Assembly Business & Professions Committee advances bills on hemp enforcement, anesthesia scope, menopause training, copper-theft and more

SACRAMENTO — The Assembly Business and Professions Committee on Wednesday heard about a dozen substantive bills and advanced several to later committees, including measures aimed at tightening enforcement of intoxicating hemp products, clarifying the scope of nurse anesthetists, admitting nationally certified anesthesiologist assistants into California practice, establishing menopause continuing‑education requirements for some physicians, expanding penalties and reporting for copper wire theft, and strengthening consumer protections for online pet sales.

The hearing featured extended debate over AB 8, a measure from Majority Leader Aguirre Curry to fold intoxicating hemp products into the regulated cannabis supply chain; AB 8 drew detailed testimony both from licensed cannabis businesses and labor representatives who supported moving intoxicating products into the Department of Cannabis Control’s regulatory framework and from rural cultivators and public health groups who urged more precise limits and protections tied to Proposition 64. Committee members also advanced several other measures, including AB 876 (clarifying certified registered nurse anesthetist practice), AB 985 (authorizing certified anesthesiologist assistants under physician supervision), AB 4 32 (the Menopause Equity Act), AB 4 76 (strengthening penalties and reporting for copper/theft of public infrastructure metal), AB 5 06 (consumer protections for online pet sales), AB 5 19 (restricting brokered out‑of‑state pet sales), AB 5 64 (freeze on a proposed cannabis excise tax increase), AB 1 002 (allowing Attorney General coordination with CSLB for serial wage‑theft cases), and AB 4 08 (a physician health and wellness program). Votes taken in committee sent multiple bills onward to appropriations, revenue, health or judiciary committees as noted below.

Why it matters: Several measures would shift enforcement and revenue lines — for example, AB 8 would place intoxicating hemp products under the Department of Cannabis Control, potentially subjecting some products to cannabis excise tax and DCC testing and labeling rules. Other bills would alter professional practice rules (AB 876, AB 985), expand public‑safety enforcement and penalties (AB 4 76, AB 1 002), or change how state policy funds services relied on by communities (AB 5 64’s proposed tax freeze was debated partly over its downstream effect on youth and environmental programs funded by cannabis revenue).

Hemp and cannabis (AB 8) Assembly Majority Leader Aguirre Curry presented AB 8 as an effort to close loopholes he and supporters say allow intoxicating, often synthetic THC products to be sold outside the regulated cannabis market. “As the hemp market grows, we’re seeing more intoxicating hemp products sold outside of dispensaries without age limits, which should be illegal,” Aguirre Curry said in presenting the bill. He described three goals: expand enforcement against illegal hemp products, ban synthetic THC in those products, and integrate intoxicating hemp into the cannabis supply chain so such products are registered, tested and taxed like other cannabis products.

Supporters included Kristen Heidelbach, legislative director for the UFCW Western States Council, and Amy Jenkins of the California Cannabis Operators Association. Heidelbach said, “If it is an intoxicating product, it belongs in the regulated cannabis supply chain.” Jenkins cited a market review finding that most sampled hemp‑derived THC products exceeded legal THC limits, were marketed to children, lacked testing, and were not taxed.

Opponents or concerned witnesses included Janine Coleman of Origins Council, representing small licensed cannabis businesses and legacy farmers, who warned integrating high‑THC hemp could allow out‑of‑state, lightly regulated hemp to compete with heavily regulated California cannabis under Proposition 64. Pediatrician Lynn Silver, director of Getting It Right from the Start, urged the committee to strike a tax‑repeal provision she said would cut funding for youth programs; she called for keeping prohibitions on inhalable hemp manufacture while removing a clause that could let the Department approve new psychoactive chemical substances.

The committee accepted amendments and the author committed to continuing talks with stakeholders. The measure was sent forward from the Business & Professions Committee to the Committee on Revenue and Taxation.

Anesthesia workforce and scope bills (AB 985 and AB 876) Two separate anesthesia bills drew lengthy testimony.

- AB 985 (author presentation and supporters): Assemblymember Arons presented AB 985 to allow nationally certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs) to practice in California under the direct supervision of state‑licensed anesthesiologists. Dr. Christina Menor, president‑elect of the California Society of Anesthesiologists and sponsor of a different position, and Shane Angus (program director, Case Western Reserve University anesthesia master’s program) described CAAs as experienced, highly trained clinician‑providers used in many other U.S. states and the Veterans Administration. Supporters argued CAAs would expand access to physician‑led anesthesia care and address workforce shortages.

- AB 876 (author presentation and opponents): Assemblymember Flora presented AB 876 to clarify and reaffirm the independent practice authority of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) in California. Supporters including Kristin Roman of the California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and attorney Catherine Bowles urged codification of prior legal rulings and advisory opinions to prevent misinterpretation and the cancellation of scheduled surgical cases. Opponents, led by the California Society of Anesthesiologists (Dr. Christina Menor speaking for CSA) and the California Medical Association, argued the bills would lower safety standards by removing physician oversight and expand scopes of practice beyond current training; they cited CDPH and CMS investigations at specific hospitals as evidence of risk when supervision and system safeguards lapse.

Both bills generated technical and policy negotiations during the hearing; AB 876 passed the committee as amended and was referred to the Committee on Appropriations. AB 985 was advanced to the Committee on Appropriations as well.

