Assembly BillFailedBusiness and Professions
AB 304: Training programs: clinical laboratories and personnel: grants.
What AB 304 does, verified February 3, 2026
<p>This bill would establish a grant program to provide funding for qualified training programs in clinical laboratories and personnel. The program is designed to support training for medical laboratory technicians and clinical laboratory scientists. To be eligible, training programs must be approved by the state department of public health.</p> <p>The grant program would require grantees to expend the funds within three years of receiving the grant. The bill makes related findings and declarations, highlighting the need for training programs in the healthcare industry.</p> <p>The bill aims to support the development of new health professions personnel and improve the quality of healthcare services in California. The program would provide funding for training programs that are approved by the state department of public health.</p>
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 09, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Mar. 26, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, January 23, 2025 · 515 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 304
| Introduced by Assembly Member Chen |
January 23, 2025 |
An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 1330) to Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 304, as introduced, Chen. Training programs: clinical laboratories and personnel: grants.
Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health within the California Health and Human Services Agency. Existing law requires the department to license and regulate clinical laboratories and various clinical laboratory personnel, including medical laboratory technicians. Existing law prohibits a person from operating a training program or course for the purpose of training clinical laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians without the prior approval of the department. Existing law imposes on the department specified duties related to the approval and regulation of training programs for instruction in clinical laboratory techniques.
Existing law establishes a Department of Health Care Access and Information within the California Health and Human Services Agency. Existing law authorizes the department to make grants to develop training for new types of health professions personnel, as specified.
This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish a grant program to provide funding for qualified training programs, as defined, that are approved by the State Department of Public Health, as specified. The bill would also require a grantee to expend funds within 3 years of receiving the grant. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(a) The need for clinical laboratory scientists and medical laboratory technicians has grown in recent years at a rate severely disproportionate to the growth rate of educational training program opportunities for up-and-coming lab professionals.
(b) With state law requiring that each clinical laboratory scientist or medical laboratory technician have experience in those programs, the process of students becoming professionals must be streamlined and provided for by the state.
SEC. 2.
Article 8 (commencing with Section 1330) is added to Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:Article 8. Clinical Laboratory Training Grant Program
1330.
(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for this express purpose, the Department of Health Care Access and Information, in coordination with the State Department of Public Health, shall establish a grant program to provide funding to clinical training programs that meet both of the following criteria:(1) Offer training programs for clinical laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians.
(2) Are approved by the State Department of Public Health or accredited by a recognized accrediting program approved by the State Department of Public Health.
(b) The Department of Health Care Access and Information may award grants to clinical training programs for the purpose of training new clinical laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians.
(c) A grantee awarded a grant pursuant to subdivision (b) shall expend those funds within three years of receiving the grant.
Text of AB 304 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions