California 2017-2018 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 636 — Addiction treatment: advertising: payment.

Last action — Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

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

This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law makes it a crime to operate a group advertising and referral service for specified licensed professionals, except as provided. This bill would prohibit a person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation, or an agent or employee thereof, from making payments for services that recommend any form of medical care or treatment that is provided by an alcohol-related or narcotic-related program, or an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment program, facility, or dispensary. The bill would also prohibit a person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation, or an agent or employee thereof, from using runners, cappers, steerers, or other persons to procure clients, patients, or customers for any form of medical care or treatment provided by an alcohol-related or narcotic-related program, facility, or dispensary. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation by the State Department of Health Care Services of adult alcoholism and drug abuse recovery and treatment facilities. The department also requires that an individual providing counseling services working within an alcohol and drug abuse recovery and treatment program be registered with or certified by a certifying organization approved by the department to register and certify counselors. This bill would prohibit certain persons, programs, or entities, including a substance use disorder treatment program and persons employed by that program, from giving or receiving remuneration or anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking substance use disorder treatment services and would authorize the department to investigate and take specified disciplinary action against those persons or programs for violating those prohibitions. The bill would make a person who violates these provisions subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for the first violation, and not more than $100,000 for each subsequent violation, as specified. The bill would also make a person who commits a knowing and willful violation of these provisions subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for the first violation, and not more than $250,000 for each subsequent knowing and willful violation, as specified. The bill would also include a statement of legislative intent.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

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

  3. April 5 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.

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

  5. Set for hearing April 5.

  6. March 29 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  7. Set for hearing March 29.

  8. Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and JUD.

  9. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.

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

Sponsors

  • Bradford · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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

Sponsors (1)

  • Bradford

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"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

Subjects

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 SB 636 do?
Existing law makes it a crime to operate a group advertising and referral service for specified licensed professionals, except as provided. This bill would prohibit a person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation, or an agent or employee thereof, from making payments for services that recommend any form of medical care or treatment that is provided by an alcohol-related or narcotic-related program, or an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment program, facility, or dispensary. The bill would also prohibit a person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation, or an agent or employee thereof, from using runners, cappers, steerers, or other persons to procure clients, patients, or customers for any form of medical care or treatment provided by an alcohol-related or narcotic-related program, facility, or dispensary. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation by the State Department of Health Care Services of adult alcoholism and drug abuse recovery and treatment facilities. The department also requires that an individual providing counseling services working within an alcohol and drug abuse recovery and treatment program be registered with or certified by a certifying organization approved by the department to register and certify counselors. This bill would prohibit certain persons, programs, or entities, including a substance use disorder treatment program and persons employed by that program, from giving or receiving remuneration or anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking substance use disorder treatment services and would authorize the department to investigate and take specified disciplinary action against those persons or programs for violating those prohibitions. The bill would make a person who violates these provisions subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for the first violation, and not more than $100,000 for each subsequent violation, as specified. The bill would also make a person who commits a knowing and willful violation of these provisions subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for the first violation, and not more than $250,000 for each subsequent knowing and willful violation, as specified. The bill would also include a statement of legislative intent.
Who sponsors SB 636?
SB 636 is sponsored by Bradford.
What is the current status of SB 636?
This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 636?
Track SB 636 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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