Existing law, the Massage Therapy Act, regulates massage practitioners and therapists who administer massage, defined as the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues, for compensation. Existing law creates the California Massage Therapy Council. Existing law specifies that it is an unfair business practice for a person to hold oneself out or to use the title of "certified massage therapist" or "certified massage practitioner" unless that person currently holds an active and valid certificate issued by the council pursuant to these provisions. This bill, the California Body Contouring Practitioner Act, would define body contouring as noninvasive, nonmedical treatment intended to shape or contour the fatty areas of the body, as specified. The bill would create the California Body Contouring Council (council) for the purpose of regulating the practice of body contouring. The bill would require the council to issue certificates of completion to individuals who complete a certain educational course, permits to be a California Certified and Permitted Body Contouring Practitioner, permits to maintain a specified physical location, and mobile permits, as prescribed. The bill would require the council to be governed by a board of directors comprised of 4 individuals. The bill would establish an advisory board comprised of 14 members, as specified, and would make the advisory board responsible for advising the board of directors. This bill would require the council to develop and make available to students on an internet website 5 online, 40-hour educational modules composing a 5-week, 200-hour, physician-approved course in the practice of body contouring. The bill would require a student who successfully completes the course of instruction to receive a certificate of completion issued by the council for the purpose of qualifying that person for a permit to practice body contouring. To become a practitioner of body contouring, the bill would require an applicant to submit an application of the council and provide the council with satisfactory evidence that they have met prescribed requirements, including payment of certain fees that cover the council's reasonable regulatory cots of administering the program. This bill would require permits to practice body contouring, premises permits, and mobile permits to be renewed annually. The bill would establish fees for specified permits, including an initial fee for a permit to practice body contouring that does not exceed $495, and would require those fees to cover the council's reasonable regulatory costs of administering the program. The bill would require practitioners to comply with specified requirements, including, submitting to inspection and investigation by the council, adhering to the ethical standards prescribed by the council, and not exceeding the legal scope of their permit, among other things. The bill would make it unlawful for any person to falsely advertise that they or any other individual is a California Certified and Permitted Body Contouring Practitioner and deem engaging in that or other prohibited behavior unfair competition pursuant to other specified provisions of law.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes the Dental Board of California for the licensure and regulation of dentists and dental assistants. Existing law requires the board to issue licenses and permits to practice dentistry and dental assisting in this state to applicants who successfully pass certain examinations, as specified. Existing law imposes certain eligibility requirements on applicants to take an examination before the board, including furnishing evidence of having graduated from a dental college approved by the board or by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. This bill would additionally authorize a national accrediting body approved by the board to approve dental colleges for purposes of the above-described examination eligibility requirement. Existing law authorizes the board to grant a license to practice dentistry to an applicant who submits to the board specified information, including evidence of having graduated from a dental school approved by a national accrediting body approved by the board or from a dental school approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. This bill would additionally authorize the board to approve dental colleges for purposes of the above-described license eligibility requirement. Existing law, subject to certain exceptions, requires a school seeking approval as a foreign dental school to have successfully completed the international consultative and accreditation process with the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or a comparable accrediting body approved by the board and makes graduates of a foreign dental school whose programs were approved at the time of graduation eligible for licensure. Prior law, until January 1, 2024, had instead required, for approval or renewal of approval, a foreign dental school to make application to the board, and to meet other specified requirements, including the payment of specified fees, as prescribed. That prior law imposed duties and powers on the board related to the evaluation of those applications and the periodic survey and evaluation of all approved foreign dental schools to ensure continued compliance with the requirements for approval. This bill would, with certain exceptions, reenact those provisions. This bill would require a graduate of a board-approved foreign dental school who is licensed pursuant to a specified provision described above to practice full-time for 2 years in one or more types of clinics or health centers owned or operated by certain nonprofit or government entities, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to request verification of compliance with this requirement and to revoke a license if it finds that the licensee has not complied with the requirement. The bill would require the board to provide information about areas of the state that are experiencing a shortage of dentists in the application packet for licensure to practice dentistry.
This measure would proclaim March 23, 2024, as California Women in STEM Day.
This measure would proclaim the week of March 17, 2024, to March 23, 2024, inclusive as California Down Syndrome Awareness Week and March 21, 2024, as California Down Syndrome Day, and would encourage all Californians to support and participate in related activities.
This measure would designate March 25, 2024, as Greek Independence Day.
This measure would, among other things, recognize the month of March 2024 as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
This measure would designate March 14 of each year as California Utility Workers Appreciation Day.
This measure would proclaim March 11, 2024, as Special Olympics Day in California.