CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1503

Introduced by Committee on Business and Professions

February 24, 2025

An act to amend Sections 4016.5, 4052.6, 4210, 4211, 4233, and 4400 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1503, as introduced, Committee on Business and Professions. Pharmacy: sunset review: advanced pharmacist practitioner.
Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, requires the California State Board of Pharmacy within the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate the practice of pharmacy, including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacies. Existing law authorizes the board, with the approval of the Director of Consumer Affairs, to appoint an executive officer to exercise certain powers and to perform certain duties delegated by the board, as specified. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing the board and authorizing the appointment of an executive officer on January 1, 2026, rendering the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to evaluate the board through the joint legislative sunset review oversight process and to subsequently effectuate any recommendations produced through that process.
Existing law authorizes a licensed pharmacist to perform additional functions if the licensee is recognized by the board as “an advanced practice pharmacist” by meeting certain requirements. Those additional functions include, among others, performing patient assessments, ordering and interpreting drug therapy-related tests, and initiating, adjusting, or discontinuing drug therapy, as specified. The requirements for recognition as an advanced practice pharmacist include having completed a combination of specified certifications, postgraduate residencies, or experience under a collaborative practice agreement or protocol with a physician. Existing law also requires an advanced practice pharmacist to complete 10 hours of continuing education in addition to the continuing education otherwise required at the time of a second or subsequent license renewal.
This bill would revise those and other related provisions to refer to those licensees as “advanced pharmacist practitioners,” instead of as “advanced practice pharmacists.”
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 California State Board of Pharmacy through the joint legislative sunset review oversight process and to subsequently effectuate any recommendations produced through that process.

SEC. 2.

 Section 4016.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4016.5.
 “Advanced practice pharmacist” pharmacist practitioner” means a licensed pharmacist who has been recognized as an advanced practice pharmacist practitioner by the board, pursuant to Section 4210. A board-recognized advanced practice pharmacist practitioner is entitled to practice advanced practice pharmacy, as described in Section 4052.6, within or outside of a licensed pharmacy as authorized by this chapter.

SEC. 3.

 Section 4052.6 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4052.6.
 (a) A pharmacist recognized by the board as an advanced practice pharmacist practitioner may do all of the following:
(1) Perform patient assessments.
(2) Order and interpret drug therapy-related tests.
(3) Refer patients to other health care providers.
(4) Participate in the evaluation and management of diseases and health conditions in collaboration with other health care providers.
(5) Initiate, adjust, or discontinue drug therapy.
(b) A pharmacist who adjusts or discontinues drug therapy shall promptly transmit written notification to the patient’s diagnosing prescriber or enter the appropriate information in a patient record system shared with the prescriber, as permitted by that prescriber. A pharmacist who initiates drug therapy shall promptly transmit written notification to, or enter the appropriate information into, a patient record system shared with the patient’s primary care provider or diagnosing provider, as permitted by that provider.
(c) This section shall not interfere with a physician’s order to dispense a prescription drug as written, or other order of similar meaning.
(d) Prior to initiating or adjusting a controlled substance therapy pursuant to this section, a pharmacist shall personally register with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
(e) A pharmacist who orders and interprets tests pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall ensure that the ordering of those tests is done in coordination with the patient’s primary care provider or diagnosing prescriber, as appropriate, including promptly transmitting written notification to the patient’s diagnosing prescriber or entering the appropriate information in a patient record system shared with the prescriber, when available and as permitted by that prescriber.

SEC. 4.

 Section 4210 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4210.
 (a) A person who seeks recognition as an advanced practice pharmacist practitioner shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Hold an active license to practice pharmacy issued pursuant to this chapter that is in good standing.
(2) (A) Satisfy any two of the following criteria:
(i) Earn certification in a relevant area of practice, including, but not limited to, ambulatory care, critical care, geriatric pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy, nutrition support pharmacy, oncology pharmacy, pediatric pharmacy, pharmacotherapy, or psychiatric pharmacy, from an organization recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or another entity recognized by the board.
(ii) Complete a postgraduate residency through an accredited postgraduate institution where at least 50 percent of the experience includes the provision of direct patient care services with interdisciplinary teams.
(iii) Have provided clinical services to patients for at least one year under a collaborative practice agreement or protocol with a physician, advanced practice pharmacist, pharmacist practitioner, pharmacist practicing collaborative drug therapy management, or health system.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, if, as a condition of completion of one of the required criteria fulfillment of a second criterion is also required, that completion shall be deemed to satisfy this paragraph.
(3) File an application with the board for recognition as an advanced practice pharmacist. pharmacist practitioner.
(4) Pay the applicable fee to the board.
(b) An advanced practice pharmacist practitioner recognition issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for two years, coterminous with the certificate holder’s license to practice pharmacy.
(c) The board shall adopt regulations establishing the means of documenting completion of the requirements in this section.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025.

