Clinics: licensing: hours of operation.

Under existing law, the State Department of Public Health licenses and regulates clinics, as defined. Under existing law, specified types of clinics are exempted from these licensing provisions, including a clinic operated by a licensed primary care community or free clinic, that is operated on separate premises from the licensed clinic, and that is open for limited services of no more than 20 hours a week. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to violate any provision related to the licensure and regulation of clinics. This bill would increase the number of hours that a clinic may be open under this licensure exemption provision to 30 hours a week. The bill would also require a licensed primary care community or free clinic to report to the department, when renewing its license, whether it is currently operating an intermittent clinic, the location of any intermittent clinic, and the estimated hours of operation of any intermittent clinic. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by AB 941 that would become operative if this bill and AB 941 are chaptered and this bill is chaptered last. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.