Assembly BillPassed first houseBusiness and Professions
AB 2386: License to practice medicine: Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program and California Physician Expansion Act.
What AB 2386 does, verified August 15, 2026
<blockquote> The bill amends California's Medical Practice Act by requiring the Medical Board of California to issue full and unrestricted physician’s licenses to individuals who complete the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program in good standing with an offer of continued employment. It also establishes the California Physician Expansion Act, which allows the board to issue provisional licenses to foreign physicians holding full and unrestricted medical licenses elsewhere for up to six years if they meet certain criteria and are employed by approved entities. Provisional licensees must complete at least three years of practice without disciplinary actions to qualify for a full license. </blockquote>
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-08-13)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions20 total · showing 5
| Aug. 13, 2026 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Aug. 03, 2026 | In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Jun. 22, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun. 16, 2026 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D. |
| Jun. 10, 2026 | Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D. |
Latest bill textAmended version, June 16, 2026 · 1,251 words
| Amended IN Senate June 16, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 22, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 13, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2386
| Introduced by Assembly Member Alvarez (Coauthor: Assembly Member Ávila Farías) |
February 20, 2026 |
An act to add Section 2126.1 to, and to add Article 6.2 (commencing with Section 2128) to Chapter 5 of Division 2 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2386, as amended, Alvarez. License to practice medicine: Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program and California Physician Expansion Act.
Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California to license and regulate the practice of medicine. Former law, repealed as of January 1, 2025, established the Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program, which allowed up to 30 licensed physicians and up to 30 licensed dentists from Mexico to practice medicine or dentistry in California for a period not to exceed 3 years, in accordance with certain requirements. Existing law, operative January 1, 2025, instead, establishes within the act the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program, which authorizes the board to issue a limited number of nonrenewable 3-year physician’s and surgeon’s licenses to licensed physicians from Mexico who meet specified criteria.
This bill would require the board to issue a full and unrestricted physician’s and surgeon’s license to a person who has completed the 2 3-year term terms of the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program or the former Licensed Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program in good standing upon satisfaction of specified requirements, including having an offer of continued employment from a health care facility or practice in California.
This bill would establish the California Physician Expansion Act, which would require the board to issue a provisional license to an applicant who holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in another country who meets specified requirements, including that the applicant has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of a certificate, as specified. In this regard, the bill would require the board to submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the department of all applicants for a provisional license to determine whether the applicant has a criminal conviction record, as specified, and would require the department to provide a state- and federal-level response pursuant to specified provisions for the board to determine whether the applicant is subject to denial of licensure, as specified.
The bill would make the provisional license valid for 3 years and would authorize the board to grant a one-time extension renewal for an additional period of up to 3 years, as specified. The bill would require a provisional licensee to, among other things, be employed by, and practice medicine only within, a sponsoring entity that is approved by the board, entity, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to revoke a provisional license or take any other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the board, as specified. The bill would deem a provisional licensee applicant who meets specified requirements, including having completed at least 36 months of practice under the provisional license without any disciplinary actions, to meet the professional instruction, preliminary education, and postgraduate training requirements for a certificate under the Medical Practice Act. The bill would require the board to establish application, initial licensure, renewal, and conversion fees for the provisional license, as specified. The bill would make findings and declarations relating to its provisions.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(1) California faces a severe and growing shortage of physicians, particularly in primary care specialties and in federally designated health professional shortage areas and medically underserved areas.
(2) The state’s diverse population, including large Spanish-speaking communities, requires culturally and linguistically competent physicians to ensure health equity and positive outcomes.
(3) The Licensed Physicians and Dentist from Mexico Pilot Program, which was originally enacted by Assembly Bill 1045 of the 2001–02 Regular Session, and recasted as the Licensed Physicians from Mexico Program by Assembly Bill 2860 of the 2023–24 Regular Session, has demonstrated success in placing qualified Mexican physicians in underserved settings but currently offers no pathway for these physicians to continue serving California communities beyond the three-year nonrenewable term.
(4) California has untapped resources of medical talent, including recent medical school graduates who have been unable to secure residency positions and experienced internationally trained physicians who seek to practice in areas of need.
(5) It is in the public interest to create additional supervised pathways to practice medicine that maintain rigorous standards for patient safety while expanding access to care in communities throughout the state.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to expand access to care while maintaining appropriate standards for patient safety and professional accountability.
SEC. 2.
Section 2126.1 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:2126.1.
(a) A physician from Mexico who has completed(1) Has completed the two three-year term of the nonrenewable license program terms in good standing.
(2)Has obtained Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certification.
(3)Has passed Steps 1, 2, and 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination.
(4)
(2)
Has provided evidence satisfactory to the board establishing that the physician has received positive evaluations in the peer reviews described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (e) of Section 2125 and from the federally qualified health center’s chief executive officer or chief medical officer for each year of licensure.(5)
(3)
Has an offer of continued employment from a health care facility or practice in California, including, but not limited to, a federally qualified health care center, hospital, or clinic.(4) Has certified that the physician will practice only in the areas of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, or psychiatry, as appropriate based on the physician’s licensure and certification in Mexico and history of practice in California.
(6)
(5)
Has completed all applicable continuing medical education requirements of Article 10 (commencing with Section 2190) during(6) Has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of licensure pursuant to Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475) or Article 12 (commencing with Section 2220).
(7) Has no open complaints against their license and no history of enforcement action, including, but not limited to, a citation and fine or discipline, against their license.
(8) Is in good standing when applying for a full and unrestricted license and applies no earlier than nine months prior to the expiration of their current license.
(9) Has submitted payment of all fees for a full and unrestricted physician and surgeon license pursuant to Article 20 (commencing with Section 2435).
(b) The board shall issue a full and unrestricted physician’s and surgeon’s license to an applicant who meets the requirements of subdivision (a) and who otherwise meets all requirements for licensure under this chapter.
(c) A license issued pursuant to this section shall expire, and may be renewed, pursuant to the requirements of Article 19 (commencing with Section 2421).
Text of AB 2386 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions