BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 1239
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 8, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    SB 1239 (Price) - As Amended:  April 16, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                             Business and 
          Professions  Vote:                            9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill extends the sunset date of the Acupuncture Board for 
          an additional two years, from January 1, 2013 until January 1, 
          2015, and makes clarifying changes to statute governing the 
          Board's oversight of acupuncture schools.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Annual fee-supported special fund costs associated with 
          continued operation of the Acupuncture Board of $2.8 million 
          until January 1, 2015.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill is one of the four sunset bills authored 
            by Senator Price this year. He indicates it is necessary to 
            extend the sunset date of the Board in order to continue the 
            regulation of acupuncturists in California.  

            This bill proposes extending the Board for only two years 
            because of problems and deficiencies with the Board identified 
            by the Joint Sunset Review Committee, including indications 
            that the board is lacking in overall operation, that the Board 
            is overly involved in scope of practice issues, and that 
            improvements are needed to the Board's oversight of 
            acupuncture schools.  

            This bill makes clarifying changes to the Board's authority to 
            promulgate regulations regarding standards for the approval of 
            schools, training and educational programs.  The continued 
            regulation will help to ensure that the Board's mission of 








                                                                  SB 1239
                                                                  Page  2

            protecting the public is in place for an additional two years.

           2)Related Legislation  . Other sunset bills pending in committee 
            include SB 1236 (Price), which relates to the Board of 
            Podiatric Medicine and the Physician Assistant Committee; SB 
            1237 (Price), which relates to the Physical Therapy Board, the 
            Board of Pharmacy, and the Court Reporters Board; and SB 1238 
            (Price), which relates to the Board of Psychology and the 
            Board of Behavioral Sciences.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081