Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria. Existing law authorizes specified individuals to file a petition to commence the CARE process, including, but not limited to, a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, or an individual who stands in loco parentis to the respondent. Existing law requires the court to issue an order relieving the original petitioner if the petitioner is someone other than the director of a county behavioral health agency or their designee and appoint the director or their designee as the successor petitioner. Existing law requires the original petitioner to have specified rights to notice of proceedings if the petitioner is a parent or specified family member or the person with whom the respondent resides. Existing law authorizes the court to allow the original petitioner to participate in the respondent's CARE proceedings to the extent the respondent consents. This bill would authorize the original petitioner to provide specified information regarding the respondent, including the respondent's condition, treatment history, and housing status. The bill would require the CARE team to review specified parts of the provided information, including that relevant to the respondent's care and treatment, and would authorize the court to consider that information in evaluating the respondent's progress and compliance, among other things. The bill would specify that the respondent's consent is not required to receive this information from the original petitioner and that submission of this information does not confer party status on the original petitioner or create a right to direct treatment decisions, obtain discovery, access confidential records, receive protected health information, attend confidential proceedings, or otherwise participate in the proceedings without the respondent's consent, except as expressly provided by law.
Existing law, the Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers Licensure Act, until January 1, 2027, establishes the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure and regulation of speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology aides, speech-language pathology assistants, audiologists, dispensing audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, authorizes the board to appoint a person designated as the executive officer to perform duties delegated by the board and vested in them in the act. Existing law makes a violation of the act a misdemeanor. This bill would extend the operation of the board and authorization to appoint an executive officer until January 1, 2031. Existing law specifies that a person holds themselves out to the public as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist by using specified titles. This bill would specify a person also holds themselves out to the public as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist by using a business name with those titles. Existing law requires a supervising speech-language pathologist or supervising audiologist to submit to the board a description of the proposed professional responsibilities of an applicant who is issued a temporary license as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, as applicable, working under their supervision. This bill would delete that requirement. Existing law requires a speech-language pathologist or audiologist supervising speech-language pathology or audiology aides to register with the board the name of each aide working under their supervision. This bill would prohibit a speech-language pathology or audiology aide from advertising or representing that they hold a license as a speech-language pathologist, speech-language pathology assistant, or audiologist. The bill would prohibit a speech-language pathology or audiology aide, a professional experience license holder, or a speech-language pathology assistant from being the sole proprietor of, or managing or independently operating, a business that engages in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology. Existing law grants to the board the full authority to investigate and evaluate each applicant applying for a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology, to determine the admission of the applicant to the examination, or to issue a license. Existing law requires the board to perform all examination functions, to determine the subject matter and scope of the examinations, and to keep recordings of any oral examination for at least 2 years. This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require an applicant to pass an examination approved by the board, which may be conducted by the board or by an organization specified by the board. Existing law requires the board to issue, suspend, and revoke licenses and approvals to practice speech-language pathology and audiology. This bill would also require the board to issue, suspend, and revoke registrations, and would make various provisions in the act applicable to registrants, including requiring registrants to pay a fee not to exceed $25 for issuance of a registration status. Existing law establishes requirements for licensure as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, including possession of at least a master's degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from an educational institution approved by the board or qualifications deemed equivalent by the board. This bill would expand the list of degrees that would satisfy that requirement to include at least a master's degree in communication disorders, communication sciences and disorders, communicative disorders, or speech, language, or hearing sciences. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, deems a person who holds one of specified clinical competence certificates issued by certain entities to have met certain educational and experience requirements for licensure as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, as specified. This bill would extend the operation of that provision until January 1, 2031. Existing law establishes continuing education requirements for licensees and requires continuing professional development services to be obtained from accredited institutions of higher learning or organizations approved as continuing education providers, as specified. This bill would revise the list of authorized continuing education providers to include organizations approved as continuing education providers by the California Academy of Audiology, the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or the American Medical Association, and continuing professional development services obtained by a federal, state, or local governmental entity. This bill would require the board, upon payment of a $75 fee, to issue a retired license to a licensed speech-language pathologist, speech-language pathology assistant, audiologist, hearing aid dispenser, or dispensing audiologist