Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of pharmacists by the California State Board of Pharmacy. Existing law authorizes a pharmacist to, among other things, perform certain procedures or functions and furnish specified drugs. Existing law authorizes the refilling of a prescription for a dangerous drug without the authorization of the prescriber if the prescriber is unavailable to authorize the refill and, in the pharmacist's professional judgment, failure to refill the prescription might interrupt the patient's ongoing care and have a significant adverse effect on the patient's well-being. Existing law requires a pharmacist to notify the prescriber, as specified, of any prescription refilled without their authorization. This bill would only require a pharmacist to provide that notification if a prescriber is identified.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of drug testing laboratories and adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities and provides for the certification and regulation of adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment programs by the State Department of Health Care Services and authorizes the department to enforce those provisions. Existing law authorizes a facility described above to offer transportation services to an individual who is seeking recovery or treatment services only if specified conditions are met, including, among other things, that any air transportation provided to the individual includes a return ticket that may be used by the individual upon discharge and that a return ticket not used by an individual upon discharge is made available to the individual upon request for a period of one year following the individual's discharge. This bill would require a laboratory, facility, or program described above that provides air transportation to provide a ticket for round-trip transportation. The bill would additionally require, as conditions on the provision of transportation services, that the cost of the recovery or treatment services are prohibitive for the individual without assistance from the laboratory, facility, or program, and would require the laboratory, facility, or program to obtain written acknowledgment by the individual that the transportation is not tied to insurance benefits or program participation, to document the purpose and cost of the transportation, to compile information related to the provision of transportation, and to annually publish the compiled information on its internet website. The bill would require a laboratory, facility, or program to retain the information for a minimum of 5 years and to provide that information to the department upon request. Existing law prohibits facilities and programs described above and related persons from giving or receiving remuneration or anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment services. This bill would additionally apply the prohibition described above to the inducement of a person seeking services and would clarify that the prohibition prohibits specified practices by facilities or programs, including, among others, influencing or inducing an individual to enter or stay in a treatment or recovery program and recruiting individuals for treatment, unless otherwise specified.
Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, provides for the regulation of various subjects relating to the manufacturing, processing, labeling, advertising, and sale of food, drugs, and cosmetics, under the administration and enforcement of the State Department of Public Health. A violation of these provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would require a manufacturer of infant formula for sale or distribution in this state to test its final infant formula product for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury at least once per month. The bill also would, commencing on January 1, 2028, require a brand owner, as defined, to provide information to consumers on its internet website or package label regarding specific information about its infant formula that includes, among other things, certain test results for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. The bill would specifically prohibit a person from selling in the state or manufacturing, delivering, holding, or offering for sale in the state any infant formula that does not comply with these requirements. The bill would require the manufacturer and brand owner to provide test results to the department upon request, as specified. By expanding the requirements relating to infant formula under the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a pharmacy benefit manager contracting with a health care service plan or health insurer to secure a license from the Department of Managed Health Care on or after January 1, 2027, or the date on which the department has established the licensure process, whichever is later. This bill would require the department to maintain a public internet website displaying specified information for each licensed pharmacy benefit manager, including, among other things, the legal name, license number, and license expiration date.
Existing law authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion to a defendant suffering from a mental disorder, on an accusatory pleading alleging the commission of a misdemeanor or felony offense, in order to allow the defendant to undergo mental health treatment. Existing law provides that a defendant is eligible for diversion if they have been diagnosed with certain mental disorders and the court finds that the mental disorder was a significant factor in the commission of the charged offense, unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the disorder was not a motivating, causal, or contributing factor to the defendant's involvement in the alleged offense. Existing law prohibits defendants charged with specified offenses, including murder, from being placed in this diversion program. This bill would require that the diagnosis or rediagnosis with a mental disorder be within 5 years before the alleged offense. Existing law makes a defendant suitable for this diversion program if, among other criteria, a qualified mental health expert opines that the defendant's symptoms of the mental disorder that caused, contributed to, or motivated the criminal behavior, would respond to mental health treatment and the defendant will not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety if treated in the community, as specified. The bill would revise that standard and instead require the court to find that the defendant will not pose a substantial and undue risk to the physical safety of another person if treated in the community. The bill would require the mental health expert's opinion to include that the proposed mental health diversion plan is clinically appropriate to address the symptoms of the defendant's mental disorder, as specified. The bill would require the court to state the reasons for denial on the record.
Existing law requires, among other things related to ensuring the safety of companion chatbots, an operator to prevent a companion chatbot on its companion chatbot platform from engaging with users unless the operator maintains a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm content to the user, as specified. This bill, the Preventing AI User Self Endangerment (PAUSE) Act, would require an operator to adopt and make publicly available a policy governing its protocol for identifying and responding to credible crisis expressions and, for each companion chatbot an operator makes available to users in this state, implement a system for monitoring and detecting credible crisis expressions in user conversations with companion chatbots. The bill would require, if the monitoring system detects a credible crisis expression, the operator to take certain actions, including commence a crisis interruption pause, as specified. The bill would define "credible crisis expression" to mean a statement by a user of a companion chatbot that reasonably indicates, as determined through contextual analysis rather than keyword detection alone, intent to harm the user or others. This bill would require an operator of a companion chatbot to document certain information related to credible crisis expressions and crisis interruption pauses and, beginning January 1, 2028, annually report that information to the Office of Suicide Prevention. The bill would provide for its enforcement, as specified.
This bill designates May 2026 as Behavioral Health Awareness Month in California. It directs state agencies to acknowledge this month, likely through proclamations or public awareness campaigns. The measure does not change funding, laws, or services but serves to highlight the importance of mental and behavioral health.
Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons and licensed midwives by the Medical Board of California. A violation of the act is a crime. Existing law authorizes the board to establish a Physician and Surgeon Health and Wellness Program to support a physician and surgeon in their rehabilitation from substance abuse to ensure the physician and surgeon remains able to practice medicine in a manner that will not endanger the public health and safety and that will maintain the integrity of the medical profession. Existing law requires the board to contract with a third party for the program's administration in accordance with specified provisions of the Public Contract Code. Existing law provides that participation in the program shall not be a defense to any disciplinary action that may be taken by the board. Existing law requires the program to comply with the Uniform Standards Regarding Substance-Abusing Healing Arts Licensees adopted by the Substance Abuse Coordination Committee of the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law establishes the Physician and Surgeon Health and Wellness Program Account in the Contingent Fund of the Medical Board of California for the support of the program. This bill would revise and recast those provisions and would instead authorize the board to establish a Physician Health and Wellness Program to support, treat, monitor, and rehabilitate physicians and surgeons and other professionals licensed by the board with impairing physical and mental health conditions that may impact their ability to practice their profession in a reasonably safe, competent, and professional manner. The bill would require the administering entity to be a nonprofit entity and would require the contract with the administering entity to include procedures on specified topics. The bill would exempt the program from the Uniform Standards Regarding Substance-Abusing Healing Arts Licensees. The bill would exempt program records relating to current or former program participants from disclosure under the California Public Records Act, except as specified. The bill would authorize the board to establish advisory committees to assist in carrying out the duties of the administering entity, and would establish duties and responsibilities authorized to be performed by a committee. The bill would rename the Physician and Surgeon Health and Wellness Program Account as the Physician Health and Wellness Program Account, and would authorize the board to seek and use grant funds and gifts from public or private sources to pay any cost associated with the program. The bill would require the board to annually report to the Legislature and make available to the public the amount and source of funds. The bill would require a licensee to report a license to the administering entity or the board if they believe the licensee is impaired. By expanding the scope of a crime under the Medical Practice Act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make a person who reports information or takes action in connection with the bill's provisions immune from civil liability for reporting information or taking the action, except as specified. The bill would make the program inapplicable to the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This bill designates May 2026 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month to highlight the importance of recognizing and preventing the disease. It does not change laws or allocate funding but serves as a formal proclamation to encourage public education and awareness during that time. The measure directly affects state officials and the general public by setting aside a specific month for focus on Lyme disease prevention.
This bill designates May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month to highlight the importance of mental health support for mothers. It is a non-binding resolution that does not change laws or allocate funding but serves to raise public awareness through official proclamation. The measure affects the state by encouraging community focus on this topic during the designated month without imposing new requirements on individuals or organizations.
