This measure would, among other things, recognize antimicrobial resistance as a public health crisis requiring urgent and sustained action and urge specified state agencies to explore available funding mechanisms to support research and development initiatives addressing antimicrobial resistance, particularly in underserved and high-risk communities.
This bill designates June 9, 2026, as FSGS Awareness Day to highlight focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease that causes scarring and can lead to kidney failure. The resolution aims to increase public understanding of the condition, which disproportionately affects African American communities and often requires dialysis or transplants. By establishing an official awareness day, the bill seeks to support patients and families while encouraging efforts to improve early diagnosis and access to specialized care.
This bill designates May 2026 as Behavioral Health Awareness Month in California. It requires state agencies and public entities to acknowledge this month, likely through proclamations or public communications. The measure does not alter funding, laws, or services but serves to highlight the importance of mental and behavioral health awareness.
This bill designates the week of May 25 to May 29 as Firefighter Mental Health Awareness Week. It directly affects the state by officially recognizing this specific time period to highlight the importance of mental health support for firefighters. The measure does not create new laws or funding but serves as a formal proclamation to raise awareness about the topic. Once enacted, it becomes part of the state statutes as a commemorative resolution.
This measure would recognize May 4, 2026, to May 8, 2026, inclusive, and every first full week of May thereafter, as Black Health Equity Advocacy Week and commend the California Black Health Network and other organizations throughout the state for their efforts to improve the health, well-being, and life expectancy of Black Californians.
This bill designates May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month to highlight the importance of mental health support for mothers. It serves as a symbolic proclamation rather than a law that changes regulations or imposes new requirements. The measure directly affects state officials who will recognize the month and may encourage public awareness campaigns during that time.
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 by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing federal law, Public Law 119-21, enacted on July 4, 2025, sets forth various changes to different health care programs, including certain requirements for Medicaid eligibility with regard to work or community engagement reporting, redeterminations, and cost sharing, among other factors, for certain Medicaid populations pursuant to a specified implementation timeline. Existing law, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, imposes a certain assessment on an applicable large employer, as defined, that offers full-time employees and their dependents the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential coverage, and for whom one or more full-time employees have been certified as having enrolled in a qualified health plan for which a premium tax credit or cost-sharing reduction is allowed or paid. This bill would create the Employer Responsibility for Medi-Cal Trust Fund to consist of new taxes and deposits, including employer penalties specified in the Budget Act of 2026. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the fund to the department to fund the costs of administering the Medi-Cal program in a manner necessary to prevent loss of or to restore health care coverage, benefits, or access to care following the passage of Public Law 119-21 and subsequent state budget actions. The bill would state that these provisions would become operative only if the Medicaid provisions of Public Law 119-21 are not repealed prior to January 1, 2027. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law, the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Act, establishes the California Health Facilities Financing Authority, which has authority to, among other things, make secured or unsecured loans to, or purchase secured or unsecured loans of, any participating health institution in accordance with an agreement between the authority and the participating health institution to refinance indebtedness incurred by that participating health institution, as specified, in connection with projects undertaken, for health facilities acquired, or for working capital. Existing law also authorizes the authority to award grants to eligible clinics and health facilities, as specified. Existing law establishes the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, to carry out the purposes of the act. This bill, the Medical Debt Relief Act of 2026, would establish the medical debt relief program, which would be administered by the authority. The bill would require the authority to enter into an interagency agreement with the Department of Health Care Access and Information to implement the program. The bill would require the authority and department to convene a stakeholder advisory group, as specified, no later than July 1, 2027, to advise on the development, implementation, and administration of the program. The bill would require the stakeholder advisory group, on or before January 1, 2028, to develop recommendations for the authority and department, including, among others, criteria for the ranking and priority of eligible recipients to receive discharge of their medical debt. This bill would authorize the authority, in consultation with the department, to, among other things, contract with a medical debt relief coordinator, as defined, for purposes of acquiring medical debt of eligible recipients either directly from a providing health institution or from a debt buyer, as specified. The bill would require the authority to, among other things, maintain books and records of all the medical debt acquired and canceled. The bill would require the authority to maintain a public internet website for information about the program. This bill would create the California Medical Debt Relief Program Account within the California Health Facilities Financing Authority Fund and would make all moneys in the account available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the authority for carrying out the purposes of the Medical Debt Relief Act of 2026. The bill would require the authority, in consultation with the department, to provide a report to the Legislature and Governor by January 1 of each year, starting January 1, 2028. Existing law requires a hospital to report specified financial and utilization data to the Department of Health Care Access and Information, including, among other things, total operating expenses, and deductions from revenue, such as bad debts and charity care. This bill would require a hospital to report to the department outstanding medical debt owed to the hospital, including debt amount, bill adjustments, source of coverage, whether charity care or discount was provided, demographic data, ZIP Code, and whether the debt led to litigation or wage garnishment.
Existing law, the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act, declares the intent of the Legislature to increase the number of students and residents receiving quality education and training in specified primary care specialties and as primary care physician's assistants, primary care nurse practitioners, and registered nurses. This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information to maintain a New Nursing Graduate Support and Placement Program to award program grants to community college associate degree of nursing programs, through which support grants would be awarded to recent graduates for loan repayment assistance, relocation, transportation, housing assistance, childcare, and other financial support. The bill would specify grant eligibility criteria for community colleges and recent graduates. The bill would require the department to consider labor standards of hospital sites that employ support grant applicants when determining grant distribution. Implementation of these provisions would be contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature. This bill would also express the intent of the Legislature to support and strengthen existing programs that train registered nurses under the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act.
This bill designates April 2026 as Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month in California. It directly affects state officials and the public by formally recognizing the importance of raising awareness for this specific health condition. The primary mechanism is a legislative proclamation that appears in the state statutes to mark the month. This action serves as an official acknowledgment of the disease without changing laws or funding.
