Government
Relations

May 4, 2008
Update

Kristy Borquez , CDA, RDAEF, FADAA
Government Relations Chair
kdancer@earthlink.net

Legislative Update – June 24, 2008

Current Legislation in CA

The new dental assisting Scope of Practice bill, AB2637, was introduced in February 2008. This bill removes the specialty categories that were to come into effect in 2010: Registered Restorative Assistant, Registered Orthodontic Assistant and Registered Surgical Assistant, and replaces them with two permit categories for Orthodontics and Dental Sedation. The RDA and RDAEF will stay in affect and licenciates can add one or both of the new permits. There are new duties being introduced to the licensed categories that may or may not require additional schooling.

The bill has to go through a few more committees, but should be on the Governor's desk to sign by September 2008. You can read the bill by visiting the following link:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgibin/postquery?bill_number=ab_2637&sess=CUR&house=B&search_type=email

SB853

The Governor of CA recently signed SB853. This bill, effective July 1, 2009, will: 

1. Dissolve COMDA and transfer its authority to the DBC
2. Place dental assisting under the DBC with a subcommittee to be appointed to deal with dental assisting issues
3. Replace COMDA with a Dental Hygiene Committee.

Here is a link to the bill:

http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_853&sess=CUR&house=B&site=sen

AB1545 and SB797 - “Sunset” of the Dental Board and COMDA

In current law, the sections establishing the Dental Board become inoperative on July 1, 2008, and are repealed on January 1, 2009, and the section establishing COMDA become inoperative on July 1, 2009, and are repealed on January 1, 2010.  

SB797 has been signed by the Governor to allow, until January 1, 2009, the existing Executive Officer to continue as an appointee of the Governor, rather than the Board, and provides that the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) may appoint an advisory committee composed of the prior Board members.

Here is a link to the bill:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0751-0800/sb_797_bill_20080424_amended_asm_v97.html

In addition, AB1545 has been signed by the Governor to reestablish the Dental Board on January 1, 2009.