Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), announced a new bill aimed at strengthening patient protections by permanently barring physicians who commit sexual misconduct from returning to practice.

Senate Bill (SB) 849 would require automatic revocation of a medical license if it had previously been revoked for sexual misconduct and later reinstated on or after Jan. 1, 2020. The measure would also prohibit those physicians from ever seeking reinstatement again.

The proposal comes as lawmakers seek to close gaps in California law that have allowed some doctors accused of sexual misconduct to resume treating patients.

“Throughout medicine, there have been troubling cases in which physicians whose licenses were revoked for sexual misconduct were later allowed to return to practice, putting new patients at risk,” Weber Pierson said.

California law already mandates automatic revocation for physicians found guilty of sexual misconduct. However, current rules allow some to petition for reinstatement, which has been granted in certain cases.

Weber Pierson said SB 849 would eliminate that pathway and strengthen accountability across the medical system.

“SB 849 closes that door permanently by requiring automatic revocation when a physician’s certificate was previously revoked for sexual misconduct and then reinstated on or after Jan. 1, 2020,” she said. “It also prohibits these individuals from ever petitioning for reinstatement or renewal again.”

Announcing the bill, Weber Pierson emphasized the need to restore trust in health care and protect patients.

“Today I presented my first bill of 2026, SB 849, focused on protecting patients and ensuring trust and professionalism in our healthcare system, because every patient deserves safe, respectful, and accountable care,” she said.

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By: Bo Tefu, California Black Media