Healthcare

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 establishes various healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs, including the Medical Board of California and the Dental Board of California, that license and regulate various healing arts licensees. Existing law, including the Medical Practice Act and the Dental Practice Act, deem certain violations by licensees to be unprofessional conduct subject to discipline by the licensee's licensing board. Existing law requires a physician and surgeon or dentist to refund to a patient any amount paid by the patient for services rendered that was subsequently paid to the physician and surgeon or dentist by a third-party payor and that constitutes a duplicate payment, as prescribed. Existing law requires that the above-described duplicate payment refund be paid, if requested by the patient, either within 30 days of that request or, if the duplicate payment has not been received, within 30 days of receipt of the duplicate payment by the physician and surgeon or dentist. Existing law requires, if the patient does not request a refund, a physician and surgeon or dentist who knows, or should have known, of the receipt of the duplicate payment to notify the patient, as prescribed, and to refund the payment within 30 days of that notification, except as specified. Existing law makes a violation of the above requirements unprofessional conduct subject to disciplinary proceedings as described above. This bill would reduce the duration for a physician and surgeon or dentist to refund a duplicate payment following patient request or patient notification to 21 days.

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.

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 the week of May 11 to May 15, 2026, as Student Mental Health Awareness Week throughout California. The measure requires state agencies and institutions to acknowledge this specific timeframe to highlight the importance of student mental well-being. By officially recognizing these dates, the legislation aims to encourage public focus on mental health resources for students during that period. It does not allocate funding or mandate specific programs, but rather serves to raise awareness through formal designation.

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.

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.