Assembly BillPassed first houseBusiness and Professions
AB 277: Behavioral health centers, facilities, and programs: background checks.
What AB 277 does, verified August 15, 2026
This bill requires a background check for people providing behavioral health treatment in centers, facilities, and programs. It expands the scope of a state-mandated local program to include the crime of unlawful disclosure of state summary criminal history information. This would impose additional requirements on entities providing behavioral health services. The bill also clarifies that no reimbursement is required for a specific reason.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-08-13)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions26 total · showing 5
| Aug. 13, 2026 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Aug. 03, 2026 | In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Jun. 24, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun. 02, 2026 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
| Jun. 01, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 1). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
Latest bill textAmended version, June 2, 2026 · 508 words
| Amended IN Senate June 02, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly January 05, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 22, 2025 |
| Amended IN Assembly February 20, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 277
| Introduced by Assembly Member Alanis |
January 21, 2025 |
An act to add Chapter 2.10 (commencing with Section 18980) to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to behavioral health centers, facilities, and programs.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 277, as amended, Alanis. Behavioral health centers, facilities, and programs: background checks.
Existing law generally provides requirements for the licensing of business establishments. Existing law requires a business that provides services to minors, as defined, to provide written notice to the parent or guardian of a minor participating in the service offered by the business regarding the business’ policies relating to criminal background checks for employees, as specified.
Existing law requires the Department of Justice to maintain state summary criminal history information, as defined, and to furnish this information as required by statute to specified entities, including a human resource agency or an employer. Under existing law, the disclosure of state summary criminal history information to an unauthorized person is a crime.
This bill would require a person who provides behavioral health treatment for a behavioral health center, facility, or program to undergo a background check, as specified. By expanding the scope of the crime of unlawful disclosure of state summary criminal history information, 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2.10 (commencing with Section 18980) is added to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:CHAPTER 2.10. Behavioral Health Centers, Facilities, and Programs
18980.
(a) A person who provides behavioral health treatment, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision(b) This section does not apply to a person who holds a current and valid license issued by a California state licensing board, if the licensure process includes a fingerprint-based background check and the license is in good standing.
SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.Text of AB 277 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions