(a) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Agency” means the relevant state licensing agency with regulatory jurisdiction over a healing arts licensee listed in paragraph (2).

(2) “Healing arts licensee” or “licensee” means a licensee licensed under Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) or any initiative act referred to in that division. “Healing arts licensee” or “licensee” also includes a person authorized to practice medicine pursuant to Sections 2064.5, 2113, and 2168.

(3) “Health care facility” means a clinic or health facility licensed or exempt from licensure pursuant to Division 2 (commencing with Section 1200) of the Health and Safety Code.

(4) “Other entity” includes, but is not limited to, a postsecondary educational institution as defined in § 66261.5 of the Education Code.

(5) “Sexual misconduct” means inappropriate contact or communication of a sexual nature.

(b) A health care facility or other entity that makes any arrangement under which a healing arts licensee is allowed to practice or provide care for patients shall file a report of any allegation of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct made against a healing arts licensee by a patient, if the patient or the patient’s representative makes the allegation, in writing, to the agency within 15 days of receiving the written allegation of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct. An arrangement under which a licensee is allowed to practice or provide care for patients includes, but is not limited to, full staff privileges, active staff privileges, limited staff privileges, auxiliary staff privileges, provisional staff privileges, temporary staff privileges, courtesy staff privileges, locum tenens arrangements, and contractual arrangements to provide professional services, including, but not limited to, arrangements to provide outpatient services.

(c) The report provided pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be kept confidential and shall not be subject to discovery, except that the information may be reviewed as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 800 and may be disclosed in any subsequent disciplinary hearing conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(d) A willful failure to file the report described in subdivision (b) shall be punishable by a fine, not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per violation, that shall be paid by the health care facility or other entity subject to subdivision (b). The fine may be imposed in any civil or administrative action or proceeding brought by or on behalf of any agency having regulatory jurisdiction over the licensee regarding whom the report was or should have been filed. If the person who is designated or otherwise required to file the report under this section is a licensed physician and surgeon, the action or proceeding shall be brought by the Medical Board of California. If the person who is designated or otherwise required to file the report required under this section is a licensed doctor of podiatric medicine, the action or proceeding shall be brought by the Podiatric Medical Board of California. The fine shall be paid to that agency, but not expended until appropriated by the Legislature. A violation of this subdivision may constitute unprofessional conduct by the licensee. A person who is alleged to have violated this subdivision may assert any defense available at law. As used in this subdivision, “willful” means a voluntary and intentional violation of a known legal duty.

(e) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any failure to file the report described in subdivision (b) is punishable by a fine, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per violation, that shall be paid by the health care facility or other entity subject to subdivision (b). The fine may be imposed in any civil or administrative action or proceeding brought by or on behalf of any agency having regulatory jurisdiction over the person regarding whom the report was or should have been filed. If the person who is designated or otherwise required to file the report required under this section is a licensed physician and surgeon, the action or proceeding shall be brought by the Medical Board of California. If the person who is designated or otherwise required to file the report required under this section is a licensed doctor of podiatric medicine, the action or proceeding shall be brought by the Podiatric Medical Board of California. The fine shall be paid to that agency, but not expended until appropriated by the Legislature. The amount of the fine imposed, not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per violation, shall be proportional to the severity of the failure to report and shall differ based upon written findings, including whether the failure to file caused harm to a patient or created a risk to patient safety; whether any person who is designated or otherwise required by law to file the report required under this section exercised due diligence despite the failure to file or whether the person knew or should have known that a report required under this section would not be filed; whether there has been a prior failure to file a report required under this section; and whether a report was filed with another state agency or law enforcement. The amount of the fine imposed may also differ based on whether a health care facility is a small or rural hospital, as defined in § 124840 of the Health and Safety Code.

(f) A person, including an employee or individual contracted or subcontracted to provide health care services, a health care facility, or other entity shall not incur any civil or criminal liability as a result of making a report required by this section.

(g) The agency shall investigate the circumstances underlying a report received pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 370, Sec. 4. (SB 1371) Effective January 1, 2021.)