AB 720

This bill allows certain persons who have recently served as an army medic, a

navy or coast guard corpsman, or an air force aerospace medical technician in the

U.S. armed forces to practice certain skilled health services as part of a program

facilitated by the Department of Safety and Professional Services without having to

obtain a license. Under current law, with some exceptions, no person may engage in

the practice of medicine and surgery without first receiving a license from the

Medical Examining Board. This bill directs DSPS, in collaboration with the

Department of Veterans Affairs, the Medical Examining Board, and the Board of

Nursing, to establish a program in which military medical personnel may

temporarily practice certain skilled health services in an inpatient or outpatient

health care facility under the direction of a physician, physician assistant, podiatrist,

registered professional nurse, or advanced practice nurse prescriber without having

to obtain a license from the Medical Examining Board, the Podiatry Affiliated

Credentialing Board, the Physician Assistant Affiliated Credentialing Board, or the

Board of Nursing.

In order to participate in the program, the military medical personnel must

complete and sign a memorandum of understanding that details their scope of

practice, and submit the memorandum of understanding to their employer. In

addition, the military medical personnel must establish a reasonable timeline with

their employer under which the military medical personnel will act to acquire a

license from the Medical Examining Board, the Podiatry Affiliated Credentialing

Board, the Physician Assistant Affiliated Credentialing Board, or the Board of

Nursing. The bill provides, however, that the timeline may be extended if unforeseen

circumstances cause the military medical personnel to need more time to acquire a

license. “Military medical personnel” is defined in the bill as a person who has served

as an army medic, a navy or coast guard corpsman, or an air force aerospace medical

technician in the U.S. armed forces and who was discharged or released from such

service in the previous 12 months under honorable or general conditions.