20250AB__159197AMD INTRODUCED 2026-01-15 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-05-18 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-07-02 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Michelle Rodriguez LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Michelle Rodriguez

An act to add and repeal

Article 6 (commencing with

Section 128055) of

Chapter of Part of Division of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health professions. health professions California Podiatric Pipeline Program. Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information under the control of the Director of the Department of Health Care Access and Information, to administer various health professions development programs.

Existing law requires the department to maintain a Health Professions Career Opportunity Program to, among other things, implement programs at colleges and universities selected by the department and include in those programs pipeline programs that provide comprehensive academic enrichment, career development, mentorship, and advising in order to support students from underrepresented regions and backgrounds to pursue health careers.

Existing law creates within the department the Health Professions Education Fund, for the primary purpose of providing scholarships and loans to students from underrepresented groups who are accepted to or enrolled in schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing, or other health professions. Existing law authorizes the department to receive private donations to be deposited into the fund and continuously appropriates all moneys in the fund to the department for those purposes.

This bill would enact the California Podiatric Pipeline Program Act, to require the department to establish and administer the California Podiatric Pipeline Program to promote careers in podiatric medicine and support the educational advancement of California residents pursuing the doctor of podiatric medicine degree, as specified. The bill would specify that the department may use funds from the Health Professions Education Fund or Health Professions Pathways Program for the purposes of this bill, subject to the requirements of the fund.

This bill would authorize the department to award planning or coordination grants to participating universities or colleges to support implementation of the program as funding is made available. The bill would also require the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to annually report to the Legislature regarding the number of students participating, the number matriculating into doctor of podiatric medicine programs, and recommendations for expanding residency opportunities for podiatric graduates.

The bill would make implementation of these provisions contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032. MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Podiatric Pipeline Program Act.

SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>California faces a growing shortage of Doctors of Podiatric Medicine particularly in rural and underserved communities.</xhtml:p>"?> (b)</xhtml:p>"?> (

a) Many undergraduate students are unaware of podiatric medicine as a career path and lack opportunities for mentorship and exposure to the field. (c)</xhtml:p>"?> (

b) Establishing an undergraduate-to-podiatric-medical-school pathway will increase awareness, diversity, and the number of students entering podiatric programs in California. (d)</xhtml:p>"?> (

c) Two accredited podiatric medical schools operate in California, the California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Podiatric Medicine, and can serve as anchor partners for such a pipeline.

SEC.

Article 6 (commencing with

Section 128055) is added to

Chapter of Part of Division of the Health and Safety Code , to read: 6. California Podiatric Pipeline Program 128055. (

a) The Department of Health Care Access and Information shall establish and administer the California Podiatric Pipeline Program to promote careers in podiatric medicine and support the educational advancement of California residents pursuing the doctor of podiatric medicine degree. (

b) In consultation with the California State University, the University of California, the Podiatric Medical Board of California, the California Podiatric Medical Association, and accredited schools of podiatric medicine in California, the department shall take actions that include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Developing partnerships and agreements that link undergraduate institutions with California podiatric medical schools.

(2) Providing mentorship, outreach, and clinical-shadowing opportunities for undergraduate students interested in podiatric medicine.

(3) Creating a structured pathway for eligible students to receive early admission consideration to participating podiatric medical schools, contingent on meeting academic and professional benchmarks.

(4) Prioritizing recruitment of students from underrepresented, rural, or medically underserved areas of the state. (

c) The department may award planning or coordination grants to participating universities or colleges to support implementation of this program as funding is made available. (

d) The department may use funds from the Health Professions Education Fund or Health Professions Pathways Program for the purposes of this article, subject to the requirements of

Article 1 (commencing with

Section 128330) of

Chapter 5. (e)

(1) Notwithstanding

Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, shall annually report to the Legislature on the number of students participating, the number matriculating into doctor of podiatric medicine programs, and recommendations for expanding residency opportunities for podiatric graduates.

(2) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with

Section of the Government Code. 128056. Implementation of this

article shall be contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature. 128057. This

article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.