End of the Year Bill Report - 2026

California Society of Pathologists | As of September 27, 2026

The California Society of Pathologists (CSP) reviewed nearly 50 bills during the second half of California’s 2025–26 legislative session. Through its advocacy work and Practice Management Committee, CSP took active positions on 16 measures and monitored the rest. The bills addressed pathology and laboratory medicine, physician practice, reimbursement, workforce needs, artificial intelligence, and health care delivery.

CSP’s priorities included protecting patient safety, preserving independent physician judgment, supporting the pathology workforce, and promoting fair reimbursement so pathologists and laboratories can provide timely, high-quality care.

Neutral

AB 2311 (Schiavo) — Physician employment at district hospitals

CSP joined a coalition of physician organizations in opposing the original bill. Amendments narrowed eligibility to district hospitals that either have a public payer mix greater than 75% or received a loan through the distressed hospital loan program. CSP and several other specialty societies moved to neutral after those changes.

The amended bill allows qualifying health care districts and affiliated nonprofit corporations that operate general acute care hospitals to employ physicians and surgeons through January 1, 2037. It includes protections for independent medical judgment and requires reporting.

Outcome. The Governor signed the bill on September 18.

SB 1150 (Jones) — California Cancer Registry notices

An earlier version would have required health care providers to notify individual patients that their information would be included in the California Cancer Registry. CSP raised concerns about the burden on physicians, particularly the requirement to notify patients by mail.

The amended bill requires hospitals and other facilities providing cancer therapy in designated reporting areas to post a notice developed by the Department of Public Health. The notice includes a QR code linking to the registry website. CSP moved to neutral after the individual notification requirement was removed.

Outcome. The Governor signed the bill on September 14.

SB 1303 (Wahab) — Naturopathic medicine oversight and scope of practice

SB 1303 extends the California Board of Naturopathic Medicine and the Naturopathic Doctors Act from 2027 to 2031 and revises board members’ terms.

Late in the session, amendments added language from SB 1333 that would have granted naturopathic doctors broad authority to prescribe controlled substances and perform minor in-office surgeries. CSP joined a coalition in opposing those provisions and returned to neutral after the language was removed.

Outcome. The Governor signed the bill on September 20.

Oppose

AB 1900 (Kalra) — CalCare single-payer health care proposal

AB 1900 would have established CalCare, a statewide universal single-payer system for health care coverage and cost control. CSP opposed the measure both independently and alongside other physician organizations because of concerns about its overall impact on California’s health care system.

Outcome. The bill did not receive a hearing before the legislative deadline.

AB 2077 (Macedo) — Medi-Cal eligibility verification

AB 2077 would have required the Department of Health Care Services and counties to use available data to verify Medi-Cal eligibility. It also would have limited when applicants could attest to certain eligibility factors themselves. CSP viewed the proposal as politically driven.

Outcome. The bill did not receive a hearing before the legislative deadline.

AB 2575 (Ortega) — Artificial intelligence in health care

AB 2575 was the primary AI bill CSP opposed in 2026. CSP raised concerns that it would restrict beneficial uses of AI in health care while creating liability and patient safety risks.

CSP joined a coalition that helped stop the bill on its first Senate floor vote. Subsequent amendments removed provisions that would have required facilities and practices to disclose which clinical decision support systems they used, explain how those systems generated their outputs, and notify health care professionals annually of their right to request that information.

Status as of September 27. The amended bill passed on a second vote and was presented to the Governor on September 15. CSP welcomed the removal of the disclosure provisions but remained opposed and was seeking a veto.

AB 2670 (Castillo) — Medi-Cal fraud prevention task force

Subject to an appropriation, AB 2670 would have required the Department of Health Care Services to convene a task force to assess Medi-Cal fraud risks, review prevention tools, identify gaps in data sharing, and make recommendations to the Legislature. CSP viewed the proposal as politically driven.

Outcome. The bill did not receive a hearing before the legislative deadline.

SB 1333 (Jones) — Naturopathic prescribing and office procedures

SB 1333 would have authorized naturopathic doctors to perform specified minor office procedures and to furnish, order, or prescribe prescription drugs, including Schedule II through V controlled substances, without physician supervision. CSP worked with a coalition to oppose the expansion. Related provisions later appeared in SB 1303 and were removed before that bill passed.

Outcome. SB 1333 did not receive a hearing and failed to advance.

SB 1377 (Jones) — School immunization medical exemptions

SB 1377 would have repealed provisions allowing the state to review, oversee, and potentially revoke medical exemptions from school immunization requirements. CSP was concerned that the change would make it easier to obtain an exemption without a medical basis.

Outcome. The bill failed to receive enough votes in its first committee.

Support

AB 1671 (Tangipa) — Rural medical services grants

Subject to an appropriation, AB 1671 would have created a competitive grant program administered by the Office of Rural Health. The program would have made up to $3 million available annually, with individual grants of up to $10,000 for qualified providers.

Outcome. The Assembly Appropriations Committee held the bill on its suspense file, and it died on May 14.

AB 2009 (Chen) — Plasma collection center licensing

AB 2009 updates licensing requirements for plasma collection centers when the person responsible for biologics production changes. It preserves existing requirements for physician medical directors and their qualifications.

Outcome. The Governor signed the bill on September 27.

AB 2345 (Bains) — Supplemental loans for health care students

AB 2345 would have established the California Health Care Workforce Supplemental Loan Program for eligible students in medicine, nursing, social work, and social welfare. The program was intended to replace previously available levels of federal graduate loan assistance.

Outcome. Because of cost concerns, the bill did not receive a hearing before the April 23 legislative deadline.

AB 2431 (Patel) — Clinical review before a claim is downcoded

AB 2431 would have required a clinical review before a health plan or insurer could downcode a medical claim. It also would have established disclosure requirements, a process for disputes, and protections against discrimination in downcoding.

Outcome. The Assembly Appropriations Committee held the bill on its suspense file, and it did not advance.

SB 1049 (Weber Pierson) — Time to submit corrected claims

SB 1049 would give providers at least 90 days to submit a corrected health care claim following certain denials or overpayment notices. It would also prohibit denial of a corrected claim solely because another filing deadline had expired.

Status as of September 27. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on August 28.

SB 1137 (Valladares) — Tax deduction for medical expenses

SB 1137 would have created a state income tax deduction of up to $5,000 for qualifying medical expenses exceeding 4% of a taxpayer’s federal adjusted gross income. The deduction would have been available to taxpayers meeting specified income requirements.

Outcome. Because of cost concerns, the Senate Appropriations Committee held the bill on its suspense file, and it died on August 31.

SB 1142 (Becker) — Digital Dignity Act

SB 1142 would have created protections and remedies for the unauthorized use of digital replicas. It also would have required certain large online platforms and generative AI tools to provide a way to report and remove unlawful digital replica content.

Outcome. The Senate Appropriations Committee held the bill on its suspense file, and it died on May 14.