Esmeralda Soria
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 27
Author
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. 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.
Approved by the Governor.
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 442, Statutes of 2025.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3380.).
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2923.).
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 29).
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 16).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 1. Page 1908.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Coauthors revised.
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
Read first time. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB849 | HTML |
| 02/19/25 - Introduced | |
| 04/21/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/08/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 07/17/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 08/29/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/04/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/16/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/07/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/26/25- Assembly Health | |
| 05/19/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 05/28/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 07/14/25- Senate Health | |
| 08/15/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 08/29/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 09/02/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/08/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/12/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS |
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