AB-1215
Health & Public Health

Hospitals: medical staff membership.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Expands hospital medical staff membership to include various healthcare professionals beyond physicians.
  • Requires hospitals to establish formal medical staff bylaws and annual appointment processes.
  • Prohibits the division of professional fees among medical staff members.
  • Mandates regular review of clinical experiences and maintenance of accurate patient records.

Summary

Assembly Member Flora's proposal to expand medical staff membership requirements in California hospitals would broaden participation rights for various healthcare professionals beyond physicians and surgeons. The legislation modifies existing hospital governance rules to include dentists, podiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and other licensed practitioners in formal medical staff structures.

The bill establishes parallel requirements for hospitals regardless of size. Facilities with five or more physicians must incorporate these additional professionals into their organizational bylaws and formal medical staff, while maintaining provisions for self-governance, regular clinical review meetings, and comprehensive medical record keeping. Similarly, smaller hospitals with fewer than five physicians must extend medical staff membership opportunities to the expanded list of practitioners. Both categories of facilities must continue prohibiting the division of professional fees among staff members.

Under the Medical Practice Act's enforcement framework, hospitals failing to implement these expanded membership provisions would be subject to disciplinary action by the Medical Board of California, with violations constituting unprofessional conduct. While the changes create new compliance obligations for healthcare facilities, the legislation specifies that local agencies will not receive state reimbursement for implementation costs.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Business and Professions
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Business and Professions
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Introduced. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Rebecca Bauer-KahanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 18 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Rebecca Bauer-KahanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Matt HaneyD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jasmeet BainsD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Corey JacksonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Josh LowenthalD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Stephanie NguyenD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Patrick AhrensD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jessica CalozaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Maggy KrellD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Alexandra MacedoR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Sade ElhawaryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Heath Flora
Heath FloraR
California State Assembly Member
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/21/2025)

Key Takeaways

  • Expands hospital medical staff membership to include various healthcare professionals beyond physicians.
  • Requires hospitals to establish formal medical staff bylaws and annual appointment processes.
  • Prohibits the division of professional fees among medical staff members.
  • Mandates regular review of clinical experiences and maintenance of accurate patient records.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Heath Flora
Heath FloraR
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Flora's proposal to expand medical staff membership requirements in California hospitals would broaden participation rights for various healthcare professionals beyond physicians and surgeons. The legislation modifies existing hospital governance rules to include dentists, podiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and other licensed practitioners in formal medical staff structures.

The bill establishes parallel requirements for hospitals regardless of size. Facilities with five or more physicians must incorporate these additional professionals into their organizational bylaws and formal medical staff, while maintaining provisions for self-governance, regular clinical review meetings, and comprehensive medical record keeping. Similarly, smaller hospitals with fewer than five physicians must extend medical staff membership opportunities to the expanded list of practitioners. Both categories of facilities must continue prohibiting the division of professional fees among staff members.

Under the Medical Practice Act's enforcement framework, hospitals failing to implement these expanded membership provisions would be subject to disciplinary action by the Medical Board of California, with violations constituting unprofessional conduct. While the changes create new compliance obligations for healthcare facilities, the legislation specifies that local agencies will not receive state reimbursement for implementation costs.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/21/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Business and Professions
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Business and Professions
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Introduced. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Rebecca Bauer-KahanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 18 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Phillip ChenR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Rebecca Bauer-KahanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Matt HaneyD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jasmeet BainsD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Corey JacksonD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Josh LowenthalD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Stephanie NguyenD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Patrick AhrensD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Jessica CalozaD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Maggy KrellD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Alexandra MacedoR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Sade ElhawaryD
Assemblymember
Committee Member