HEALTHCARE

• AB 40, Rodriguez. Emergency medical services. Requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) to, among other things, to adopt emergency regulations to develop an electronic signature for use between emergency department and emergency medical personnel, a statewide 30 minute standard for patient offload times, and an audit tool to improve the accuracy of such data. An act to add Sections 1797.120.5, 1797.120.6, and 1797.120.7 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to emergency services.

• AB 48, Aguiar-Curry. Nursing Facility Resident Informed Consent Protection Act of 2023. Creates the Nursing Facility Resident Informed Consent Protection Act of 2023 which requires a prescriber, prior to prescribing a psychotherapeutic drug for a resident of a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or intermediate care facility (ICF) to personally examine and obtain the informed written consent of the resident or the resident's representative. An act to amend Section 1599.1 of, and to add Section 1599.15 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to nursing facilities.

• AB 112, Committee on Budget. Distressed Hospital Loan Program. This is a health trailer bill which is necessary to implement provisions of the Budget Act of 2023. An act to amend Section 128740 of, and to add and repeal Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 129380) of Part 6 of Division 107 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to health facilities, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

• AB 118, Committee on Budget. Budget Act of 2023: health. This is a budget bill which is necessary to implement various provisions of the Budget Act of 2023. An act to amend Section 1295 of the Code of Civil Procedure, to amend Sections 12534, 16531.1, 53123.1.5, 53123.3, 53123.4, 53123.5, 100520.5, and 100800 of, and to add Section 53123.6 to, the Government Code, to amend Sections 27, 1352.1, 1363, 1367.041, 1367.24, 1374.724, 1417.2, 1797.100, 1797.101, 1862, 11830, 11831.12, 11831.6, 11831.7, 11833.01, 11833.05, 11836, 107065, 107075, 114850, 127691, 127692, 127693, 127696, 128560, and 129385 of, to add Section 1363.3 to, to add Chapter 7.1 (commencing with Section 11832) and Chapter 7.2 (commencing with Section 11833) to Part 2 of Division 10.5 of, to repeal Sections 11830.1, 11830.5, 11831.1, 11831.2, 11831.5, 11832, 11832.1, 11833, 114890, and 114895 of, and to repeal and add Sections 107070, 107165, and 107170 of, the Health and Safety Code, to amend Section 10144.57 of the Insurance Code, to amend Sections 1370 and 11105 of the Penal Code, to amend Section 41136 of, and to repeal and add Section 61035 of, the Revenue and Taxation Code, and to amend Sections 3200, 3201, 3203, 5402, 14005.7, 14005.9, 14005.12, 14005.13, 14005.21, 14005.26, 14005.32, 14005.41, 14005.42, 14009, 14011.65, 14011.7, 14011.8, 14015.12, 14016, 14019.4, 14021.6, 14054, 14064, 14094.5, 14094.7, 14094.11, 14094.12, 14094.17, 14105.075, 14105.192, 14105.194, 14110.8, 14132, 14132.24, 14132.56, 14132.95, 14132.99, 14146, 14146.5, 14154.5, 14169.81, 14184.102, 14184.200, 14184.201, 14184.403, 14717.1, 14717.2, and 15832 of, to amend and repeal Sections 14006, 14006.01, 14006.1, 14006.15, 14006.2, 14006.6, and 14015 of, to amend, repeal, and add Sections 14005.11, 14005.20, 14005.40, 14005.401, 14006.3, 14006.4, 14006.5, 14007.9, 14009.6, 14009.7, 14011, 14013.3, 14051, 14051.5, 14100.5, 14148.04, and 14148.5 of, and to add Sections 4046, 14005.95, 14051.7, 14051.8, 14105.076, 14105.200, 14105.201, and 14105.202 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to health, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.

