The California Board of Registered Nursing (Board) has implemented the Public Health Nurse Certification Fee Waiver Program in accordance with Senate Bill 104, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 13, 2023. The Program, which goes into effect on January 1, 2024, provides a one-time waiver of initial application or renewal fees for Public Health Nurse certifications as part of Governor Newsom's Workforce for a Healthy California.

Initial applicants of the Public Health Nurse certificate who submit a complete application on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2025, will not be assessed an initial application fee. Current licensees with a Public Health Nurse certificate expiring on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2026, will not be assessed a renewal fee for the Public Health Nurse certificate.

Effective November 16, 2023, BreEZe has been updated to reflect the renewal fee for the Public Health Nurse certificate is $0 for certificates expiring on or after January 1, 2024. Licensees who renewed their certificates prior to the implementation of the fee waiver will be issued a refund.

All other license types, including Public Health Nurse certificates expiring prior to January 1, 2024, must submit the required renewal fee prior to expiration.

Monitor the Board’s website, www.rn.ca.gov, for more information as it becomes available.

Beginning August 1, 2024, all California dispensers of controlled substances will be required to report dispensations to the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) using version 4.2B of the American Society of Automation in Pharmacy (ASAP) format. On and after this date, data submitted using the current CURES ASAP version 4.1 format will no longer be accepted.

Prompt action by licensees who dispense controlled substances is recommended. Technical implementation of this update to data submission software may take considerable time. Contact your data submission software provider and confirm they are preparing for this upcoming ASAP version change.

For more information about the ASAP format change and suggested action steps for data submitters, please see the Department of Justice informational bulletin entitled "New File Format for Reporting to CURES" on the Office of the Attorney General's CURES Website.

For information about CURES, visit DCA’s CURES information page.

The Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) fee will decrease from $11 to $9 annually for licenses expiring on and after July 1, 2023. The fee is assessed at the time of license renewal on licensees that prescribe, order, administer, or furnish Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule IV, or Schedule V controlled substances.

Most licensees will see an $18 CURES Fee due to the biennial renewal cycle. The fee covers the reasonable regulatory costs of the Department of Justice for operating and maintaining CURES, a critical element in the state’s effort to address the growing danger of opioid addiction stemming from prescription drug abuse.

For more information about CURES, visit: https://oag.ca.gov/cures.

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has learned of an attempted scam aimed at licensees of DCA’s boards and bureaus. In the scheme, an individual falsely identifying themselves as an employee of the Acupuncture Board has contacted licensees and attempted to gather personal information.

If you receive a call from an individual claiming to be an employee of the Acupuncture Board (or any other DCA board or bureau) and they attempt to gather personal information, please consider the following:

· If you receive a call, simply take down the caller’s information (including name, title, phone number and email address), let them know you will follow-up directly with the department/board/bureau, and end the call.
· You may also consider ending the call without explanation if it appears suspicious or to be a scam.
· Contact the board or bureau responsible for issuing your license. Contact information for all DCA boards and bureaus can be found via this webpage: https://www.dca.ca.gov/about_us/entities.shtml
· If you don’t know who to contact at DCA, call the Consumer Information Center at (800) 952-5210 for assistance and to get directed to the appropriate entity.
· NEVER disclose any personal information, i.e. social security numbers, date of births, or credit/debit card numbers, without first taking steps to verify that the person requesting the information has a legitimate need for it.

The California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN or Board) has learned that scam artists posing as U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents or Board investigators are calling California registered nurses as part of an extortion scheme. The scammers identify themselves as DEA agents or Board investigators, calling about ongoing investigations regarding their license issued by the BRN. The scammers tell victims their license may be suspended for illegal drug trafficking. The scammers may provide a “Notice of Suspension” letter with BRN’s letterhead and/or logo which includes statements that licensees must follow instructions given by the Board investigator. The scammers are also asking for licensee bank account information. The scammers’ phone number may show up as the BRN’s office number (916) 322-3350.

No DEA agent, BRN investigator or staff member, will ever contact RNs by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment. If you receive a call such as the one described, refuse the demand for payment. Do not disclose any personal information, i.e., social security number, dates of birth, credit or debit card numbers.

Please also consider the following:

• If the caller is stating they are from the DEA, immediately report the threat to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
• If the individual identifies themselves as a Board employee, please contact the Board at (916) 322-3350 and press 3 to be directed to the Board’s Enforcement unit or send an email to Enforcement.BRN@dca.ca.gov.
• If the phone number of the caller appears to be the Board’s number, it is recommended that you submit an online complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) using the FCC's Consumer Complaint form or contact the Board so it can provide this information to the FCC.
• DEA Warns Public of Extortion Scam by DEA Special Agent Impersonators