Laws and Regulations

AB 826:  (Chen) Doctors of Podiatric Medicine: Renewals: Enrolled 9.7.23.
The Podiatric Medical Board voted on 3.12.21 to delete Business and Professions Code 2486(a- h) and to allow DPMs to renew their license by completing 50 CMEs, remaining free from disciplinary actions, and paying fees. AB 826 was passed to eliminate outdated renewal requirements that were self-imposed over 25 years ago and that could have been challenged as a restraint of trade. PMBC was the sponsor of this bill.

AB 834:  (Irwin): Doctors of Podiatric Medicine: Partnerships: Enrolled 9.8.23.
The California Podiatric Medical Association sponsored a bill that eliminates the requirement that DPMs could not hold a majority interest in certain partnerships. AB 834 was signed into law in September 2023.

AB 1704: (Chen) Limited podiatric radiography permits. Enrolled September 2, 2022.
AB 1704 permits the Department of Public Health (DPH) to issue to a person a limited permit in podiatric radiography which includes the foot, ankle, tibia and fibula, This bill creates a pathway for individuals already working in a podiatric office to take a comprehensive course and exam that will provide them with the skills and training necessary to safely perform x-rays with specialized podiatric x-ray equipment specific to the foot and ankle and under supervision of a podiatrist.

AB 356:  (Chen), Fluoroscopy: temporary permit. Approved by the Governor, 10.4.21.
This legislation provided for a temporary permit available to qualified individuals to operate or supervise a fluoroscopy x-ray machine.

AB 526:  (Wood), Dentists and podiatrists: clinical laboratories and vaccines. Approved by the Governor, 10.8.21.
This bill allows a DPM, who complies with specified requirements, to independently prescribe and administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration for persons 3 years of age or older, as specified. The bill authorizes the board to adopt regulations to implement these provisions, as provided. The bill would count vaccine training provided through the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toward the fulfillment a DPM’s continuing education requirements.

AB 3330: Department of Consumer Affairs: boards: licensees: regulatory fees. Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 359, Statutes of 2020.
This bill contained statutory provisions related to consumer protections and related regulatory fees necessary to implement the Budget Act of 2020 for various boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). This bill increases the fee charged to licensees authorized to utilize the state’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) and increases licensing and regulatory fees for the Podiatric Medical Board. AB 3330 increased the biennial renewal fee for a podiatric medical license from $1,100 to $1,318.

SB 806 (Roth) Healing Arts (2020-2021) Approved by the Governor, 10.7.21.
This bill is the sunset review vehicle for PMBC, authored by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Business, Professions, and Economic Development. The bill establishes PMBC and extends the repeal date from January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2026, see Business and Professions Code (BPC), section 2460.  This bill enacts technical changes, statutory improvements, and policy reforms in response to issues raised during PMBC’s Sunset Review Process. This legislation is of particular interest to PMBC in that it changed the offenses for which a doctor of podiatric medicine must provide their patients with information about their probation status.