AB 834: Physicians and surgeons and doctors of podiatric medicine: professional partnerships.

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 makes a violation of specified provisions of the Medical Practice Act a crime.

The Medical Practice Act authorizes physicians and surgeons and doctors of podiatric medicine to establish a professional partnership or group that includes both physicians and surgeons and doctors of podiatric medicine if a majority of the partners and partnership interests in the professional partnership are physicians and surgeons or osteopathic physicians and surgeons. Existing law prohibits a partner who is not a physician and surgeon from practicing in the partnership or voting on partnership matters related to the practice of medicine that are outside the partners scope of practice.

This bill would revise the above-described provisions to allow a majority of the partners and partnership interests to be physicians and surgeons, osteopathic physicians and surgeons, or doctors of podiatric medicine. The bill would correct an erroneous cross-reference and make other nonsubstantive changes.