• AB 119, Committee on Budget. Medi-Cal: managed care organization provider tax. This is a tax bill which is necessary to implement various provisions of the Budget Act of 2023. An act to add Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 14199.80) to Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of, to repeal Sections 14199.80, 14199.81, 14199.83, 14199.84, 14199.85, 14199.86, and 14199.87 of, and to repeal Article 6.8 (commencing with Section 14199.60) of Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 232, Aguiar-Curry. Temporary practice allowances. Authorizes an individual who holds a license in another state as a marriage and family therapist, a clinical social worker, or a professional clinical counselor to provide services for which they hold a license for a period not to exceed 30 days without a California license if specified conditions are met. An act to amend Sections 4980, 4980.30, and 4991.2 of, to add the heading of Article 1 (commencing with Section 4991) to Chapter 14 of Division 2 of, and to add and repeal Sections 4980.11, 4996.16.1, and 4999.23 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 242, Wood. Critical access hospitals: employment. This bill permanently authorizes a federally certified critical access hospital (CAH) to employ physicians and charge for their services. An act to amend Section 2401 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 269, Berman. Public health: COVID-19 testing and dispensing sites. This bill authorizes a person to perform an analysis of samples to test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in a clinical laboratory or a city, county, or city and county public health laboratory if they meet certain requirements. This bill also authorizes an entity contracted with and approved by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to operate a designated COVID-19 testing and dispensing site to acquire, dispense, and store COVID-19 oral therapeutics, as defined, at or from a designated site, until January 1, 2024. An act to add Section 1206.7 to, and to add and repeal Section 4176 of, the Business and Professions Code, and to add Section 101161 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 282, Aguiar-Curry. Psychologists: licensure. Authorizes an applicant for licensure as a psychologist to take all examinations required for licensure when they have completed academic coursework required for a doctoral degree, as specified. An act to amend Section 2914 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 317, Weber. Pharmacist service coverage. Requires, instead of permits, a health care service plan (health plan) and specified disability insurers that offer coverage for a service that is within the scope of practice of a duly licensed pharmacist to pay or reimburse the cost of services performed by a pharmacist at an in-network pharmacy or by a pharmacist at an out-of-network pharmacy if the health plan or insurer has an out-of-network pharmacy benefit. An act to amend Section 1368.5 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 10125.1 of the Insurance Code, relating to health care coverage.

• AB 425, Alvarez. Medi-Cal: pharmacogenomic testing. Specifies that pharmacogenomic testing, as defined, is a covered benefit under Medi-Cal, subject to utilization controls and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. An act to add Section 14132.11 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

• AB 470, Valencia. Continuing medical education: physicians and surgeons. This bill specifies how an association that accredits continuing medical education courses (CME) taken by Medical Board of California (MBC) licensed physicians and surgeons should update standards for those courses, if they choose to update any standards. An act to amend Section 2190.1 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 483, Muratsuchi. Local educational agency: Medi-Cal billing option. Modifies and imposes new requirements related to timelines, reporting, technical assistance, stakeholder engagement, and guidance for the Local Education Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option Program (LEA BOP), a program that allows schools to claim reimbursement for a portion of the cost of delivering health services to Medi-Cal eligible students. An act to amend Section 14115.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

• AB 494, Arambula. Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Medical Plan. Maintains the maximum reimbursement amount (up to $3 million) from the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), to the Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Medical Plan (RFK Plan) for claim payments that exceed seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) made by the RFK Plan on behalf of an eligible employee or dependent for a single episode of care. Extends the sunset of this bill to January 1, 2031. An act to amend Section 100235 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care.

• AB 614, Wood. Medi-Cal. This bill prohibits the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) from entering Medi-Cal managed care contracts with entities that are not Knox- Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Knox-Keene) licensed plans, except where otherwise authorized for exemption. This bill requires stakeholder input prior to DHCS issuing a new request for proposal or entering into new managed care contracts. An act to amend Sections 14017.7, 14093.05, 14308, 14450, 14452, 14457, 14459, 15850, 15850.1, and 15850.5 of, and to amend the heading of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 15850) of Part 3.3 of Division 9 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

