Social workers.

Section 369(d)(1) changed from requiring the social worker to 'secure care for the child' to requiring them to 'take reasonable steps to obtain emergency care for the child,' reducing the scope of the obligation.

New requirement in Section 369(d)(2): if the social worker knows or has reason to know the child is an Indian child, they must notify the child's tribe as soon as reasonably possible when securing emergency care.

New definition of 'obtain emergency care' added in Section 369(d)(3)(B): means to summon EMS, arrange transportation if no one else is available, or otherwise take reasonable steps to connect a child with a licensed provider and authorize care. Explicitly does not require personal transport, remaining present during care, or providing followup care.

Section 369(d)(3) restructured from a single definition of 'emergency situation' to a two-part definitions section covering both 'emergency situation' and the new term 'obtain emergency care.'

The trigger for a social worker's duty to secure emergency care for a dependent child was changed from 'if it appears' to 'if it reasonably appears,' introducing a reasonableness standard that requires an objective basis for the determination rather than any subjective appearance.

Emergency medical and dental care for dependent children can now be provided with or without a court order. The old language required that care be provided 'without a court order' (making a court order impermissible), while the new language says care 'may be provided without a court order,' giving social workers the option to seek a court order if they choose.

Fixed a section numbering error where Section 1 appeared twice in the bill. The amendment to Government Code Section 6201 is now correctly designated as SEC. 2, and the Welfare and Institutions Code amendment as SEC. 3.

New Section 1 designates the act as 'Gabriel's Law,' giving the bill a named identity for public recognition.

Welfare and Institutions Code 369(c): corrected a duplicated word from 'resides resides' to 'resides.'

Government Code 6201: removed the phrase 'a county,' from 'a social worker employed by a county, county child welfare department' to simply read 'a social worker employed by a county child welfare department,' clarifying that the provision applies specifically to social workers in county child welfare departments.

The entire amendment to Penal Code Section 132 (a technical, nonsubstantive change to the statute on offering forged documents as evidence) was removed from the bill. The act description no longer references crimes or the Penal Code.

Government Code Section 6201 now specifies that the social worker must be employed by a 'county child welfare department' rather than simply 'a county,' narrowing which social workers are explicitly covered by the non-officer penalty provision for falsifying records.

Welfare and Institutions Code Section 369(d)(1) was consolidated to remove the permissive phrase 'that care may be' and the redundant 'upon authorization of a social worker,' leaving only the mandatory requirement that the social worker shall secure emergency care for the child without a court order.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes' and the state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' acknowledging that the increased duty of social workers to secure emergency care imposes costs on local agencies that may require state reimbursement.

The bill now amends three statutes (Penal Code 132, Government Code 6201, and Welfare and Institutions Code 369) instead of just one. A coauthor (Assembly Member Nguyen) was added.

Government Code Section 6201 is amended to clarify that a social worker employed by a county is not an 'officer' under Section 6200, meaning they would face the lower non-officer penalty (up to 3 years in county jail or misdemeanor) rather than the officer penalty (2-4 years) for tampering with public records.

New subsection 369(d)(3) defines 'emergency situation' as when a child requires immediate treatment for severe pain or an unforeseeable condition that would lead to serious disability or death if not immediately treated.

Welfare and Institutions Code Section 369(d)(1) changes the social worker's role in emergency medical care from permissive ('may authorize') to mandatory ('shall secure care for the child'), making it a duty rather than an option.

New subsection 369(d)(2) requires social workers to make reasonable efforts to obtain consent of, or notify, the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis before authorizing emergency medical care.

New subsection 369(i)(2) authorizes social workers to inform dependent children 10 and older of their rights to consent to certain health services (sexual assault treatment, pregnancy care, contraception, abortion, prenatal care, infectious disease treatment, mental health, alcohol and drug abuse treatment) and their confidentiality rights.

New subsection 369(i)(3) requires social workers to provide access to age-appropriate information about sexual development, reproductive health, and prevention of unplanned pregnancies and STIs, and to facilitate access to that care including assisting with barriers.

New subsection 369(f) allows dependent children 16 and older to consent to opioid use disorder treatment (including buprenorphine at a physician's office, clinic, or health facility) without parent, guardian, social worker, or court order, to the extent permitted by federal law.

The fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program changed from 'no' to 'yes.' A new Section 3 provides for state reimbursement to local agencies if the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill contains state-mandated costs, due to the increased duties imposed on county social workers.