AB 1854: Legally protected health care activities.

Official summary

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

Existing law prohibits a state or local law enforcement agency or officer from knowingly arresting or knowingly participating in the arrest of any person for performing, supporting, or aiding in the performance of a legally protected health care activity, as defined, or for obtaining a legally protected health care activity, if the legally protected health care activity is lawful in this state. Existing law prohibits a state or local public agency from cooperating with or providing information to an individual or agency from another state or a federal law enforcement agency, as specified, regarding a legally protected health care activity. Existing law prohibits specified persons, including a judicial officer, a court employee, or an authorized attorney, among others, from issuing a subpoena in connection with a proceeding in another state regarding an individual performing, supporting, or aiding in the performance of a legally protected health care activity in this state, or an individual obtaining a legally protected health care activity in this state, if the legally protected health care activity is lawful in this state.

This bill would make those provisions apply regardless of the patient’s location.

Existing law authorizes the Governor to surrender, on demand of the executive authority of any other state, any person in this state charged in the other state with committing an act in this state, or in a 3rd state, intentionally resulting in a crime in the state whose executive authority is making the demand.

This bill would additionally prohibit a state or local law enforcement agency or officer from knowingly arresting or participating in the arrest of any person who the Governor has declined to surrender.

Existing law requires any out-of-state subpoena, warrant, wiretap order, pen register trap and trace order, or other legal process to include an affidavit or declaration under penalty of perjury that the discovery request is not in connection with an out-of-state proceeding relating to a legally protected health care activity, except as specified.

Existing law prohibits a California corporation that provides electronic communication services or remote computing services to the general public from complying with an out-of-state subpoena, warrant, wiretap order, pen register trap and trace order, other legal process, or request by a law enforcement agent or entity seeking records that would reveal the identity of the customers using those services, data stored by, or on behalf of, the customer, the customer’s usage of those services, the recipient or destination of communications sent to or from those customers, or the content of those communications, unless the out-of-state subpoena, warrant, wiretap order, pen register trap and trace order, other legal process, or request from law enforcement includes the affidavit or declaration described above.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 8

“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. September 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 485, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 28, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.
4. August 24, 2026In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
5. August 24, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 10.).
6. August 13, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
7. August 13, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) (August 13).
8. August 3, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
9. July 1, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. June 24, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
11. June 10, 2026Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and JUD.
12. May 28, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.