• AB 633, Jim Patterson. Nursing: licensure: retired licenses. Creates a retired license category for a registered nurse (RN), administered by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), and permits an RN with a retired license to provide nursing services to the public free of charge in any public health program created by federal, state or local law or administered by a federal, state, county or local governmental entity if a licensed RN provides adequate supervision, as specified. An act to add Section 2811.1 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 663, Haney. Pharmacy: mobile units. Allows for certain controlled substances approved for the treatment of opioid use disorder to be carried and dispensed at county-operated mobile pharmacy units and authorizes the operation of multiple mobile units within one jurisdiction. An act to amend Section 4110.5 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 716, Boerner. Ground medical transportation. Deletes the direct reimbursement requirement that allows medical transportation services providers to bill enrollees and insureds (for sums not paid by the health plan or insurer) and instead requires a health plan contract or a health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, to require an enrollee or insured who receives covered services from a noncontracting ground ambulance provider to pay no more than the same cost-sharing amount that the enrollee or insured would pay for the same covered services received from a contracting ground ambulance provider. Prohibits a noncontracting ground ambulance provider from billing or sending to collections a higher amount, and prohibits a ground ambulance provider from billing an uninsured or self-pay patient more than the established payment by Medi-Cal or Medicare fee-for-service amount, whichever is greater. Requires a plan or insurer to reimburse for ground ambulance services at a rate established or approved by a local government, at the rate established or approved by the governing board of the local government having jurisdiction for that area or subarea, including an exclusive operating area, as specified. An act to add Sections 1371.56, 1797.124, and 1797.233 to, and to repeal Section 1367.11 of, the Health and Safety Code, and to add Section 10126.66 to, and to repeal Section 10352 of, the Insurance Code, relating to medical transportation.

• AB 722, Bonta. Alameda Health System Hospital Authority. This bill extends from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2035, limitations on the Alameda Health System's ability to contract with physicians and surgeons not subject to a collective bargaining agreement. An act to amend Section 101850 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health authorities.

• AB 767, Gipson. Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination Act. Adds short-term, post discharge follow-up for persons recently discharged from a hospital to the list of eligible community paramedicine services and requires the Emergency Medical Authority (EMSA) to amend existing regulations to include that service. Extends the sunset date of the community paramedicine program from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2031. An act to amend Sections 1797.273, 1815, 1834, 1836, 1841, 1842, and 1857 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to community paramedicine.

• AB 826, Chen. Podiatric medicine: continuing education. This bill deletes certain requirements for doctors of podiatric medicine (DPM) to meet at the time of license renewal. Authorizes doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) to own an equal or majority interest in a professional partnership with physicians. An act to amend Section 2496 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 834, Irwin. Physicians and surgeons and doctors of podiatric medicine: professional partnerships. Authorizes doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) to own an equal or majority interest in a professional partnership with physicians. An act to amend Section 2416 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 904, Calderon. Health care coverage: doulas. Requires a health care service plan (health plan) or health insurer, on or before January 1, 2025, to develop a maternal and infant health equity program that addresses racial health disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes through the use of doulas. Authorizes the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and California Department of Insurance (CDI) to collect data and submit a report describing the doula coverage to the Legislature by January 1, 2027. An act to add Section 1367.626 to the Health and Safety Code, and to add Section 10123.868 to the Insurance Code, relating to health care coverage.

• AB 918, Garcia. Health care district: County of Imperial. Creates the Imperial Valley Healthcare District (IVHD) to provide healthcare services across Imperial County, gives the district various powers and responsibilities, and dissolves Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District (PMHD) and Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District (HMHD). An act to add Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 32499.5) to Division 23 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care districts, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 936, Wood. Dentistry: exemptions. This bill authorizes dental students who have started clinical training at a dental school to practice dentistry at free health care events without being licensed. An act to amend Section 1626.6 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 948, Berman. Prescription drugs. Makes permanent existing law provisions that prohibit the copayment, coinsurance, or any other form of cost sharing for a covered outpatient prescription drug for an individual prescription from exceeding $250 for a supply of up to 30 days or $500 for bronze products, except as specified; and, requires a non-grandfathered individual or small group plan contract or insurance policy to use specified definitions for each tier of a drug formulary. An act to amend Section 1342.73 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 10123.1932 of the Insurance Code, relating to health coverage.

• AB 952, Wood. Dental coverage disclosures. Requires a health plan or health insurer that issues, sells, renews, or offers a contract covering dental services, or a specialized health plan or specialized health insurer covering dental services, to disclose whether or not an enrollee's or insured's dental coverage is "State Regulated" to assist a provider and to also make it available through the provider's portal, if available, or upon request, on or after January 1, 2025. Requires a health plan or insurer to include the statement "State Regulated" on an enrollee or insured's electronic or physical identification car, or both if available, on or after January 1, 2025. An act to add Section 1374.18 to the Health and Safety Code, and to add Section 10120.42 to the Insurance Code, relating to dental coverage.

