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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 876

Nurse anesthetists: scope of practice.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law, the Nurse Anesthetists Act, provides for the certification and regulation of nurse anesthetists by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law requires the utilization of a nurse anesthetist to provide anesthesia services in an acute care facility to be approved by the acute care facility administration and the appropriate committee, as defined, and at the discretion of the physician, dentist, or podiatrist. Existing law makes a nurse anesthetist who is not an employee of an acute care facility subject to the bylaws of the facility. This bill would expressly provide that a nurse anesthetist is authorized to perform anesthesia services. The bill would define "anesthesia services" for purposes of the act to mean, among other things, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care and pain management provided by a nurse anesthetist for patients receiving anesthesia pursuant to an order by a physician, dentist, or podiatrist for anesthesia services. Under the bill, an order by a physician, dentist, or podiatrist for anesthesia services for a specific patient would be deemed the authorization for the nurse anesthetist to select and implement the modality of anesthesia for the patient and to abort or modify the modality of anesthesia during the course of care. The bill would provide that the selection and administration of medication by a nurse anesthetist for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care and for pain management purposes pursuant to an order by a physician, dentist, or podiatrist shall not constitute a prescription as that term is defined in a specified provision of federal law. The bill would state that the provisions of the Nurse Anesthetists Act are declaratory of existing law and of an advisory opinion, including specified case law.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 8:07 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Sep 4, 2025
House		AB 876 Flora Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Sep 3, 2025
Senate		3rd Reading AB876 Flora By AshbypassSet your home in California to see
Sep 3, 2025
Senate		3rd Reading AB876 Flora By Ashby ReconsiderpassSet your home in California to see
Sep 3, 2025
Senate		3rd Reading AB876 Flora By AshbypassSet your home in California to see
Jul 14, 2025
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
May 15, 2025
House		AB 876 Flora Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 7, 2025
House		Do pass.passSet your home in California to see
Apr 22, 2025
House		Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see

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