CA SB 903
vetoedMental health professionals: artificial intelligence.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did CA SB 903 pass?
No. CA SB 903 passed the legislature but was vetoed. Latest recorded action (2026-09-30): In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
What is CA SB 903 about?
Existing law establishes various healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs that license and regulate various healing arts licensees. Existing laws, including the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Educational Psychologist Practice Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act, make a violation of those acts a crime. Existing law regulates the use of artificial intelligence, as defined. Existing law requires a health facility, clinic, physician's office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information to ensure those communications include a disclaimer that indicates to the patient that a communication was generated by artificial intelligence and instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee, or other appropriate person. This bill would regulate the use of artificial intelligence in connection with providing or facilitating psychotherapy services, as defined. The bill, among other things, would authorize an individual, corporation, or entity that provides or facilitates psychotherapy services to use artificial intelligence tools or systems only to assist in providing administrative or supplementary support in psychotherapy services, as specified. The bill would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from using artificial intelligence to record or transcribe psychotherapeutic communications or sessions or to triage or screen a person for the need for psychotherapy services unless the patient or client or their authorized representative is informed that artificial intelligence will be used and the purpose of the artificial intelligence tool or system, and the patient or client or their authorized representative provides consent, as specified. The bill would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from advertising or otherwise purporting to offer psychotherapy services when the services are provided through the use of companion chatbots. The bill would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from allowing artificial intelligence to perform certain acts, including making therapeutic decisions or detecting emotions or mental states, as specified, without review and approval by a licensed professional. The bill would make a violation of the bill's provisions subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care professional licensing board or enforcement agency, as specified, and would authorize those boards and enforcement entities to pursue any remedies authorized by law. Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, generally restricts the persons and entities to whom, and the purposes for which, a health care provider, health care service plan, or contractor may release a patient's medical information. The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act additionally imposes certain disclosure requirements for the release of medical information that specifically relates to the patient's participation in outpatient treatment with a psychotherapist. In this regard, the act prohibits a health care provider, health care service plan, or contractor from releasing that information to persons or entities who have requested that information and who are otherwise authorized by specified laws to receive that information, unless the requester makes certain written disclosures to the patient and to the provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor, as specified. Those disclosures include, among other things, the specific intended uses of the information, and the length of time during which the information will be kept before being destroyed or disposed of, as specified. Existing law makes a violation of those provisions that result in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would require the use of artificial intelligence in patient or client records for psychotherapy services to comply with the confidentiality requirements of the above-described provision of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and would prohibit a company or entity from sharing, selling, storing, or training their models on any data obtained from psychotherapy in a manner inconsistent with any applicable law. By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the 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 SB 903?
Padilla is the primary sponsor of CA SB 903, joined by 4 cosponsors.
Description
Existing law establishes various healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs that license and regulate various healing arts licensees. Existing laws, including the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Educational Psychologist Practice Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act, make a violation of those acts a crime. Existing law regulates the use of artificial intelligence, as defined. Existing law requires a health facility, clinic, physician's office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information to ensure those communications include a disclaimer that indicates to the patient that a communication was generated by artificial intelligence and instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee, or other appropriate person. This bill would regulate the use of artificial intelligence in connection with providing or facilitating psychotherapy services, as defined. The bill, among other things, would authorize an individual, corporation, or entity that provides or facilitates psychotherapy services to use artificial intelligence tools or systems only to assist in providing administrative or supplementary support in psychotherapy services, as specified. The bill would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from using artificial intelligence to record or transcribe psychotherapeutic communications or sessions or to triage or screen a person for the need for psychotherapy services unless the patient or client or their authorized representative is informed that artificial intelligence will be used and the purpose of the artificial intelligence tool or system, and the patient or client or their authorized representative provides consent, as specified. The bill would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from advertising or otherwise purporting to offer psychotherapy services when the services are provided through the use of companion chatbots. The bill would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from allowing artificial intelligence to perform certain acts, including making therapeutic decisions or detecting emotions or mental states, as specified, without review and approval by a licensed professional. The bill would make a violation of the bill's provisions subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care professional licensing board or enforcement agency, as specified, and would authorize those boards and enforcement entities to pursue any remedies authorized by law. Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, generally restricts the persons and entities to whom, and the purposes for which, a health care provider, health care service plan, or contractor may release a patient's medical information. The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act additionally imposes certain disclosure requirements for the release of medical information that specifically relates to the patient's participation in outpatient treatment with a psychotherapist. In this regard, the act prohibits a health care provider, health care service plan, or contractor from releasing that information to persons or entities who have requested that information and who are otherwise authorized by specified laws to receive that information, unless the requester makes certain written disclosures to the patient and to the provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor, as specified. Those disclosures include, among other things, the specific intended uses of the information, and the length of time during which the information will be kept before being destroyed or disposed of, as specified. Existing law makes a violation of those provisions that result in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would require the use of artificial intelligence in patient or client records for psychotherapy services to comply with the confidentiality requirements of the above-described provision of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and would prohibit a company or entity from sharing, selling, storing, or training their models on any data obtained from psychotherapy in a manner inconsistent with any applicable law. By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the 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
- 2026-01-21
- Latest action
- 2026-09-30 — In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Padillaauthor
- Rubiocoauthor
- Addiscoauthor
- Lowenthalcoauthor
- Pellerincoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-09-30
In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2026-09-30
Vetoed by the Governor.
executive-veto
2026-09-09
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-08-31
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2026-08-30
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-30
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2026-08-30
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 1. Page 6902.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-21
Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-21
Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended.
2026-08-21
Read third time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-21
Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 17. Page 6296.)
2026-08-13
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-13
Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
2026-08-13
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (August 13).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-05
August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
2026-07-02
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-07-02
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 1.) (July 1).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-06-16
Coauthors revised.
2026-06-16
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (June 16). Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-06-08
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-05-26
Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and P. & C.P.
referral-committee
2026-05-20
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2026-05-19
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4341.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-14
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-05-14
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4256.) (May 14).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-05-08
Set for hearing May 14.
2026-05-04
May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-24
Set for hearing May 4.
2026-04-21
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 3957.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-04-13
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 3840.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-04-10
Set for hearing April 20 in P., D.T., & C.P. pending receipt.
2026-04-08
Set for hearing April 13.
2026-04-07
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-02-18
Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and P., D.T., & C.P.
referral-committee
2026-01-22
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 21.
2026-01-21
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,reading-1,referral-committee
Versions
- 01/21/26 - Introduced — 2026-01-21Compare
- 04/07/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-04-07Compare
- 06/08/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-06-08Compare
- 07/02/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-07-02Compare
- 08/21/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-21Compare
- 09/04/26 - Enrolled — 2026-09-04Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
- SB903Compare
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Votes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection]
2026-04-13 · pass · 11-0
Member-level votes (11)
- Menjivar: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Niello: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Strickland: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Choi: yes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-04-20 · pass · 8-0
Member-level votes (9)
- Seyarto: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Reyes: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Jones: other
Placed on suspense file
2026-05-04 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Dahle: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Grayson: yes
Do pass
2026-05-14 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Cervantes: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
3rd Reading SB903 Padilla et al.
2026-05-19 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Allen: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Limón: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Becker: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Rubio: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Stern: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Choi: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Strickland: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Alvarado-Gil: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Jones: yes
- Laird: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Richardson: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Grove: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Niello: other
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]
2026-06-16 · pass · 17-0
Member-level votes (19)
- Irwin: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Ellis: yes
- Haney: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Addis: yes
- Berman: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Hart: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Bains: other
- Chen: other
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-07-01 · pass · 14-1
Member-level votes (15)
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Hoover: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Ward: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- DeMaio: no
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
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