California Board of Registered Nursing backs four bills expanding nurse roles, AI rules and court notice for licensing cases

SACRAMENTO — The California Board of Registered Nursing on Feb. 27 voted to take positions on four bills introduced this legislative session that would change who may perform or certify certain medical tasks, who is notified when criminal convictions are vacated, and how artificial intelligence can present health-care advice.

Marissa Clark, chief of legislative affairs for the board, summarized the bills to members and public attendees. “The first one is AB 346 by Assemblymember Wynne,” Clark said, describing the measure as intended “to expand the list” of professionals who may certify eligibility for California’s In‑Home Supportive Services program to include nurses and nurse practitioners working under a licensed professional.

The board’s executive officer, Loretta “Laurie” Melby, clarified that the proposal would codify emergency practice allowed during the COVID emergency. “This is not new. This is just codifying what happened there as a temporary fix and making it a permanent fix,” Melby said.

Why it matters: AB 346 would let additional nursing licensees sign the standard health certification form used to determine IHSS eligibility, potentially streamlining access for people who rely on IHSS for personal and paramedical care.

Other bills on the agenda: - AB 479 (Assemblymember Tangeetha): Would require licensing bodies to be given notice and an opportunity to respond if a licensee petitions a court to vacate a nonviolent conviction under Penal Code section 236.15 (the statutory relief created by AB 124) and would direct courts to consider impacts on public health and safety for licensees whose offenses are substantially related to their profession. Clark told the board the change was motivated by a past case in which the board learned after a court vacated a conviction that the board had been unable to offer input to the trial judge.

- AB 489 (Assemblymember Bonta): Would prohibit an entity that develops or deploys artificial‑intelligence technology from using specified terms, letters or phrases that indicate or imply possession of a health‑care license when the system does not have that licensed human behind it. Clark and board counsel Reza Pejuhesh told members the bill aims to stop AI from implying it is a licensed practitioner. Clark noted the bill uses the phrase “care licensing board or appropriate enforcement agency,” which makes enforcement against unlicensed companies unclear under current law.

- AB 583 (Assemblymember Pellerin): Would expand the list of professionals who can complete the medical and health portion of a death certificate and the time of death for deaths in skilled nursing or intermediate care facilities to include nurse practitioners, and would require certain licensed NPs to notify the coroner in the same circumstances physicians, physician assistants and funeral directors now must.

Votes at a glance: - AB 346 (Wynne) — Motion: watch. Roll call: Trujillo, Patel, Dominguez, Wynne, Lawler, Granowitz, Cormack — all voted yes. Outcome: watch (no formal support/oppose). Evidence: roll call recorded at the meeting. - AB 479 (Tangeetha) — Motion: support. Roll call: Trujillo, Patel, Dominguez, Wynne, Lawler, Granowitz, Cormack — all voted yes. Outcome: support. - AB 489 (Bonta) — Motion: support with amendments (to add enforceability mechanisms). Roll call: Trujillo, Patel, Dominguez, Wynne, Lawler, Granowitz, Cormack — all voted yes. Outcome: support with amendments. - AB 583 (Pellerin) — Motion: support. Roll call: Trujillo, Patel, Dominguez, Wynne, Lawler, Granowitz, Cormack — all voted yes. Outcome: support.

Public comment and supporters: Matt Leger, representing SEIU (the sponsor of AB 489), told the board the sponsors sought assurances that people represented as licensed clinicians had indeed completed required training and testing. Catherine Hughes of SEIU’s Nurse Alliance echoed that support. Amy Paulson of CAMP spoke in favor of AB 583, asking that the bill explicitly allow experienced 103/104 nurse practitioners to certify death certificates and sign when collaborating physicians are unavailable.

Board context and next steps: Clark told the board she and staff will continue to work with authors as the bills evolve; several measures are early in the session and expected to be amended. Board counsel and staff noted AB 489 may need clarifying language about which enforcement authority would act against non‑licensee companies that misrepresent an AI system as a licensed clinician.

The board’s votes will be posted in its legislative tracking records and shared with the authors’ offices. Further amendments are expected as sponsors refine enforcement language and as the board provides technical assistance or suggested amendments.

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