AB 1970: Health care coverage: mental health or substance use disorders.

Official summary

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

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 also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law authorizes health care service plans and health insurers that cover prescription drugs to utilize reasonable medical management practices, including prior authorization and step therapy, consistent with applicable law.

This bill would prohibit a health care service plan contract or a health insurance policy that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, from imposing step therapy as a prerequisite to authorizing coverage of any prescription drug used for the treatment of a serious mental illness or substance use disorder, as those terms are defined, except as specified. The bill would specify that the prohibition on step therapy does not apply when the United States Food and Drug Administration-labeled indications and usage of a drug indicate that some prior medication must be taken. Because a willful violation of this provision by a health care service plan 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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

“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. August 13, 2026In committee: Held under submission.
2. August 3, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
3. June 29, 2026Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. June 25, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 24).
5. June 15, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
6. May 27, 2026Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
7. May 18, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
8. May 18, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 5133.)
9. May 14, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. May 13, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 13).
11. April 22, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
12. April 22, 2026Coauthors revised.