• AB 979, Alvarez. Long-term care: family councils. Expands upon and strengthens provisions of law governing the rights and operations of family councils at nursing homes, as well as those governing family councils at residential care facilities for the elderly, by, among other provisions, conforming the two sets of laws so they are more closely aligned with each other and with federal law, permitting family councils to be allowed to meet virtually or at an offsite location, and requiring written responses to requests or concerns raised by the family councils to have detailed rationales for any action or inaction taken in response to those requests or concerns. An act to repeal and add Sections 1418.4 and 1569.158 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to long-term care.

• AB 1048, Wicks. Dental benefits and rate review. Prohibits, on and after January 1, 2025, a health plan or health insurer that covers dental services, as specified, from issuing, amending, renewing, or offering a plan contract or policy that imposes a dental waiting period provision or preexisting condition provision, as defined, upon an enrollee or insured. Specifies that waiting provisions apply to large group products only. Requires health plans and specialized health plans covering dental services or health insurers and specialized health insurers covering dental services to file with the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) or Department of Insurance (CDI) specified information, including, among other things, the type of plan or health insurer involved, the loss ratio, proposed and effective rates for all products, and any other factors affecting dental premium rates. Requires the health plan or health insurer, on or after January 1, 2025, to file with the respective departments the required information at least annually and to file 120 days before any change in the methodology, factors, or assumptions that would affect rates. An act to amend Section 1385.02 of, and to add Sections 1374.194 and 1385.14 to, the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 10181.2 of, and to add Sections 10120.41 and 10181.14 to, the Insurance Code, relating to health care coverage.

• AB 1070, Low. Physician assistants: physician supervision: exceptions. Authorizes a physician and surgeon to supervise more than four physician assistants (PAs) if the PAs are only performing home health evaluations. An act to amend Section 3516 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 1241, Weber. Medi-Cal: telehealth. Clarifies two provisions of current law requiring a provider furnishing services through video or audio telehealth to offer services in-person or facilitate in-person care, including clarifying that current law does not require a provider to schedule an appointment with a different provider on behalf of a patient. An act to amend Section 14132.725 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to telehealth.

• AB 1257, Berman. Dentistry: Dental Hygiene Board of California: Dental hygienists: Examinations and licensure. Extends the sunset date for the Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC) until January 1, 2028, and makes additional technical changes, statutory improvements, and policy reforms in response to issues raised during the DHBC's sunset review oversight process. An act to amend Sections 1901, 1903, 1917, and 1936.1 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 1315 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 1264, Berman. Acupuncture. Extends the sunset date for the California Acupuncture Board (Cab) until January 1, 2028, authorizes acupuncturists to supervise acupuncture assistants, as specified, and makes other changes. An act to amend Sections 4927, 4927.5, 4928, 4934, 4938, and 4961 of, to amend, renumber, and add Section 4928.1 of, and to add Section 4961.1 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 1286, Haney. Pharmacy. Authorizes a pharmacist-in-charge to make staffing decisions in a pharmacy; requires the pharmacist-in-charge or pharmacist on duty to notify store management of any conditions that present an immediate risk of death, illness, or irreparable harm, requires store management to take immediate and reasonable steps to address and resolve those conditions, and authorizes the California State Board of Pharmacy (BOP) to close a pharmacy if the conditions aren't resolved; requires a chain community pharmacy to be staffed with at least one clerk or pharmacy technician fully dedicated to performing pharmacy-related services, except as provided; authorizes pharmacy technicians with specified training to perform additional tasks under supervision, including administering influenza and COVID-19 vaccines and epinephrine and performing specimen collection for laboratory tests; requires community pharmacies to report medication errors; and requires consulting pharmacists to complete a Surgical Clinic Self-Assessment Form every other year, among other provisions. An act to amend Sections 4113, 4115, 4192, 4204, and 4301 of, and to add Sections 4113.1, 4113.6, and 4316.5 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to pharmacy.

• AB 1309, Reyes. Long-term health care facilities: admission contracts. This bill requires nursing homes, within 48 hours of giving a required written notice of an involuntary transfer or discharge, to provide the resident with a copy of certain discharge related documents, including a description of specific needs that cannot be met and the facility's attempts to meet those needs when the basis of the transfer or discharge is because the resident's needs cannot be met in the facility. An act to amend Sections 1439.6 and 1599.78 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to long-term health care facilities.

