AB 1547

AB1547:v99#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1547

An act to add Section 92170 to the Education Code, relating to the University of California, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1547, as introduced, Bains. University of California: branch campus of a school of medicine in the County of Kern: feasibility study.

Existing law establishes the University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, existing law requires moneys in the endowment fund to be allocated to the University of California to support the annual operating costs for the development, operation, and maintenance of a branch campus of an existing University of California School of Medicine in the County of Kern, and to conduct a feasibility study related to that campus.

This bill would require the University of California, on or before January 1, 2028, to complete a feasibility study, and reasonably attempt to consult with local stakeholders, to determine the steps necessary to establish a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern, and to submit the feasibility study, including detailed findings, recommendations, and an implementation timeline, to the Governor and Legislature, as provided. The bill would require the feasibility study to include a comprehensive analysis of the requirements, challenges, and opportunities related to establishing a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern, as provided.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Digest Key

Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Kern School of Medicine Feasibility Act.

SEC. 2.

Section 92170 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 92169, to read:

92170.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) There is a growing need for health care professionals in California, particularly in underserved regions, including the County of Kern.

(2) Establishing a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern will help address this need by training the next generation of medical professionals and improving access to health care in the region.

(3) The state has established an endowment fund to support the development of a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern.

(4) A comprehensive feasibility study is necessary to determine the specific requirements and steps for establishing a branch campus of an existing medical school, including site selection, construction needs, faculty recruitment, adequate resources, clinical practice agreements, curriculum development, and accreditation.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 67400, the University of California shall, on or before January 1, 2028, do both of the following:

(1) (A) Complete a feasibility study and reasonably attempt to consult with local stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the Kern County Medical Society, the Kern Medical Hospital Authority, Kern Family Health Care, at least one labor union representing University of California patient care and technical employees, and at least one labor union representing health care workers in the County of Kern, to determine the steps necessary to establish a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern.

(B) The feasibility study shall include a comprehensive analysis of the requirements, challenges, and opportunities related to establishing a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(i) The identification of potential sites for the branch campus of a medical school.

(ii) An assessment of construction and infrastructure needs for the branch campus of a medical school, and an assessment of the ability to comply with all the resource requirements of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

(iii) Recommended recruitment strategies for qualified faculty and staff.

(iv) An evaluation of the ability to comply with the accreditation requirements of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education as a branch campus.

(v) Development of a medical education curriculum.

(vi) A financial analysis, including, but not limited to, projected costs and potential funding sources.

(vii) A review of graduate medical education opportunities in the County of Kern and recommendations on how to ensure that graduates of the branch campus of a medical school in the County of Kern have access to a medical residency in the County of Kern.

(2) (A) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, submit the feasibility study, including detailed findings, recommendations, and an implementation timeline, to the Governor and the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(B) The University of California shall make the feasibility study submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) also available in an electronic format on its internet website.

SEC. 3.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to address the significant adverse health impacts of the shortage of physicians serving the residents of the County of Kern, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.