SB-248: Professions and Vocations
[Senator Liz Figueroa (District 10--Fremont)]

AIMS Position: No Opposition

Bill Status: SIGNED by Governor.

On Friday, October 7, 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed this bill into law.

The California Acupuncture Board was scheduled to become inactive as of July 1, 2006. SB 248 provides the new legislation needed allow the Board to continue operating for another two years. Had SB 248 not been enacted, the CAB would have been replaced by a bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs, and all regulatory decision-making authority would have been assumed by the department's director.

According to the new law, the CAB will be reconstituted as of January 1, 2006. The current board will be eliminated and new members appointed at that time. Existing members of the board will be eligible for reappointment. In addition, the law also makes the following changes to the Board:

• The size of the CAB will be reduced from nine to seven members;
• The number of Licensed Acupuncturists on the Board will be reduced to three, a minority of the seven member board;
• The current requirement that one member of the board be a Medical Doctor and that one member be a college faculty member will be eliminated; and
• The hiring of all board staff, including the Executive Officer, will require the approval of the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

The most significant impact of this bill is the reduction, in absolute numbers, of Licensed Acupuncturists on the Board. The reduction from four to three seats means that representation of the profession's diversity will be an even greater challenge. The percentage of practitioner members remains essentially unchanged and may even increase somewhat given that the faculty-designated seat has remained chronically unfilled.

For details on Senate Bill 248, visit...

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_248&sess=CUR