• AB 1341, Berman. Public health: oral therapeutics. Authorizes pharmacists to continue furnishing COVID-19 oral therapeutics to patients who test positive for SARS-CoV-2, without a prior prescription, until January 1, 2025. An act to amend and repeal Section 1206.7 of, and to add and repeal Section 4052.04 of, the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 11215 of, and to amend and repeal Section 101161 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 1369, Bauer-Kahan. Out-of-state physicians and surgeons: telehealth: license exemption. Authorizes an eligible out-of-state physician and surgeon to practice medicine in California without a California license if the practice is limited to delivering health care via telehealth to an eligible patient who has an immediately life-threatening disease or condition. An act to add Section 2052.5 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• AB 1376, Juan Carrillo. Emergency medical services: liability limitation. Provides that a private provider of ambulance services, and employees of that provider, when operating in accordance with the standards, regulations, policies, and protocols of local emergency medical services agencies, shall not be criminally or civilly liable for the continued detainment of a person when that detainment is requested by a peace officer, facility staff, or other professionals authorized to detain persons, as specified. An act to add Section 1799.115 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to emergency medical services.

• AB 1392, Rodriguez. Hospitals: procurement contracts. Requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) to require hospitals with operating expenses of $50 million dollars or more, and hospitals with operating expenses of $25 million or more that are part of a hospital system, to annually submit a detailed and verifiable plan for creating procurement from minority, women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT), and disabled veteran business enterprises (MWLGBTDVBEs). An act to amend Sections 1339.85, 1339.86, and 1339.88 of, to amend, repeal, and add Section 1339.87 of, and to add Section 1339.89 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to hospitals.

• AB 1395, Garcia. Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program: requirements. This bill authorizes the Medical Board of California (MBC) issue a license for three years to an individual who would otherwise be eligible for licensure under the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program (Mexico Pilot Program) but does not yet have an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) or social security number (SSN), according to specified conditions. An act to amend Section 853 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 1481, Boerner. Medi-Cal: presumptive eligibility. Requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), for a pregnant person covered under the Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PE4PW) program who applies for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits in a specified time window, to ensure the pregnant person is covered under the PE4PW program until the pregnant person is either enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal benefits or has received a written denial notice in response to their application for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits, and renames the program as Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant People (PE4PP). An act to amend Sections 14011.66, 14148.03, 14148.1, 14148.3, 14148.7, and 14148.85 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

• AB 1557, Flora. Pharmacy: electronic prescriptions. Authorizes a pharmacist located and licensed in the state to, on behalf of a licensed hospital, from a location outside of the hospital, verify medication chart orders for appropriateness, as specified, and makes other technical changes. An act to amend Section 4071.1 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

• AB 1707, Pacheco. Health professionals and facilities: adverse actions based on another state's law. Protects licensed health care professionals, clinics, and health facilities from being denied a license or subjected to discipline on the basis of a civil judgment, criminal conviction, or disciplinary action imposed by another state based solely on the application of a law that interferes with a person's right to receive sensitive services that would be lawful in California. An act to add Sections 805.9 and 850.1 to the Business and Professions Code, and to add Sections 1220.1 and 1265.11 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care.

• AB 1720, Bauer-Kahan. Clinics: prenatal screening. Limits the use of ultrasound, or similar medical imaging devices used for a medical, counseling, or diagnostic service to specified settings and medical professionals. An act to add Sections 123621 and 123622 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to clinics.

• SB 302, Stern. Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act. This bill expands existing law requiring health facilities to permit terminally ill patients to have access to their medical Cannabis to also require health facilities to permit patients who are over 65 years of age and have a chronic disease to have access to their medical Cannabis, and includes home health agencies in the list of health facilities included in this law. An act to amend Sections 1649.1, 1649.2, 1649.3, and 1649.6 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care facilities.

