Health & Public Health

Requires youth sports organizations to certify all coaches in CPR and AED operation by 2027. Mandates written emergency response plans detailing procedures for sudden cardiac events. Requires organizations to maintain and regularly test AED equipment according to manufacturer guidelines.

Exempts certain vaginal and vulvar products from state cosmetic ingredient restrictions. Requires products to pass rigorous third-party safety trials to qualify for exemption. Takes effect immediately to ensure continued access to women's health products. Aligns with medical recommendations from leading healthcare organizations.

Renames the Mental Health Services Oversight Commission to the Behavioral Health Services Oversight Commission. Requires health facilities to submit patient safety plans biennially instead of biannually starting January 2026. Mandates nurse assistant training programs include 2 hours on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Requires large group disability insurance to cover infertility treatments starting July 2025.

Makes technical changes to podiatrist and physician assistant board oversight and fee structures.

Initiates a legislative review of the California Massage Therapy Council before its January 2026 sunset date. Requires background checks for all council employees, contractors, volunteers, and board members. Caps massage therapy certification and renewal fees at $300 with mandatory 90-day notice for increases. Mandates council meetings follow Robert's Rules of Order while maintaining open meeting requirements.

Renames advanced practice pharmacists to advanced pharmacist practitioners in California pharmacy regulations. Authorizes advanced pharmacist practitioners to assess patients and manage drug therapy with other providers. Requires advanced pharmacist practitioners to complete 10 additional hours of continuing education per renewal cycle. Sets the initial and renewal fee for advanced pharmacist practitioner licenses at $300 with potential increases.

Makes technical changes to existing workforce data collection requirements for healthcare licensing boards.

Establishes a pilot program to study psilocybin therapy for veterans and first responders with PTSD through 2031. Authorizes research partnerships between UC system and mental health clinics in up to 5 California counties. Creates a special fund for program costs including staff training and data collection. Requires comprehensive program evaluation and reporting to the Legislature by January 2030.

Establishes a new registration system for chiropractors to legally treat animals without veterinary supervision. Requires chiropractors to obtain certification from approved organizations to practice animal chiropractic. Mandates practitioners to maintain medical records and obtain signed consent forms from animal owners. Exempts registered animal chiropractors from veterinary regulations while protecting vets from liability.

Requires health plans to reimburse pharmacist services at the same rate as physician services under Medi-Cal. Expands coverage to include pharmacists enrolled as providers with health plans and insurers. Establishes new payment rules for medication therapy management services for specialty drugs. Maintains existing pharmacist services like immunizations and contraception under Medi-Cal coverage.

Aligns Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for nonemergency ambulance transports with federal Medicare fee schedules. Authorizes nonphysicians to certify medical necessity for ambulance transports with electronic signatures. Allows ambulance providers to document mileage using GPS tracking and digital mapping instead of odometer readings. Maintains quality assurance fees on emergency transports to fund increased Medi-Cal reimbursements.

Extends the supervision period for environmental health specialist trainees from 3 to 5 years. Expands the scope of practice for environmental health specialists to include body art and medical waste. Designates the State Environmental Health Director as the committee's executive officer. Requires detailed documentation of trainee progress including daily logs and monthly progress reports.

Bans the sale of cleaning products, cookware, and other consumer items containing PFAS chemicals starting January 2027. Requires manufacturers to prove PFAS use is unavoidable to receive a 5-year exemption from the ban. Expands restrictions to additional products like refrigerants and solvents by January 2040. Creates a new oversight fund supported by manufacturer fees to enforce PFAS regulations.

Makes technical changes to provisions governing assisted outpatient mental health treatment programs.

Authorizes optional first aid and CPR training for state-employed lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers. Requires quality assurance measures to ensure safe and effective use of emergency medical skills. Mandates completion of initial training within one year of employment. Requires refresher training every three years for lifeguards and firefighters.

Expands hospital medical staff membership to include various healthcare professionals beyond physicians. Requires hospitals to establish formal medical staff bylaws and annual appointment processes. Prohibits the division of professional fees among medical staff members. Mandates regular review of clinical experiences and maintenance of accurate patient records.

Prohibits local governments from blocking firefighter participation in cancer prevention research studies. Ensures fire departments can provide facility access and equipment for cancer research grant studies. Supports the existing California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program.

Requires California to maintain a comprehensive abortion and reproductive health website with quarterly updates. Mandates partnership with a nonprofit expert organization to combat healthcare misinformation. Establishes community workgroups to ensure the website serves diverse population needs. Requires translation into five languages and annual reporting on the website's impact.

Maintains California's statewide cancer registry system while strengthening regional reporting networks. Requires the Public Health Director to submit a new funding plan to legislators by January 2027. Mandates healthcare facilities to report cancer cases electronically in standardized formats. Partners with regional cancer registries to maximize available federal funding for cancer data collection.

Requires public water systems to inform public housing residents about free lead testing programs. Applies to both community and non-community water systems serving government-managed public housing. Expands existing lead safety measures by focusing on resident awareness and testing access.

Makes technical changes to optometry licensing requirements and updates examination terminology.

Authorizes involuntary psychiatric medication for jail inmates found incompetent to stand trial on misdemeanors. Permits emergency medication without consent when immediate treatment is needed to prevent serious harm. Requires facilities to file written notice within 72 hours of starting involuntary medication. Limits involuntary medication orders to one year or until court modification.

Prohibits state agencies from awarding no-bid contracts for overdose medications to opioid settlement companies. Voids existing and future contracts that violate these restrictions, including those made before January 2026. Applies specifically to naloxone and other FDA-approved drugs that counteract opioid overdoses.

Establishes new standards for online home health aide training programs with real-time instruction requirements. Requires home health aide trainers to be registered nurses with two years experience or supervised LVNs. Mandates 12 hours of annual in-service training for home health aide certificate renewal. Requires identity verification and monitoring of online training programs to prevent fraud.

Grants the Board of Registered Nursing authority to form advisory committees without director approval. Maintains existing per diem and expense payments for advisory committee members. Streamlines the process for creating nursing advisory committees to improve regulatory efficiency.