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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California SB 1088

Health care decisions: life-sustaining treatment.

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

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law defines a request regarding resuscitative measures to mean a written document, signed by an individual with capacity or legally recognized health care decisionmaker and the individual's physician that directs a health care provider regarding resuscitative measures, as prescribed. Existing law includes a prehospital "do not resuscitate" form, as developed by the Emergency Medical Services Authority or other substantially similar form, and Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment form (POLST form) , as approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority as requests regarding resuscitative measures. This bill would replace the term "Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment" with "POLST," or "Portable Orders Listing Scope of Treatment." The bill would authorize a request regarding resuscitative measures to be entered into by an individual with capacity or a health care agent, conservator with health care decisionmaking authority, or surrogate, as defined, and a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, as specified. The bill would specify that a request regarding resuscitative measures is entirely voluntary and the provision of care or admission to a facility cannot be conditioned on completion of or refusal to complete a POLST or prehospital "do not resuscitate" order. Existing law prescribes requirements for forms for requests regarding resuscitative measures, including, among other things, that the form be signed by the executing parties. The bill would specify that an electronic signature, as defined, is sufficient for any signature required for a request regarding resuscitative measures. Under this bill, a request regarding resuscitative measures executed in another state or jurisdiction that complies with the laws of that state or jurisdiction or the laws of California is considered valid and enforceable in California to the same extent as a request regarding resuscitative measures validly executed in California. The bill would specify that, in the absence of knowledge to the contrary, a physician or other health care provider may presume that a request regarding resuscitative measures, whether executed in another state or jurisdiction or in California, is valid and unrevoked. The bill would make conforming changes.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Aug 27, 2026
Senate		Special ConsentpassSet your home in California to see
Jun 30, 2026
House		SB 1088 Blakespear Consent Calendar Second DaypassSet your home in California to see
Jun 23, 2026
House		Do pass. To Consent Calendar.passSet your home in California to see
Jun 16, 2026
House		Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
May 18, 2026
Senate		3rd ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
Apr 28, 2026
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
Apr 8, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]passSet your home in California to see

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