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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 1696

Emergency services and care: nurse-midwives.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law provides for the licensing and regulation of health facilities by the State Department of Public Health and generally makes a violation of those provisions a crime. 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 generally makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law requires a health facility to provide emergency services and care upon request for any condition in which the person is in danger of loss of life or serious injury or illness. Existing law requires a health care service plan to reimburse providers for emergency services and care. Existing law defines "emergency services and care" for these purposes to mean medical screening, examination, and evaluation by a physician and surgeon, or other appropriate licensed persons under the supervision of a physician and surgeon, to determine if an emergency medical condition or active labor exists and, if it does, the care, treatment, and surgery, if within the scope of that person's license, necessary to relieve or eliminate the emergency medical condition, within the capability of the facility, among other things. This bill would specify that the above-described provisions would not require physician supervision of a licensed nurse-midwife in the labor and delivery unit, obstetric triage, or dedicated emergency obstetric evaluation unit, when the nurse-midwife is providing care to the extent authorized by, and consistent with, specified licensing and certification provisions, or when the nurse-midwife is specifically requested by the treating physician and surgeon to provide obstetric consultation. By changing the scope of a crime, this 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.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:08 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Aug 19, 2026
Senate		3rd Reading AB1696 Stefani By CaballeropassSet your home in California to see
Jun 24, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
May 26, 2026
House		AB 1696 Stefani Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
Apr 29, 2026
House		Do pass.passSet your home in California to see
Apr 14, 2026
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see

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