CaliforniaChild welfare workers must seek emergency care and notify tribes in some cases
For a child covered by juvenile court care rules who appears to need immediate emergency treatment, a social worker must take reasonable steps to get care and notify the tribe in specified cases.
What it does
County child welfare social workers would be treated as people who are not officers under rules against harming or changing public records. The bill keeps the existing penalties for people who are not officers.
When a child covered by juvenile court care rules appears to need immediate emergency treatment, a social worker would have to take reasonable steps to get licensed care. If the worker knows or has reason to know the child is an Indian child, the worker must notify the child’s tribe as soon as reasonably possible.
Argument forChildren with severe pain or a dangerous, sudden condition may be connected to licensed emergency care without waiting for a court order.
Argument againstWorkers may have to arrange urgent care and contact a tribe while responding to a child’s emergency.
More detail
A county child welfare social worker is treated as a person who is not an officer under the rules against harming or changing public records. This applies to social workers employed by county child welfare departments and the existing rules against stealing, hiding, damaging, or changing public records.
A social worker must take reasonable steps to get emergency care for a child; care may be provided without a court order. This covers a child taken into temporary custody, a child with a court petition, or a dependent child placed in a social worker’s care or supervision, when the child reasonably appears to need immediate emergency treatment. Care must be provided by a licensed physician and surgeon, or by a licensed dentist for emergency dental care. The worker must make reasonable efforts to get a parent’s consent or notify the parent before authorizing care. If the worker knows or has reason to know the child is an Indian child, the worker must notify the child’s tribe as soon as reasonably possible while securing care. The worker must notify the tribe as soon as reasonably possible while securing emergency care.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 20Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 392, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 20Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 4Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6679.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2304 Lackey Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 26In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2304 Lackey et al. By Valladares. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 29From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 24From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.Major
- Jun 15From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.Major
- Jun 10Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and PUB. S.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2304 Lackey Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 5488.)Passed Assembly
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 20Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Apr 16Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 15From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 14).Major
- Apr 14
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 24Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.Minor
- Mar 23From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 23Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 20From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
- Feb 19Read first time. To print.Introduced
HealthcareCriminal JusticeMental Health