Menopause training (AB 432) Assemblymember Bauer‑Kahan presented AB 4 32, the Menopause Equity Act, which would require targeted continuing medical education for physicians (the bill as amended narrowed required CME to certain specialties) to improve clinical recognition and management of menopause and perimenopause. Dr. Rajita Patil (UCLA) and Emily Jacobs (UCSB) described clinical and research gaps and long patient wait lists for specialized menopause care. Opponents including the California Medical Association and ACOG supported improving training but opposed a condition‑specific CME mandate; they recommended strengthening core medical education and clinical rotations instead of legislative CME mandates. The committee passed the bill as amended to the Committee on Health.

Copper theft and infrastructure (AB 476) Assemblymember Gonzalez presented AB 4 76 to tighten reporting and documentation requirements for scrap metal buyers, expand categories of public‑infrastructure scrap that require paperwork (street lights, traffic signals, plaques, broadband equipment), and increase penalties for theft. The bill’s author accepted committee amendments that removed a license requirement for sellers and reduced some reporting to ease burdens on legitimate small collectors.

Cal Cities, CalBroadband and other public‑safety and utilities witnesses described recurring thefts that damage safety equipment and critical communications, citing local examples: Los Angeles’s Sixth Street Bridge lost nearly 38,000 feet of wiring in a theft incident that had an estimated $2.5 million repair cost despite a small scrap value. The bill moved forward to the Committee on Public Safety with committee amendments.

Pet sales and puppy‑mill pipeline (AB 506 and AB 519) AB 5 06 (Assemblymember Bennett) would require pet brokers to disclose an animal’s origin, veterinary records and prohibit nonrefundable deposits for consumers when origin is not disclosed; sponsors (ASPCA, San Diego Humane Society) said the measure targets third‑party online brokers that hide puppy‑mill sourcing. AB 5 19 (sponsored alongside AB 506 in the package) would define and prohibit brokered for‑profit transfers of dogs, cats and rabbits into California with carve‑outs for service and working animals. Supporters argued the bills close online loopholes and reduce shelter intake of sick animals; a small number of industry witnesses cautioned the bills should not shut down legitimate placement organizations that match therapy animals for vulnerable people. Both measures were advanced to appropriations or appropriations‑bound committees.

Cannabis tax freeze (AB 564) Assemblymember Haney presented AB 5 64 to freeze the cannabis excise tax at the current rate rather than increase it, citing industry contraction and market share lost to an untaxed illicit market. Supporters from industry, labor unions (UFCW), and licensed operators said freezing the tax would help retain licensed businesses and preserve jobs. Opponents — including environmental groups, tribal representatives, youth and childcare advocates, and many nonprofits that rely on cannabis tax–funded programs — warned a tax freeze would reduce funding for programs such as child care, environmental remediation and youth services that receive cannabis revenue under Proposition 64 allocations. Committee passage sent the bill to Revenue and Taxation for further consideration.

Wage‑theft enforcement (AB 1 002) and physician wellness program (AB 408) AB 1 002 (Assemblymember Gabriel), sponsored by the Attorney General, would allow the Department of Justice, working with the Contractor State Licensing Board, to seek license suspensions or revocations for contractors who repeatedly commit wage theft after appropriate civil findings. Labor groups supported the change as a tool to hold serial offenders accountable. The committee passed the bill to the Committee on Judiciary.

AB 4 08 (Assemblymember Berman) would authorize the Medical Board of California to establish a physician health and wellness program aligned with national PHP best practices, with confidentiality for voluntary participants and guardrails for cases involving patient harm. Supporters, including the Medical Board, the California Medical Association and multiple specialty societies, said early confidential intervention reduces risk to patients by encouraging clinicians to seek treatment. Consumer advocates and academics urged strong public oversight and warned against recreating prior failed diversion arrangements; the author committed to continued stakeholder talks. The bill was advanced to Judiciary.

Votes at a glance - AB 8 (Aguirre Curry) — advanced to Revenue & Taxation (committee acted; motion passed) - AB 4 76 (Gonzalez) — advanced as amended to Public Safety - AB 985 (Arons) — advanced to Appropriations - AB 876 (Flora) — passed as amended to Appropriations - AB 4 32 (Bauer‑Kahan, Menopause Equity Act) — passed as amended to Health - AB 5 06 (Bennett, pet sale consumer protections) — passed as amended to Appropriations - AB 5 19 (packet/puppy‑mill broker prohibition) — passed to Appropriations - AB 5 64 (Haney, cannabis excise tax freeze) — passed to Revenue & Taxation - AB 1 002 (Gabriel, wage‑theft licensing coordination) — passed to Judiciary - AB 4 08 (Berman, medical board physician wellness program) — passed to Judiciary (Committee roll‑call records and committee referrals were read into the record during the hearing.)

What’s next Most measures advanced to policy or fiscal committees where specific financing or technical amendments may be required. Authors repeatedly said they would continue negotiations with stakeholders — particularly AB 8, AB 876/985 and AB 4 08, which drew detailed concerns about public safety, workforce impacts and fiscal consequences.

Sources and evidence This article summarizes testimony and committee actions recorded in the Assembly Business & Professions Committee hearing transcript. Direct quotes and attributions come from witnesses who spoke during the hearing and are listed below.

Ending Committee members frequently noted the bills represented competing priorities: public safety and worker protections on one hand, and industry survival, consumer choice and program funding on the other. Several authors committed to ongoing stakeholder negotiations as the measures move to their next committees.