California 20252026 Regular Session Status: To Executive 1 D cosponsors

AB 554 — Health care coverage: antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, and drug products.

Last action — Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

  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 February 11, 2025. It awaits signature.

Vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) on January 22, 2026.

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

Prognosis

Likely to advance 64% · 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.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 8 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, 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 generally prohibits a health care service plan, excluding a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or health insurer from subjecting antiretroviral drugs that are medically necessary for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, including preexposure prophylaxis or postexposure prophylaxis, to prior authorization or step therapy. Under existing law, a health care service plan or health insurer is not required to cover all the therapeutically equivalent versions of those drugs without prior authorization or step therapy if at least one is covered without prior authorization or step therapy. This bill, the Protecting Rights, Expanding Prevention, and Advancing Reimbursement for Equity (PrEPARE) Act of 2025, would instead prohibit a health care service plan, excluding a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or health insurer from subjecting antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products that are medically necessary for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, to prior authorization or step therapy, but would authorize prior authorization or step therapy if at least one therapeutically equivalent version is covered without prior authorization or step therapy. The bill would specify that, for therapeutically equivalent coverage purposes, a long-acting drug, drug device, or drug product is not therapeutically equivalent to a long-acting drug, drug device, or drug product with a different duration. The bill would require a plan or insurer that covers non-self-administered antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of HIV/AIDS as a medical benefit to also include those non-self-administered antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products as an outpatient prescription drug benefit. This bill would require a nongrandfathered health care service plan contract or health insurance policy to provide coverage for antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products that are approved by the FDA for HIV preexposure prophylaxis, and would prohibit a nongrandfathered health care service plan contract or health insurance policy from imposing any cost sharing for those drugs, drug devices, or drug products. The bill would prohibit a plan or insurer from imposing cost sharing on a nonformulary antiretroviral drug, drug device, or drug product that is approved by the FDA for HIV preexposure prophylaxis and is covered pursuant to an exception request if the nonformulary antiretroviral drug, drug device, or drug product is therapeutically equivalent to a formulary antiretroviral drug, drug device, or drug product that is approved by the FDA for HIV preexposure prophylaxis and is covered by the plan or insurer without cost sharing. The bill would exempt Medi-Cal managed care plans from these provisions. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan 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.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

  2. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.

  3. Vetoed by Governor.

  4. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  5. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 69. Noes 1. Page 3221.).

  6. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  7. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 0. Page 2664.).

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  10. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  11. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  12. In committee: Referred to suspense file.

  13. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 16).

  15. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  16. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  17. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  18. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 68. Noes 1. Page 2007.)

  19. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  20. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  21. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).

  22. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)

  23. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

  24. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  25. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  26. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.

  27. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  28. From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.

  29. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (1)

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

AB 554 Mark González Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Passed 69 Yea · 1 Nay · 10 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 59000
Unaffiliated 1000
Republican 91010
Total 691010
% of votes cast 86%1%0%13%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Ávila Farías — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Garcia, Robert Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Ransom, Rhodesia Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Celeste Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Michelle Democratic Yea
Rogers, Chris Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Schultz, Nick Democratic Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Solache, Jr., José Luis Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Castillo, Leticia Republican Not Voting
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
DeMaio, Carl Republican Nay
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Ellis, Stan Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Not Voting
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Gonzalez, Jeff Republican Yea
Hadwick, Heather Republican Not Voting
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Johnson, Natasha Republican Not Voting
Lackey, Tom Republican Not Voting
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Not Voting
Tangipa, David J. Republican Not Voting
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading AB554 Mark González et al. By Cabaldon

Passed 31 Yea · 0 Nay · 9 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 30000
Republican 1009
Total 31009
% of votes cast 78%0%0%23%
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 Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
McNerney, Jerry Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
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 Not Voting
Choi, Steven S. Republican Not Voting
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Not Voting
Jones, Brian W. Republican Not Voting
Niello, Roger W. Republican Not Voting
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Not Voting
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Not Voting
Strickland, Tony Republican Not Voting
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 9 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9000
Republican 0002
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 Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Richardson, Laura Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Not Voting
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

AB 554 Mark González Assembly Third Reading

Passed 68 Yea · 1 Nay · 10 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 59000
Republican 81010
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 681010
% of votes cast 86%1%0%13%
How each member voted (79)
Member Party Vote
Ávila Farías — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Garcia, Robert Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Ransom, Rhodesia Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Celeste Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Michelle Democratic Yea
Rogers, Chris Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Schultz, Nick Democratic Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Solache, Jr., José Luis Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Castillo, Leticia Republican Not Voting
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
DeMaio, Carl Republican Nay
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Ellis, Stan Republican Not Voting
Flora, Heath Republican Not Voting
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Gonzalez, Jeff Republican Yea
Hadwick, Heather Republican Not Voting
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Not Voting
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Not Voting
Tangipa, David J. Republican Not Voting
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended.

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 11000
Republican 0004
Total 11004
% of votes cast 73%0%0%27%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Solache, Jr., José Luis Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Not Voting
Tangipa, David J. Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

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

Passed 14 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 2002
Democratic 12000
Total 14002
% of votes cast 88%0%0%13%
How each member voted (16)
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 Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 554 do?
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 generally prohibits a health care service plan, excluding a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or health insurer from subjecting antiretroviral drugs that are medically necessary for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, including preexposure prophylaxis or postexposure prophylaxis, to prior authorization or step therapy. Under existing law, a health care service plan or health insurer is not required to cover all the therapeutically equivalent versions of those drugs without prior authorization or step therapy if at least one is covered without prior authorization or step therapy. This bill, the Protecting Rights, Expanding Prevention, and Advancing Reimbursement for Equity (PrEPARE) Act of 2025, would instead prohibit a health care service plan, excluding a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or health insurer from subjecting antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products that are medically necessary for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, to prior authorization or step therapy, but would authorize prior authorization or step therapy if at least one therapeutically equivalent version is covered without prior authorization or step therapy. The bill would specify that, for therapeutically equivalent coverage purposes, a long-acting drug, drug device, or drug product is not therapeutically equivalent to a long-acting drug, drug device, or drug product with a different duration. The bill would require a plan or insurer that covers non-self-administered antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of HIV/AIDS as a medical benefit to also include those non-self-administered antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products as an outpatient prescription drug benefit. This bill would require a nongrandfathered health care service plan contract or health insurance policy to provide coverage for antiretroviral drugs, drug devices, or drug products that are approved by the FDA for HIV preexposure prophylaxis, and would prohibit a nongrandfathered health care service plan contract or health insurance policy from imposing any cost sharing for those drugs, drug devices, or drug products. The bill would prohibit a plan or insurer from imposing cost sharing on a nonformulary antiretroviral drug, drug device, or drug product that is approved by the FDA for HIV preexposure prophylaxis and is covered pursuant to an exception request if the nonformulary antiretroviral drug, drug device, or drug product is therapeutically equivalent to a formulary antiretroviral drug, drug device, or drug product that is approved by the FDA for HIV preexposure prophylaxis and is covered by the plan or insurer without cost sharing. The bill would exempt Medi-Cal managed care plans from these provisions. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan 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.
Who sponsors AB 554?
AB 554 is sponsored by González, Mark (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 554?
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced February 11, 2025. It awaits signature.
Where can I track AB 554?
Track AB 554 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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