CaliforniaPatient visitation.
What it does
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation by the State Department of Public Health of health facilities, including general acute care hospitals, as defined. Existing law requires a health facility to allow a patient's domestic partner, the children of the patient's domestic partner, and the domestic partner of the patient's parent or child to visit unless no visitors are allowed, the facility reasonably determines that the presence of a particular visitor would endanger the health or safety of a patient, a member of the health facility staff, or other visitor to the health facility, or would significantly disrupt the operations of a facility, or the patient has indicated to the health facility staff that the patient does not want this person to visit. A violation of this provision is a misdemeanor.
More detail
This bill would require a general acute care hospital to allow a patient with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, a patient with cognitive impairment, including dementia, and a patient with another disability, as specified, to have a family or friend caregiver with them as needed, including outside standard visiting hours, unless specified conditions are met, including, but not limited to, that the hospital reasonably determines that the presence of a particular visitor would endanger the health or safety of the visitor, a patient, a member of the staff, or other visitor to the hospital, or would significantly disrupt the operations of the hospital. The bill would not prohibit a hospital from otherwise establishing reasonable restrictions upon visitation. The bill would authorize the hospital to impose legitimate health and safety requirements on visitors, as specified. The bill would specify that its provisions do not prohibit restrictions to patient visitation policies implemented during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, a health emergency declared by the State Public Health Officer, or a local health emergency declared by a local health officer, as specified. The bill would specify that its provisions do not create any new civil or criminal liability, including, but not limited to, liability for any illness, infection, or injury experienced by a patient or visitor on the part of a hospital that complies with its requirements. By expanding the scope of 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.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 1Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 172, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 1Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 11Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 4Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 2922.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 960 Garcia Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 3In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB960 Garcia et al. By Limón. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 3Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2452.).Passed Senate
- Aug 26Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 25Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Jul 15Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Jul 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 26From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 25
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 11Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1868.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 960 Garcia Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 29Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 1788.)Major
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)
- May 21In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- May 14In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Apr 28Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 24Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 22).Major
- Apr 22
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 10Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced