Bill Text: CA SB975 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Nursing schools and programs: faculty members, directors, and assistant directors.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-02-11 - Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D. [SB975 Detail]
Download: California-2025-SB975-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 975
| Introduced by Senator Ochoa Bogh |
February 04, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 2787 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 975, as introduced, Ochoa Bogh.
Nursing schools and programs: faculty members, directors, and assistant directors.
Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, establishes the Board of Registered Nursing in the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate the practice of nursing. A violation of the act is a crime. Existing law imposes specified duties on the board related to the approval and regulation of schools of nursing and nursing programs whose graduates are eligible to apply for a license to practice nursing. In this regard, existing law requires the executive officer of the board to develop a uniform method for evaluating requests and granting approvals. If the board requires the approval of the faculty or directors, as described, existing law authorizes the board to approve an individual to serve as a member of the faculty, director, or assistant director of an approved school of nursing or nursing program. Existing law requires the board to approve an applicant for individual approval if
the applicant submits a completed application, as specified, demonstrating that the applicant meets the requirements established by the board for faculty, directors, and assistant directors of an approved school of nursing or nursing program. If an applicant for approval has a faculty position and does not meet a requirement established by the board for a different position, existing law authorizes the board to accept a remediation plan, as specified. If the board accepts the above-described remediation plan, existing law authorizes the board to approve the applicant to instruct in theory under the mentorship and supervision of the content expert, as specified.
This bill would, instead, require the board to approve an applicant for individual approval if the applicant submits a completed application, as specified, demonstrating that the applicant meets the requirements established by the board for faculty, directors, and assistant directors of an approved school of
nursing or nursing program, and, if needed, an approved remediation plan. The bill would, instead, authorize the board to accept a remediation plan, as specified, if an applicant for approval at a California Community College with an approved school of nursing or nursing program does not meet a requirement established by the board for a different position, and to approve the applicant to instruct in theory under the mentorship and supervision of the content expert, as specified, if the board accepts the above-described remediation plan for faculty. The bill would require the board to approve the applicant to serve under the mentorship of a board-approved director or assistant director if the board accepts the above-described remediation plan for nursing directors or assistant directors. Because the bill would expand the scope of a crime under the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 2787 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:2787.
If the board requires the approval of the faculty or directors in regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 2786, all of the following apply:(a) The board may approve an individual to serve as a member of the faculty, director, or assistant director of an approved school of nursing or nursing program.
(b) The board shall approve an applicant for individual approval if the applicant submits a completed application in the form prescribed by the board demonstrating that the applicant meets the requirements established by the board for faculty, directors, and assistant directors of an approved school of nursing or nursing program.
program, and if needed, an approved remediation plan.
(c) The individual approval under this section shall be valid for five years and may be renewed if the individual demonstrates to the board that they continue to meet the requirements established by the board for faculty, directors, and assistant directors of an approved school of nursing or nursing program.
(d) The board shall display an approved individual’s faculty, director, or assistant director approval status, including the approved faculty level and content areas, if applicable, and the status of their nursing license through an online search tool administered by the department.
(e) (1) If an applicant for approval
at a California Community College with an approved school of nursing or nursing program under this section has a faculty position and
does not meet a requirement established by the board for a different position, the board may accept a remediation plan submitted by an that approved school of nursing or nursing program to help the applicant meet the requirement.
(2) If the board accepts the plan submitted under paragraph (1), (1) for faculty, the board may approve the applicant to instruct in theory under the mentorship and supervision of the content expert identified in the plan for up to one year.
(3) If the board accepts the plan submitted under paragraph (1) for nursing directors or assistant directors, the board shall approve the applicant to serve under the mentorship of a board-approved director or assistant director.
(f) If required by the board for directors and assistant directors of an approved school of nursing or nursing program, an approved school of nursing or nursing program shall continue to report to the board changes in the nursing program’s director and assistant director of nursing positions.
(g) An approved school of nursing or nursing program shall not be required to report to the board any of the following faculty changes:
(1) A change in a faculty member’s teaching area.
(2) An offer of employment for a faculty member position.
(3) Termination of employment of a faculty member.
(h) This section does not modify any limitations on the powers of the board related to the faculty approval of accredited schools of nursing and nursing programs as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 2786.2.
