ARTICLE 1. Administration [2700. - 2717.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 1.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2700. Section 2700.

This chapter of the Business and Professions Code constitutes the chapter on professional nursing and shall be construed as revisory and amendatory of the laws heretofore enacted. It may be cited as the Nursing Practice Act.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2701. Section 2701.

(a) There is in the Department of Consumer Affairs the Board of Registered Nursing consisting of nine members. (b) For purposes of this chapter, “board” means the Board of Registered Nursing. Any reference in state law to the Board of Nurse Examiners of the State of California or the California Board of Nursing Education and Nurse Registration shall be construed to refer to the Board of Registered Nursing. (c) The board shall have all authority vested in the previous board under this chapter. The board may enforce all disciplinary actions undertaken by the previous board. (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2027, deletes or extends that date.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2701.5. Section 2701.5.

Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 2701 renders the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2702. Section 2702.

(a) Each member of the board shall be a resident of the state. (b) Four members shall represent the public at large, and shall not be licensed under any board under this division or any board referred to in Section 1000 or 3600 and shall have no pecuniary interests in the provision of health care services. (c) Two members shall be licensed registered nurses under the provisions of this chapter, each of whom shall be active in the practice of their profession engaged primarily in direct patient care with at least five continuous years of experience, and who shall not be engaged as an educator or administrator of a nursing education program under the provisions of this chapter. (d) One member shall be a licensed registered nurse who shall be active as an advanced practice registered nurse as defined in Section 2725.5. (e) One member shall be a licensed registered nurse under the provisions of this chapter who shall be active as an educator or administrator in an approved program to train registered nurses. (f) One member shall be a licensed registered nurse who is an administrator of a nursing service with at least five continuous years of experience.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2703. Section 2703.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), all appointments shall be for a term of four years and vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. No person shall serve more than two consecutive terms. (b) The Governor shall appoint two of the public members and the licensed members of the board qualified as provided in Section 2702. The Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint a public member. (c) The initial appointments shall be for the following terms: (1) One public member appointed by the Governor shall serve a term of one year. The other public member appointed by the Governor shall serve a term of five years. (2) One licensed member described in subdivision (c) of Section 2702 shall serve a term of two years. The other licensed member described in subdivision (c) of Section 2702 shall serve a term of three years. The licensed member described in subdivision (e) of Section 2702 shall serve a term of four years. Of the two remaining licensed members, one shall serve a term of two years, and the other shall serve a term of three years. (3) Each public member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules or the Speaker of the Assembly shall serve a term of four years.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2706. Section 2706.

Pursuant to Section 106, each appointing authority has the power to remove from office, at any time, any member of the board appointed by that authority under Section 2703 for continued neglect of duties required by law, or for incompetence, or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2707. Section 2707.

The board shall annually elect from its members a president, vice president, and any other officers as it may deem necessary. The officers of the board shall hold their respective positions during its pleasure.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2708. Section 2708.

(a) The board shall appoint an executive officer who shall perform the duties delegated by the board and be responsible to the board for the accomplishment of those duties. (b) The executive officer shall be a nurse currently licensed under this chapter and shall possess other qualifications as determined by the board. (c) The executive officer shall not be a member of the board. (d) The executive officer is authorized to adopt a decision entered by default and a stipulation for surrender of a license. (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2027, deletes or extends that date.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2708.1. Section 2708.1.

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Board of Registered Nursing in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2709. Section 2709.

The board for the purpose of transacting its business shall meet at least once every three months, at times and places it designates by resolution. Meetings shall be held in northern and southern California.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2709.5. Section 2709.5.

The board shall accept in payment of any fee required by this chapter cash or any customary or generally accepted medium of exchange, including check, cashier’s check, certified check or money order. For the purposes of this section, customary or generally accepted medium of exchange does not include postage stamps.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2710. Section 2710.

(a) Special meetings may be held at such times as the board may elect, or on the call of the president of the board, or of not less than three members thereof. (b) A written notice of the time, place, and object of any special meeting shall be sent electronically by the executive officer to all members of the board who are not parties to the call, at least 15 days before the day of the meeting.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2710.5. Section 2710.5.

The board, with permission of the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, may form advisory committees to advise the board on the implementation of this chapter. Members of such advisory committees shall be entitled to a per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2712. Section 2712.

Five members of the board constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2713. Section 2713.

The board shall keep a record of all its proceedings, including a register of all applicants for licenses under this chapter and the action of the board upon each application.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2714. Section 2714.

The office of the board shall be in the city of Sacramento. Suboffices may be established in Los Angeles and San Francisco and such records as may be necessary may be transferred temporarily to them. Legal proceedings against the board may be instituted in any county in which any of the three cities above mentioned is located.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2715. Section 2715.

(a) The board shall prosecute all persons guilty of violating this chapter. (b) Except as provided by Section 159.5, the board, in accordance with the Civil Service Law, may employ personnel, including legal counsel, as it deems necessary to carry into effect this chapter. (c) The board shall have and use a seal bearing the name “Board of Registered Nursing.” The board may adopt, amend, or repeal, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the rules and regulations that may be reasonably necessary to enable it to carry into effect this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2716. Section 2716.

Each member of the board shall receive a per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2717. Section 2717.

(a) The board shall incorporate regional forecasts into its biennial analyses of the nursing workforce conducted pursuant to Section 502. (b) The board shall develop a plan to address regional areas of shortage identified by its nursing workforce forecast.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026