California Senate Bill 636 has been sent to Governor Newsom, and if signed would require doctors performing utilization review for private employers to be licensed by the California Medical Board.

Supporters argue the licensing ensures accountability for wrongful treatment denials, while opponents argue it adds no value since utilization review decisions follow California’s Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS). The Governor has until September 30th to act on this bill, or it becomes law without signature.

The effective date has been pushed to July 1, 2026, from the originally proposed January 1, 2025.