Physicians and surgeons: sexual misconduct and offenses: reinstatement of surrendered certificate

The law closes a reinstatement gap for licensees who surrender their certificates before the Medical Board of California resolves sexual-misconduct allegations.

What the law does ​

• Prohibits reinstatement if a certificate was surrendered while a board accusation alleging sexual abuse, misconduct, patient sexual relations, or sexual exploitation was pending.
• Retains the existing permanent reinstatement bans for certificates revoked for those acts, certain patient-related sex-offense convictions, and patient-related sex-offender registration.
• Continues to allow other disciplined licensees to seek reinstatement or penalty changes after applicable waiting periods and subject to board review.

Who it affects ​

• Physicians and surgeons who surrender a certificate while facing specified sexual-misconduct accusations.
• Licensees of the California Board of Podiatric Medicine subject to the same reinstatement process.
• Patients and former patients involved in the specified misconduct or offenses.