BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1416
Author: Block (D)
Amended: 4/10/14
Vote: 21
SENATE BUSINESS, PROF. & ECON. DEV. COMM. : 8-1, 4/28/14
AYES: Lieu, Berryhill, Block, Corbett, Galgiani, Hernandez,
Hill, Padilla
NOES: Wyland
SUBJECT : Dentistry: fees
SOURCE : Dental Board of California
DIGEST : This bill establishes a fee of $525 that the Dental
Board of California (DBC) will assess for initial dental
licensure and biennial renewal of licensure; and makes
legislative findings and declarations.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1.Provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of
dentistry by DBC.
2.Requires DBC to examine all applicants for a license to
practice dentistry and to collect and apply all fees.
3.Requires that the charges and fees for licensed dentists be
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established by DBC for the purpose of carrying out the
responsibilities required by these provisions.
4.Prohibits the fee for an initial license and for the renewal
of the license from exceeding $450.
This bill sets the fee for an initial dentist license and
renewal license to $525; and makes legislative findings and
declarations.
Background
Initial and renewal licensure fees . DBC's initial licensure and
biennial renewal fees of $365 have been in effect since 1998.
Business and Professions Code Section 1724(d) authorizes DBC to
establish a fee for an initial dentist license and for the
renewal of a dentist license up to a maximum of $450. These
fees are utilized by DBC to carry out its responsibilities
including issuing licenses to eligible applicants; investigating
complaints against licensees and disciplining licensees for
violations of the Dental Practice 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 DBC is
authorized to establish a fee up to a specified maximum amount,
DBC has historically established the actual fee amounts via
regulation (California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Section
1021).
State Dentistry Fund Condition . According to the State
Dentistry Fund Condition for the Governor's Budget 2014-2015,
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. DBC has worked in consultation with the
Department of Consumer Affairs' Budget Office and has determined
that it is necessary for DBC to increase the initial licensure
and biennial renewal fees assessed to its dentist licensees.
The proposed fee increase will impact the following individual
dentist licensees:
Applicants for Initial Licensure/Licensees Seeking Biennial
Renewal;
Inactive Licensees;
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Licensees on Retirement Status;
Licensees on Disability Status;
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Permit-Holders;
Applicants for Fictitious Name Permits; and
Delinquent Retirement/Disability Renewal.
If 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.
State Specific licensing requirements . The increase of initial
licensure and biennial fees to $525 on January 1, 2015, is
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 |
|----------------+--------------+-----------------+----------------|
| 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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Comments
According to the author's office, averting or delaying an
immediate fee increase will cause DBC to become insolvent in
Budget Year 2015-2016. In order to provide better public
protection, DBC has made enhancements to its enforcement program
over the last 15 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 DBC's
enforcement program so that it may continue to process and
investigate consumer complaints efficiently and effectively.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/29/14)
Dental Board of California (source)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The bill's sponsor, the Dental Board of
California writes, "This bill will enable the Board to sustain
operations to effectively protect consumers through its
licensing and enforcement functions."
MW:e 4/29/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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