Bill Commons

CA AB 2386

Status unknown

License to practice medicine: Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program and California Physician Expansion Act.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did CA AB 2386 pass?

The current status of CA AB 2386 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-08-13): In committee: Held under submission.

What is CA AB 2386 about?

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California to license and regulate the practice of medicine. Former law, repealed as of January 1, 2025, established the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program, which allowed up to 30 licensed physicians and up to 30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, operative January 1, 2025, instead, establishes within the act the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program, which authorizes the board to issue a limited number of nonrenewable 3-year physician's and surgeon's licenses to licensed physicians from Mexico who meet specified criteria. This bill would require the board to issue a full and unrestricted physician's and surgeon's license to a person who has completed 2 3-year terms of the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program or the former Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program in good standing upon satisfaction of specified requirements, including having an offer of continued employment from a health care facility or practice in California. This bill would establish the California Physician Expansion Act, which would require the board to issue a provisional license to an applicant who holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in another country who meets specified requirements, including that the applicant has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of a certificate, as specified. In this regard, the bill would require the board to submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the department of all applicants for a provisional license to determine whether the applicant has a criminal conviction record, as specified, and would require the department to provide a state- and federal-level response pursuant to specified provisions for the board to determine whether the applicant is subject to denial of licensure, as specified. The bill would make the provisional license valid for 3 years and would authorize the board to grant a one-time renewal for an additional period of up to 3 years, as specified. The bill would require a provisional licensee to, among other things, be employed by, and practice medicine only within, a sponsoring entity, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to revoke a provisional license or take any other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the board, as specified. The bill would deem a provisional licensee applicant who meets specified requirements, including having completed at least 36 months of practice under the provisional license without any disciplinary actions, to meet the professional instruction, preliminary education, and postgraduate training requirements for a certificate under the Medical Practice Act. The bill would require the board to establish application, initial licensure, renewal, and conversion fees for the provisional license, as specified. The bill would make findings and declarations relating to its provisions.

Who sponsors CA AB 2386?

Alvarez is the primary sponsor of CA AB 2386, joined by 1 cosponsor.

Description

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California to license and regulate the practice of medicine. Former law, repealed as of January 1, 2025, established the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program, which allowed 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, operative January 1, 2025, instead, establishes within the act the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program, which authorizes the board to issue a limited number of nonrenewable 3-year physician's and surgeon's licenses to licensed physicians from Mexico who meet specified criteria. This bill would require the board to issue a full and unrestricted physician's and surgeon's license to a person who has completed 2 3-year terms of the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program or the former Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program in good standing upon satisfaction of specified requirements, including having an offer of continued employment from a health care facility or practice in California. This bill would establish the California Physician Expansion Act, which would require the board to issue a provisional license to an applicant who holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in another country who meets specified requirements, including that the applicant has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of a certificate, as specified. In this regard, the bill would require the board to submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the department of all applicants for a provisional license to determine whether the applicant has a criminal conviction record, as specified, and would require the department to provide a state- and federal-level response pursuant to specified provisions for the board to determine whether the applicant is subject to denial of licensure, as specified. The bill would make the provisional license valid for 3 years and would authorize the board to grant a one-time renewal for an additional period of up to 3 years, as specified. The bill would require a provisional licensee to, among other things, be employed by, and practice medicine only within, a sponsoring entity, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to revoke a provisional license or take any other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the board, as specified. The bill would deem a provisional licensee applicant who meets specified requirements, including having completed at least 36 months of practice under the provisional license without any disciplinary actions, to meet the professional instruction, preliminary education, and postgraduate training requirements for a certificate under the Medical Practice Act. The bill would require the board to establish application, initial licensure, renewal, and conversion fees for the provisional license, as specified. The bill would make findings and declarations relating to its provisions.

Introduced
2026-04-13
Latest action
2026-08-13 — In committee: Held under submission.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Alvarezauthor
  • Ávila Faríascoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-08-13

    In committee: Held under submission.

  2. 2026-08-03

    In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  3. 2026-06-22

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  4. 2026-06-16

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  5. 2026-06-10

    Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

    referral-committee

  6. 2026-05-27

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

    reading-1,referral-committee

  7. 2026-05-26

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 54. Noes 9.)

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  8. 2026-05-26

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 54. Noes 9. Page 5319.)

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  9. 2026-05-18

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  10. 2026-05-14

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 14).

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  11. 2026-05-06

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

    referral-committee

  12. 2026-04-23

    Measure version as amended on April 22 corrected.

    amendment-passage

  13. 2026-04-23

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    referral-committee

  14. 2026-04-22

    Read second time and amended.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  15. 2026-04-21

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (April 21).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee

  16. 2026-04-14

    Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

    referral-committee

  17. 2026-04-13

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  18. 2026-03-09

    Referred to Com. on B. & P.

    referral-committee

  19. 2026-02-21

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  20. 2026-02-20

    Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

Versions

  • 02/20/26 - Introduced — 2026-02-20Compare
  • 04/13/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-04-13Compare
  • 04/22/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-04-22Compare
  • 06/16/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-06-16Compare
  • AB2386Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2026-04-21 · pass · 12-2

    Member-level votes (19)
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Alanis: no
    • Bains: no
    • Chen: other
    • Hadwick: other
    • Macedo: other
    • Caloza: other
    • Johnson: other
  • Do pass.

    2026-05-14 · pass · 11-2

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Krell: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Tangipa: no
    • Hoover: no
    • Ta: other
    • Dixon: other
  • AB 2386 Alvarez Assembly Third Reading

    2026-05-26 · pass · 54-9

    Member-level votes (80)
    • Ward: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Valencia: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Gabriel: yes
    • Stefani: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Ramos: yes
    • Ortega: yes
    • Soria: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Ávila Farías: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Alvarez: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Blanca Rubio: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Bennett: yes
    • Bonta: yes
    • Davies: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • Gipson: yes
    • Ransom: yes
    • Petrie-Norris: yes
    • Quirk-Silva: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Carrillo: yes
    • Boerner: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Rivas: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • Lackey: no
    • Bains: no
    • Hoover: no
    • Ellis: no
    • Tangipa: no
    • DeMaio: no
    • Wallis: no
    • Sanchez: no
    • Patterson: no
    • Flora: other
    • Hadwick: other
    • Dixon: other
    • Macedo: other
    • Sharp-Collins: other
    • Gallagher: other
    • Castillo: other
    • Chen: other
    • Jeff Gonzalez: other
    • Arambula: other
    • Johnson: other
    • Wilson: other
    • Zbur: other
    • Celeste Rodriguez: other
    • Muratsuchi: other
    • Alanis: other
    • Ta: other
  • Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2026-06-22 · pass · 7-2

    Member-level votes (11)
    • Niello: no
    • Choi: no
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: other
    • Strickland: other
    • Wahab: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Richardson: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-17T19:29:50.497592Z

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