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California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Senate Bill

SB 535: Obesity Care Access Act.

Passed one chamber Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

SB 535 is a senate bill introduced in the California Senate on February 20, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Obesity Care Access Act. . Primary sponsor: Laura Richardson (D). Most recent recorded action (August 13, 2026): August 13 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

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’s requirements a crime. Existing law sets forth specified coverage requirements for plan contracts.

This bill, the Obesity Care Access Act, would require an individual or group health care service plan contract or health insurance policy that provides coverage for outpatient prescription drug benefits and is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, to include coverage for bariatric surgery and at least one antiobesity medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Because a willful violation of these provisions 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 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Laura RichardsonPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate35

“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 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
  2. August 29 hearing postponed by committee.
  3. August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
  4. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  5. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 15).
  6. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
  7. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
  8. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 3. Page 1302.) Ordered to the Assembly.
  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
  10. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1203.) (May 23).
  11. Set for hearing May 23.
  12. May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page