AB 2460 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Pupil health: mental health: model referral protocols.

Summary

(1) Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for this purpose. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided. Existing law requires the State Department of Education, on or before June 1, 2025, to develop model referral protocols for addressing pupil behavioral health concerns, as provided. This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, in consultation with appropriate stakeholders, to review and, as necessary, update the model referral protocols to include guidance on providing equity-centered mental health supports in case of a local emergency related to immigration enforcement activities or deportations of pupils or their family members. (2) Existing law requires the governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, before January 31, 2026, to adopt a policy on referral protocols for addressing pupil behavioral health concerns in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, as provided. This bill would require those local educational agencies, on or before July 1, 2028, to review and, as necessary, update that policy to include guidance on providing equity-centered mental health supports in case of a local emergency related to immigration enforcement activities or deportations of pupils or their family members. The bill would authorize an updated policy to either be based on the updated model referral protocols developed by the department or developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders and school-linked behavioral health professionals, and would require the updated policy to, at a minimum, address procedures relating to referrals to behavioral health professionals and support services. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/30/26 - Enrolled → AB2460 · 1 edit

MINOR

This diff reflects a change in document format rather than a change in policy. The bill text transitions from a formal enrolled legislative document (with Assembly/Senate passage dates and Governor's receipt block) to a web page presentation on the California Legislature website, adding navigation elements, version history, and tracking features. The substantive legal content of AB 2460 remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a formal enrolled bill (with passage dates, clerk signatures, and Governor's receipt line) to a web page layout for the California Legislature website, adding site navigation, search tools, version history, and tracking links.

04/06/26 - Amended Assembly → 08/20/26 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · Aug 20, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate amendment significantly narrowed AB 2460 by removing an entirely new 'Mental Health Framework' section (Article 1.3, Section 49417.5) that would have required CDE to develop a comprehensive framework for pupil mental health support adaptable to local emergencies. The remaining provisions on updating model referral protocols were softened from mandatory updates to 'review and, as necessary, update,' and the requirement for local agencies to base their policies on the updated protocols was changed from 'shall' to 'may.' The bill now explicitly acknowledges it imposes a state-mandated local program (changed from 'no' to 'yes'), triggering potential state reimbursement obligations.

SCOPE

Entire Article 1.3 (Section 49417.5) was deleted. This section would have required CDE, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services and stakeholders experienced in locally declared emergencies, to develop a comprehensive mental health framework ensuring pupils have access to mental health support adaptable to local emergencies, including processes for screening, family partnerships, culturally responsive care, telehealth access, and post-emergency planning.

REQUIREMENT

Section 49428.12 changed from requiring CDE to 'update' the model referral protocols to requiring CDE to 'review and, as necessary, update' them, with a new explicit deadline of July 1, 2027 added to the operative text. The language also shifted from protocols that 'include guidance' to protocols that 'ensure that they include guidance.'

Section 49428.3(a) changed from requiring local educational agencies to adopt 'an update to the policy' to requiring them to 'review and, as necessary, update its policy,' making the obligation less absolute.

ELIGIBILITY

Section 49428.3(b) changed 'The updated policy... shall be either based on the updated model referral protocols' to 'An updated policy... may be either based on the updated model referral protocols,' converting a mandatory requirement into a permissive option for how local agencies develop their policies.

FISCAL

The state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' meaning the bill now explicitly acknowledges it imposes costs on local agencies that may trigger state reimbursement under Part 7 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

TECHNICAL

Section 49428.3(c) was clarified to specify that policies adopted before January 1, 2027, 'by the governing board or body of a local educational agency' may meet requirements if they 'include the guidance specified in subdivision (a)' rather than the broader 'fulfill the requirements of this section.'

03/19/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/06/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Apr 6, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2460 was substantially restructured between the March 19 and April 6 amendments. The nonsubstantive amendment to Section 66030 (public higher education equity) was removed entirely. In its place, the bill now adds extensive legislative findings documenting the impact of immigration enforcement on pupil mental health and attendance, plus two new operative sections requiring the State Department of Education to update existing model referral protocols and local educational agencies to update their local policies - both specifically to address emergencies related to immigration enforcement or deportations affecting pupils or their families. The original general mental health framework (Section 49417.5) is retained but renumbered.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed by removing the higher education component but deepened its focus on K-12 pupil health by adding specific requirements tied to immigration enforcement emergencies. It now operates within the existing behavioral health referral protocol framework (Sections 49428.1-49428.2) rather than creating a standalone new framework, and adds a targeted layer of guidance for immigration-related crises.

SCOPE

The nonsubstantive amendment to Section 66030 of the Education Code (public postsecondary education equity statement) was removed entirely, narrowing the bill's scope to pupil K-12 health only.

DEFINITION

A new Section 1 adds eight legislative findings and declarations documenting that one in five school-aged youth experiences mental health issues, that immigration raids increased absences by 22 percent in affected Central Valley districts, that approximately half of California's pupils are members of immigrant families, and that existing referral protocols do not adequately address communitywide trauma from immigration enforcement.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 49428.12 requires the State Department of Education to update its existing model referral protocols (developed under Section 49428.1) to include guidance on equity-centered mental health supports for local emergencies related to immigration enforcement activities or deportations of pupils or their family members, and to post the updated protocols on its website by July 1, 2027.

New Section 49428.3 requires governing boards of local educational agencies to adopt, at a regularly scheduled public meeting by July 1, 2028, an update to their existing referral protocol policies (adopted under Section 49428.2) to include guidance on equity-centered mental health supports for immigration enforcement emergencies. The updated policy must be based on the state's updated model protocols or developed in consultation with stakeholders, and must at minimum address procedures for referrals to behavioral health professionals.

ELIGIBILITY

Section 49428.3(c) provides that policies adopted before January 1, 2027 may be considered to meet the requirements if they already fulfill them, giving local agencies a transition pathway.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes' and the state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the new local agency obligations trigger potential state reimbursement under the Commission on State Mandates process.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/19/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2460 was dramatically expanded from a minor nonsubstantive edit (changing 'his or her' to 'their') in a higher education equity statement into a bill that also adds an entirely new section (49417.5) requiring the State Department of Education to develop a comprehensive pupil mental health framework adaptable to locally declared emergencies. The amendment shifts the bill's primary focus from public postsecondary education to K-12 pupil mental health, and now requires fiscal committee review.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a narrow nonsubstantive edit to a higher education equity statement into a substantive policy bill that adds a new statutory requirement for a statewide pupil mental health framework in K-12 education, with specific emphasis on adaptability to locally declared emergencies and equity-centered approaches.

SCOPE

Added new Article 1.3 (Section 49417.5) to the Education Code requiring the State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services and stakeholders experienced in locally declared emergencies, to develop a framework ensuring pupils have access to comprehensive mental health support within their education environment that is adaptable to local emergencies.

The bill's stated purpose expanded from solely amending Section 66030 (public postsecondary education) to also adding provisions on pupil health, making K-12 mental health the primary new policy content.

REQUIREMENT

Requires local educational agencies to strive to promote a safe, supportive educational environment that includes an equity-centered mental health framework adaptable to locally declared emergencies in which community mental health resources, networks, and other resources are provided to pupils.

The mental health framework must strive to include processes for: (1) screening and early identification of mental health vulnerabilities with staff guidance, (2) family and community partnerships with resources for parents and community-based organizations, (3) culturally responsive care including multilingual resources to reduce disparities, (4) digital and telehealth services to increase reach, and (5) identifying early partnerships to address needs following locally declared emergencies.

FISCAL

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes', indicating the bill now has fiscal implications requiring committee analysis.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 26, 2026 · Assembly May 27, 2026

How they voted

30–6

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

Aug 26, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

6 Nay 4

60% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 66. Noes 9.).

lower

Aug 26, 2026

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Aug 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 6.).

upper

Aug 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

upper

Jul 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

upper

May 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 65. Noes 9.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (May 14).

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 7, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on ED.

lower

Apr 6, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on ED.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on ED. and HEALTH.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors