Bill Commons

CA AB 849

enacted

Health providers: medical chaperones.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did CA AB 849 pass?

Yes. CA AB 849 has been enacted into law as of 2025-10-07. Latest recorded action (2025-10-07): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.

What is CA AB 849 about?

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate health facilities and clinics. Existing law generally makes a violation of those provisions a crime. Existing law also specifies the settings in which an ultrasound or similar medical imaging device procedure may be offered, which includes licensed health facilities and clinics, and certain providers and facilities that are not subject to licensure and regulation by the department. Existing law requires a licensed health facility that provides specified prenatal screening ultrasound to require that the ultrasound be performed by a sonographer that is nationally certified, as specified. This bill would, except as specified, require a provider, as defined, that offers a sensitive examination to provide notice to patients that a medical chaperone will be made available, upon their request, to assist or observe the sensitive examination. The bill would require the notice be provided as a hard copy, an electronic transmission, or verbally to the patient or their legal guardian, as specified. The bill would provide that the provider has the right to decline performing a sensitive examination in the absence of a medical chaperone if the provider determines that a medical chaperone must be present. The bill would require a provider to educate sonographers and clinical and nonclinical staff who may serve as a medical chaperone regarding specified topics, including, among others, appropriate observational and intervention techniques. The bill would require, if a patient requests a medical chaperone, a provider to document a medical chaperone's presence in the patient's health record. The bill would define various terms for purposes of these provisions, including that sensitive examination means an ultrasound examination performed by a sonographer of certain areas of the body, including genitalia. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2027. By creating new requirements for health facilities and clinics, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Who sponsors CA AB 849?

Soria is the primary sponsor of CA AB 849, joined by 2 cosponsors.

Description

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate health facilities and clinics. Existing law generally makes a violation of those provisions a crime. Existing law also specifies the settings in which an ultrasound or similar medical imaging device procedure may be offered, which includes licensed health facilities and clinics, and certain providers and facilities that are not subject to licensure and regulation by the department. Existing law requires a licensed health facility that provides specified prenatal screening ultrasound to require that the ultrasound be performed by a sonographer that is nationally certified, as specified. This bill would, except as specified, require a provider, as defined, that offers a sensitive examination to provide notice to patients that a medical chaperone will be made available, upon their request, to assist or observe the sensitive examination. The bill would require the notice be provided as a hard copy, an electronic transmission, or verbally to the patient or their legal guardian, as specified. The bill would provide that the provider has the right to decline performing a sensitive examination in the absence of a medical chaperone if the provider determines that a medical chaperone must be present. The bill would require a provider to educate sonographers and clinical and nonclinical staff who may serve as a medical chaperone regarding specified topics, including, among others, appropriate observational and intervention techniques. The bill would require, if a patient requests a medical chaperone, a provider to document a medical chaperone's presence in the patient's health record. The bill would define various terms for purposes of these provisions, including that sensitive examination means an ultrasound examination performed by a sonographer of certain areas of the body, including genitalia. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2027. By creating new requirements for health facilities and clinics, the violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Introduced
2025-04-21
Latest action
2025-10-07 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.
Bill type
bill
Last updated

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Soriaauthor
  • Krellcoauthor
  • Rubiocoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-02-19

    Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

  2. 2025-02-20

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  3. 2025-03-03

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

    referral-committee

  4. 2025-03-28

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  5. 2025-04-21

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

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  6. 2025-04-22

    Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

    referral-committee

  7. 2025-04-30

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  8. 2025-04-30

    Coauthors revised.

  9. 2025-05-14

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  10. 2025-05-21

    Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)

  11. 2025-05-21

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

    referral-committee

  12. 2025-05-23

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage

  13. 2025-05-23

    Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)

  14. 2025-05-23

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  15. 2025-05-27

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  16. 2025-06-02

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 1. Page 1908.)

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  17. 2025-06-03

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

    reading-1,referral-committee

  18. 2025-06-11

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

    referral-committee

  19. 2025-07-08

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

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  20. 2025-07-17

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  21. 2025-07-17

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 16).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee

  22. 2025-08-18

    In committee: Referred to suspense file.

    referral-committee

  23. 2025-08-29

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 29).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage

  24. 2025-08-29

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  25. 2025-09-02

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  26. 2025-09-04

    Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  27. 2025-09-08

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  28. 2025-09-11

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2923.).

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  29. 2025-09-12

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  30. 2025-09-12

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3380.).

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  31. 2025-09-24

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

    executive-receipt

  32. 2025-10-07

    Approved by the Governor.

    executive-signature

  33. 2025-10-07

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.

    became-law

Versions

  • 02/19/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-19Compare
  • 04/21/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-04-21Compare
  • 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-05-23Compare
  • 07/08/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-07-08Compare
  • 07/17/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-07-17Compare
  • 08/29/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-08-29Compare
  • 09/04/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-09-04Compare
  • 09/16/25 - Enrolled — 2025-09-16Compare
  • 10/07/25 - Chaptered — 2025-10-07Compare
  • AB849Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2025-04-29 · pass · 12-1

    Member-level votes (16)
    • Celeste Rodriguez: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Bonta: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Stefani: yes
    • Carrillo: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Arambula: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Patterson: no
    • Sanchez: other
    • Flora: other
    • Chen: other
  • Do pass as amended.

    2025-05-23 · pass · 11-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Calderon: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Arambula: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Ta: other
    • Sanchez: other
    • Dixon: other
    • Tangipa: other
  • AB 849 Soria Assembly Third Reading

    2025-06-03 · pass · 64-1

    Member-level votes (79)
    • Addis: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Rivas: yes
    • Petrie-Norris: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Arambula: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Stefani: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Ward: yes
    • Carrillo: yes
    • Blanca Rubio: yes
    • Muratsuchi: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • Bonta: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Gabriel: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Ávila Farías: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Ransom: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Celeste Rodriguez: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Quirk-Silva: yes
    • Ramos: yes
    • Soria: yes
    • Wallis: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Davies: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Alanis: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Gipson: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Boerner: yes
    • Alvarez: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Wilson: yes
    • Hoover: yes
    • Zbur: yes
    • Bennett: yes
    • Ortega: yes
    • Bains: yes
    • Valencia: yes
    • DeMaio: no
    • Gallagher: other
    • Chen: other
    • Lackey: other
    • Ta: other
    • Tangipa: other
    • Ellis: other
    • Flora: other
    • Jeff Gonzalez: other
    • Hadwick: other
    • Macedo: other
    • Castillo: other
    • Dixon: other
    • Patterson: other
    • Sanchez: other
  • Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2025-07-16 · pass · 8-0

    Member-level votes (11)
    • Limón: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Valladares: other
    • Weber Pierson: other
    • Grove: other
  • Placed on suspense file

    2025-08-18 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Richardson: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Grayson: yes
  • Do pass as amended

    2025-08-29 · pass · 5-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Richardson: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Dahle: other
    • Seyarto: other
  • 3rd Reading AB849 Soria et al. By Caballero

    2025-09-11 · pass · 37-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Umberg: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Ochoa Bogh: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Jones: yes
    • Reyes: yes
    • McNerney: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • Limón: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Choi: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Alvarado-Gil: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Grove: yes
    • Strickland: yes
    • Becker: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Valladares: other
    • Niello: other
    • Weber Pierson: other
  • AB 849 Soria Concurrence in Senate Amendments

    2025-09-12 · pass · 78-0

    Member-level votes (80)
    • Addis: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Carrillo: yes
    • Ransom: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Alvarez: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Hoover: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Ortega: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Petrie-Norris: yes
    • Gabriel: yes
    • Zbur: yes
    • DeMaio: yes
    • Hadwick: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Tangipa: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Sanchez: yes
    • Johnson: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Gipson: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Wilson: yes
    • Soria: yes
    • Valencia: yes
    • Celeste Rodriguez: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Bonta: yes
    • Jeff Gonzalez: yes
    • Alanis: yes
    • Patterson: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Davies: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Muratsuchi: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Chen: yes
    • Quirk-Silva: yes
    • Bains: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • Arambula: yes
    • Bennett: yes
    • Ávila Farías: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Castillo: yes
    • Wallis: yes
    • Stefani: yes
    • Ta: yes
    • Blanca Rubio: yes
    • Gallagher: yes
    • Macedo: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • Ramos: yes
    • Rivas: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Dixon: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Ward: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Boerner: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Lackey: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Ellis: other
    • Flora: other

Related bills

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