AB 1779: Alcoholism and drug abuse recovery and treatment programs: inducement of participants.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of drug testing laboratories and adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities and provides for the certification and regulation of adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment programs by the State Department of Health Care Services and authorizes the department to enforce those provisions. Existing law authorizes a facility described above to offer transportation services to an individual who is seeking recovery or treatment services only if specified conditions are met, including, among other things, that any air transportation provided to the individual includes a return ticket that may be used by the individual upon discharge and that a return ticket not used by an individual upon discharge is made available to the individual upon request for a period of one year following the individual’s discharge.

This bill would require a laboratory, facility, or program described above that provides air transportation to provide a ticket for round-trip transportation.

The bill would additionally require, as conditions on the provision of transportation services, that the cost of the recovery or treatment services are prohibitive for the individual without assistance from the laboratory, facility, or program, and would require the laboratory, facility, or program to obtain written acknowledgment by the individual that the transportation is not tied to insurance benefits or program participation, to document the purpose and cost of the transportation, to compile information related to the provision of transportation, and to annually publish the compiled information on its internet website. The bill would require a laboratory, facility, or program to retain the information for a minimum of 5 years and to provide that information to the department upon request.

Existing law prohibits facilities and programs described above and related persons from giving or receiving remuneration or anything of value for the referral of a person who is seeking alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment services.

This bill would additionally apply the prohibition described above to the inducement of a person seeking services and would clarify that the prohibition prohibits specified practices by facilities or programs, including, among others, influencing or inducing an individual to enter or stay in a treatment or recovery program and recruiting individuals for treatment, unless otherwise specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. July 1, 2026In committee: Set, final hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2. June 17, 2026In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
3. June 1, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
4. May 27, 2026Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
5. May 14, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
6. May 14, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5053.)
7. May 7, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. May 6, 2026From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).
9. April 27, 2026Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. April 23, 2026Read second time and amended.
11. April 22, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 21).
12. March 18, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.