CaliforniaHealth providers: medical chaperones.
What it does
Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate health facilities and clinics. Existing law generally makes a violation of those provisions a crime.
More detail
Existing law also specifies the settings in which an ultrasound or similar medical imaging device procedure may be offered, which includes licensed health facilities and clinics, and certain providers and facilities that are not subject to licensure and regulation by the department.
Existing law requires a licensed health facility that provides specified prenatal screening ultrasound to require that the ultrasound be performed by a sonographer that is nationally certified, as specified.
This bill would, except as specified, require a provider, as defined, that offers a sensitive examination to provide notice to patients that a medical chaperone will be made available, upon their request, to assist or observe the sensitive examination. The bill would require the notice be provided as a hard copy, an electronic transmission, or verbally to the patient or their legal guardian, as specified. The bill would provide that the provider has the right to decline performing a sensitive examination in the absence of a medical chaperone if the provider determines that a medical chaperone must be present. The bill would require a provider to educate sonographers and clinical and nonclinical staff who may serve as a medical chaperone regarding specified topics, including, among others, appropriate observational and intervention techniques. The bill would require, if a patient requests a medical chaperone, a provider to document a medical chaperone's presence in the patient's health record. The bill would define various terms for purposes of these provisions, including that sensitive examination means an ultrasound examination performed by a sonographer of certain areas of the body, including genitalia. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2027.
By creating new requirements for health facilities and clinics, the violation of which would be 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 7Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 7Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 24Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 12Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3380.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 849 Soria Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 12In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Sep 11Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2923.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB849 Soria et al. By Caballero. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 8Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 4Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Sep 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 29Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 29).Major
- Aug 18In committee: Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 17Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 17From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 16).Major
- Jul 16
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Major
- Jun 11Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 849 Soria Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 1. Page 1908.)Passed Assembly
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).Major
- May 23Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
- 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 30From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 30Coauthors revised.
- Apr 29
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Apr 21From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 28In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Mar 3Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Minor
- Feb 20From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
- Feb 19Read first time. To print.Introduced