AB 1811: Health professionals.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing federal law requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate health professional shortage areas and requires the secretary, in establishing criteria for the designation of those areas, to consider, among other things, the ratio of available health manpower to the number of individuals in an area or population group and indicators of a need for health services, as specified. Existing state law makes references to federally recognized or designated health professional shortage areas in various contexts, including, among others, the California Physician Corps Program, the California Reproductive Health Services Corps, the Oral Health Program, the Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program, and health professions planning grants.

This bill, until January 1, 2035, would define the term “health professional shortage area” to mean (1) an area determined by the Department of Health Care Access and Information to have a shortage of health professionals, (2) a health professional shortage area currently designated or recognized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or (3) an area designated or recognized as a health professional shortage area by the United States Department of Health and Human Services on January 1, 2025, regardless of whether that area remains designated or recognized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services as a health professional shortage area. The bill would authorize the Department of Health Care Access and Information to revoke designations, as specified.

(2)Existing law requires specified boards, including the Board of Registered Nursing and the Respiratory Care Board of California, to collect certain workforce data from their respective licensees and registrants for future workforce planning at least biennially. Existing law requires other boards that regulate healing arts licensees or registrants to request workforce data from their respective licensees and registrants for future workforce planning at least biennially. Existing law requires the workforce data collected or requested to include specified information, including, among others, the type of employer or classification of primary practice site, as specified. Existing law prohibits a licensee or registrant from being required to provide the information as a condition for license or registration renewal and prohibits licensees or registrants from being subject to discipline for not providing the information. Existing law requires the boards and the Department of Health Care Access and Information to maintain the confidentiality of licensee and registrant information collected pursuant to these provisions and authorizes release of the information only in aggregate form. Existing law requires each board to provide individual licensee and registrant data to the Department of Health Care Access and Information on a quarterly basis, as specified.

This bill would require the workforce data to be collected or requested by boards at the time a license or registration is issued, except as specified. The bill would require the information collected or requested by boards to also include, among other things, the hours worked in inpatient care, hours worked in outpatient care, and whether the licensee or registrant offers a formal sliding fee scale. The bill would instead require each board to provide licensee and registrant data on a monthly basis.

(3)Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1 · Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 549, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 10, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. August 30, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6898.).
5. August 30, 2026From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (August 30).
6. August 27, 2026Re-referred to Com. on B. & P. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.
7. August 27, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
8. August 26, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).
9. August 24, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 20, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
11. August 6, 2026Ordered to third reading.
12. August 6, 2026From Consent Calendar.