AB1501 - Physician assistants and podiatrists.

Assembly Bill No. 1501 CHAPTER 194 An act to amend Sections 2460, 2470, 2472, 2474, 2488, 2499.5, 3504, 3509, 3513, 3514.1, 3516, 3521.1, 3523, and 3537.45 of, to add Sections 3502.35 and 3504.2 to, to add, amend, and renumber Section 2460.1 of, and to repeal Section 3521.2 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts. [ Approved by Governor October 01, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 01, 2025. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1501, Berman. Physician assistants and podiatrists. (1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Podiatric Medical Board of California to license and regulate podiatrists. Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Physician Assistant Board to license and regulate physician assistants. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing those boards on January 1, 2026, and specifies the repeal of those provisions renders those boards subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. This bill would extend the operation of those boards until January 1, 2030. Existing law requires the board to regulate physician assistant training programs, including, among other things, through establishing guidelines for their approval and setting fees to be paid by them. This bill would remove the above-described requirements and authorizations relating to the board’s regulation of physician assistant training programs. (2) Existing law makes a physician assistant licensed by the board eligible for employment or supervision by a physician and surgeon, as specified. Existing law prohibits a physician and surgeon from supervising more than 4 physician assistants at any one time, except under certain conditions. Among those exceptions, existing law authorizes a physician and surgeon to supervise up to 8 physician assistants if the physician assistants are focused solely on performing in-home health evaluations for specified purposes. This bill would increase the number of physician assistants whom a physician and surgeon may supervise at any one time to 8. The bill would make conforming changes, including removing the above-described exception for in-home health evaluations. (3) Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to use certain terms or letters indicating or implying that a person is a doctor of podiatric medicine without holding a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate to practice podiatric medicine. This bill would include in those provisions the use of the term “podiatric surgeon.” The bill would state that it is the policy of this state that a doctor of podiatric medicine shall be classified or treated as a doctor of podiatric medicine and shall not be classified or treated as an ancillary provider or other allied health professional in any health care setting or insurance reimbursement structure for any purpose. (4) Existing law requires the Podiatric Medical Board of California to issue a certificate to practice podiatric medicine by credentialing if an applicant has submitted to the board from the credentialing organization verification that they are licensed as a doctor of podiatric medicine in any other state if the applicant has passed specified examinations, and requires the applicant to have passed those examinations within the past 10 years. This bill would delete the requirement that the applicant pass those examinations within the past 10 years. Existing law establishes specified fees applicable to certificates to practice podiatric medicine, including a biennial renewal fee of $1,318, a $100 fee for a duplicate wall certificate, a $50 for a duplicate renewal receipt fee, and a $30 endorsement fee. This bill would increase the biennial renewal fee to $1,900 would instead establish a $100 fee for a duplicate certificate, and would delete the duplicate renewal receipt and endorsement fees. (5) Existing law establishes various fees for physician assistants, including a $25 application fee, a $250 initial license fee, a $300 biennial license renewal fee, a $25 delinquency fee, and a $10 fee for a letter of endorsement, letter of standing, or letter of verification of licensure. This bill would instead establish a $60 application fee, a $250 initial license fee, a $300 biennial license renewal fee, a $75 delinquency fee, and a $50 fee for a letter of endorsement, letter of good standing, or letter of verification of licensure. The bill would authorize the board to increase the application fee to not more than $80, the initial license fee to not more than $500, and the biennial license renewal fee to not more than $500. (6) Under existing law, a physician assistant license expires at 12 midnight of the last day of the birth month of the licensee during the 2nd year of a 2-year term if not renewed. Existing law requires a licensee, in order to renew a license, to apply for renewal on a form provided by the board, as specified. This bill would instead require that the above-described renewal applications be made on an electronic form, or other form, provided by the board. The bill would require an application form to contain a legal verification by the applicant certifying under penalty of perjury that the information provided by the applicant is true and correct. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (7) This bill would correct cross-references and make other technical changes to the Physician Assistant Practice Act and the provisions of the Medical Practice Act applicable to podiatrists. (8) The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that a comprehensive review of practice agreements structures be undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders and, in that regard, would authorize the Physician Assistant Board to collaborate, as appropriate, with the Legislature and other stakeholders to inform future policy discussions through existing processes and expertise. (9) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 2460 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2460. (a) There is created in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Podiatric Medical Board of California. Any reference in any provision of law to the California Board of Podiatric Medicine shall be deemed to refer to the Podiatric Medical Board of California. (b) The amendments made by Chapter 775 of the Statutes of 2017 relating to podiatrists shall not be construed to change any rights or privileges held by podiatrists prior to the enactment of that act. (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed. SEC. 2. Section 2460.1 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 2460.1. Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 2460 renders the Podiatric Medical Board of California subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. SEC. 3. Section 2460.1 of the Business and Professions Code is amended and renumbered to read: 2460.2. Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Podiatric Medical Board of California in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount. SEC. 4. Section 2470 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2470. The board may adopt, amend, or repeal, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), regulations necessary to enable the board to carry into effect the provisions of law relating to the practice of podiatric medicine. SEC. 5. Section 2472 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2472. (a) The certificate to practice podiatric medicine authorizes the holder to practice podiatric medicine. (b) As used in this chapter, “podiatric medicine” means the diagnosis, medical, surgical, mechanical, manipulative, and electrical treatment of the human foot, including the ankle and tendons that insert into the foot and the nonsurgical treatment of the muscles and tendons of the leg governing the functions of the foot. (c) A doctor of podiatric medicine shall not administer an anesthetic other than local. If an anesthetic other than local is required for any procedure, the anesthetic shall be administered by another licensed health care practitioner who is authorized to administer the required anesthetic within the scope of their practice. (d) (1) A doctor of podiatric medicine may do the following: (A) Perform surgical treatment of the ankle and tendons at the level of the ankle pursuant to subdivision (e). (B) Perform services under the direct supervision of a physician and surgeon, as an assistant at surgery, in surgical procedures that are otherwise beyond the scope of practice of a doctor of podiatric medicine. (C) Perform a partial amputation of the foot no further proximal than the Chopart’s joint. (2) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit a doctor of podiatric medicine to function as a primary surgeon for any procedure beyond their scope of practice. (e) A doctor of podiatric medicine may perform surgical treatment of the ankle and tendons at the level of the ankle only in the following locations: (1) A licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code. (2) A licensed surgical clinic, as defined in Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1) and meets all the protocols of the surgical clinic. (3) An ambulatory surgical center that is certified to participate in the Medicare Program under Title XVIII (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq.) of the federal Social Security Act, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1) and meets all the protocols of the surgical center. (4) A freestanding physical plant housing outpatient services of a licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1). For purposes of this section, a “freestanding physical plant” means any building that is not physically attached to a building where inpatient services are provided. (5) An outpatient setting accredited pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 1248.1 of the Health and Safety Code. (f) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a doctor of podiatric medicine with training or experience in wound care may treat ulcers resulting from local and systemic etiologies on the leg no further proximal than the tibial tubercle. SEC. 6. Section 2474 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2474. (a) Any person who uses in any sign or in any advertisement or otherwise, the word or words “doctor of podiatric medicine,” “doctor of podiatry,” “podiatric doctor,” “podiatric surgeon,” “D.P.M.,” “podiatrist,” “foot specialist,” or any other term or terms or any letters indicating or implying that they are a doctor of podiatric medicine, or that they practice podiatric medicine, or hold themselves out as practicing podiatric medicine or foot correction as defined in Section 2472, without having at the time of so doing a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended certificate as provided for in this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) It is the policy of this state that a doctor of podiatric medicine shall be classified or treated as a doctor of podiatric medicine and shall not be classified or treated as an ancillary provider or other allied health professional in any health care setting or insurance reimbursement structure for any purpose. SEC. 7. Section 2488 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2488. The board shall issue a certificate to practice podiatric medicine by credentialing if the applicant has submitted directly to the board from the credentialing organizations verification that they are licensed as a doctor of podiatric medicine in any other state and meets all of the following requirements: (a) The applicant has graduated from an approved school or college of podiatric medicine. (b) The applicant has passed either part III of the examination administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners of the United States or a written examination that is recognized by the board to be the equivalent in content to the examination administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners of the United States. (c) The applicant has satisfactorily completed a postgraduate training program approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education. (d) The applicant has passed any oral and practical examination that may be required of all applicants by the board to ascertain clinical competence. (e) The applicant has committed no acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of a certificate under Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475). (f) The board determines that no disciplinary action has been taken against the applicant by any podiatric licensing authority and that the applicant has not been the subject of adverse judgments or settlements resulting from the practice of podiatric medicine that the board determines constitutes evidence of a pattern of negligence or incompetence. (g) A disciplinary databank report regarding the applicant is received by the board from the Federation of Podiatric Medical Boards. SEC. 8. Section 2499.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 2499.5. The following fees apply to certificates to practice podiatric medicine. The amount of fees prescribed for doctors of podiatric medicine shall be determined by the board and shall be as described below. Fees collected pursuant to this section shall be fixed by the board in amounts not to exceed the actual costs of providing the service for which the fee is collected. (a) Each applicant for a certificate to practice podiatric medicine shall pay an application fee of one hundred dollars ($100) at the time the application is filed. If the applicant quali [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]