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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California SB 278

Health data: HIV test results.

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

Sponsors

Cosponsors (9)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law generally imposes penalties on a person who negligently, willfully, or maliciously discloses the results of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test to a third party in a manner that identifies or provides identifying characteristics of the person to whom the test results apply, as specified. Existing law, notwithstanding the above-described restrictions, authorizes the recording of the HIV test results by the physician who ordered the test in the test subject's medical record and authorizes other disclosure of the results without written authorization of the test subject, or the subject's representative, to the test subject's providers of health care, excluding a regulated health care service plan, for purposes of diagnosis, care, or treatment of the patient. This bill would authorize a provider of health care to disclose the results of an HIV test that identifies or provides identifying characteristics of a Medi-Cal beneficiary without written authorization of the test subject, or the subject's representative, to the Medi-Cal managed care plan to which the beneficiary is assigned, if applicable, and to external quality review organizations conducting external quality reviews of Medi-Cal managed care plans, for the purpose of administering quality improvement programs, including, but not limited to, value-based payment programs and healthy behavior incentive programs, designed to improve HIV care for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Under the bill, HIV test results that do not identify or provide identifying characteristics of the test subjects would be authorized for disclosure without written authorization by the Medi-Cal managed care plan to departmental staff for the above-described purpose. The bill would make certain clarifying or declaratory statements with regard to related provisions.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 4:04 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Sep 9, 2025
Senate		Unfinished Business SB278 Cabaldon et al. ConcurrencepassSet your home in California to see
Sep 8, 2025
House		SB 278 Cabaldon Senate Third Reading By Mark GonzálezpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 29, 2025
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see
Jul 16, 2025
House		Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
Jun 17, 2025
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
May 29, 2025
Senate		Special Consent SB278 Cabaldon et al.passSet your home in California to see
May 23, 2025
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
Apr 21, 2025
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Apr 8, 2025
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
Mar 26, 2025
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with the recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see

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