California 20252026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate

SB 32 — Health care coverage: timely access to care.

Last action — August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced December 02, 2024. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Assembly.

Prognosis

Advancing 46% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 5 recorded votes 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 law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes the provision of Medi-Cal benefits by a contracted managed care plan and requires that benefits provided by a managed care plan are subject to specified time and distance standards. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer that provides or arranges for the provision of hospital or physician services to comply with specified timely access to care requirements, including ensuring that its network has adequate capacity and availability of licensed health care providers to offer enrollees and insureds appointments that meet specified timeframes. Existing law authorizes the department director to take enforcement action against health care plans that fail to comply with these provisions, including assessing administrative penalties. This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2027, the Department of Managed Health Care, the Department of Insurance, and the State Department of Health Care Services to consult together and with stakeholders develop and adopt standards for the geographic accessibility of perinatal units to ensure timely access for enrollees and insureds, as specified. The bill's provisions would become inoperative on July 1, 2033, and would be repealed on January 1, 2034. Because a violation by a health care service plan of a standard adopted by the Department of Managed Health Care would be a crime, the 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.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. Coauthors revised.

  3. July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  4. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  5. (Corrected June 20).

  6. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  7. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  8. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  9. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1361.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  10. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  11. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1188.) (May 23).

  12. Set for hearing May 23.

  13. May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  14. Set for hearing May 12.

  15. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 965.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  16. Set for hearing April 30.

  17. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  18. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  19. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  20. (Corrected January 2).

  21. From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 2.

  22. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Weber Pierson · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Weber Pierson

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"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 15 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 12000
Republican 3001
Total 15001
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica 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 Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Not Voting
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading SB32 Weber Pierson

Passed 36 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 9001
Democratic 27003
Total 36004
% of votes cast 90%0%0%10%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Arreguín, Jesse Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Cabaldon, Christopher Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Not Voting
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
McNerney, Jerry Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Not Voting
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Not Voting
Richardson, Laura Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Not Voting
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea
Strickland, Tony Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 9 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7002
Republican 2000
Total 9002
% of votes cast 82%0%0%18%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Not Voting
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Richardson, Laura Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Not Voting
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 32 do?
Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes the provision of Medi-Cal benefits by a contracted managed care plan and requires that benefits provided by a managed care plan are subject to specified time and distance standards. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer that provides or arranges for the provision of hospital or physician services to comply with specified timely access to care requirements, including ensuring that its network has adequate capacity and availability of licensed health care providers to offer enrollees and insureds appointments that meet specified timeframes. Existing law authorizes the department director to take enforcement action against health care plans that fail to comply with these provisions, including assessing administrative penalties. This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2027, the Department of Managed Health Care, the Department of Insurance, and the State Department of Health Care Services to consult together and with stakeholders develop and adopt standards for the geographic accessibility of perinatal units to ensure timely access for enrollees and insureds, as specified. The bill's provisions would become inoperative on July 1, 2033, and would be repealed on January 1, 2034. Because a violation by a health care service plan of a standard adopted by the Department of Managed Health Care would be a crime, the 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.
Who sponsors SB 32?
SB 32 is sponsored by Weber Pierson.
What is the current status of SB 32?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced December 02, 2024. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 32?
Track SB 32 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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