BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2062
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 7, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                AB 2062 (Roger Hernández) - As Amended:  May 1, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              HealthVote:19-0

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

           SUMMARY  

          This bill prohibits a health facility from employing a surgical  
          technologist unless the individual meets specified requirements,  
          including education and national board certification.  It also  
          establishes definitions of surgical technology and surgical  
          technologist.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor and absorbable costs to the Department of Public Health  
          (DPH) Licensing and Certification division to verify facilities  
          are complying with the new requirement with respect to surgical  
          technologists they employ (Licensing and Certification Special  
          Fund).

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . According to the author, surgical technologists are  
            the only member of the surgical team with no required,  
            mandated minimum level of education, training, or  
            certification.  The author believes this bill will improve  
            patient safety by requiring minimum standards.

           2)Prior Legislation  .  AB 2561 (Hernández) of 2012 established  
            the Certified Surgical Technologist Act and made it unlawful  
            for a person to use the title "certified surgical  
            technologist" unless the person met certain requirements.  AB  
            2561 was vetoed by Governor Brown, who stated, "I respect the  
            time and effort that surgical technologists have put into  
            developing their skills and obtaining voluntary certification.  
            Such actions speak well of their professional commitment and  
            desire to advance their careers.  I don't agree, however, that  








                                                                  AB 2062
                                                                  Page  2

            we need to establish 'title protection' for certified surgical  
            technologists in law.  For those who have taken the time to  
            become certified, let the marketplace reward their higher  
            skills and education.  Recognition by the state is not  
            needed."

            Instead of establishing title protection with no oversight  
            mechanism, as AB 2561 did, this bill requires DPH to check  
            facility compliance with the requirements to ensure surgical  
            technologists meet certain standards.


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