Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program: extension of licenses.

Existing law, the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program, allows up to 30 licensed physicians and up to 30 licensed dentists from Mexico to practice medicine or dentistry in California for a period not to exceed 3 years, in accordance with certain requirements. Existing law requires the Medical Board of California and the Dental Board of California to provide oversight pursuant to these provisions. This bill would require, upon the request of an eligible licensee and the chief executive officer of the community health clinic that employs the licensee, the Medical Board of California to extend the license of a physician from Mexico issued pursuant the provisions described above for 3 years, with the extension to be effective when the license expires. To be eligible for an extension, the bill would require a requesting licensee to be licensed, as specified, in an active status at the time of their request. The bill would require a licensee who requests to extend their license to pay a prescribed fee at the time of their request. The bill would make related findings and declarations, and would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the licensees described above. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.