The attached Bill SB 380 was signed by Governor Brown on 9-6-2011.

Interestingly, similar Bills have been introduced over time requiring medical physicians' education in nutrition.  SB 380, as passed and signed by the governor, now requires continuing education in nutrition and lifestyle behavior for chronic diseases. 

The Bill includes some interesting facts as follows:

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a)  In 2008, U.S. health care spending was about $7,681 per resident and accounted for 16.2 percent of the nation's gross domestic product; this is among the highest of all industrialized countries.  Expenditures in the United States on health care surpassed $2.3 trillion in 2008, more than three times the $714 billion spent in 1990, and over eight times the $253 billion spent in 1980.
(b)  It is estimated that health care costs for chronic disease treatment account for over 75 percent of national health expenditures.
(c) Seven out of 10 deaths among Americans each year are from chronic diseases.  Heart disease, cancer, and stroke account for more than 50 percent of all deaths each year.
(d)  The last major report from the World Health Organization in March 2003 concluded diet was a major factor in the cause of chronic diseases.
(e)  Dramatic increases in chronic diseases have been seen in Asian countries since the end of WWII with the increase in the gross national product and change to the western diet.
(f)  Only 19 percent of students believed that they had been extensively trained in nutrition counseling.  Fewer than 50 percent of primary care physicians include nutrition or dietary counseling in their patient visits.
(g)  Practicing physicians continually rate their nutrition knowledge and skills as inadequate.  More than one-half of graduating medical students report that the time dedicated to nutrition instruction is inadequate.

SEC. 2. Section 2190 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2190. In order to ensure the continuing competence of licensed physicians and surgeons, the board shall adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees. The board may also set content standards for any educational activity
concerning a chronic disease that includes appropriate information on prevention of the chronic disease, and on treatment of patients with the chronic disease, by the application of changes in nutrition and lifestyle behavior. The board shall require each licensed
physician and surgeon to demonstrate satisfaction of the continuing education requirements at intervals of not less than four nor more than six years.