California 20252026 Regular Session Status: To Executive 1 D cosponsors

AB 4 — Covered California expansion.

Last action — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced January 20, 2025. It awaits signature.

Next likely step: the executive signs it into law or issues a veto.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 66% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • To Executive

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Existing federal law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , requires each state to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health benefit plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers. Existing state law creates the California Health Benefit Exchange, also known as Covered California, to facilitate the enrollment of qualified individuals and qualified small employers in qualified health plans as required under PPACA. Existing law requires the Exchange to apply for a federal waiver to allow persons otherwise not able to obtain coverage through the Exchange because of their immigration status to obtain coverage from the Exchange. This bill would delete that requirement and would instead require the Exchange, no sooner than January 1, 2027, and upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, to administer a program to allow persons otherwise not able to obtain coverage by reason of immigration status to enroll in health insurance coverage in a manner as substantially similar to other Californians as feasible, consistent with federal guidance and given existing federal law and rules. The bill would require the Exchange to undertake outreach, marketing, and other efforts to ensure enrollment, which would begin on October 1, 2028. The bill would also require the Exchange to adopt an annual program design for each coverage year to implement the program, provide appropriate opportunities for stakeholders, including the Legislature, and the public to consult on the design of the program, and report to the Department of Finance and the Legislature on progress toward implementation, as specified. The bill would establish the Covered California for All Fund in the General Fund, to be administered by the Exchange, into which user fees, appropriations, and other funds would be deposited to be used upon appropriation to pay for the administration of the program.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill AB 4 has been updated by adding a new line of text, which provides additional details or requirements. At the same time, one line has been removed, possibly to clarify or simplify the content. These changes are important because they help make the bill more understandable and ensure it addresses the issues more effectively. Keeping the language clear and concise can lead to better implementation and compliance when the bill is enacted.

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20251AB__000498ENR 98 INTRODUCED 2025-01-20 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-01-23 PASSED_SENATE 2025-01-23 ENROLLED 2025-01-23 2025 1 AB 4 ENR Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel and Senator Wiener LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gabriel LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Wiener An act to amend the Budget Act of 2024 (Chs.
20251AB__000497CHP 97 INTRODUCED 2025-01-20 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-01-23 PASSED_SENATE 2025-01-23 ENROLLED 2025-01-23 CHAPTERED 2025-01-23 APPROVED 2025-01-23 FILED 2025-01-23 2025 1 AB 4 CHP 2025 CHP 1 1 Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel and Senator Wiener LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gabriel LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Wiener An act to amend the Budget Act of 2024 (Chs.
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Action History

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 1, Statutes of 2025.

  2. Approved by the Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11:30 a.m.

  4. In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

  5. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 37.).

  6. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  7. Art. IV, Sec. 8(b) of the Constitution dispensed with. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 36.)

  8. Senate Rules Suspended (Ayes 32. Noes 0. Page 35.).

  9. Read first time.

  10. In Senate. Held at Desk.

  11. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 54.)

  12. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  13. Ordered to second reading.

  14. Without reference to committee.

  15. From printer.

  16. Read first time.

  17. Introduced. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 120 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

  • Wiener

Not signed on (120)

120 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 120 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 11 Yea · 2 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 11001
Republican 0201
Total 11202
% of votes cast 73%13%0%13%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy Democratic Yea
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Celeste Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Not Voting
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Nay
Flora, Heath Republican Not Voting
Sanchez, Kate Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

finance immigration healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 4 do?
Existing federal law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) , requires each state to establish an American Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health benefit plans by qualified individuals and qualified small employers. Existing state law creates the California Health Benefit Exchange, also known as Covered California, to facilitate the enrollment of qualified individuals and qualified small employers in qualified health plans as required under PPACA. Existing law requires the Exchange to apply for a federal waiver to allow persons otherwise not able to obtain coverage through the Exchange because of their immigration status to obtain coverage from the Exchange. This bill would delete that requirement and would instead require the Exchange, no sooner than January 1, 2027, and upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, to administer a program to allow persons otherwise not able to obtain coverage by reason of immigration status to enroll in health insurance coverage in a manner as substantially similar to other Californians as feasible, consistent with federal guidance and given existing federal law and rules. The bill would require the Exchange to undertake outreach, marketing, and other efforts to ensure enrollment, which would begin on October 1, 2028. The bill would also require the Exchange to adopt an annual program design for each coverage year to implement the program, provide appropriate opportunities for stakeholders, including the Legislature, and the public to consult on the design of the program, and report to the Department of Finance and the Legislature on progress toward implementation, as specified. The bill would establish the Covered California for All Fund in the General Fund, to be administered by the Exchange, into which user fees, appropriations, and other funds would be deposited to be used upon appropriation to pay for the administration of the program.
Who sponsors AB 4?
AB 4 is sponsored by Wiener and Gabriel, Jesse (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 4?
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced January 20, 2025. It awaits signature.
Where can I track AB 4?
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