SEC. 5.

 Section 4211 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4211.
 (a) An applicant for renewal of an advanced practice pharmacist practitioner recognition shall maintain a current and active pharmacist license, and shall submit all of the following as part of the renewal:
(1) Application and payment of the renewal fees.
(2) (A) Proof satisfactory to the board that the licensee has completed 10 hours of continuing education pursuant to Section 4233.
(B) The 10 hours shall be in addition to the continuing education requirements necessary for a pharmacist license renewal pursuant to Section 4231.
(C) An advanced practice pharmacist practitioner shall retain documentation of completion of continuing education for four years.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the board shall not require completion of continuing education for the first renewal cycle of an advanced practice pharmacist practitioner recognition.
(c) The board may issue an inactive advanced practice pharmacist practitioner recognition under any of the following conditions:
(1) The pharmacist’s license becomes inactive.
(2) The advanced practice pharmacist practitioner fails to provide documentation of the completion of the required continuing education.
(3) As part of an investigation or audit conducted by the board, the advanced practice pharmacist practitioner fails to provide documentation substantiating the completion of continuing education.
(d) The board shall reactivate an inactive advanced practice pharmacist practitioner recognition only if the advanced practice pharmacist practitioner pays the required renewal fees pursuant to Section 4210, submits satisfactory proof to the board of completion of the continuing education requirements under Section 4233, and meets all renewal requirements in this section.

SEC. 6.

 Section 4233 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4233.
 A pharmacist who is recognized as an advanced practice pharmacist practitioner shall complete 10 hours of continuing education each renewal cycle in addition to the requirements of Section 4231. The subject matter shall be in one or more areas of practice relevant to the pharmacist’s clinical practice.

SEC. 7.

 Section 4400 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4400.
 The amount of fees and penalties prescribed by this chapter, except as otherwise provided, is that fixed by the board according to the following schedule:
(a) (1) The fee for a pharmacy license shall be seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) and may be increased to two thousand dollars ($2,000). The fee for the issuance of a temporary pharmacy permit shall be one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600) and may be increased to two thousand seven hundred forty dollars ($2,740).
(2) The fee for a nonresident pharmacy license shall be two thousand four hundred twenty-seven dollars ($2,427) and may be increased to three thousand four hundred twenty-four dollars ($3,424). The fee for the issuance of a temporary nonresident pharmacy permit shall be two thousand dollars ($2,000) and may be increased to two thousand four hundred sixty-nine dollars ($2,469).
(b) (1) The fee for a pharmacy license annual renewal shall be one thousand twenty-five dollars ($1,025) and may be increased to two thousand dollars ($2,000).
(2) The fee for a nonresident pharmacy license annual renewal shall be one thousand twenty-five dollars ($1,025) and may be increased to two thousand dollars ($2,000).
(c) The fee for the pharmacist application and examination shall be two hundred sixty dollars ($260) and may be increased to two hundred eighty-five dollars ($285).
(d) The fee for regrading an examination shall be one hundred fifteen dollars ($115) and may be increased to two hundred dollars ($200). If an error in grading is found and the applicant passes the examination, the regrading fee shall be refunded.
(e) The fee for a pharmacist license shall be one hundred ninety-five dollars ($195) and may be increased to two hundred fifteen dollars ($215). The fee for a pharmacist biennial renewal shall be four hundred fifty dollars ($450) and may be reduced to three hundred sixty dollars ($360).
(f) The fee for a wholesaler or third-party logistics provider license and annual renewal shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000) and may be increased to one thousand four hundred eleven dollars ($1,411). A temporary license fee shall be seven hundred fifteen dollars ($715) and may be increased to one thousan