California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Passed Assembly 2 D cosponsors

AB 481 — Dentistry: dental assistants.

Last action — In committee: Held under submission.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

(1) Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes the Dental Board of California for the licensure and regulation of dentists and dental assistants. Existing law sets forth requirements for licensure as a registered dental assistant and as a registered dental assistant in extended functions, and sets forth duties and functions that a registered dental assistant or a registered dental assistant in extended function is authorized to perform. This bill would revise and recast those provisions. (2) Existing law specifies a dental assistant is an individual who, without a license, may perform basic supportive dental procedures, as specified, and sets forth the responsibilities of a supervising licensed dentist, including ensuring that a dental assistant has completed specified courses. Existing law sets forth the duties and functions a dental assistant is authorized to perform. This bill would revise the responsibilities of a supervising dentist relating to an unlicensed dental assistant, and the functions and duties that an unlicensed dental assistant is authorized to perform. The bill would revise the course requirements for an unlicensed dental assistant, including by requiring the verification that the dental assistant has completed specified preceptorship and work experience requirements by an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury by the preceptor or the supervising dentist, as provided. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require an unlicensed dental assistant to obtain a certificate of completion of radiation safety to perform radiographic procedures. (3) Existing law establishes requirements for obtaining an orthodontic assistant permit or a dental sedation assistant permit from the board, including licensure as a registered dental assistant, and sets forth the duties and functions that a person holding an orthodontic assistant permit or a dental sedation assistant permit may perform. This bill would revise the requirements to obtain an orthodontic assistant permit and would revise the duties and functions that a person holding an orthodontic assistant permit is authorized to perform. This bill would revise and recast the requirements to obtain a dental sedation assistant permit, including requiring licensure as a dental assistant, registered dental assistant, or registered dental assistant in extended functions and would revise the duties and functions that a person holding a dental sedation assistant permit is authorized to perform. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. In committee: Held under submission.

  2. In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file.

  3. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 10).

  5. 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.

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

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

  8. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 1983.)

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 18).

  11. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1580.)

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

  13. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. Coauthors revised.

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

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

  17. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

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

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

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

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

  22. Referred to Com. on B. & P.

  23. From printer. May be heard in committee March 10.

  24. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 120 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (120)

120 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 120 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 12 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 5000
Democratic 6000
Republican 1001
Total 12001
% of votes cast 92%0%0%8%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Eggman — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Roth — Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Not Voting
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

AB 481 Wendy Carrillo Assembly Third Reading

Passed 78 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 47000
Republican 12001
Unaffiliated 19001
Total 78002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Villapudua — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Ting — Yea
Wood — Yea
Low — Yea
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Essayli — Not Voting
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Vince Fong — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea
Ta, Tri Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass.

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9001
Republican 3000
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 15001
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Not Voting
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

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

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 10001
Unaffiliated 1001
Republican 4001
Total 15003
% of votes cast 83%0%0%17%
How each member voted (18)
Member Party Vote
Ting — Yea
McCarty — Not Voting
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Not Voting
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare labor
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 481 do?
(1) Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes the Dental Board of California for the licensure and regulation of dentists and dental assistants. Existing law sets forth requirements for licensure as a registered dental assistant and as a registered dental assistant in extended functions, and sets forth duties and functions that a registered dental assistant or a registered dental assistant in extended function is authorized to perform. This bill would revise and recast those provisions. (2) Existing law specifies a dental assistant is an individual who, without a license, may perform basic supportive dental procedures, as specified, and sets forth the responsibilities of a supervising licensed dentist, including ensuring that a dental assistant has completed specified courses. Existing law sets forth the duties and functions a dental assistant is authorized to perform. This bill would revise the responsibilities of a supervising dentist relating to an unlicensed dental assistant, and the functions and duties that an unlicensed dental assistant is authorized to perform. The bill would revise the course requirements for an unlicensed dental assistant, including by requiring the verification that the dental assistant has completed specified preceptorship and work experience requirements by an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury by the preceptor or the supervising dentist, as provided. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require an unlicensed dental assistant to obtain a certificate of completion of radiation safety to perform radiographic procedures. (3) Existing law establishes requirements for obtaining an orthodontic assistant permit or a dental sedation assistant permit from the board, including licensure as a registered dental assistant, and sets forth the duties and functions that a person holding an orthodontic assistant permit or a dental sedation assistant permit may perform. This bill would revise the requirements to obtain an orthodontic assistant permit and would revise the duties and functions that a person holding an orthodontic assistant permit is authorized to perform. This bill would revise and recast the requirements to obtain a dental sedation assistant permit, including requiring licensure as a dental assistant, registered dental assistant, or registered dental assistant in extended functions and would revise the duties and functions that a person holding a dental sedation assistant permit is authorized to perform. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors AB 481?
AB 481 is sponsored by Gipson, Mike A. (Democratic) and Carrillo, Juan (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 481?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 481?
Track AB 481 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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