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AB-1811 • 2026

Health professional shortage areas.

Health professional shortage areas.

Healthcare Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rogers
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on how updates to the California Physician Corps Program will ensure it works more smoothly, only that they are technical and nonsubstantive changes.

Health Professional Shortage Areas

AB-1811 defines health professional shortage areas and makes updates to the California Physician Corps Program.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines a 'health professional shortage area' as an area with too few doctors or other healthcare workers, based on state or federal designations.
  • Includes areas designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before January 1, 2025, even if they are not currently recognized.
  • Makes technical updates to definitions for the California Physician Corps Program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Healthcare workers in shortage areas
  • People living in health professional shortage areas who need medical care

Terms To Know

health professional shortage area
An area where there are not enough doctors, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to meet the needs of people living there.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies until January 1, 2035.
  • It does not change how federal agencies designate health professional shortage areas.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  3. 2026-03-19 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.

  4. 2026-03-19 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  5. 2026-02-11 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.

  6. 2026-02-10 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1811, as amended, Rogers.
California Physician Corps Program.
Health professional shortage areas.
Existing federal law requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate health professional shortage areas, and requires the secretary, in establishing criteria for the designation of those areas, to consider, among other things, the ratio of available health manpower to the number of individuals in an area or population group and indicators of a need for health services, as specified. Existing state law makes references to federally recognized or designated health professional shortage areas in various contexts, including, among others, the California Physician Corps Program, the California Reproductive Health Services Corps, the Oral Health Program, the Virtual Health Hub for Rural Communities Pilot Program, and health professions planning grants.
This bill, until January 1, 2035, would define the term “health professional shortage area” to mean (1) an area determined by the Department of Health Care Access and Information to have a shortage of health professionals, (2) a health professional shortage area designated or recognized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or (3) an area designated or recognized as a health professional shortage area by the United States Department of Health and Human Services on January 1, 2025, regardless of whether that area remains designated or recognized by the United States Department of Health and Human Services as a health professional shortage area.
Existing law establishes the California Physician Corps Program within the Department of Health Care Access and Information. Existing law defines various terms for purposes of the program.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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