Communicable diseases: HIV reporting.

Section 121025 of the Health and Safety Code amendments were removed. This section contained the core HIV record confidentiality framework, including authorized disclosures between agencies and researchers, civil penalties up to $25,000 for negligent or willful unauthorized disclosure, misdemeanor charges for harmful disclosures, and a prohibition on using disclosed information to determine employability or insurability.

Section 15912.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code amendments were removed. This section required the state department to develop policies and guidance for transitioning persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from federal Ryan White funded programs to the Low Income Health Program (LIHP), including data-sharing provisions between the State Department of Public Health and LIHP participating entities.

Cross-references throughout the remaining sections were updated to correct subdivision letter designations. For example, references to 'subdivisions (f) and (g) of Section 121025' were changed to 'subdivisions (d) and (e),' and references to 'subdivision (h) of Section 121022' were changed to 'subdivision (j).' These reflect the final renumbering of provisions after the removed sections were excised.

The bill's title was updated to remove references to Sections 121025 and 15912.1, now reading only 'An act to amend Sections 120962, 121022, and 121026 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 19548.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.'

The document was reformatted from a printed chaptered version (with state authentication header, page numbers, and column layout) to a web-based display format with navigation menus, search fields, and bill tracking metadata.

New Section 121026 of the Health and Safety Code authorizes the State Department of Public Health and qualified entities (Medi-Cal managed care plans, Bridge Program health plans, Exchange health plans, county health departments, the Department of Health Care Services, and the California Health Benefit Exchange) to share HIV/AIDS diagnosis, care, and treatment records for the purpose of enrolling beneficiaries in Medi-Cal, bridge programs, Medicaid expansion, or Exchange plans, and continuing access without disruption. Records shared are limited to what is necessary and exclude HIV/AIDS surveillance data.

Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez was added as a coauthor of the bill.

New Section 19548.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code authorizes the State Department of Public Health to disclose applicant or recipient names, ITINs, or social security numbers to the Franchise Tax Board for verifying modified adjusted gross income, tax-exempt interest, tax-exempt social security benefits, and foreign earned income related to AIDS Drug Assistance Program eligibility. Includes confidentiality protections, annual signed agreements, and a requirement that the FTB return or destroy information after the exchange.

Section 121025(c)(2) was changed from a prohibition ('A health care provider shall not disclose... unless the disclosure is necessary') to an authorization ('A health care provider may disclose... if the disclosure is necessary'). This shifts the legal framework from restricting disclosures by default to permitting them when a stated condition is met, giving providers broader discretion to share patient information with local health jurisdictions or the department for disease investigation, control, surveillance, or care coordination.

Section 121025(c)(1) now explicitly states 'Notwithstanding Section 120980' before authorizing provider disclosures to complete or supplement HIV case reports, clarifying that this authority overrides the general prohibition in Section 120980.

Subdivision lettering throughout Section 121025 was reorganized (former subdivisions d, e, f, g became e, f, g, h), with corresponding cross-reference updates in Sections 120962 and 15912.1.

Header changed from Senate Bill passage dates to 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' with chapter number 766 and the gubernatorial approval date of October 13, 2025.

Page references changed from 'SB 504' to 'Ch. 766' throughout the document.

The blank 'Approved ___, 2025 / Governor' signature line was replaced with the governor's initial, indicating the bill was signed into law.

Changed the language in subdivision (c)(1) from 'may communicate with a local health officer or the department about that patient' to 'may disclose personally identifying confidential information to a local health officer or the department about that patient.' This makes it clear that the provision specifically authorizes sharing of personally identifiable HIV data, not just general communication.

In subdivision (c)(2), the determination of whether disclosure is necessary was changed from being made solely by 'the jurisdiction or the department' to also include 'the health care provider.' This gives providers a role in deciding whether sharing a patient's identifying information is needed for public health purposes.

The legislative counsel digest was updated to reflect the new 'disclose personally identifying confidential information' language and reorganized to match the amended bill text. Page numbers were adjusted from 99 to 98.

The bill now amends three statutory sections instead of one: it adds amendments to Section 120962 of the Health and Safety Code (ADAP financial eligibility verification) and Section 15912.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (Ryan White to LIHP transition), in addition to the existing amendment to Section 121025.

New Section 15912.1 requires the department, in collaboration with the State Department of Public Health, to develop policies and guidance for transitioning persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from federal Ryan White Act funded programs to the Low Income Health Program (LIHP). It also authorizes data sharing between the State Department of Public Health and LIHP participating entities regarding beneficiary enrollment and HIV/AIDS diagnoses.

New Section 120962 requires the department to verify modified adjusted gross income for ADAP applicants using Franchise Tax Board data. The department may disclose an applicant's name and ITIN or Social Security number to the Franchise Tax Board, which must report back federal AGI, California AGI, tax-exempt interest, tax-exempt Social Security benefits, foreign earned income, and family size.

Franchise Tax Board staff and contractors must annually sign a confidentiality agreement developed by the department before accessing HIV-related public health records. The Franchise Tax Board must return or destroy all information received from the department after completing the data exchange. Verification should be done electronically to minimize staff access to confidential records.

In Section 121025 subdivision (c)(2), the phrase 'the jurisdiction or the department' was changed to 'the local health jurisdiction or the department' for clarity. All other language in Section 121025 remains substantively unchanged.

Removed six broad purposes (subparts B through F) that allowed health care providers to communicate with public health agencies for: obtaining public health recommendations on care and treatment; referring patients to department-provided clinical or preventive services; requesting assistance with specialty care, mental health, substance misuse, housing, social services, nutrition, or other coordination of care; requesting reengagement or relinkage to care; and informing the jurisdiction about a provider's inability to continue care due to practice closure or suspension.

Narrowed Section 121025(c)(1) from a broad authorization for providers to 'communicate with' public health agencies for multiple public health purposes, to a limited authorization only to 'disclose personally identifying confidential information...to provide additional information required by law or public health guidelines in order to complete or supplement the HIV case report.'

Clarified in Section 121025(c)(2) that the determination of whether a disclosure is necessary is made 'by the health care provider, the jurisdiction, or the department' (previously had ambiguous language reading 'the jurisdiction the health care provider, the jurisdiction, or the department').

Minor grammatical clarification in Section 121025(a) changing 'records...containing personally identifying information, that were developed' to 'records...that contain personally identifying information and were developed.'

Added coauthors: Senators Cabaldon, Cervantes, Padilla, Perez, and Wiener; Assembly Members Jackson, Solache, and Ward.