Licensing: certified nurse assistants and home health aides.

Removed the 24-hour cap on online training. Previously, only 24 of the 48 required continuing education hours could be obtained through an online computer training program approved by the Licensing and Certification Division. Now all 48 hours may be obtained through in-person instruction, synchronous online instruction, asynchronous online instruction, or other distance learning formats approved by the department.

Simplified the description of who may provide continuing education. The old text listed multiple specific provider types (an approved training program, a director of staff development for a licensed skilled nursing or intermediate care facility, or individuals or programs approved by the department). The new text consolidates this to simply 'a provider approved by the department.'

Corrected the act title's list of amended sections from 'Sections 1338.5 1337.6, 1338.5, and 1736.6' to 'Sections 1337.6, 1338.5, 1735, and 1736.6,' fixing a typo and adding the previously missing Section 1735.

Updated gendered language in Section 1337.6(i) from 'his or her' and 'he or she' to 'their' and 'they' for gender neutrality.

New Section 1 amends Health and Safety Code Section 1337.6, which was not previously in the bill's scope. The act description now includes Section 1337.6 alongside the previously listed sections.

The 48-hour biennial training requirement for CNA certificate renewal is broadened from 'in-service training' to 'continuing education or in-service training,' and delivery methods are expanded from only an online computer training program (capped at 24 hours) to include in-person instruction, synchronous online instruction, asynchronous online instruction, or other distance learning formats approved by the department.

New quality standards for online continuing education vendors: courses must include an interactive portion with participant feedback, require use of a personal identification number to confirm identity, and display a final screen with a printable statement signed by the participant. Vendors must retain signed statements for three years and make them available to the department on demand.

The department may approve online programs that do not meet the specific interactive/identity requirements if the vendor demonstrates through advanced technology that the course and delivery meet other requirements of the section.

New provisions address certificate expiration on the holder's birthday, renewal procedures for unexpired and expired certificates, a 75-hour competency evaluation requirement for certificates expired more than two years, treatment of revoked certificates, and a provision requiring dual-certified individuals (nurse assistant and home health aide) to renew both certificates simultaneously on one application.

Criminal record clearance is added as a condition for CNA certificate renewal (Section 1337.6(a)(3)).

In Section 1337.9(b)(1)(B), the phrase 'a misdemeanor or felony involving financial abuse of a patient in connection with the delivery of a health care item or service, abuse' was shortened to 'a misdemeanor or felony involving financial abuse,' removing the specific contextual language about patient care delivery.

The amendment date was updated from August 19, 2026 to August 21, 2026, with the prior date retained as a secondary amendment line. Section numbering was reorganized (old Sections 1 and 2 became Sections 2 and 3).

Added the word 'abuse' after 'health care item or service' in multiple provisions (Sections 2 and 6), so that any abuse of a patient - not just financial abuse - can be considered as grounds for denial regardless of when the conviction occurred, and formal discipline for such abuse can support denial even if it happened more than seven years before the application.

Fixed a drafting error in both the nurse assistant and home health aide sections where 'crime.' was followed by 'crime,' creating a broken sentence; corrected to a single comma: 'crime, or the applicant has been convicted...'

Removed the word 'or' before 'a crime for which registration is required' in the list of serious offenses in both Sections 2(B) and 6(1)(B), changing the list structure from a disjunctive to a conjunctive enumeration.

Fixed a duplicated word in Section 7, changing 'consistent with this section section' to 'consistent with this section.'

Removed the word 'substantially' from the standard 'substantially directly and adversely related' throughout the bill, changing it to 'directly and adversely related.' This lowers the threshold for finding a connection between a conviction or disciplinary action and nurse assistant duties, making it easier for the department to deny applications.

Added a new provision in subdivision (b)(1)(A) allowing the department to consider any crime that is directly or adversely related to nurse assistant duties if the applicant is presently incarcerated or was released from incarceration within the preceding seven years, regardless of when the conviction originally occurred.

Added 'a misdemeanor or felony involving financial abuse of a patient in connection with the delivery of a health care item or service' to subdivision (b)(1)(B), meaning such convictions can be considered as grounds for denial regardless of how long ago they occurred, joining serious felonies and sex offenses on the no-time-limit list.

Added 'conduct involving financial abuse of a patient in connection with the delivery of a health care item or service' to subdivision (b)(2)(B)(ii), allowing formal discipline older than seven years to be grounds for denial if it involved financial abuse of a patient, not just sexual abuse.

In subdivision (o), changed the standard for denying reinstatement after suspension from 'unless it is established to the satisfaction of the department there is evidence' to simply 'unless there is evidence,' removing the department's subjective satisfaction standard and making it easier to deny reinstatement.

Added new subdivision (q) defining 'financial abuse' as: (1) taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining another person's property for wrongful use or intent to defraud; (2) assisting in such conduct; or (3) taking property by undue influence as defined in Welfare and Institutions Code Section 15610.70.

Changed legislative findings language from 'criminal offenders people convicted of a crime' to 'people convicted of a crime,' removing the descriptor 'criminal offenders.' This is a stylistic change with no substantive legal effect.

The standard for denying certification based on a criminal conviction was changed from 'substantially related' to 'directly and adversely related' to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a certified nurse assistant. This appears in multiple provisions (denial grounds, suspension/revocation grounds, and rehabilitation factors), making it harder for the department to deny or revoke based on criminal history.

The list of dispositions that do not count as a conviction was expanded to include 'diversion' and 'deferred entry of judgment,' in addition to the existing infraction, citation, and juvenile adjudication. This means people who completed diversion or deferred entry of judgment programs cannot be denied certification based on those arrests.

New rehabilitation factors were added: (11) abstinence from controlled substances or alcohol if the conduct is attributable in part or whole to substance use, and (12) stability of family life and fulfillment of parental responsibilities after the conviction. Factor (4) was also expanded to include successful or early discharge from probation, parole, post-release community supervision, or any criminal supervision.

Subdivision (k) now explicitly states that if a person entered a plea and successfully completed deferred entry of judgment or diversion, the arrest will be treated as not being a conviction under subdivision (e).

Legislative findings language was changed from 'criminal offenders' to 'people convicted of a crime,' reflecting a shift in framing away from labeling individuals by their criminal status.

The timing and process for the department requesting mitigating information from applicants was clarified. The department may now request such information after receiving the criminal offender record information from the Department of Justice, and the purpose is described as determining 'direct and adverse relation' rather than just 'substantial relation.'