Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee
Key Moments
SB1002 — The witness says the bill is being tested in public before enactment.
SB1002 — The witness says SB 1002 is being tested in public before enactment and supports it by describing telehealth access during the pandemic.
SB1002 — Discussed as a bill the California Medical Association opposes unless amended.
SB1002 — Discussed as creating an unnecessary loophole in the temporary licensure process.
SB1002 — Implicitly referenced as the bill he is closing on and asking for an aye vote.
SB1002 — The committee takes up SB 1002 and moves the bill with a due pass motion to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The discussion is brief and procedural, and the bill is brought up again shortly afterward as the motion carries with members voting aye, confirming the due pass recommendation.
SB508 — The speaker notes that the current bill is the equivalent of SB 508, which was previously heard in this committee and passed unanimously, but ultimately did not become law.
Unidentified witness — The witness begins testimony by describing being wheeled into the operating room for thyroid surgery and explains that this led to a diagnosis of a rare, aggressive form of thyroid cancer called anaplastic.
Robin Flau, C-L-O-U-G-H — The witness identifies herself after being asked to state her name.
Erin Bone — Represents the Medical Board of California and states the board opposes SB 1002.
George Horace — Represents the California Medical Association and states opposition unless amended to SB 1002.
George Horace, California Medical Association — Testified in opposition unless amended, arguing the bill would dangerously expand existing law and weaken oversight.
Ryan Perini — Spoke in support on behalf of ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association.
Reese, Pacific Legal Foundation — Spoke in support of SB 1002 on behalf of Pacific Legal Foundation.
Anna Caballero — Senator Caballero expressed strong support for the bill, saying it is narrowly crafted but important because access to care—especially in rural communities—should outweigh overly restrictive licensing concerns. She emphasized that patients often struggle to get even basic appointments, noted that the bill’s current definitions are too limited, and argued that the focus should be on protecting patient access rather than licensees. She concluded by saying she would support the bill.
Anna Caballero — The chair calls on Senator Caballero for questions or comments.
Anna Caballero — Asks for clarification about the issue raised and says she was prepared to support the bill in its current form.
Anna Caballero — The speaker corrects the record and clarifies the second primary witness's position.
Anna Caballero — Called during the roll; present.
Anna Caballero — Moves the bill; the motion is due pass as amended to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Anna Caballero — The roll call includes the member, though the transcript misstates the name as 'Cabrero/Cabrera' in places.
Anna Caballero — Senator Cabrera/Caballero is identified as moving the bill.
AB1369 — Referenced as the Bauer-Kahan bill that established the underlying telehealth capability.
SB1311 — SB 1311 is introduced and presented as a bill making statutory updates to the Dental Practice Act, including allowing unlicensed dental assistants to complete required infection control training through approved online courses. Support is voiced for the bill, with speakers urging an aye vote and discussing proposed amendments related to the online-course component. The chair manages witness testimony, asks for additional support or opposition, and Senator Caballero states she supports the bill. The discussion concludes with a motion to pass SB 1311 as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which passes 6-0 and is left on call.
SB1311 — SB 1311 is moved due pass as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee and passes 9-0.
SB1416 — Announced as the following bill to be presented after SB 1311.
SB1416 — SB 1416 is presented as a straightforward affordability-related bill that shortens the refund window for duplicate payments from 30 days to 21 days, with speakers describing it as a reasonable update that reflects modern billing systems. The committee then moves a due pass motion, sending the bill to the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the bill is later taken up again and passes out of committee on the same due pass motion.
Lawrence Gaden — Lawrence Gaden appears as the lead witness for SB 1311, testifying in support on behalf of the California Dental Association, and begins his testimony.
Lawrence Gayden — Testified in support of SB 1311 on behalf of the California Dental Association and thanked the Chair and staff.
primary witness — The chair asks whether there is another primary witness and clarifies the support/opposition setup.
Dr. Guy Atchison — Dr. Guy Atchison, representing the California Academy of General Dentistry, testified that the organization supports the bill if amended. He explained that their concern is the Dental Assisting National Board exam can be taken without any required coursework and does not include a hands-on training component, which they believe is important and should not be replaced by the exam. He reiterated that their support would remain if their proposed amendment is accepted.
Michelle Revis — Michelle Revis testified in support of SB 1416 on behalf of the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, reiterating the association’s support during her testimony.
Jasmine Asher — Testified in support on behalf of the California Association of Orthodontists.
lead support witness — The speaker clarifies that the prior witness was not in lead support.
second primary witness — Clarified to be opposed unless amended, not in support.
Bob Archuleta — Bob Archuleta is recorded during roll call as voting aye/present, then later moves the bill and is again noted in subsequent roll-call votes as aye, including a transcript variant that misspells his name as 'Archiletta.'
Tim Grayson — During the roll call, Tim Grayson was recorded as present and voting aye; the clerk repeated the aye response in the ongoing roll call sequence.
Roger Niello — Called during the roll; present.
Roger Niello — Recorded as aye on the roll call.
Roger Niello — The roll call includes the member, though the transcript misstates the name as 'Nilo/Nelow.'
Roger Niello — The roll call includes Senator Niello voting aye, though the transcript says 'Nilo.'
Roger Niello — SB 1002 is identified as being by Senator Niello.
Tony Strickland — Tony Strickland is repeatedly called during roll call and quorum checks, with the transcript occasionally garbling his name, and later records him voting aye on consent and subsequent roll calls, including SB 1311 and SB 1416.
Jesse Arreguin — The roll call includes the member, though the transcript misstates the name as 'Wahab/Wohab' and 'Choy' appears to be another member not in the expected list; the transcript is noisy here.
SB1391 — Listed as part of today's consent calendar.
SB1391 — Included in the consent items motion.
SB1002 — Identified as the first bill to be presented while the committee is still operating as a subcommittee.
SB1002 — The author describes SB 1002 as a noncontroversial, modest expansion of current law and references its prior equivalent, SB 508.
SB1002 — Explained as expanding telehealth privileges to patients in remission after an immediately life-threatening diagnosis.
SB1263 — Listed as part of today's consent calendar.