Chapter 1.5Exemption From Licensure

Section § 900

Explanation

This law allows healthcare practitioners from other states to come and help in California during a state of emergency if local healthcare providers become overwhelmed. These out-of-state practitioners can only assist if the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority requests them. The director will oversee and decide which types of healthcare workers are needed and where they should go. Before becoming involved, practitioners must show their licenses and photo ID. They also need to verify their credentials with California authorities when asked. These practitioners are protected from liability for services they provide during the emergency. The term 'health care practitioner' includes anyone who needs a license to do their job, and 'director' refers to the head of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.

(a)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(a) Nothing in this division applies to a health care practitioner licensed in another state or territory of the United States who offers or provides health care for which he or she is licensed, if the health care is provided only during a state of emergency as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 8558 of the Government Code, which emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of California health care practitioners and only upon the request of the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
(b)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(b) The director shall be the medical control and shall designate the licensure and specialty health care practitioners required for the specific emergency and shall designate the areas to which they may be deployed.
(c)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(c) Health care practitioners shall provide, upon request, a valid copy of a professional license and a photograph identification issued by the state in which the practitioner holds licensure before being deployed by the director.
(d)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(d) Health care practitioners deployed pursuant to this chapter shall provide the appropriate California licensing authority with verification of licensure upon request.
(e)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(e) Health care practitioners providing health care pursuant to this chapter shall have immunity from liability for services rendered as specified in Section 8659 of the Government Code.
(f)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(f) For the purposes of this section, “health care practitioner” means any person who engages in acts which are the subject of licensure or regulation under this division or under any initiative act referred to in this division.
(g)CA Business and Professions Code § 900(g) For purposes of this section, “director” means the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority who shall have the powers specified in Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 1797) of the Health and Safety Code.
state of emergency out-of-state healthcare emergency medical services healthcare practitioners Director of Emergency Medical Services Authority response capabilities medical control verification of licensure immunity from liability California licensing authority photo identification professional license emergency deployment healthcare specialty medical oversight
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 270, Sec. 1. (AB 2699) Effective January 1, 2011.)

Section § 901

Explanation

This law allows certain healthcare professionals from other states or countries to provide services during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles without needing a California license. They must be invited by the event's organizing committee and registered with California's Director of Consumer Affairs. The work must fall within their usual scope of practice and only occur at the sanctioned events. Exemptions can end if requested by regulatory bodies. If a team member can't consent due to age or disability, a team representative can consent on their behalf, and this won't be invalidated for those reasons. In emergencies, parental consent isn’t needed for care. Some professionals, like pharmacists, are excluded from this exemption.

(a)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(a)(1) “Committee” means the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
(2)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(a)(2) “Health care practitioner” means any person who engages in acts that are the subject of licensure or regulation under this division or under any initiative act referred to in this division and who maintains an active license in good standing to provide the same or substantially similar services in another state, territory, or country.
(3)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(a)(3) “Olympic and Paralympic activities” means any competition, non competition, athlete village, training, or support sites in this state sanctioned by the committee.
(b)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b) Notwithstanding any other law, any licensure, certification, or registration requirements of this division shall not apply to a health care practitioner licensed in another state, territory, or country while providing professional services for which a license would otherwise be required in this state if both of the following conditions are met:
(1)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b)(1) The health care practitioner has been invited by the committee to provide professional services at Olympic and Paralympic activities.
(2)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b)(2) The committee provides to the Director of Consumer Affairs, to forward to the applicable licensing entity within the department that corresponds to the licensing entity in the state, territory, or country where the health care practitioner is licensed before the provision of professional services by a health care practitioner, all of the following information:
(A)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b)(2)(A) The name of the health care practitioner.
(B)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b)(2)(B) The state, territory, or country of the health care practitioner’s licensure and the licensing entity from which the health care practitioner holds a license.
(C)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b)(2)(C) The dates for which the health care practitioner has been invited to provide professional services.
(D)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(b)(2)(D) The scope of practice the committee requires for that practitioner at Olympic and Paralympic activities.
(c)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(c) The exemption granted under this section shall be limited to only those professional services required by or on behalf of the committee. Those professional services shall be within the scope of the health care practitioner’s existing licensure, certification, or registration and shall only be provided at Olympic and Paralympic activities.
(d)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(d) A health care practitioner shall cease to be exempted under this section upon a request made by the department to the committee on behalf of an applicable licensing entity.
(e)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(e) The exemption provided in this section shall remain in force while the health care practitioner is providing professional services at the invitation of the committee and only during the time sanctioned by the committee.
(f)Copy CA Business and Professions Code § 901(f)
(1)Copy CA Business and Professions Code § 901(f)(1) Notwithstanding any other law, in the event the consent of the parent, guardian, or legal representative of a team member cannot be obtained, the official team representative who is responsible for any member participating in Olympic and Paralympic activities may give consent to the furnishing of professional services to a team member who, due to age, disability, or injury, is not able to personally consent.
(2)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(f)(2) Consent given pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not be subject to disaffirmance or invalidation due to the individual’s age, disability, or injury.
(3)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(f)(3) In the case of an emergency, the consent of the parent, guardian, or legal representative of the team member shall not be necessary in order to authorize the performance of professional services.
(g)CA Business and Professions Code § 901(g) This section does not apply to persons who engage in acts that are subject to licensure or regulation pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 4000) or Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 4430).
2028 Olympics Paralympic Games Los Angeles Organizing Committee healthcare exemption cross-state licensure Director of Consumer Affairs team member consent emergency medical care invited healthcare practitioners regulated scope of practice sanctioned activities parental consent waiver licensing requirements Olympic health professionals
(Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 105, Sec. 1. (AB 144) Effective September 17, 2025.)