• SB 311, Eggman. Medi-Cal: Part A buy-in. This bill requires the Department of Health Care Services to enter into a Medicare Part A buy-in agreement with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for the qualified Medicare beneficiary program. Such agreement is intended to facilitate the enrollment of low-income Medi-Cal recipients into Medicare and the payment of their premiums and co-payments. An act to amend Section 14005.11 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

• SB 345, Skinner. Health care services: legally protected health care activities. This bill enacts various safeguards against the enforcement of other states' laws that prohibit, criminalize, sanction, authorize civil liability against, or otherwise interfere with a person, provider, or other entity in California that offers reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services. An act to amend Section 2746.5 of, and to add Sections 850.1 and 852 to, the Business and Professions Code, to add Title 1.81.49 (commencing with Section 1798.99.90) and Title 1.81.7 (commencing with Section 1798.300) to Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, to amend Sections 762.020, 872.520, and 1710.50 of the Code of Civil Procedure, to amend Section 22171 of the Education Code, to amend Section 1317.1 of, to add Section 123468.5 to, and to repeal Section 123450 of, the Health and Safety Code, to amend Sections 187, 847.5, 1299.02, and 1334.2 of, and to add Sections 1549.15 and 13778.3 to, the Penal Code, to amend Sections 1003, 10954, 15405, and 19507 of the Probate Code, and to amend Section 11486.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to health care services.

• SB 385, Atkins. Physician Assistant Practice Act: abortion by aspiration: training. Expands the training options for physician assistants (PAs) seeking to perform abortions by aspiration techniques. An act to amend Section 3502.4 of, and to add Section 3527.5 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

• SB 421, Limón. Health care coverage: cancer treatment. This bill eliminates the sunset date on a requirement that individual and group health plans and insurance policies limit the copayment for an individual prescription of up to a 30-day supply of an orally administered anticancer medication covered under the contract or policy. An act to amend Section 1367.656 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 10123.206 of the Insurance Code, relating to health care coverage.

• SB 487, Atkins. abortion: provider protections. The bill prohibits health plans and health insurers from terminating, discriminating against, or otherwise penalizing a provider based on a civil judgment, criminal conviction, or another disciplinary action in another state if the judgment, conviction, or disciplinary action is solely based on the application of another state's law that interferes with a person's right to receive care that would be lawful if provided in California. This bill authorizes the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to elect not to suspend a Medi-Cal provider who has a license, certificate, or other approval to provide health care suspended or revoked in another state if the revocation or suspension is based solely on conduct that is not deemed to be unprofessional conduct under California law, as provided. An act to amend Section 123467.5 of, and to add Section 1375.61 to, the Health and Safety Code, to add Section 10133.641 to the Insurance Code, and to amend Sections 14043.6 and 14123 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to abortion.

• SB 496, Limón. Biomarker testing. This bill requires Medi-Cal, and, a health plan contract or a health insurance policy that is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, and Medi-Cal, to cover medically necessary biomarker testing for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management, or ongoing monitoring of an enrollee's or insured's disease or condition to guide treatment decisions only if the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence, as specified. An act to add Section 1367.667 to the Health and Safety Code, to add Section 10123.209 to the Insurance Code, and to add Section 14132.09 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to health care coverage.

• SB 502, Allen. Medi-Cal: children: mobile optometric office. This bill requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), subject to an appropriation, to file all necessary state plan amendments to exercise the Health Services Initiative option made available under the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provisions to cover vision services provided to low-income children statewide through a mobile optometric office. Authorizes the acceptance of payment from any of the state's CHIP programs, in addition to the Medi-Cal program, for the owner and operator of a mobile optometric office and the optometrist providing services. Prohibits the use of General Fund moneys for funding this program and requires DHCS to seek other sources of funding, including charitable donations. An act to amend Section 3070.2 of the Business and Professions Code, and to add Section 14132.58 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.

• SB 595, Roth. Covered California: data sharing. This bill clarifies that Covered California is only prohibited from disclosing personal information obtained from the Employment Development Department (EDD) without first obtaining consent of the applicant when disclosure is to a certified insurance agent or a certified enrollment counselor for the purpose of communicating about the availability of health coverage through Covered California. This bill requires a person or entity that receives this personal information take reasonable measures to safeguard the confidentiality of any personal information prohibits use or disclose for any purpose other than to market and publicize the availability of health care coverage through Covered California to individuals, as directed by Covered California. An act to amend Section 100503.9 of the Government Code, and to amend Section 1095 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to health insurance.

• SB 612, Ochoa Bogh. Speech-language pathologists. This bill clarifies that a licensed speech-language pathologist can perform a flexible fiber optic transnasal endoscopic (FEES) procedure if the licensee has a written verification from one certified otolaryngologist on file that was issued before January 1, 2023 and has met specified training requirements. An act to amend Section 2530.2 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 56363 of the Education Code, relating to healing arts.

