Current Legislative Updates and Board Legislative Positions as of May 16, 2025
2025–2025 LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
The Speech–Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board took the following positions on pending legislation during the 2025–2026 legislative session.
AB 45 (Bauer-Kahan) Privacy: health data: location and research.
Status: 5/7/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current law prohibits a person or business, as defined, from collecting, using, disclosing, or retaining the personal information of a person who is physically located at, or within a precise geolocation of, a family planning center, as defined, except as necessary to perform the services or provide the goods requested and not sold or shared. Current law authorizes an aggrieved person or entity to institute and prosecute a civil action against a person or business for a violation of these provisions and specify damages and costs authorized to be recovered. This bill would recast the above-described provisions, and instead prohibit the collection, use, disclosure, sale, sharing, or retention of the personal information of a natural person who is physically located at, or within a precise geolocation of, a family planning center, except collection or use as necessary to perform the services or provide the goods requested. The bill would authorize an aggrieved person to institute and prosecute a civil action against a natural person, association, proprietorship, corporation, trust, foundation, partnership, or any other organization or group of people acting in concert for a violation of these provisions. The bill would also make other nonsubstantive changes.
Position: Watch
AB 302 (Bauer-Kahan) Confidentiality of Medical Information Act.
Status: : 5/15/2025-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Summary: The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from disclosing medical information, as defined, regarding a patient of the provider of health care or an enrollee or subscriber of the health care service plan without first obtaining an authorization, except as prescribed. The act punishes a violation of its provisions that results in economic loss or personal injury to a patient as a misdemeanor. This bill would revise the disclosure requirement relating to a court order to instead require disclosure if compelled by a court order issued by a California state court, including California state court orders relating to foreign subpoenas, as defined. The bill would revise the disclosure requirement relating to a search warrant to require disclosure if compelled by a warrant from another state based on another state's law so long as that law does not interfere with California law, and execution of the search warrant would not violate specified prohibitions against enforcement actions regarding lawful abortions.
Position: Watch
AB 346 (Nguyen) In-home supportive services: licensed health care professional certification.
Status: 5/7/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current law provides for the county-administered In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons are provided with specified services in order to permit them to remain in their own homes and avoid institutionalization. Current law defines supportive services for purposes of the IHSS program to include those necessary paramedical services that are ordered by a licensed health care professional, which persons could provide for themselves, but for their functional limitations. Current law requires an applicant for, or recipient of, in-home supportive services, as a condition of receiving these services, to obtain a certification from a licensed health care professional declaring that the applicant or recipient is unable to perform some activities of daily living independently, and that without services to assist the applicant or recipient with activities of daily living, the applicant or recipient is at risk of placement in out-of-home care, and defines a licensed health care professional to mean an individual licensed in California by the appropriate California regulatory agency, acting within the scope of their license or certificate as defined in the Business and Professions Code. This bill would instead define "licensed health care professional" for those purposes to mean any person who engages in acts that are the subject of licensure or regulation under specified provisions of the Business and Professions Code or under any initiative act referred to in those specified provisions.
Position: Watch
AB 364 (DeMaio) Personal information: maintenance.
Status: 5/1/2025-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P. & C.P. on 3/13/2025)(May be acted upon Jan 2026)
Summary: Would enact the Stop Foreign Governments from Accessing Californians' Sensitive Personal Information Act which would additionally require a business to disclose to a consumer if the business intends to maintain the consumer's personal information outside of the United States. The bill would prohibit a business from maintaining a consumer's personal information outside of the United States unless, among other things, the consumer explicitly consented to the business maintaining the consumer's personal information outside of the United States. The bill would also prohibit a business from maintaining personal information that is health care information, financial information, or geolocation data in the custody of a foreign government or a third party that is owned or controlled by a foreign government. This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020.
Position: Watch
AB 410 (Wilson) Bots: disclosure.
Status: 4/9/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current law makes it unlawful for any person to use a bot to communicate or interact with another person in this state online with the intent to mislead the other person about its artificial identity for the purposes of knowingly deceiving the person about the content of the communication in order to incentivize a purchase or sale of goods or services in a commercial transaction or to influence a vote in an election, unless the person using the bot discloses that it is a bot. Current law defines a "bot" as an automated online account where all or substantially all of the actions or posts of that account are not the result of a person. This bill would require a person who uses a bot to autonomously communicate with another to ensure that the bot discloses to any person with whom the bot communicates when the bot first communicates with the person that the bot is a bot and not a human being, answers truthfully any query from a person regarding its identity as a bot or a human, and refrains from attempting to mislead a person regarding its identity as a bot.
Position: Watch
AB 485 (Ortega) Labor Commissioner: unsatisfied judgments: nonpayment of wages.
Status: 4/9/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate employee complaints and to take various actions against an employer with respect to unpaid wages. Current law generally prohibits an employer with an unsatisfied final judgment for nonpayment of wages from continuing to conduct business in California, unless that employer has obtained a bond from a surety company and filed that bond with the Labor Commissioner, as prescribed. Under current law, if an employer in the long-term care industry that is also required to obtain a license from the State Department of Public Health or the State Department of Social Services has violated the above provision governing unsatisfied judgments (unsatisfied judgment provision), either of those departments may deny a new license or the renewal of an existing license for that employer. Current law further requires the Labor Commissioner, upon finding that an employer in the long-term care industry is violating the unsatisfied judgment provision, to notify those departments. This bill would require a state agency, if an employer in an industry that is also required to obtain a license or permit from that state agency is found to have violated the unsatisfied judgment provision, to deny a new license or permit or the renewal of an existing license or permit for that employer.
Position: Watch
AB 489 (Bonta) Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.
Status: 5/7/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current laws, including, among others, the Medical Practice Act and the Dental Practice Act, make it a crime for a person who is not licensed as a specified health care professional to use certain words, letters, and phrases or any other terms that imply that they are authorized to practice that profession. Current law requires, with certain exemptions, a health facility, clinic, physician's office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence, as defined, to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information, as defined, to ensure that those communications include both (1) a disclaimer that indicates to the patient that a communication was generated by generative artificial intelligence, as specified, and (2) clear instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee, or other appropriate person. Current law provides that a violation of these provisions by a physician shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, as appropriate. This bill would make provisions of law that prohibit the use of specified terms, letters, or phrases to falsely indicate or imply possession of a license or certificate to practice a health care profession, as defined, enforceable against an entity who develops or deploys artificial intelligence (AI) or generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology that uses one or more of those terms, letters, or phrases in its advertising or functionality. The bill would prohibit the use by AI or GenAI technology of certain terms, letters, or phrases that indicate or imply that the advice or care advice, care, reports, or assessments being provided through AI or GenAI is being provided by a natural person with the appropriated health care license or certificate.
Position: Watch
AB 667 (Solache) Professions and vocations: license examinations: interpreters.
Status: 5/7/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Would, beginning July 1, 2026, require certain boards under the jurisdiction of the Department of Consumer Affairs to permit an applicant who cannot read, speak, or write in English to use an interpreter to interpret the English written and oral portions of the license examination if the applicant meets all other requirements for licensure, as specified. This bill would require an interpreter to satisfy specified requirements, including not having the license for which the applicant is taking the examination, and would prohibit the assistance of an interpreter under certain circumstances, including when English language proficiency is required for the license.
Position: Watch
AB 742 (Elhawary) Department of Consumer Affairs: licensing: applicants who are descendants of slaves.
Status: 5/7/2025-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs, which is composed of specified boards that license and regulate various professions. This bill would require those boards to prioritize applicants seeking licensure who are descendants of American slaves once a process to certify descendants of American slaves is established, as specified. The bill would make those provisions operative when the certification process is established and would repeal those provisions 4 years from the date on which the provisions become operative or on January 1, 2032, whichever is earlier. This bill would make these provisions operative only if SB 518 of the 2025-26 Regular Session is enacted establishing the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery.
Position: Watch
AB 784 (Hoover) Special education: specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing services.
Status: 5/15/2025-Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
Summary: Current law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those individuals with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services, as reflected in an individualized education program. Current law defines "special education" as specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs. Current law includes in that definition speech-language pathology services and certain other services if the service is considered special education rather than a designated instruction and service or related service under state standards. This bill would prohibit those provisions from being construed to prohibit an individualized education program from including specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing related services as the only services.
Position: Watch
AB 970 (McKinnor) Child abuse and neglect reporting.
Status: 5/1/2025-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was PUB. S. on 4/8/2025)(May be acted upon Jan 2026)
Summary: The Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act establishes procedures for the reporting and investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. The act requires certain professionals, including specified health practitioners and social workers, known as "mandated reporters," to report by telephone known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to a local law enforcement agency or a county welfare or probation department, as specified. Current law authorizes a county welfare agency to develop a program for internet-based reporting of child abuse and neglect, as specified. Current law authorizes a mandated reporter in a county where the program is active to use the internet-based reporting tool in lieu of the required initial telephone report. This bill would authorize the County of Los Angeles to establish a 2-year pilot program to test a new model for the mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect. The bill would require the pilot program to include a comprehensive County of Los Angeles mandated reporter training that may be made available to all mandated reporters in the county. The bill would require the pilot program to also include the development and deployment of an internet-based decision-support tool, developed through a collaborative process with, among others, the State Department of Social Services, for mandated reporters who have completed that training. The bill would require the decision-support tool to, among other things, make a recommendation on whether or not to report and would prohibit the decision-support tool from using predictive analysis. The bill would, during the time the pilot program is in effect, deem a mandated reporter to have satisfied their reporting duties if the reporter completed the training, used the decision-support tool, and complied with the recommended action.
Position: Watch
AB 1015 (Patel) Discrimination and harassment prevention training.
Status: 5/1/2025-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was L. & E. on 3/10/2025)(May be acted upon Jan 2026)
Summary: Current law requires a specified employer with 5 or more employees to, by January 1, 2021, provide at least 2 hours of classroom or other effective interactive training and education regarding sexual harassment to all supervisory employees and at least one hour of classroom or other effective interactive training and education regarding sexual harassment to all nonsupervisory employees in California and, after that date, once every 2 years. Current law requires that a method be provided for employees who have completed the training to save electronically and print a certificate of completion. Current law requires that an employee who has received training in compliance with these provisions within the prior 2 years either from a current or a prior employer be given, and be required to read and acknowledge receipt of, the employer's antiharassment policy within 6 months of assuming the employee's new position and requires that the employee then be put on a 2-year tracking schedule based on the employee's last training. This bill would authorize an employer to satisfy the training requirements by demonstrating that the employee possesses a certificate of completion within the past 2 years.
Position: Watch
AB 1110 (Ortega) Safety rules and regulations: notice.
Status: 4/3/2025-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health of the Department of Industrial Relations to prepare a notice, to be posted by employers, containing information regarding safety rules and regulations in the workplace. Current law requires the notice to contain specified items of information, including, among other things, the address and telephone number of the nearest division office. This bill would also require the notice to contain the email address of the nearest division office.
Position: Watch
AB 1192 (Carrillo) Child abuse or neglect: reporting.
Status: 5/14/2025-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Summary: The Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act establishes procedures for the reporting and investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. Current law requires certain professionals, including specified health practitioners and social workers, known as "mandated reporters," to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect to a local law enforcement agency or a county welfare or probation department, as specified. Current law requires an employee of those agencies, in certain circumstances, to send or have sent, within 36 hours, a copy of a report made pursuant to these provisions to the attorney who represents the child, who is the subject of the report, in dependency court. Current law requires the agency to maintain a copy of the written report and provide all information requested by the attorney for the child or the child's guardian ad litem within 30 days of the request. This bill would require an employee of those agencies to additionally send a copy of the report to the attorney who represents a parent or legal guardian of the child, as specified. Under the bill, that requirement would not apply to certain individuals, including a parent whose parental rights have been terminated or a parent who is not entitled to reunification services. The bill would require the agency to redact all personal identifying information, as defined, regarding all persons, other than the child, who are identified in the report. If the suspected abuse or neglect occurred in a placement, as provided, the bill would require an employee of the agency to send a copy of the report to all attorneys who represent children with an open dependency case in that placement, subject to specified redaction.
Position: Watch
AB 1326 (Ahrens) Masks: individual or public health.
Status: 5/8/2025-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 58. Noes 2.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Summary: Current law sets forth various provisions on the wearing of a mask for health purposes. These circumstances include, among others, a statewide stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the event of a pandemic, wildfire smoke event, or other health emergency; employer-supplied PPE to employees who provide direct patient care in a general acute care hospital; employees of commercial cannabis businesses wearing a mask for respiration; and providing peace officers with an appropriate portable manual mask and airway assembly for use when applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation to prevent the spread of communicable disease. Under this bill, an individual would have the right to wear a mask on their face in a public place for the purpose of protecting their individual health or the public health, with regard to communicable disease, air quality, or other health factors. The bill would define a mask and a public place for purposes of this provision.
Position: Watch
AB 1327 (Aguiar-Curry) Home improvement and home solicitation: right to cancel contracts: notice.
Status: 5/8/2025-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Summary: Current law authorizes a buyer to cancel certain home improvement and home solicitation contracts or offers until midnight of the 3rd business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement or offer to purchase that complies with specified requirements. Current law provides an alternate 5-day period of time to cancel the contracts or offers described above if the buyer or property owner is a senior citizen, as defined, for contracts entered into, or offers to purchase conveyed, on or after January 1, 2021. Current law also provides a 7-day period of time to cancel the contracts or offers described above if the contract is for the repair or restoration of residential premises damaged by any sudden or catastrophic event for which a state of emergency or local emergency has been declared. Current law requires a home improvement or home solicitation contract or offer to include a notice of cancellation form with specified statements as to the buyer's right to cancel, including how a notice of cancellation may be delivered to the seller. This bill would require that notice of cancellation to also be delivered by email and require the seller to include in the contract an email address to which the notice of cancellation is to be sent and a telephone number of a support line to aid in completing the notice of cancellation, and would make conforming changes.
Position: Watch
SB 81 (Arreguín) Health and care facilities: information sharing.
Status: 5/12/2025-May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Summary: The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, a contractor, or a corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates from intentionally sharing, selling, using for marketing, or otherwise using any medical information, as defined, for any purpose not necessary to provide health care services to a patient, except as provided. The CMIA authorizes a provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor to disclose medical information regarding a patient of the provider of health care or an enrollee or subscriber of a health care service plan with authorization from the patient or pursuant to a search warrant lawfully issued to a governmental law enforcement agency. Current law makes a violation of these provisions that results in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would revise the definition of "medical information" to include immigration status, including current and prior immigration status, and place of birth, and would define "immigration enforcement" to mean any and all efforts to investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal civil immigration law, and also includes any and all efforts to investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal criminal immigration that penalizes a person's presence in, entry or reentry to, or employment in, the United States. The bill would specify that a provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor may disclose medical information regarding a patient of the provider of health care or an enrollee or subscriber or a health care service plan pursuant to a valid search warrant issued by a judicial officer, including a magistrate, to a governmental law enforcement agency.
Position: Watch
SB 402 (Valladares) Health care coverage: autism.
Status: 4/22/2025-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Summary: Current law requires a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy to provide coverage for behavioral health treatment for pervasive developmental disorder or autism and defines "behavioral health treatment" to mean specified services and treatment programs, including treatment provided pursuant to a treatment plan that is prescribed by a qualified autism service provider and administered either by a qualified autism service provider or by a qualified autism service professional or qualified autism service paraprofessional. Current law defines "qualified autism service provider," "qualified autism service professional," and "qualified autism service paraprofessional" for those purposes. Those definitions are contained in the Health and Safety Code and the Insurance Code. This bill would move those definitions to the Business and Professions Code. The bill would also make technical and conforming changes.
Position: Watch
SB 446 (Hurtado) Data breaches: customer notification.
Status: 5/15/2025-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Summary: Current law requires an individual or a business that conducts business in California, and that owns or licenses computerized data that includes personal information, to disclose a breach of the security of the system following discovery or notification of the breach in the security of the data to a resident of California whose unencrypted personal information was compromised, as specified, and requires that disclosure to be made in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay, consistent with the legitimate needs of law enforcement, as specified, or any measures necessary to determine the scope of the breach and restore the reasonable integrity of the data system. This bill would require that data breach disclosure to be made within 30 calendar days of discovery or notification of the data breach but would authorize an individual or business to delay the disclosure to accommodate the legitimate needs of law enforcement, as specified, or as necessary to determine the scope of the breach and restore the reasonable integrity of the data system.
Position: Watch
SB 470 (Laird) Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act: teleconferencing.
Status: 4/29/2025-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Summary: Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a state body be open and public and all persons be permitted to attend any meeting of a state body. The act authorizes meetings through teleconference subject to specified requirements, including, among others, that the state body post agendas at all teleconference locations, that each teleconference location be identified in the notice and agenda of the meeting or proceeding, that each teleconference location be accessible to the public, that the agenda provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the state body directly at each teleconference location, and that at least one member of the state body be physically present at the location specified in the notice of the meeting. This bill would instead repeal these provisions on January 1, 2030.
Position: Watch
SB 497 (Wiener) Legally protected health care activity.
Status: 5/12/2025-May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Summary: The United States Constitution generally requires a state to give full faith and credit to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. Current law generally authorizes a California court or attorney to issue a subpoena if a foreign subpoena has been sought in this state, but prohibits the issuance of a subpoena based on another state's law that interferes with a person's right to allow a child to receive gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care. Current law generally prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from disclosing medical information regarding a patient, enrollee, or subscriber without first obtaining an authorization, unless an exception applies, including that the disclosure is in response to a subpoena. Current law prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from releasing medical information related to a person or entity allowing a child to receive gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care in response to a civil action, including a foreign subpoena, based on another state's law that authorizes a person to bring a civil action against a person or entity that allows a child to receive gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care. This bill would additionally prohibit a provider of health care, a health care service plan, or a contractor from releasing medical information related to a person seeking or obtaining gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care in response to a criminal or civil action, including a foreign subpoena, based on another state's law that interferes with an individual's right to seek or obtain gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care. The bill would also prohibit a provider of health care, health care service plan, contractor, or employer from cooperating with or providing medical information to an individual, agency, or department from another state or, to the extent permitted by federal law, to a federal law enforcement agency that would identify an individual and that is related to an individual seeking or obtaining gender-affirming health care, as specified.
Position: Watch
SB 641 (Ashby) Department of Consumer Affairs and Department of Real Estate: states of emergency: waivers and exemptions.
Status: 5/12/2025-May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Would authorize the Department of Real Estate and boards under the jurisdiction of the Department of Consumer Affairs to waive the application of certain provisions of the licensure requirements that the board or department is charged with enforcing for licensees and applicants impacted by a declared federal, state, or local emergency or whose home or business is located in a declared disaster area, including certain examination, fee, and continuing education requirements. The bill would exempt impacted licensees of boards from, among other requirements, the payment of duplicate license fees. The bill would require all applicants and licensees of the Department of Real Estate or boards under the Department of Consumer Affairs to provide the board or department with an email address. The bill would prohibit a contractor licensed pursuant to the Contractors State License Law from engaging in debris removal unless the contractor has one of specified license qualifications or as authorized by the registrar of contractors during a declared state of emergency or for a declared disaster area, has passed an approved hazardous substance certification examination, and complies with certain occupational safety and health requirements concerning hazardous waste operations and emergency response, as specified. The bill would require the Real Estate Commissioner, upon the declaration of a state of emergency, to determine the nature and scope of any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent practices, as specified, and provide specified notice to the public regarding those practices. The bill would authorize the commissioner to suspend or revoke a real estate license if the licensee makes an unsolicited offer to an owner of real property to purchase or acquire an interest in the real property for an amount less than the fair market value of the property or interest of the property if the property is located in a declared disaster area, and would also make a violation of that provision a misdemeanor.
Position: Watch
SB 861 ( Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development ) Consumer affairs.
Status: 5/14/2025-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law requires certain state agencies to disclose information on the status of its licensees on the internet, as specified. In this regard, existing law specifies the licensees on which the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau is required to disclose information, including, among others, cemetery brokers, salespersons, and managers. This bill would also specify that the bureau is required to disclose information on licensed hydrolysis facilities and reduction facilities.
Position: Board Sponsored
