WatchGov

California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 2304

Social workers.

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

Sponsors

Cosponsors (1)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law makes it a crime for a person having the custody of any record, map, or book, or of any paper or proceeding of any court, filed or deposited in any public office, or placed in their hands for any purpose to steal, remove, secrete, destroy, mutilate, deface, alter, or falsify, or to allow another to do any of those acts, with regard to the whole, or any part of, the record, map, book, paper, or proceeding. Existing law provides that if those acts are done by an officer, it is a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 2, 3, or 4 years, and, if done by a person who is not an officer, it is either a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, or a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both. This bill would clarify that, for the purposes of these provisions, a social worker employed by a county child welfare department is not an officer. Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent or ward of the court under certain circumstances. Under existing law, if a child has been, or has a petition filed with the court to be, adjudged a dependent child of the court, and it appears the child needs immediate emergency treatment, a social worker may, without court order, authorize medical and other care for a child, to be provided by a licensed physician and surgeon or dentist, as applicable. Existing law requires, in this situation, the social worker to make reasonable efforts to obtain the consent of, or to notify, the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis prior to authorizing care. This bill would require, if it reasonably appears that the child is in that situation, the social worker to take reasonable steps to obtain emergency care for the child. The bill would additionally require the social worker, if the social worker knows, or there is reason for the social worker to know, that the child is an Indian child, the social worker to notify the child's tribe as soon as reasonably possible when securing emergency care. By increasing the duties of social workers, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Aug 27, 2026
House		AB 2304 Lackey Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Aug 25, 2026
Senate		3rd Reading AB2304 Lackey et al. By ValladarespassSet your home in California to see
Aug 13, 2026
Senate		Do pass as amendedpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 3, 2026
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jun 30, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jun 29, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]passSet your home in California to see
May 28, 2026
House		AB 2304 Lackey Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 14, 2026
House		Do pass.passSet your home in California to see
Apr 21, 2026
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
Apr 14, 2026
House		Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see

Actions