Assembly BillChaptered/SignedEducation
AB 1665: School athletics: coaches: youth athletics behavioral and mental health training.
What AB 1665 does, verified October 2, 2026
this bill requires all high school coaches who are members of the california interscholastic federation to complete mental health training, starting with the 2027-28 school year. they must complete an initial training and a subsequent training every two years. the training will cover behavioral and mental health topics. in addition, the bill requires schools that offer athletic programs to ensure their coaches complete mental health training and sudden cardiac arrest training, starting with the 2027-28 school year. these training programs will cover youth athletics behavioral and mental health topics and sudden cardiac arrest.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 886, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-30)Alert me
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| Sep. 30, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 886, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 30, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 03, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6599.). |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 30, 2026 · 2,014 words
Assembly Bill No. 1665
CHAPTER 886
An act to amend Section 35179.1 of, and to add Sections 33315.7 and 49032.1 to, the Education Code, relating to school athletics.
[ Approved by Governor September 30, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 30, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1665, Pacheco. School athletics: coaches: youth athletics behavioral and mental health training.
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to have general control of, and be responsible for, all aspects of the interscholastic athletic policies, programs, and activities in its school district, as provided, and requires the governing board of a school district to ensure that all interscholastic policies, programs, and activities in the school district comply with state and federal law. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to enter into associations or consortia with other governing boards for purposes of governing regional or statewide interscholastic athletics, as provided.
Existing law describes the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) as a voluntary organization that consists of school and school-related personnel with responsibility for administering interscholastic athletic activities in secondary schools and states the intent of the Legislature that the CIF, in consultation with the State Department of Education, implement specified policies relating to interscholastic athletics.
Existing law, the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program, declares the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program, to be administered by school districts with an emphasis on specific components, including, among other components, sports psychology. Existing law requires every high school sports coach to complete, at their own expense, a coaching education program that meets the guidelines established by the California High School Coaching Education and Training Program.
This bill would add a component on mental health training, as specified, to the list of components to be emphasized by the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. The bill, commencing with the 2027–28 school year, would require a person who serves as a coach in an interscholastic athletic program at a high school, including a private school, that is a member of the California Interscholastic Federation to complete an initial training, and a subsequent training every 2 years, on mental health, as provided. The bill, commencing with the 2027–28 school year, would also require a school district, county office of education, or charter school that elects to offer an athletic program, other than an interscholastic athletic program, to ensure that the athletic program’s coaches complete an initial training, and a subsequent training every 2 years, that covers sudden cardiac arrest, as provided, and youth athletics behavioral and mental health training, as provided.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 35179.1 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1626 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1626 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
This bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon the enactment of AB 1626 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 33315.7 is added to the Education Code, to read:33315.7.
Commencing with the 2027–28 school year, a school district, county office of education, or charter school that elects to offer an athletic program, other than an interscholastic athletic program, shall ensure that the athletic program’s coaches complete an initial training, and a subsequent training every two years, that covers both of the following areas:(a) Sudden cardiac arrest as provided in Section 33479.6.
(b) Youth athletics behavioral and mental health training aligned with the training described in Section 35179.87, as added by Assembly Bill 1626 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
SEC. 2.
Section 35179.1 of the Education Code is amended to read:35179.1.
(a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program.(b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) The exploding demand in girls athletics, and an increase in the number of pupils participating in both boys and girls athletics, are causing an increase in the number of coaches needed statewide.
(2) Well-trained coaches are vital to the success of the experience of a pupil in sports and interscholastic athletic activities.
(3) Improvement in coaching is a primary need identified by hundreds of principals, superintendents, and school board members who participated in the development of a strategic plan for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) in 1993 and 1994.
(4) There are many concerns about safety, training, organization, philosophy, communications, and general management in coaching that need to be addressed.
(5) It is a conservative estimate that at least 25,000 coaches annually need training and an orientation just to meet current coaching regulations contained in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, including basic safety and CPR requirements.
(6) School districts, in conjunction with the California Interscholastic Federation, have taken the initial first steps toward building a statewide coaching education program by assembling a faculty of statewide trainers composed of school district administrators, coaches, and athletic directors using a national program being used in several states.
(c) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program be administered by school districts, be updated and rehearsed annually, and emphasize the following components:
(1) Development of coaching philosophies consistent with school, school district, and governing board of a school district goals.
(2) Sport psychology: emphasizing communication, reinforcement of the efforts of pupils, effective delivery of coaching regarding technique, and motivation of the pupil athlete.
(3) Sport pedagogy: how pupil athletes learn, and how to teach sport skills.
(4) Sport physiology: principles of training, fitness for sport, development of a training program, nutrition for athletes, and the harmful effects associated with the use of steroids and performance-enhancing dietary supplements by adolescents.
(5) Sport management: team management, risk management, and working within the context of an entire school program.
(6) Training: certification in CPR, use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and first aid that includes, but is not limited to, training in recognizing the signs and symptoms of, and responding to, concussions, heat illness, and, by July 1, 2024, cardiac arrest. Certification in CPR and use of an AED shall be consistent with national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Concussion, heat illness, and cardiac arrest training may be provided by entities offering free, online, or other types of training courses. For purposes of this section, “heat illness” includes heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and exertional heat stroke.
(7) Commencing July 1, 2027, mental health: age appropriate training that covers all topics specified in Section 35179.85, as added by Assembly Bill 1626 of the 2025–26 Regular Session. This training may be provided by entities offering free, online, or other types of training courses.
(8) Knowledge of, and adherence to, statewide rules and regulations, and school regulations, including, but not limited to, eligibility, gender equity, and discrimination.
(9) Sound planning and goal setting.
(d) This section does not endorse a particular coaching education or training program.
SEC. 2.5.
Section 35179.1 of the Education Code is amended to read:35179.1.
(a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the 1998 California High School Coaching Education and Training Program.(b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) The exploding demand in girls athletics, and an increase in the number of pupils participating in both boys and girls athletics, are causing an increase in the number of coaches needed statewide.
(2) Well-trained coaches are vital to the success of the experience of a pupil in sports and interscholastic athletic activities.
(3) Coaches are often trusted adults who maintain regular contact with youth and are well positioned to observe changes in behavior, mood, or functioning that may indicate a need for behavioral health support.
(4) Improvement in coaching is a primary need identified by hundreds of principals, superintendents, and school board members who participated in the development of a strategic plan for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) in 1993 and 1994.
(5) There are many concerns about safety, training, organization, philosophy, communications, and general management in coaching that need to be addressed.
(6) It is a conservative estimate that at least 25,000 coaches annually need training and an orientation just to meet current coaching regulations contained in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, including basic safety and CPR requirements.
(7) School districts, in conjunction with the California Interscholastic Federation, have taken the initial first steps toward building a statewide coaching education program by assembling a faculty of statewide trainers composed of school district administrators, coaches, and athletic directors using a national program being used in several states.
(c) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to establish a California High School Coaching Education and Training Program. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program be administered by school districts, be updated and rehearsed annually, and emphasize the following components:
(1) Development of coaching philosophies consistent with school, school district, and governing board of a school district goals.
(2) Sport psychology: emphasizing communication, reinforcement of the efforts of pupils, effective delivery of coaching regarding technique, and motivation of the pupil athlete.
(3) Sport pedagogy: how pupil athletes learn, and how to teach sport skills.
(4) Sport physiology: principles of training, fitness for sport, development of a training program, nutrition for athletes, and the harmful effects associated with the use of steroids and performance-enhancing dietary supplements by adolescents.
(5) Sport management: team management, risk management, and working within the context of an entire school program.
(6) Training: certification in CPR, use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and first aid that includes, but is not limited to, training in recognizing the signs and symptoms of, and responding to, concussions, heat illness, and, by July 1, 2024, cardiac arrest. Certification in CPR and use of an AED shall be consistent with national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Concussion, heat illness, and cardiac arrest training may be provided by entities offering free, online, or other types of training courses. For purposes of this section, “heat illness” includes heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and exertional heat stroke.
(7) Commencing July 1, 2027, mental health: age appropriate training that covers all topics specified in Section 35179.85, as added by Assembly Bill 1626 of the 2025–26 Regular Session. This training may be provided by entities offering free, online, or other types of training courses.
(8) Knowledge of, and adherence to, statewide rules and regulations, and school regulations, including, but not limited to, eligibility, gender equity, and discrimination.
(9) Sound planning and goal setting.
(d) This section does not endorse a particular coaching education or training program.
SEC. 3.
Section 49032.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:49032.1.
Commencing with the 2027–28 school year, a person who serves as a coach in an interscholastic athletic program at a high school that is a member of the California Interscholastic Federation shall be required to complete initial training, and subsequent training every two years, before the start of the season for the high school sport in which they are authorized to coach, a coaching education and training program on mental health that aligns with paragraph (7) of subdivision (c) of Section 35179.1.SEC. 4.
(a) Section 2.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 35179.1 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1626. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2027, (2) each bill amends Section 35179.1 of the Education Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1626, in which case Section 2 of this bill shall not become operative.(b) This act shall become operative only if Assembly Bill 1626 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on or before January 1, 2027.
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