BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1245
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 1245 (Lieu)
As Introduced February 20, 2014
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :36-0
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 13-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Bonilla, Jones, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, |
| |Bocanegra, Campos, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Dickinson, Gordon, | |Calderon, Campos, |
| |Hagman, Holden, | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| |Maienschein, Mullin, | |Holden, Jones, Linder, |
| |Skinner, Ting, Wilk | |Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, |
| | | |Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Extends the operation of the Dental Hygiene Committee
of California (DHCC) and extends the appointments of DHCC
committee members and DHCC's executive officer until January 1,
2019.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, ongoing costs of about $1.6 million per year, through
January 1, 2019, for DHCC's licensing activities, supported by
licensing fees (State Dental Hygiene Fund).
COMMENTS :
1)Purpose of the bill. This bill extends the operation of the
DHCC and the existence of its committee members and executive
officer until January 1, 2019. This allows DHCC to continue
to operate and continue to regulate dental hygienists to
promote and ensure quality oral health care for consumers, and
triggers the Legislature to comprehensively review DHCC again
in four years.
2)Author's statement. According to the author, this bill
"[e]xtends until January 1, 2019, the provisions establishing
the [DHCC], and extends the term of the executive officer.
SB 1245
Page 2
Unless legislation is carried this year to extend the sunset
dates for DHCC, it will be repealed on January 1, 2015."
3)Background of DHCC. In 2002, the Joint Legislative Sunset
Review Committee determined that "dental hygienists had
reached the point where their responsibilities warranted a
regulatory body, separate from [the DBC]." DHCC was created
as result of the passage of SB 853 (Perata), Chapter 31,
Statutes of 2008. DHCC's purpose is "[t]o permit the full
utilization of registered dental hygienists, registered dental
hygienists in alternative practice, and registered dental
hygienists in extended functions in order to meet the dental
care needs of all of the state's citizens," and its mission is
"[t]o promote and ensure the highest quality of oral health
care for all Californians."
DHCC is the only self-regulating dental hygiene agency of its
kind in the United States, and has authority over all aspects
of the licensing and regulation of dental hygienists,
including enforcement and investigation authority and the
approval of educational programs that provide the prerequisite
education to become a licensed dental hygienist. DHCC also
develops and administers written and clinical licensing
examinations and conducts occupational analyses of the various
professional categories.
DHCC is responsible for overseeing 31,804 licensed dental
hygienists in the state of California. These dental
hygienists include over 31,000 registered dental hygienists,
over 500 registered dental hygienists in alternative practice,
and roughly 40 registered dental hygienists in extended
functions.
4)DHCC Sunset Review. In 2014, the Assembly Business,
Professions and Consumer Protection Committee and the Senate
Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee
(Committees) conducted joint oversight hearings to review nine
regulatory entities: Bureau of Automotive Repair; Bureau of
Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation; Bureau for Private
Postsecondary Education (BPPE); California Massage Therapy
Certification program; California Board of Acupuncture;
California Tax Preparers Program; [DHCC]; Professional
Fiduciaries Bureau; and Structural Pest Control Board.
SB 1245
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This bill, and other sunset extension bills, are intended to
implement legislative changes as recommended by the Committees
and which are reflected in the Background Papers prepared by
the Committees for each agency and program reviewed for this
year.
The Committees recommended in DHCC's 2014 Sunset Background
Paper, that "the practice of dental hygiene [should] continue
to be regulated by the current DHCC in order to protect the
interests of the public. The DHCC should be reviewed by the
Committees again in four years." The Committees found that
"[t]he health, safety and welfare of consumers are protected
by a well-regulated dental hygiene profession. Despite a
quickly growing profession and the impact of a lack of staff,
it appears as if the DHCC has shown a strong commitment to
improving efficiency in its operations and protecting the
public. The DHCC should be continued with a four-year
extension of its sunset date so that the Committees may
determine if the issues and recommendations in this paper have
been addressed"
Analysis Prepared by : Eunie Linden / B., P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301
FN: 0004775