Physician Assistant Board backs AB 1501 to extend board, raise supervision ratio and update fees

The California Physician Assistant Board voted on Aug. 15 to support Assembly Bill 1501, the board's sunset-review bill, and approved related regulatory language contingent on the bill's enactment.

Board President Vasco De Ankit told members that AB 1501 would extend the board's operation through Jan. 1, 2030, and would update the state's supervision ratio for physician assistants from 1 physician to 4 PAs to 1 physician to 8 PAs in most practice settings. De Ankit said the change would align California with modern clinical practice and a separate statute already permitting a 1:8 ratio in some home health settings.

The bill, De Ankit said, also contains fee adjustments. Staff described the fee structure included in the bill as a $60 application fee, a $250 initial license fee, and a $300 biannual renewal fee, with statutory authority to increase those caps to $80 for application, $500 for initial license, and $500 for biannual renewal if needed. Staff also described statutory language requiring renewal applications to be submitted on an electronic or other board-provided form and adding a legal verification under penalty of perjury on application forms.

The board discussed the policy change at length. Vice President Juan Armenta and other members said they preferred that policy decisions about supervision ratios rest with the Legislature rather than the board. Several board members thanked staff and outside stakeholders for their work preparing the bill and for testimony given at legislative hearings.

Regulations counsel Christy Shields told the board that one set of regulatory changes would be contingent on AB 1501's enactment: repealing the board's current physician assistant training program regulations (including a $5 review fee) because the bill would remove the board's remaining authority to approve PA training programs. Shields said the text clarifies the board's recognition of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) as the primary accreditor and designates the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a fallback if ARC-PA ceases to exist.

After public comment time produced no speakers, a motion to take a support position on AB 1501 was seconded and adopted by roll-call vote. The board also rescinded a prior November 2024 motion on the regulatory package, adopted the proposed regulatory text in Attachment 1 of the meeting materials, and directed staff to submit the package to the Department of Consumer Affairs and Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for review; members authorized the executive officer to complete the rulemaking process if no adverse recommendations are received during the public comment period.

The board's action follows testimony that board leaders gave to legislative committees earlier in 2025. De Ankit and other board members said they will form a practice-agreement review committee and that staff will follow through on the regulatory steps required if AB 1501 becomes law.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the regulatory text contingent on AB 1501 and voted to support AB 1501. Both motions passed by roll-call vote; recorded ayes were unanimous among members present.