CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1501

Introduced by Committee on Business and Professions

February 24, 2025

An act to amend Sections 2460, 2470, 2499.5, and 2472 of, to amend and renumber Section 2460.1 of, and to add Section 2460.1 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1501, as introduced, Committee on Business and Professions. Physician assistants and podiatrists.
Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Podiatric Medical Board of California to license and regulate podiatrists. Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, establishes in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Physician Assistant Board to license and regulate physician assistants. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing those boards on January 1, 2026, and specifies the repeal of those provisions renders those boards subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to evaluate the Podiatric Medical Board and the Physician Assistant Board through the joint legislative sunset review oversight process and to subsequently include in this measure recommendations produced through that process.
Existing law establishes specified fees applicable to certificates to practice podiatric medicine, including a $100 fee for a duplicate wall certificate, a $50 for a duplicate renewal receipt fee, and a $30 endorsement fee.
This bill would instead establish a $100 fee for a duplicate certificate and would delete the duplicate renewal receipt and endorsement fees. The bill would correct cross references and make other nonsubstantive changes.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 It is the intent of the Legislature to evaluate the Podiatric Medical Board of California and the Physician Assistant Board through the joint legislative sunset review oversight process and to subsequently include in this bill recommendations produced through that process.

SEC. 2.

 Section 2460 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2460.
 (a) There is created in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Podiatric Medical Board of California. Any reference in any provision of law to the California Board of Podiatric Medicine shall be deemed to refer to the Podiatric Medical Board of California.

(b)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed. Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of this section renders the California Board of Podiatric Medicine subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

(c)

(b) The amendments made by Chapter 775 of the Statutes of 2017 relating to podiatrists shall not be construed to change any rights or privileges held by podiatrists prior to the enactment of that act.

SEC. 3.

 Section 2460.1 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

2460.1.
 Section 2460 shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed. Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 2460 renders the California Board of Podiatric Medicine subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

SEC. 4.

 Section 2460.1 of the Business and Professions Code is amended and renumbered to read:

2460.1.2460.2.
 Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the California Board of Podiatric Medicine in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

SEC. 5.

 Section 2470 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2470.
 The board may adopt, amend, or repeal, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 1 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), regulations necessary to enable the board to carry into effect the provisions of law relating to the practice of podiatric medicine.

SEC. 6.

 Section 2472 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2472.
 (a) The certificate to practice podiatric medicine authorizes the holder to practice podiatric medicine.
(b) As used in this chapter, “podiatric medicine” means the diagnosis, medical, surgical, mechanical, manipulative, and electrical treatment of the human foot, including the ankle and tendons that insert into the foot and the nonsurgical treatment of the muscles and tendons of the leg governing the functions of the foot.
(c) A doctor of podiatric medicine shall not administer an anesthetic other than local. If an anesthetic other than local is required for any procedure, the anesthetic shall be administered by another licensed health care practitioner who is authorized to administer the required anesthetic within the scope of his or her their practice.
(d) (1) A doctor of podiatric medicine may do the following:
(A) Perform surgical treatment of the ankle and tendons at the level of the ankle pursuant to subdivision (e).
(B) Perform services under the direct supervision of a physician and surgeon, as an assistant at surgery, in surgical procedures that are otherwise beyond the scope of practice of a doctor of podiatric medicine.
(C) Perform a partial amputation of the foot no further proximal than the Chopart’s joint.
(2) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit a doctor of podiatric medicine to function as a primary surgeon for any procedure beyond his or her their scope of practice.
(e) A doctor of podiatric medicine may perform surgical treatment of the ankle and tendons at the level of the ankle only in the following locations:
(1) A licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2) A licensed surgical clinic, as defined in Section 1204 of the Health and Safety Code, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1) and meets all the protocols of the surgical clinic.
(3) An ambulatory surgical center that is certified to participate in the Medicare program under Title Subchapter XVIII (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq.) of the federal Social Security Act, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1) and meets all the protocols of the surgical center.
(4) A freestanding physical plant housing outpatient services of a licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, if the doctor of podiatric medicine has surgical privileges, including the privilege to perform surgery on the ankle, in a general acute care hospital described in paragraph (1). For purposes of this section, a “freestanding physical plant” means any building that is not physically attached to a building where inpatient services are provided.
(5) An outpatient setting accredited pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 1248.1 of the Health and Safety Code.
(f) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a doctor of podiatric medicine with training or experience in wound care may treat ulcers resulting from local and systemic etiologies on the leg no further proximal than the tibial tubercle.

SEC. 7.

 Section 2499.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2499.5.
 The following fees apply to certificates to practice podiatric medicine.The amount of fees prescribed for doctors of podiatric medicine shall be determined by the board and shall be as described below. Fees collected pursuant to this section shall be fixed by the board in amounts not to exceed the actual costs of providing the service for which the fee is collected.
(a) Each applicant for a certificate to practice podiatric medicine shall pay an application fee of one hundred dollars ($100) at the time the application is filed. If the applicant qualifies for a certificate, they shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars ($100).
(b) Each applicant who qualifies for a certificate, as a condition precedent to its issuance, in addition to other fees required by this section, shall pay an initial license fee. The initial license fee shall be eight hundred dollars ($800). The initial license shall expire the second year after its issuance on the last day of the month of birth of the licensee. The board may reduce the initial license fee by up to 50 percent of the amount of the fee for any applicant who is enrolled in a postgraduate training program approved by the board or who has completed a postgraduate training program approved by the board within six months prior to the payment of the initial license fee.
(c) Before January 1, 2021, the biennial renewal fee shall be one thousand one hundred dollars ($1,100). Any licensee enrolled in an approved residency program shall be required to pay only 50 percent of the biennial renewal fee at the time of their first renewal.
(d) On and after January 1, 2021, the biennial renewal fee shall be one thousand three hundred and eighteen dollars ($1,318). Any licensee enrolled in an approved residency program shall be required to pay only 50 percent of the biennial renewal fee at the time of their first renewal.
(e) The delinquency fee shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150).
(f) The duplicate wall certificate fee shall be one hundred dollars ($100).

(g)The duplicate renewal receipt fee shall be fifty dollars ($50).

(h)The endorsement fee shall be thirty dollars ($30).

(i)

(g) The letter of good standing fee or for loan deferment shall be one hundred dollars ($100).

(j)

(h) There shall be a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) for the issuance of a resident’s license under Section 2475.

(k)

(i) The fee for approval of a continuing education course or program shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

Statutes affected:
AB 1501: 2460 BPC, 2460.1 BPC, 2470 BPC, 2472 BPC, 2499.5 BPC
02/24/25 - Introduced: 2460 BPC, 2460.1 BPC, 2470 BPC, 2472 BPC, 2499.5 BPC