• SB 621, Caballero. Health care coverage: biosimilar drugs. This bill authorizes a health care service plan (health plan), health insurance policy, or utilization review organization to require an enrollee or insured to try a biosimilar drug, as defined, before providing coverage for the branded prescription drug. The bill also clarifies that a requirement to try a biosimilar, generic, or interchangeable drug does not prohibit or supersede a step therapy exception request. An act to amend Section 1367.206 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 10123.201 of the Insurance Code, relating to health care coverage.

• SB 667, Dodd. Healing arts: pregnancy and childbirth. This bill clarifies a certified nurse midwife's (CNM) authority to treat and provide care for common gynecologic conditions; permits a CNM to admit or discharge a patient if a CNM has privileges at a general acute care hospital, as specified; clarifies that a CNM is a practitioner for purposes of certifying disability; and includes a CNMs as a laboratory director for purposes of performing specified laboratory tests, among other technical changes. An act to amend Sections 1209, 2746.5, 2746.51, and 4170 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 2708 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to healing arts.

• SB 770, Wiener. Health care: unified health care financing. This bill directs the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS) to research, develop, and pursue waiver discussions with the federal government with the objective of a unified health care financing system that incorporates specific features, including a comprehensive package of medical, behavioral health, pharmaceutical, dental, and vision benefits, without cost sharing or essential services and treatments. This bill requires the Secretary to engage stakeholders including consumers, patients, health care professionals, labor unions, government agencies, and philanthropic organizations in developing the waiver framework. This bill requires the Secretary to provide an interim report by January 1, 2025, detailing the agency's preliminary analysis and input from stakeholders, and to propose statutory language authorizing the development and submission of federal waiver applications. This bill requires the Secretary to complete the waiver framework by June 1, 2025, and hold a 45-day public comment period and produce a report on the finalized waiver framework by November 1, 2025. An act to add Part 4 (commencing with Section 1000) to Division 1 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care.

• SB 779, Stern. Primary Care Clinic Data Modernization Act. This bill, effective on January 1, 2027, adds intermittent clinics that are exempt from licensure to an existing requirement that clinics file an annual report to the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) with specified information. This bill creates new reporting requirements for all primary care clinics, including intermittent clinics, to report various types of data to HCAI, including a labor report and a workforce development report. An act to amend and repeal Section 1216 of, to add Section 1216.1 to, and to add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 128900) to Part 5 of Division 107 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to clinics.

• SB 786, Portantino. Prescription drug pricing. This bill prohibits a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) from imposing any requirements, conditions, or exclusions that discriminate against a federal 340B Drug Pricing Program Covered Entity (CE) or a specified pharmacy in connection with dispensing covered drugs, or, prevent a CE from retaining the benefit of discounted pricing for the purchase of covered drugs. (CEs are certain clinics, AIDS/HIV/sexually transmitted and other disease program grantees, and certain hospitals.) An act to add Article 3 (commencing with Section 127470) to Chapter 2.5 of Part 2 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to prescription drugs.

• SB 805, Portantino. Health care coverage: pervasive developmental disorders or autism. This bill expands the qualifications for Qualified Autism Service (QAS) professionals as found in California's mandate on health plans and insurers to cover behavioral health treatment (BHT) for pervasive developmental disorders or autism. This bill requires these QAS professionals to also meet educational or experiential qualifications and supervision requirements for these providers adopted by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) on or before July 1, 2026 through regulations that also develop a rate. An act to amend Section 1374.73 of the Health and Safety Code, to amend Section 10144.51 of the Insurance Code, and to add Section 4686.4 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to health care coverage.

• SB 815, Roth. Healing arts. This bill makes various changes to the operations of the Medical Board of California (MBC) stemming from the joint sunset review oversight of the board and extends MBC operations until January 1, 2028. An act to amend Sections 853, 2001, 2007, 2019, 2020, 2064.5, 2065, 2096, 2097, 2224, 2225.5, 2234, 2266, 2307, 2334, 2425, 2435, and 2450 of, to amend and repeal Sections 2529, 2529.1, 2529.5, and 2529.6 of, to add Sections 2024.5, 2220.1, 2220.2, 2225.7, 2232.5, and 2307.5 to, to add Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 2950) to Chapter 6.6 of Division 2 of, and to repeal Section 2270 of, the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 123110 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to healing arts.