California scope-of-practice bills meet mixed fates

Three pieces of legislation related to expanding allied health practitioners’ scope of practice—Senate Bill (SB) 491, SB492, and SB493—have met differing fates in California State Assembly committees. Senate Bill 491, which would allow nurse practitioners to practice without physician oversight and to prescribe certain medications, failed to move out of the Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection Committee, on a 6-3 vote last week. However, SB491 was granted reconsideration and will be voted on again next week in the committee, according to the California Medical Association.