Assembly BillIntroducedHealth and Safety
AB 2256: Radiologist assistants.
What AB 2256 does, verified May 16, 2026
<p>This bill would prohibit a person from holding themselves out as a radiologist assistant unless they meet certain requirements, including passing a radiologist assistant examination and maintaining current registration with prescribed entities. A radiologist assistant would be required to work under the supervision of a radiologist and cannot function independently. They can communicate and document initial clinical and imaging observations or procedures only to a radiologist for the radiologist's use. A supervising radiologist can delegate tasks or services to a radiologist assistant as they determine is appropriate to the assistant's competence.</p>
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-05-14)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions6 total · showing 5
| May. 14, 2026 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 22, 2026 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr. 07, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Mar. 09, 2026 | Referred to Com. on B. & P. |
| Feb. 20, 2026 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 22. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 19, 2026 · 906 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2256
| Introduced by Assembly Member Chen |
February 19, 2026 |
An act to add Section 114876 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to radiologist assistants.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2256, as introduced, Chen. Radiologist assistants.
Existing law, the Radiologic Technology Act, prohibits a person from administering or using diagnostic or therapeutic X-rays on human beings in this state, unless that person either qualifies for a specified exemption or has been certified or granted a permit by the State Department of Public Health, as specified, is acting within the scope of that certification or permit, and is acting under the supervision of a healing arts licensee. A person who violates a provision of the Radiologic Technology Act or regulation of the department adopted pursuant to that act is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill would prohibit a person from holding themselves out as a radiologist assistant unless the person meets certain requirements, including that they have passed the radiologist assistant examination, as specified, and that they maintain current registration with prescribed entities. The bill would require a radiologist assistant to work only under the supervision of a radiologist and would prohibit a radiologist assistant from functioning in that capacity independent of a supervising radiologist. The bill, among other things, would authorize a radiologist assistant to communicate and document initial clinical and imaging observations or procedures only to a radiologist for the radiologist’s use. The bill would authorize a supervising radiologist to delegate to a radiologist assistant, as the radiologist determines appropriate to the assistant’s competence, those tasks or services that a radiologist usually performs and is qualified to perform. The bill would provide that a violation of its provisions does not constitute a misdemeanor.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) The radiologist assistant is an advanced-level radiographer who has completed a nationally recognized radiologists assistant educational program and successfully completed a nationally recognized certification examination for radiologist assistants.
(b) Radiologist assistants are an extension of a radiologist and work under the supervision of a radiologist, as part of a radiologist-led team, performing medical imaging procedures within the scope of practice that the radiologist assistant is educationally prepared, clinically competent, and delegated by a radiologist to perform.
(c) Radiologist assistants do not hold the responsibility of diagnosing illnesses; however, radiologist assistants assist a radiologist by completing patient history, describing procedures, performing medical imaging procedures, and communicating initial clinical and imaging observations or procedure details only to the supervising radiologist for the radiologist’s use.
(d) Radiologist assistants work in hospitals, outpatient facilities, or diagnostic imaging centers. Radiologist assistants work only under the supervision and delegation of a radiologist.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature that this act be implemented using existing certification, registration, and enforcement mechanisms and will not require the department to establish a new licensure category, program, or regulatory framework.
SEC. 2.
Section 114876 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:114876.
(a) No person shall hold themselves out to be a radiologist assistant, or use the title of “radiologist assistant,” or any other term, to imply or to suggest that the person is a radiologist assistant, unless the person meets all of the following requirements:(1) The person has passed the radiologist assistant examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, the radiology practitioner assistant examination administered by the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants, or another examination offered by a successor or comparable entity that has been determined by the department to evaluate the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the protection of the public and has been approved by the department.
(2) The person maintains current registration with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants, or a successor or comparable entity.
(3) The person is certified or permitted to conduct radiologic technology in this state or possesses a radiologist assistant license from another state that licenses radiologist assistants.
(b) A radiologist assistant shall work only under the supervision of a radiologist. A radiologist assistant shall not function in their capacity as a radiologist assistant independent of a supervising radiologist.
(c) A radiologist assistant shall not interpret images, make diagnoses, or prescribe medications or therapies.
(d) A radiologist assistant may administer prescribed drugs only as directed by a supervising radiologist or their designee.
(e) (1) A radiologist assistant may communicate and document initial clinical and imaging observations or procedures only to a radiologist for the radiologist’s use.
(2) A radiologist assistant may communicate a supervising radiologist’s report to an appropriate health care provider consistent with the American College of Radiology guideline for communicating diagnostic imaging findings.
(f) A supervising radiologist may delegate to a radiologist assistant, as the radiologist determines appropriate to the radiologist assistant’s competence, those tasks or services that a radiologist usually performs and is qualified to perform.
(g) This section shall not be construed to eliminate, or in any way affect, any existing duties for a radiologic technologist or any existing requirements for the supervision of a radiologic technologist. Enforcement of this section shall be conducted using existing enforcement authority applicable to radiologic technologists and shall not require additional staff, rulemaking, or resources.
(h) A violation of this section shall not constitute a misdemeanor under subdivision (a) of Section 107075.
Text of AB 2256 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions