(a) Notwithstanding Sections 1206.5 and 1269, within the specialty of pathology, a person certified as a pathologists’ assistant by the American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants, the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, or another national accrediting agency approved by the department, who demonstrates competency to perform all job duties and responsibilities before an assignment to those duties and responsibilities, at the completion of six months of performing those duties and responsibilities, and annually thereafter, may perform the following activities under the supervision and control of a pathologist:

(1) Prepare human surgical specimens for gross description and dissection, including, but not limited to, description of gross features and selection of tissues for histological examination.

(2) Prepare and perform human postmortem examinations, including, but not limited to, selection of tissues and fluids for further examination.

(3) Gather other information necessary for an autopsy report.

(4) Prepare a body for release.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 1206.5 or subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) of Section 1269, the following persons may prepare human surgical specimens for gross description and dissection under the direct supervision of a qualified pathologist, including, description of gross features and selection of tissues for histological examination, if they meet the requirements specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1269 and the minimum education and training requirements for high complexity testing personnel under the CLIA:

(1) A pathologists’ assistant who does not meet the certification requirements of subdivision (a).

(2) A histologic technician.

(3) A histotechnologist.

(c) For the purposes of subdivision (b), direct supervision means that a qualified pathologist shall be physically present onsite in the vicinity of the clinical laboratory where the specialty of pathology is performed and shall be available for consultation and direction during the time the personnel specified in subdivision (b) are engaged in the processing of specimens that involve dissection. For tissue processing that does not involve dissection, a qualified pathologist may be available by telephone or other electronic means.

(d) A histologic technician or histotechnologist who meets the requirements specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1269, may accession specimens, perform maintenance of equipment, stain, cover slip, label slides, and process tissues by embedding in paraffin or performing microtomy.

(e) On and after January 1, 2011, the department may adopt regulations establishing additional qualification requirements to perform the duties described in this section.

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 319, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2007.)