SB 164: Health.

Official summary

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

(1)Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions.

Existing federal law, H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21), enacted in 2025, sets forth various Medicaid eligibility changes for implementation at different stages of a certain timeline, including changes applied to beneficiaries between 19 and 64 years of age, inclusive, with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, commonly known as Medicaid expansion adults.

Federal H.R. 1 generally requires a Medicaid expansion adult to undergo an eligibility redetermination once every 6 months, instead of an annual redetermination. The federal law generally requires a Medicaid expansion adult to demonstrate community engagement through any of certain methods for the corresponding month, including a minimum of 80 hours of work or community service or a minimum of half-time enrollment in an educational program. The federal law reduces the period of retroactive coverage prior to the date of Medicaid application from 3 months to one month for Medicaid expansion adults and to 2 months for other Medicaid beneficiaries. The federal law requires the state to provide for a process to regularly obtain beneficiary address information from reliable data sources, and to utilize a system to prevent an individual from being simultaneously enrolled under Medicaid state plans or waivers of multiple states.

This bill would make various changes to related state provisions, or would add new provisions, conforming them to the above-described changes under federal H.R. 1. The bill would require a county to accept specified methods of signatures for renewal forms.

Federal H.R. 1 restricts the scope of certain categories of immigrants who qualify for Medicaid eligibility.

This bill would make conforming changes to related state provisions. The bill would also modify provisions regarding individuals with certain immigration statuses, so that they would be eligible for the full scope of Medi-Cal state-funded benefits, subject to certain service limitations.

Sponsors

“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. June 29, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 27, Statutes of 2026.
2. June 29, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. June 29, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 7 p.m.
4. June 29, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 9. Page 5087.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. June 29, 2026Unanimous consent granted to take up without reference to file.
6. June 29, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. June 29, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 56. Noes 14. Page 5929.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. June 29, 2026Amendments by Assembly Member Patterson tabled on motion by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. (Ayes 55. Noes 18. Page 5927.)
9. June 29, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 53. Noes 14. Page 5891.)
10. June 29, 2026Withdrawn from committee pursuant to Asssembly Rule 96.
11. June 26, 2026From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.
12. March 24, 2025Referred to Com. on BUDGET.