BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1932
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1932 (Gorell)
As Amended April 17, 2012
Majority vote
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 9-0 VETERANS
AFFAIRS 8-0
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|Ayes:|Hayashi, Bill Berryhill, |Ayes:|Cook, Pan, Atkins, Block, |
| |Allen, Butler, Eng, | |Gorell, Nielsen, |
| |Hagman, Hill, Ma, Smyth | |Williams, Yamada |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, Blumenfield, |
| |Bradford, Charles Calderon, Campos, |
| |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, Ammiano, |
| |Hill, Lara, Mitchell, Nielsen, |
| |Norby, Solorio, Wagner |
| | |
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SUMMARY : Requires healing arts boards to issue a written
report to the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA)
and to the Legislature detailing the methods of evaluating the
education, training, and experience obtained in military service
and whether that education, training, and experience is
applicable to the board's requirements for licensure, by January
1, 2014. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires healing arts boards to issue a written report to CDVA
and to the Legislature that clearly details the methods of
evaluating the education, training, and experience obtained in
military service and whether that education, training, and
experience is applicable to the board's requirements for
licensure, by January 1, 2014, and annually thereafter.
2)Requires the boards' written reports to include quantitative
information about the number of service members who have
applied for and have used their military education, training,
AB 1932
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and experience to fulfill the board's requirements for
licensure.
3)Provides that this bill's requirement to submit a report to
the Legislature shall be inoperative on January 1, 2018, and
submitted in compliance with existing law, as specified.
4)States legislative intent.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing
arts professions and vocations by boards within the Department
of Consumer Affairs (DCA).
2)Requires the rules and regulations of these healing arts
boards to provide for methods of evaluating education,
training, and experience obtained in military service if such
training is applicable to the requirements of the particular
profession or vocation regulated by the board.
3)Specifies that CDVA has specified powers and duties relating
to various programs serving veterans.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to Assembly Appropriations Committee:
1)Assuming boards are compliant with current law, the cost for
each board to report to the Legislature on their activities
annually for five years, as well as costs to DCA and the State
and Consumer Services Agency to review reports, should be
minor and absorbable.
2)Information technology costs to implement tracking system for
the number of veterans applying for licensure in the range of
$130,000.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "While unemployment levels
in California are high, the unemployment levels for veterans are
even higher. According to Governor Brown's Executive Order
B-9-11, 'The unemployment rate for Gulf War II veterans is 42%
higher than it is for non-veterans.'
"State agencies regulating health care are required by law to
help service members transfer military training to meet
AB 1932
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licensing requirements for health care workers in California.
Unfortunately, even though this law has been on the books since
the Vietnam War, many service members find it nearly impossible
to apply their military training to qualify for jobs in health
care.
"A study from the California Wellness Foundation from 2009
projected shortages of qualified health care workers,
particularly including 'nursing aides, orderlies and attendants;
medical secretaries; medical assistants; licensed practical and
licensed vocational nurses; home health aides and dental
assistants.' The study indicated that there are not enough
accredited educational programs in the state to respond to
demand. The current pool of educated health care specialists
leaving military service should be utilized before their medical
skills are allowed to go to waste.
"AB 1932 addresses the problem by requiring that agencies follow
the law that is already in place, and requires that they report
their progress to CDVA."
Current law requires healing arts boards to provide for methods
of evaluating education, training, and experience obtained in
military service if such training is applicable to the
requirements of the particular profession or vocation regulated
by the board. This requirement is based on the policy that,
consistent with high quality health care services, persons with
skills, knowledge and experience obtained in the armed services
of the United States should be permitted to apply such learning
and contribute to the health manpower needs of the state at the
maximum level of responsibility and skill for which they are
qualified.
Analysis Prepared by : Angela Mapp / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301
FN: 0003824