California Assembly Bill 1199 (AB 1199) is advancing through the Legislature and, if signed into law, would meaningfully reduce the administrative burden on hospitals and medical staff by extending the required reappointment cycle for medical staff members from two years to three years.

What AB 1199 Would Do

Under current California law, Business and Professions Code section 2282 requires medical staff appointments to be made on an annual or biennial basis. Business and Professions Code section 2453 requires physicians and surgeons to demonstrate their competency at least every two years. AB 1199 proposes to amend both statutes to extend the reappointment cycle to at least every three years. The bill would also revise Health and Safety Code section 1275.6, expressly providing that the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) may not require general acute care hospitals or acute psychiatric hospitals to undertake routine reappointments more frequently than every three years.

These changes would align California law with the standards of CMS-approved accreditation organizations, including The Joint Commission and DNV, which already permit reappointment on a three-year cycle.

Legislative Status

On August 10, 2026, the Senate passed AB 1199 with a vote of 39 to 0 as part of the Consent Calendar, ordering it back to the Assembly for a vote on amendments made while in the Senate. 

AB 1199’s trajectory reflects that the bill has attracted no meaningful opposition at any stage of the committee process. At this point, passage in the Assembly appears highly likely. If the Assembly passes the bill, and it is signed by the governor, the effective date would likely be January 1, 2027.

What This Means for Medical Staffs

While AB 1199 would provide welcome relief from more frequent reappointments, Medical Staffs should be aware of one important limitation: the new law would establish a permissible maximum reappointment period, not mandate it. Hospitals and Medical Staffs that have adopted Medical Staff Bylaws requiring reappointment on a more frequent basis will need to continue following those Bylaws until they are formally amended through the applicable amendment process. A change in state law does not automatically supersede or modify existing Bylaws.

We will continue to monitor the status of this bill.