20250AB__167197AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-02 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-03 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-19 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Tangipa LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Tangipa

An act to add

Section 1179.2 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care. health care Rural medical services grant program. Existing law establishes the Office of Rural Health within the California Health and Human Services Agency to promote a strong working relationship between state government and local and federal agencies, universities, private and public interest groups, rural consumers, health care providers, foundations, and other offices of rural health, as well as to develop health initiatives and maximize the use of existing resources without duplicating existing effort.

Existing law requires the office to serve as a key information and referral source to promote coordinated planning for the delivery of health services in rural California. This bill would require the office to develop and administer, upon appropriation by the Legislature, a competitive grant program for the delivery of, or the support, sustenance, or expansion of the delivery of, medical services, as defined, to individuals who reside in rural areas, as defined.

The bill would authorize the office upon that appropriation to expend up to $3,000,000 annually and would authorize a qualified provider, as defined, to apply to the office once per year for a grant of up to $10,000 for those purposes. The bill would require the office to establish specified standards and procedures, including criteria and standards for eligibility and the measurement of outcomes achieved, and, on or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, to publish this information on its internet website.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 1179.2 is added to the Health and Safety Code , to read: 1179.2. (

a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) (A) “Medical services” means the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness, injury, or other physical or mental conditions performed by a qualified provider who is physically present while providing those services. “Medical services” includes, but is not limited to, doctor visits, hospital care, surgeries, mental health therapy, telehealth services, and rehabilitative treatments. (B) “Medical services” does not include elective cosmetic procedures. (i)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Elective cosmetic procedures.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(ii)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Telehealth services.</xhtml:p>"?> (2) “Qualified provider” means an individual licensed in the state as any of the following: (

A) A dental hygienist licensed pursuant to

Article 9 (commencing with

Section 1900) of

Chapter of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

B) A certified nurse-midwife licensed pursuant to

Article 2.5 (commencing with

Section 2746) of

Chapter of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

C) A chiropractor licensed pursuant to

Chapter 2 (commencing with

Section 1000) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

D) A dentist, including a dentist that performs oral and maxillofacial surgery, licensed pursuant to

Chapter 4 (commencing with

Section 1600) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

E) A doctor of podiatric medicine licensed pursuant to

Article 22 (commencing with

Section 2460) of

Chapter of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

F) An optometrist licensed pursuant to

Chapter 7 (commencing with

Section 3000) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

G) An osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed pursuant to

Article 4.5 (commencing with

Section 2099.5) of

Chapter of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

H) A pharmacist licensed pursuant to

Chapter 9 (commencing with

Section 4000) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

I) A physical therapist licensed pursuant to

Chapter 5.7 (commencing with

Section 2600) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

J) A physician and surgeon licensed pursuant to

Chapter 5 (commencing with

Section 2000) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

K) A physician assistant licensed pursuant to

Chapter 7.7 (commencing with

Section 3500) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

L) A psychologist licensed pursuant to

Chapter 6.6 (commencing with

Section 2900) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

M) A registered nurse or nurse practitioner licensed pursuant to

Chapter 6 (commencing with

Section 2700) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

N) A speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed pursuant to

Chapter 5.3 (commencing with

Section 2530) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (

O) An occupational therapist licensed pursuant to

Chapter 5.6 (commencing with

Section 2570) of Division of the Business and Professions Code. (3) “Rural area” has the same meaning as in

Section 50199.21. (4) “Support, sustenance, or expansion of the delivery of medical services” includes, but is not limited to, all of the following: (

A) Workforce support. (

B) Equipment. (

C) Operational costs. (

D) Infrastructure improvements. (

E) Other expenses necessary to increase access to care. (b)

(1) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Office of Rural Health shall develop and administer a competitive grant program to compensate qualified providers for the delivery of medical services, or the support, sustenance, or expansion of the delivery of medical services, to individuals who reside in rural areas of California.

(2) Upon the appropriation described in paragraph (1), the office may expend up to three million dollars ($3,000,000) annually for the purposes of this section.

(3) A qualified provider may apply to the office once per year for a grant of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the purposes described in paragraph (1). (c)

(1) The office shall establish the criteria and standards for the grant program for all of the following: (

A) Eligibility requirements for applicants, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (

i) Proof of an active license in good standing in this state. (ii) Proof that the applicant provides in-person medical services throughout the year, either part-time or full-time, in a rural area. (iii) A description of how the grant funding will improve, sustain, or expand medical services in rural areas. (

B) The application review process. (

C) Compliance monitoring. (

D) The measurement of outcomes achieved, including, but not limited to, both of the following: (

i) The impact on access to in-person medical care in rural areas of the state. (ii) The impact on provider recruitment and retention in rural areas of the state.

(2) On or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the office shall publish the information described in paragraph (1) on its internet website.