CaliforniaCalifornia sets deadlines and reporting rules for treatment complaints
California’s health department must assign covered recovery program and facility complaints within 10 days, finish investigations within 120 days unless it needs help or resources, and report results yearly.
What it does
The department must assign complaints about licensed treatment facilities and certified programs to an analyst within 10 days. When a complaint is outside its reach, it must explain that in writing when feasible.
The department must finish investigations within 120 days after assigning them, unless it determines that it needs help from another state agency or more resources. It must keep records of unfinished investigations.
Starting in 2027, the department must post yearly counts and types of investigations, including how many were not finished within 120 days.
The department may raise facility licensing fees once, but only enough to cover the reasonable cost of preparing and maintaining the annual report.
Argument forPeople who complain may get quicker attention because the department must assign covered complaints to an investigator within 10 days.
Argument againstThe 120-day goal may be missed when investigators need help from another agency or more resources, leaving some complaints unresolved longer.
More detail
The department must assign covered complaints to an analyst for investigation within 10 days. This covers complaints about licensed alcohol or other drug recovery and treatment facilities and certified alcohol or other drug programs, when the department has jurisdiction. For complaints outside its jurisdiction, the department must notify the complainant in writing, including electronically, when feasible. The 10-day period starts when the department receives a complaint.
The department must complete each covered investigation within 120 days of assigning it and keep a record, including of unfinished investigations. This applies to complaints about licensed facilities and certified programs that the department investigates. The department may take longer if it determines that it needs help from another state agency or additional resources. The 120-day period begins when the department assigns the complaint.
The department must post an annual report on its website about investigations conducted in the previous year. The report covers investigations of licensed facilities and certified programs under the new complaint rules. The report must list the total number and types of investigations and how many were not completed within 120 days of assignment. The first report is due July 1, 2027, and another is due each July 1 after that; each report covers the previous year.
The department may raise a facility licensing fee once to cover the reasonable cost of preparing and maintaining the report. This applies to fees for licensing covered facilities. Any increase must match the reasonable cost of preparing and maintaining the report. The authorization applies to a single fee increase; no start date is stated.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 646, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 4Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 28Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Special Consent SB329 Blakespear et al. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 27Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 25In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 329 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Dixon. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6478.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- 2025
- Aug 29August 29 hearing postponed by committee.
- Jul 2July 2 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 24
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 5Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- May 29In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded Special Consent SB329 Blakespear et al. Result: pass.Upper
- May 29Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1325.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 27Ordered to special consent calendar.
- May 23Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1196.) (May 23).Minor
- May 16Set for hearing May 23.
- Apr 21April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 4Set for hearing April 21.
- Mar 28Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Mar 27From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 566.) (March 26).Major
- Mar 26
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 17Set for hearing March 26.
- Feb 19Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Feb 12From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 14.
- Feb 11Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
HealthcareGovernment & EthicsMental Health