding the coverage. 
   (c) This section shall be implemented only after the Legislature
has made an appropriation from the State Dentistry Fund to fund the
study.  
   (c) The board may expend funds from the Dentally Underserved
Account, established pursuant to Article 9.5 (commencing with Section
1970), to fund the study.  
   (d) The board may contract with an independent entity to conduct
the study.  
   (d) (1) A 
    (e)     (1)     The 
report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
   (2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on January 1, 2016.