Abortion.

Existing law makes it a public offense, punishable by a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment, or both, for a person to perform or assist in performing a surgical abortion if the person does not have a valid license to practice as a physician and surgeon, or to assist in performing a surgical abortion without a valid license or certificate obtained in accordance with some other provision of law that authorizes him or her to perform the functions necessary to assist in performing a surgical abortion. Existing law also makes it a public offense, punishable by a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment, or both, for a person to perform or assist in performing a nonsurgical abortion if the person does not have a valid license to practice as a physician and surgeon or does not have a valid license or certificate obtained in accordance with some other provision of law authorizing him or her to perform or assist in performing the functions necessary for a nonsurgical abortion. Under existing law, nonsurgical abortion includes termination of pregnancy through the use of pharmacological agents. Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of registered nurses, including nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives, by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physician assistants by the Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California. Existing law authorizes the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to designate experimental health workforce projects as approved projects that, among other things, teach new skills to existing categories of health care personnel. The office has designated a pilot project, known as the Access through Primary Care Project, relating to the provision of health care services involving pregnancy. This bill would authorize a nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, or physician assistant who has completed training through the pilot project described above on or before January 1, 2013, to continue, outside of that pilot project, to perform abortions by aspiration techniques.