BILL ANALYSIS �
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|Hearing Date:April 28, 2014 |Bill No:SB |
| |1416 |
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Senator Ted W. Lieu, Chair
Bill No: SB 1416Author:Block
As Amended:April 10, 2014 Fiscal: No
SUBJECT: Dentistry: fees.
SUMMARY: Establishes a fee of $525 that the Dental Board of
California (DBC) would assess for initial dental licensure and
biennial renewal of licensure.
Existing law:
1) Provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of
dentistry by the DBC. (Business and Professions Code (BPC) �
1601.1)
2) Requires the DBC to examine all applicants for a license to
practice dentistry and to collect and apply all fees. (BPC �
1724)
3) Requires the charges and fees for licensed dentists to be
established by the DBC for the purpose of carrying out the
responsibilities required by these provisions.
(BPC � 1724 et seq.)
4) Prohibits the fee for an initial license and for the renewal of the
license from exceeding $450. (BPC � 1724 (d))
This bill: Sets the fee for an initial license and renewal license to
$525.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill has been keyed "fiscal" by
Legislative Counsel.
SB 1416
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COMMENTS:
1. Purpose. This bill is sponsored by the Dental Board of California
(DBC). According to the Author, averting or delaying an immediate
fee increase will cause the DBC to become insolvent in Budget Year
2015-2016. In order to provide better public protection, the DBC
has made enhancements to its enforcement program over the last
fifteen years. These enhancements have included increased
analytical and investigative staffing to process and investigate
consumer complaints in an effective and efficient manner. The
proposed fee increases will support the DBC's enforcement program
so that it may continue to process and investigate consumer
complaints efficiently and effectively.
2. Background. The Committee requested that the DBC complete a fee
bill worksheet (see attached worksheet for more detailed
information).
a) Initial and Renewal Licensure Fees . DBC's initial licensure
and biennial
renewal fees of $365 have been in effect since 1998. BPC � 1724
(d) authorizes the DBC to establish a fee for an initial DDS
license and for the renewal of a DDS license up to a maximum of
$450. These fees are utilized by the DBC to carry out its
responsibilities including: issuing licenses to eligible
applicants; investigating complaints against licensees and
disciplining licensees for violations of the Act; monitoring
licensees whose licenses have been placed on probation and
managing the Diversion Program for licensees whose practice may
be impaired due to abuse of dangerous drugs or alcohol. Since
BPC � 1724 provides the DBC with authorization to establish a
fee up to a specified maximum amount, the DBC has historically
established the actual fee amounts via regulation (California
Code of Regulations, Title 16 � 1021).
b) State Dentistry Fund Condition . According to the State
Dentistry Fund Condition for the Governor's Budget 2014-2015,
the DBC is projecting a fund balance deficit of $2.239 million
in Budget Year 2015-2016, as well as an ongoing fund balance
deficit thereafter. The DBC has worked in consultation with the
DCA Budget Office and has determined that it is necessary for
the DBC to increase the initial licensure and biennial renewal
fees assessed to its dentist licensees.
The proposed fee increase would impact the following individual
dentist licensees:
SB 1416
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Applicants for Initial Licensure/ Licensees
Seeking Biennial Renewal
Inactive Licensees
Licensees on Retirement Status
Licensees on Disability Status
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Permit-Holders
Applicants for Fictitious Name Permits
Delinquent Retirement/Disability Renewal
If the DBC is not authorized to increase the fees, the following
will likely occur:
Reduction of staff, operating resources and
equipment .
Delayed response times to licensing inquiries and
application approvals.
Delays in enforcement, such as delays in processing
consumer complaints, conducting investigations and referring
egregious cases to the Attorney General's Office for
prosecution.
a) State Specific Licensing Requirements . The increase of
initial licensure and biennial fees to $525 on January 1, 2015,
would be comparable to the licensing renewal fees for dentists
in other states and well below the biennial licensing renewal
fees for other healing arts professions within California, as
illustrated in the following tables.
Licensing Renewal Fees for Dentists in Other States
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|State |Amount |Frequency |Avg. Cost Per |
| | | |Year |
|----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------|
|Arizona |$650 |Every 3 years |$216 |
|----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------|
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|California |$450 |Every 2 years |$225 |
|----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------|
|Nevada |$600 |Every 2 years |$300 |
|----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------|
|New Mexico |$550 |Every 3 years |$183 |
|----------------+----------------+----------------+----------------|
|Texas |$350 |Every year |$350 |
| | | | |
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Biennial Licensing Renewal Fees for Other Professions within
California
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|Profession |Amount |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
|Attorney |$900 |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
|Naturopathic Doctor |$800 |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
|Physician |$808 |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
|Podiatrist |$900 |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
|Psychologist |$420 |
| | |
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1. Arguments in Support. The Dental Board of California (Sponsor)
supports the bill and writes, "This bill will enable the Board to
sustain operations to effectively protect consumers through its
licensing and enforcement functions."
SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:
Support:
Dental Board of California (sponsor)
Opposition:
None on file as of April 21, 2014
SB 1416
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Consultant:Le Ondra Clark, Ph.D.