SB 1323: Health care providers: patient access: immigration enforcement.
What SB 1323 does, verified September 29, 2026
The bill aims to amend existing health and safety code sections to enhance patient privacy and safety. A health care provider entity must designate areas as nonpublic to protect patient information and prevent unauthorized access for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill requires health care providers to inform staff and volunteers on how to respond to immigration enforcement requests, and to establish procedures for monitoring and documenting visitors. Additionally, the bill mandates that health care providers post a notice to authorities at facility entrances, and that they inform staff about notifying family members or designated support persons of patients in lawful custody by immigration enforcement.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
✓Second ChamberComplete
✓GovernorComplete
6ChapteredCurrent
Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 698, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-27)Alert me
Quick answers about SB 1323
- What is the current status of SB 1323?
- As of September 29, 2026, SB 1323 is recorded as "Chaptered/Signed": it has been signed by the Governor and chaptered into law. The last recorded action, on September 27, 2026, was "Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 698, Statutes of 2026".
- Did SB 1323 pass?
- Yes. SB 1323 passed both houses and was signed into law (last action September 27, 2026). Most California bills signed in a given year take effect on January 1 of the following year, unless the bill carries an urgency clause or sets its own operative date.
- Who wrote SB 1323, and where is it now?
- SB 1323 was authored by Sen. Susan Rubio with 1 coauthor. It is filed under Health and Safety, alongside 516 other California Health and Safety bills this session.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions32 total · showing 5
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 698, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 62. Noes 12. Page 6527.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 27, 2026 · 1,528 words
Senate Bill No. 1323
CHAPTER 698
An act to amend, repeal, and add Sections 24250 and 24251 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care providers.
[ Approved by Governor September 27, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 27, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1323, Rubio. Health care providers: patient access: immigration enforcement.
Existing law requires a health care provider entity, as defined, to designate areas where a patient is receiving treatment or care, or where a patient is discussing protected health information, as nonpublic, in order to enhance privacy available to facility users and promote a safe environment conducive to the facility’s mission and patient care. Unless required by state or federal law, existing law prohibits a health care provider entity and its personnel from allowing any person access to the nonpublic areas of the facility for immigration enforcement purposes, unless that person has a valid judicial warrant or court order that specifically grants access to the nonpublic areas of the facility.
Existing law requires a health care provider entity to inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests relating to immigration enforcement that grants access to health care provider entity sites or to patients.
This bill would also require a health care provider entity to inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests by a person who is in custody by immigration enforcement to notify a family member or designated support person about their current location.
Existing law requires a health care provider entity, to the extent possible, to establish or amend procedures for monitoring, documenting, and receiving visitors to health care provider entities consistent with the above-described and related provisions. Under existing law, a health care provider entity is encouraged to post a “notice to authorities” at facility entrances that states that no person will be permitted to access nonpublic areas of a facility for immigration enforcement purposes unless required by state or federal law or pursuant to a valid physical judicial warrant or court order.
This bill would instead require the health care provider entity to establish or amend those procedures, without the qualification that the process be to the extent possible. The bill would also require, instead of encouraging, the entity to post the above-described notice, at the facility’s main public entrances, as defined.
The bill would repeal these changes on January 1, 2030.
To the extent that the bill would create new duties for health care provider entities administered by a county, city, or other local public jurisdiction, the 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 24250 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:24250.
(a) (1) A health care provider entity shall establish or amend procedures for monitoring, documenting, and receiving visitors to health care provider entities consistent with this chapter. Health care provider entities shall post a “notice to authorities” at the facility’s main public entrances. The notice shall state that no person will be permitted to access nonpublic areas of a facility for immigration enforcement purposes unless required by state or federal law or pursuant to a valid physical judicial warrant or court order.(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, “main public entrance” means a singular entrance, as designated by the facility, that serves as a primary point of access that patients and visitors use to enter the main health facility’s building.
(b) (1) Health care provider entity personnel shall immediately notify health care provider entity management, administration, or legal counsel of any request for access to a health care provider entity site or patient for immigration enforcement.
(2) Health care provider entity personnel shall immediately provide any requests for review of health care provider entity documents, including through a lawfully issued subpoena, warrant, or court order, to health care provider entity management, administration, or legal counsel.
(3) If a request is made to access a health care provider entity site or patient, including to obtain information about a patient or their family, for immigration enforcement, health care provider entity personnel shall direct that request to the designated health care provider entity management, administrator, or legal counsel.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 2.
Section 24250 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:24250.
(a) A health care provider entity shall, to the extent possible, establish or amend procedures for monitoring, documenting, and receiving visitors to health care provider entities consistent with this chapter. Health care provider entities are encouraged to post a “notice to authorities” at facility entrances.(b) (1) Health care provider entity personnel shall immediately notify health care provider entity management, administration, or legal counsel of any request for access to a health care provider entity site or patient for immigration enforcement.
(2) Health care provider entity personnel shall immediately provide any requests for review of health care provider entity documents, including through a lawfully issued subpoena, warrant, or court order, to health care provider entity management, administration, or legal counsel.
(3) If a request is made to access a health care provider entity site or patient, including to obtain information about a patient or their family, for immigration enforcement, health care provider entity personnel shall direct that request to the designated health care provider entity management, administrator, or legal counsel.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2030.
SEC. 3.
Section 24251 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:24251.
(a) To enhance privacy available to facility users and promote a safe environment conducive to the facility’s mission and patient care, a health care provider entity shall designate areas where patients are receiving treatment or care, or where a patient is discussing protected health information, as nonpublic. The facility is encouraged to designate these areas through mapping, signage, key entry, policy, or a combination of those.(b) Unless required by state or federal law, a health care provider entity and its personnel shall not allow any person access to the nonpublic areas of the facility, as described in subdivision (a), for immigration enforcement purposes, unless that person has a valid physical judicial warrant or court order that specifically grants access to the nonpublic areas of the facility.
(c) A health care provider entity and its personnel shall, to the extent possible, have the denial of permission for access to nonpublic areas of the facility pursuant to subdivision (b) witnessed and documented by at least one health care provider entity personnel.
(d) Health care provider entities shall inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests relating to immigration enforcement that grants access to health care provider entity sites or to patients.
(e) Health care provider entities shall inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests by a person who is in custody by immigration enforcement to notify a family member or designated support person about their current location.
(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 4.
Section 24251 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:24251.
(a) To enhance privacy available to facility users and promote a safe environment conducive to the facility’s mission and patient care, a health care provider entity shall designate areas where patients are receiving treatment or care, or where a patient is discussing protected health information, as nonpublic. The facility is encouraged to designate these areas through mapping, signage, key entry, policy, or a combination of those.(b) Unless required by state or federal law, a health care provider entity and its personnel shall not allow any person access to the nonpublic areas of the facility, as described in subdivision (a), for immigration enforcement purposes, unless that person has a valid judicial warrant or court order that specifically grants access to the nonpublic areas of the facility.
(c) A health care provider entity and its personnel shall, to the extent possible, have the denial of permission for access to nonpublic areas of the facility pursuant to subdivision (b) witnessed and documented by at least one health care provider entity personnel.
(d) Health care provider entities shall inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests relating to immigration enforcement that grants access to health care provider entity sites or to patients.
(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2030.
SEC. 5.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.Text of SB 1323 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions