BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair


          SB 1238 (Price) - Professions: Board of Psychology: Board of 
          Behavioral Sciences.
          
          Amended: As Introduced          Policy Vote: BP&ED 7-0
          Urgency: No                     Mandate: No
          Hearing Date: May 24, 2012      Consultant: Jennifer Douglas
          
          SUSPENSE FILE.
          
          
          Bill Summary: SB 1238 would extend the sunset of the Board of 
          Psychology and the Board of Behavioral Sciences until January 1, 
          2017 and specify that the boards are subject to review by the 
          appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

          Fiscal Impact: 
              Estimated annual cost of $2.82 million from the Psychology 
              Fund (1110-0310) based on the 2010-11 Budget Act, all costs 
              offset by existing fees.
              Estimated annual cost of $6.99 million from the Behavioral 
              Science Examiners Fund (1110-0773) based on the 2010-11 
              Budget Act, all costs offset by existing fees.

          Background: Existing law provides for the licensure and 
          regulation of psychologists by the Board of Psychology.  
          Existing law also provides for the licensure and regulation of 
          education psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family 
          therapists by the Board of Behavioral Sciences within the 
          Department of Consumer Affairs.  Existing law specifies the 
          composition of each board and authorizes each to employ an 
          executive officer.

          Under existing law the boards will be repealed on January 1, 
          2013 and are required to be reviewed by the Joint Sunset Review 
          Committee.

          Related Legislation: Other sunset review bills include:
           SB 1236 (Price) relating to the Board of Podiatric Medicine 
            and the Board of Physician Assistants.
           SB 1237 (Price) relating to the Board of Pharmacy and the 
            Court Reporters Board.
           SB 1239 (Price) relating to with the Board of Acupuncture.

          Staff Comments: This bill is one of four sunset bills authored 







          SB 1238 (Price)
          Page 1


          by Senator Price, the Chair of the Senate Business, Professions 
          and Economic Development Committee.  In March 2012 the Committee 
          conducted oversight hearings to review seven regulatory boards 
          within the Department of Consumer Affairs, including the Board 
          of Psychology and the Board of Behavioral Sciences.  This bill, 
          and the accompanying sunset bills, is intended to implement 
          legislative changes as recommended in the Committee's 
          Background/Issue Papers for all of the agencies reviewed by the 
          Committee.  This bill is necessary to extend the sunset date of 
          the Board of Psychology and the Board of Behavioral Sciences in 
          order to continue the regulation of psychologists, educational 
          psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists 
          and licensed professional clinical counselors in California.