SB 763: Medical professionals: probation.

Session Year: 2015-2016
House: Senate

Version:

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California for the licensing, regulation, and discipline of physicians and surgeons. Existing law establishes the California Board of Podiatric Medicine within the Medical Board of California for the licensing, regulation, and discipline of podiatrists. Existing law, the Osteopathic Act, enacted by an initiative measure, establishes the Osteopathic Medical Board of California for the licensing and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons and requires the Osteopathic Medical Board of California to enforce the Medical Practice Act with respect to its licensees. Existing law, the Naturopathic Doctors Act, establishes the Naturopathic Medicine Committee in the Osteopathic Medical Board of California for the licensing and regulation of naturopathic doctors. Existing law, the Chiropractic Act, enacted by an initiative measure, establishes the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners for the licensing and regulation of chiropractors. Existing law, the Acupuncture Licensure Act, establishes the Acupuncture Board for the licensing and regulation of acupuncturists. Existing law authorizes each of these regulatory entities to discipline its licensee by placing her or him on probation, as specified.

Existing law requires the Medical Board of California, the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, and the California Board of Podiatric Medicine to disclose to an inquiring member of the public and to post on their Internet Web sites specified information concerning each licensee including revocations, suspensions, probations, or limitations on practice.

This bill would require the Medical Board of California, the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Naturopathic Medicine Committee, and the Acupuncture Board by January 1, 2018, to make specified information with respect to licensees on probation and licensees practicing under a probationary license available to an inquiring member of the public, on any documents informing the public of individual probation orders, and in plain view on the profile Internet Web pages of licensees subject to probation, as specified.

Existing federal law requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to institute proceedings for the determination of an appropriate flammability standard if the commission finds that such a standard, including labeling, for a mattress, a fabric, related material, or product, may be needed to protect the public. Existing federal law authorizes a state to establish a flammability standard if, among other things, it provides a higher degree of protection from the risk of fire.

Existing state law, the Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of upholstered furniture manufacturers by the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings, and Thermal Insulation. Existing state law requires every upholstered-furniture manufacturer to hold a furniture and bedding manufacturers license. Existing state law also requires every upholstered-furniture retailer to hold a retail furniture dealers license. A violation of the act is a crime.

Existing state law requires upholstered furniture and bedding to contain a specified label that is securely fastened in a manner approved by the bureau in an area open to visible view. Existing state law establishes a standard to produce upholstered furniture which is safer from the hazards associated with smoldering ignition. The standard provides methods for smolder resistance of cover fabrics, barrier materials, resilient filling materials, and decking materials for use in upholstered furniture.

This bill would require a manufacturer of juvenile products, as defined, that sells juvenile products that contain added flame retardant chemicals, as defined, in California, to include a specified statement on a label, that meets certain labeling requirements.

The bill would require the manufacturer of the juvenile product to retain sufficient documentation to show whether flame retardant chemicals were added to a juvenile product or component. The bill would provide that a written statement by the supplier of each component attesting that flame retardant chemicals were added or not added is sufficient to make this showing. The bill would require the bureau to assess a fine for a violation of the documentation requirement or for failure to provide, upon request, the required documentation to the bureau, as specified.

The bill would require a manufacturer of a juvenile product sold in California, upon request, to provide to the bureau, within 30 days of the request, documentation establishing the accuracy of the flame retardant chemical statement on the label. The bill would require the bureau to provide the Department of Toxic Substances Control with samples of the juvenile product or components thereof sold in California from products that are not labeled as containing added flame retardant chemicals for testing for the presence of added flame retardant chemicals, as specified. If the departments testing shows that a juvenile product that is not labeled as containing added flame retardant chemicals is mislabeled because it contains added flame retardant chemicals, the bill would authorize the bureau to assess fines for violations against manufacturers of the juvenile product and component manufacturers, as specified.

The bill would require the bureau to make information about any determination issued pursuant to its provisions available to the public on its Internet Web site. The bill would also make it the duty of the bureau to receive consumer complaints.

The bill would authorize the bureau to adopt regulations to carry out these provisions. The bill would provide that these provisions would apply to juvenile products manufactured on and after July 1, 2016, for retail sale in the state.

Because a violation of the bills requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation Act requires that all mattresses and mattress sets manufactured for sale in this state, and all seating furniture sold or offered for sale for use in this state, be fire retardant, as defined. Existing law requires that all bedding products, other than mattresses and mattress sets, that the bureau determines to contribute to mattress bedding fires comply with specified regulations adopted by the bureau.

Existing law authorizes the chief of the bureau, subject to specified approval, to exempt items of upholstered furniture that are not deemed to be a serious fire hazard from these fire retardant requirements. Existing regulation exempts from these fire retardant requirements specified articles of upholstered furniture that include bassinets, booster seats, and car seats that are not used for, or in, facilities designed for the care or treatment of humans.

This bill would exempt from the aforementioned fire retardant requirements under the act specified articles of juvenile products, as provided.

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.

Discussed in Hearing