Policies adopted by the House are implemented by the Board of Trustees, which also deals with the many interim policy issues that arise between annual sessions.
The House of Delegates consists of more than 400 delegates elected by members of component medical societies, specialty societies, CMA sections (Organized Medical Staff Section, Young Physicians Section, Ethnic Medical Organization Section, Medical Student Section), the Resident and Fellows Section and CMA mode of practice forums. Component medical societies, specialty societies and mode of practice forums are entitled to a number of delegates determined by a "proportionate representation" formula (for example, county medical societies are entitled to two delegates plus one additional delegate for each full 100 regular active members), while CMA sections are allotted a fixed number of delegates as specified in the CMA Bylaws. Members of the Board of Trustees, past presidents of the association and members of the California Delegation to the American Medical Association also participate as ex officio members of the House.
The business of the House of Delegates consists primarily of resolutions and recommendations submitted by delegations or by individual delegates. Each item of business is assigned to a "reference committee," consisting of six members of the House. Each reference committee conducts a hearing to receive testimony for or against proposed resolutions from other CMA members and delegates. The committee then formulates recommendations for action by the full House, which votes to adopt, reject, amend or refer (for further study or for decision by the Board of Trustees) each recommendation. The House of Delegates exemplifies CMA's truly democratic governance.
Any CMA member may present testimony (i.e., speak for or against a resolution or recommendation) at reference committee hearings and may attend the meetings of the full House of Delegates as an observer. Soon, members will also be able to submit written testimony by commenting on submitted resolutions that will be accessible via their account dashboard.
For more information about becoming a member of CMA’s House of Delegates, contact your county medical society.
Future Annual Session Dates
Future meetings of the House of Delegates are scheduled as follows:
| October 13-15, 2012 | Sacramento Convention Center | |
| October 11-13, 2013 | Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim | |
| October 17-19, 2014 | Sacramento Convention Center |