Senate BillChaptered/SignedHealth and Safety
SB 329: Alcohol and drug recovery: licensed treatment facilities and certified programs: investigations.
What SB 329 does, verified September 29, 2026
This bill requires the state department of health care services to investigate complaints about alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facilities within 10 days of receiving them. The department must assign a complaint to an analyst for investigation and complete the investigation within 60 days, unless additional resources are required. If the department cannot complete the investigation within 60 days, it must notify the complainant in writing of the reason for the delay. The bill aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the department's complaint investigation process.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 646, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-27)Alert me
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| Sep. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 646, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 04, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Aug. 28, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 27, 2026 | Ordered to special consent calendar. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 27, 2026 · 1,045 words
Senate Bill No. 329
CHAPTER 646
An act to add Sections 11832.121 and 11834.11 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to alcohol and drug programs.
[ Approved by Governor September 27, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 27, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 329, Blakespear. Alcohol and drug recovery: licensed treatment facilities and certified programs: investigations.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facilities by the State Department of Health Care Services. Existing law prohibits operating an alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility to provide recovery, treatment, or detoxification services within this state without first obtaining a current valid license. If a facility is alleged to be providing those services without a license, existing law requires the department to conduct a site visit to investigate the allegation. Existing law also authorizes the department to conduct announced or unannounced site visits to licensed facilities for the purpose of reviewing them for compliance, as specified.
Existing law requires alcohol or other drug programs to be certified by the department, except as specified. Existing law prohibits those programs from operating without a certification. If a program is alleged to be providing services without a certification, existing law requires the department to conduct a site visit to investigate the allegation. Existing law also authorizes the department to conduct announced or unannounced site visits to certified programs for the purpose of reviewing them for compliance, as specified.
This bill would require the department to assign a complaint under its jurisdiction regarding a licensed alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility or a certified alcohol or other drug program to an analyst for investigation within 10 days of receiving the complaint. If the department receives a complaint that does not fall under its jurisdiction, the bill would require the department, to the extent feasible, to notify the complainant, in writing, that it does not investigate that type of complaint. The bill would require the department to complete an investigation into a complaint regarding a facility within 120 days of assigning the complaint unless the department requires additional resources, as specified, to complete the investigation. Commencing July 1, 2027, and each July 1 thereafter, the bill would require the department to post on its internet website an annual report of the investigations conducted by the department, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to impose a single fee increase for the licensure of facilities and certification of programs, as described above, commensurate with the reasonable cost of preparing and maintaining the report.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 11832.121 is added to the Health and Safety Code, immediately following Section 11832.12, to read:11832.121.
(a) The department shall conduct an investigation into a complaint regarding an alcohol or other drug program certified under this chapter in accordance with both of the following:(1) If the department determines that it has jurisdiction over a complaint, the department shall assign a complaint to an analyst for investigation within 10 days of receiving the complaint.
(2) If the department receives a complaint that does not fall under its jurisdiction, the department, to the extent feasible, shall notify the complainant in writing, including through electronic means, that it does not investigate that type of complaint.
(b) The department shall complete an investigation within 120 days of assigning the complaint unless the department requires either of the following:
(1) Assistance from other state agencies to complete the investigation, as determined by the department.
(2) Additional resources to complete the investigation, as determined by the department.
(c) The department shall maintain a record of investigations, including those that are not complete within 120 days.
(d) Commencing July 1, 2027, and each July 1 thereafter, the department shall post on its internet website an annual report of the investigations conducted by the department in the previous year pursuant to subdivision (a). The report shall include all of the following information:
(1) The total number of investigations conducted by the department.
(2) The type of investigations conducted by the department.
(3) The number of investigations that were not complete within 120 days of assignment.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 11833.02, the department may impose a single fee increase for the certification of alcohol or other drug programs commensurate with the reasonable cost of preparing and maintaining the report required under subdivision (d).
SEC. 2.
Section 11834.11 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:11834.11.
The department shall conduct an investigation into a complaint regarding a licensed alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility in accordance with both of the following:(a) (1) If the department determines that it has jurisdiction over a complaint, the department shall assign a complaint to an analyst for investigation within 10 days of receiving the complaint.
(2) If the department receives a complaint that does not fall under its jurisdiction, the department, to the extent feasible, shall notify the complainant in writing, including through electronic means, that it does not investigate that type of complaint.
(b) The department shall complete an investigation within 120 days of assigning the complaint unless the department requires either of the following:
(1) Assistance from other state agencies to complete the investigation, as determined by the department.
(2) Additional resources to complete the investigation, as determined by the department.
(c) The department shall maintain a record of investigations, including those that are not complete within 120 days.
(d) Commencing on July 1, 2027, and each July 1 thereafter, the department shall post on its internet website an annual report of the investigations conducted by the department in the previous year pursuant to subdivision (a). The report shall include all of the following information:
(1) The total number of investigations conducted by the department.
(2) The type of investigations conducted by the department.
(3) The number of investigations that were not complete within 120 days of assignment.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 11833.02, the department may impose a single fee increase for licensure of alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facilities commensurate with the reasonable cost of preparing and maintaining the report required under subdivision (d).
Text of SB 329 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions