CaliforniaBusinesses must protect sensitive-service medical records from unauthorized access
Businesses handling medical records about gender affirming care, abortion services, or contraception must restrict access, separate the records, and limit certain out-of-state handling.
What it does
Businesses that store medical information about gender affirming care, abortion services, or contraception must limit who can access it, separate it from other records, and restrict certain out-of-state access or handling.
Argument forPatients receiving gender affirming care, abortion-related services, or contraception may gain more privacy because businesses must limit access and separate those records.
Argument againstBusinesses may face added work to restrict access, block some out-of-state handling, and separate these records, which could make authorized care coordination harder.
More detail
Businesses that store or maintain sensitive-service medical information must set up and use privacy safeguards. This covers businesses storing or maintaining medical information about gender affirming care, abortion and related services, or contraception for health care organizations, pharmaceutical companies, contractors, or employers. It does not apply to a contractor, health care service plan, or health care provider as defined in the cited law. Fees charged to comply must follow federal rules cited in the law. The text sets July 1, 2024, as the deadline to develop and enable the safeguards.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 607, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 3Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.Minor
- Aug 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 9.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2448 Berman et al. By Menjivar. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 4Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 3From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.Minor
- Jul 2From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 1
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 9From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 7. Noes 1.) (June 8). Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Jun 8
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Health]. Result: pass.Upper
- May 20Referred to Coms. on P., D.T., & C.P. and HEALTH.Minor
- May 12In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 11Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 55. Noes 16. Page 4992.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2448 Berman Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 30Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Apr 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 10. Noes 2.) (April 29).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 20From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (April 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 20Coauthors revised.
- Apr 16
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 12. Noes 3.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Minor
- Apr 7
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and P. & C.P.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
HealthcareReproductive RightsMental Health