(a) In order to implement the Consumer Protection Enforcement Initiative of 2010, the director, through the Division of Investigation, shall implement “Complaint Prioritization Guidelines” for boards to utilize in prioritizing their respective complaint and investigative workloads. The guidelines shall be used to determine the referral of complaints to the division and those that are retained by the health care boards for investigation.
(b) Neither the Medical Board of California nor the Podiatric Medical Board of California shall be required to utilize the guidelines implemented pursuant to subdivision (a).
(c) On or before July 1, 2019, the director shall amend the guidelines implemented pursuant to subdivision (a) to include the category of “allegations of serious harm to a minor” under the “urgent” or “highest priority” level.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 351, Sec. 47. (AB 496) Effective January 1, 2020.)