SB 608: Sexual health.

Official summary

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

(1)Existing law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires school districts, defined to include county boards of education, county superintendents of schools, the California School for the Deaf, the California School for the Blind, and charter schools, to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education, as specified.

This bill would authorize the State Department of Education to monitor compliance with the requirements of the California Healthy Youth Act as part of its annual compliance monitoring of state and federal programs.

(2)Existing law establishes the Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the State Department of Education including, among other duties, coordinating school health program activities with public health, social services, environmental, and local educational agencies, and other public and private entities.

This bill would prohibit a local educational agency, as defined, from prohibiting school-based health centers, as defined, that serve schools of the local educational agency from making internal and external condoms available and easily accessible to pupils in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, at the school-based health center site and would require a school of a local educational agency to allow condoms to be made available to pupils in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, during the course of, or in connection with, educational or public health programs and initiatives, as provided. To the extent the bill imposes additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)Under existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, the State Department of Public Health generally regulates the packaging, labeling, advertising, and sale of food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics, in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. A violation of those provisions is generally a crime. Existing law sets forth various other provisions relating to the furnishing and health care coverage of certain types of contraception.

This bill would, with certain exceptions, prohibit a retail establishment, as defined, from refusing to furnish nonprescription contraception to a person solely on the basis of age by means of any conduct, including, but not limited to, requiring the customer to present identification for purposes of demonstrating their age. Under the bill, a violation of that prohibition would be exempt from the above-described criminal penalty.

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. September 27, 2026In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2. September 27, 2026Vetoed by the Governor.
3. August 31, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
4. August 26, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 25, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
6. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 58. Noes 17. Page 6467.) Ordered to the Senate.
7. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9. August 13, 2026From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (August 13).
10. August 13, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
11. August 5, 2026August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
12. July 1, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 3.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.