who holds a license that is current and active or a license that is inactive, and the license is not suspended, revoked, surrendered, or subject to disciplinary action, as specified, subject to satisfaction of specified requirements. Existing law authorizes the board to suspend, revoke, or impose terms and conditions upon the license of any licensee for specified acts, including violating or attempting to violate any provisions of the act. This bill would make those provisions applicable to registrants. Existing law authorizes a person whose license has been revoked or suspended, or who has been placed on probation, to petition the board for reinstatement or modification of penalty, as specified. This bill would make those provisions applicable to a person whose license has been surrendered, as specified. Existing law requires the board to adopt regulations, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and the Advisory Commission on Special Education, that set forth standards and requirements for the adequate supervision of speech-language pathology assistants, including minimum continuing professional development requirements. This bill would prohibit coursework from a master's degree that would qualify an applicant for licensure as a speech-language pathologist from being used, as specified, to satisfy those continuing professional development requirements. Existing law establishes educational requirements for applicants for approval as a speech-language pathology assistant, and specifies that a person who has successfully graduated from a board-approved bachelor's degree program in speech-language pathology or communication disorders is deemed to have satisfied those requirements. This bill would expand the list of degrees that would satisfy those requirements to include a bachelor's degree in communication disorders, speech-language and hearing sciences, communication sciences and disorders, or communicative disorders. Existing law prohibits provisions regulating hearing aid dispensers from being construed to limit the use of a speech aide or other personnel employed by a public school working under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist. This bill would specify that construction applies so long as the speech aide or other personnel is not performing the responsibilities, duties, and functions of a speech-language pathology assistant. This bill would prohibit a person who is not registered as a speech-language pathology assistant from using the title "SLP assistant" or the letters "SLPA," and would prohibit a speech-language pathology assistant from advertising or otherwise representing that they hold a license as a speech-language pathologist. Existing law authorizes hearing aids to be sold by catalog or direct mail, subject to satisfaction of specified requirements. The bill would authorize hearing aids to be sold online. Existing law makes it unlawful for an individual to engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids without a license, except as specified. This bill would specify that some of those provisions apply to hearing aid dispensers instead of licensees, and would change some of those provisions so they apply to an address or addresses instead of a place of business. Relative to the regulation of hearing aid dispensers, existing law requires a licensee to apply for and procure a duplicate license if the licensee maintains more than one place of business, as specified. Existing law authorizes a hearing aid dispenser to engage on a temporary basis in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids at the primary or branch location of another licensee's business without obtaining a duplicate license if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would instead require a hearing aid dispenser engaged in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids at more than one place of business to apply for and procure a branch office license, as specified. The bill would define "temporary basis" for purposes of the provisions described above. Existing law imposes certain restrictions and requirements on licensed hearing aid dispensers related to the scope of their duties, including prohibiting a licensed hearing aid dispenser from selling a hearing aid to a person 16 years of age or younger, except as specified, and exempts from those restrictions and requirements a licensed dispensing audiologist, as specified. This bill would expand the list of restrictions and requirements applicable to licensed hearing aid dispensers that licensed dispensing audiologists are exempt from to include, among other things, provisions prohibiting a licensed hearing aid dispenser from making or seeking referrals for testing, fitting, or dispensing of hearing aids in connection with the conduction of hearing screenings, as specified. Existing law establishes a fee of $100 for an initial temporary license, and a fee of $100 for renewal of a temporary license for hearing aid dispensers. This bill would instead establish that fee for an initial temporary or trainee licensee, and a fee of $100 for renewal of a trainee license. The bill would revise and recast certain provisions related to temporary licenses. The bill would also change some provisions related to hearing aid dispensers so they apply to an address or addresses instead of a place of business. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of dispensing audiologists by the board. This bill would revise and recast certain of those provisions and would require a dispensing audiologist to submit documentation to the board that they have satisfied specified continuing education requirements. The bill would provide that a dispensing audiologist license expires on its assigned renewal date, unless licensee applies to the board for renewal, as specified, and would establish requirements for the renewal of an expired license. The bill would specify that a suspended dispensing audiologist license is subject to expiration and shall be renewed, as provided, but renewal does not entitle the holder of the license to engaging in the fitting or selling of hearing aids until it is reinstated. The bill would specify that a license that has been revoked is subject to expiration and shall not be renewed, and would establish requirements for reinstatement. Existing law prohibits a licensed audiologist from selling hearing aids to a person 16 years of age or younger, except if specified conditions are satisfied. This bill would delete that provision. Existing law defines certain terms for the purposes of the Act, including, among others, "hearing aid dispenser" to mean a person engaged in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids to an individual with impaired hearing. The bill would make other definitional, technical, and conforming changes, including defining "hearing aid dispenser" as a person who is issued a permanent license pursuant to these provisions, revising the definitions of "license" and "licensee." By imposing additional requirements and prohibitions on persons subject to the act, a violation of which is a crime, the bill would expand the scope of a crime thereby imposing 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 establishes, within the California Health and Human Services Agency, the State Department of Public Health, which has authority over various programs promoting public health, including the California Tobacco Control Program. Existing law requires the department to, among other things, establish a program on tobacco use and health to reduce tobacco use in California by conducting health education interventions and behavior change programs at the state level, in the community, and other nonschool settings. Existing law also requires the department to conduct statewide surveillance of tobacco-related behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes and evaluate the department's local and state tobacco control programs. Under existing law, the department funds the Kick It California program, which is a tobacco cessation program. Existing law, the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003, provides for the licensure by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration of manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, importers, and retailers of cigarette or tobacco products that are engaged in business in California. The act authorizes the department to suspend or revoke a retailer's license or impose a civil penalty for a violation of the act's provisions and requires all moneys collected under the act to be deposited in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Compliance Fund to be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for specified uses. Existing law requires a retailer to conspicuously display its license to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products at each retail location in a manner visible to the public. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health, no later than July 1, 2027, to make available signage to raise lung cancer screening awareness, as specified, which would include, among other things, eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening and the toll-free telephone number of the Kick It California tobacco cessation program. The bill would require the sign to be available at no cost on the department's internet website. The bill would require, beginning January 1, 2028, a retailer, as defined, to conspicuously display the signage at each retail location. The bill would make a retailer who violates that requirement liable for a civil penalty of $500 for each offense at a retail location and would require those penalties to be deposited into the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Compliance Fund.
Existing law, until January 1, 2028, and to the extent funds are made available for these purposes, requires the State Department of Public Health to establish a system for the collection of information determining the incidence and prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, including, but not limited to, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) , also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Existing law requires a hospital, facility, physician and surgeon, or other health care provider diagnosing or providing treatment to a patient for a neurodegenerative disease to report each case of a neurodegenerative disease to the department, as prescribed. Existing law requires the department to designate the specified neurodegenerative diseases required to be reported in the state or any part of the state. Existing law specifies that for this purpose, "neurodegenerative disease" may include, but need not be limited to, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. This bill would require the department to establish a system for the collection of information determining the incidence and prevalence of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) . This bill would specify that "neurodegenerative disease" may also include other dementias. The bill would extend the requirements of these provisions until January 1, 2032.
Existing law requires the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHSA) to enter into partnerships resulting in the production of generic prescription drugs, including at least one form of insulin made available at production and dispensing costs, if one does not already exist in the market. Existing law additionally authorizes CHHSA to enter into partnerships to increase competition, lower prices, and address supply shortages for generic or brand name drugs to address emerging health concerns. This bill, the Preventive Treatment Health Care Act, would authorize CHHSA to enter into partnerships, if needed and subject to an appropriation, to increase competition, lower prices, and address supply shortages for at least one glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) antiobesity medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) . The bill would require CHHSA to establish distribution partners, if needed, and make its best effort to negotiate pricing at or lower than the cost to Medi-Cal beneficiaries in 2025.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, to the extent required by the federal government and effective no sooner than required by the federal government, behavioral health treatment (BHT) is a covered service under the Medi-Cal program for individuals under 21 years of age. This bill would require the department, by July 1, 2027, to ensure that certain individuals providing BHT services under Medi-Cal undergo criminal background checks. The bill would require the department to utilize existing stakeholder forums to seek stakeholder feedback and offer stakeholder comment opportunities to inform changes to coverage and billing policy for BHT services. The bill would encourage the department to affirmatively reach out to specified stakeholders as appropriate based on the topic at issue to ensure adequate feedback. Under the bill, stakeholder feedback would include, among other topics, clinical guidelines for the provision of BHT services, treatment plan requirements, requirements for the provision of center-based services compared to services provided elsewhere, and supervision of unlicensed and uncertified professionals, as specified. The bill would require the department to maintain clear billing and coverage guidance for BHT services, as specified. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2029, to publish on its internet website utilization data for BHT services, a synopsis of changes made as a result of stakeholder feedback, and recommendations for actions necessary to ensure that Medi-Cal reimbursement practices align with federal Medicaid program integrity requirements.
Existing law establishes the University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, existing law requires moneys in the endowment fund to be allocated to the University of California to support the annual operating costs for the development, operation, and maintenance of a branch campus of an existing University of California School of Medicine in the County of Kern, and to conduct a feasibility study related to that campus. This bill would require the University of California, on or before January 1, 2028, to complete a feasibility study, and reasonably attempt to consult with local stakeholders, to determine the steps necessary to establish a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern, and to submit the feasibility study, including detailed findings, recommendations, and an implementation timeline, to the Governor and Legislature, as provided. The bill would require the feasibility study to include a comprehensive analysis of the requirements, challenges, and opportunities related to establishing a branch campus of an existing University of California medical school in the County of Kern, as provided. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing federal law, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, provides for the negotiation and execution of tribal-state gaming compacts for the purpose of authorizing certain types of gaming on Indian lands within a state. The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to negotiate and conclude tribal-state gaming compacts, subject to ratification by the Legislature. Existing law expressly ratifies a number of tribal-state gaming compacts, and amendments of tribal-state gaming compacts, between the State of California and specified Indian tribes. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. This bill would ratify the amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation executed on June 23, 2026. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to that amended compact are not projects for purposes of CEQA. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law requires the governing board of each school district to have general control of, and be responsible for, all aspects of the interscholastic athletic policies, programs, and activities in its school district, as provided, and requires the governing board of a school district to ensure that all interscholastic policies, programs, and activities in the school district are in compliance with state and federal law. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to enter into associations or consortia with other governing boards for purposes of governing regional or statewide interscholastic athletics, as provided. Existing law describes the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) as a voluntary organization that consists of school and school-related personnel with responsibility for administering interscholastic athletic activities in secondary schools and states the intent of the Legislature that the CIF, in consultation with the State Department of Education, implement specified policies relating to interscholastic athletics. Existing law, the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program, declares the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program, to be administered by school districts with an emphasis on specific components, including, among other components, sports psychology. Existing law requires every high school sports coach to complete, at their own expense, a coaching education program that meets the guidelines established by the California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. This bill would require specified trainings for coaches described in AB 1665 of the 2025–26 Regular Session to cover specified mental-health related topics, including, among other topics, trauma-informed care, as provided, and strategies of creating a positive team culture, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before September 1, 2027, to identify existing training or develop a model youth athletics behavioral and mental health training, as specified, for persons who serve as coaches in youth sports organizations, both for recreational leagues and competitive or club leagues. The bill would require the department to post the training on its internet website and work with local partners to disseminate the training to appropriate youth athletic leagues, youth coaching entities, and relevant statewide organizations and associations. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 35179.1 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1665 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1665 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon the enactment of AB 1665 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
Existing law defines "sexual orientation change efforts" as practices by mental health providers that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation, as specified. Existing law prohibits a mental health provider, as defined, from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with a patient under 18 years of age, and provides that such efforts attempted by a mental health provider are considered unprofessional conduct and must subject the mental health provider to discipline by that provider's licensing entity. This bill would define "sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts" as any practices of a licensed mental health provider that seek, during the provision of mental health services, to direct a patient toward a predetermined sexual orientation or gender identity, as specified, and would apply the prohibitions described above to such efforts. The bill would exclude specified practices, including age-appropriate interventions to address unlawful conduct or unsafe practices that do not seek to direct the patient toward a particular sexual orientation or gender identity, from this definition.
