California SB 626 — Perinatal health screenings and treatment.

California, 20252026. SB 626: Perinatal health screenings and treatment.

Plural source record ↗

Official legislative source ↗

Latest action

September 30, 2026 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 973, Statutes of 2026.

Summary

Existing law requires a licensed health care practitioner who provides prenatal, postpartum, or interpregnancy care for a patient to offer to screen or appropriately screen a mother for maternal mental health conditions. For purposes of that requirement, existing law defines "maternal mental health condition" to mean a mental health condition that occurs during pregnancy, the postpartum period, or interpregnancy, as specified. This bill would limit the definition of "maternal mental health condition" to a mental health condition that occurs during the pregnancy or the postpartum period, as specified. The bill would authorize a licensed health care practitioner to satisfy the above-described requirement for maternal mental health screening by referring the patient or client to another licensed health care practitioner who is authorized to screen, evaluate, diagnose, and treat the patient or client for a maternal mental health condition. The bill would require a licensed health care practitioner who provides prenatal, postpartum, or perinatal care for a patient or client who screens positive for a maternal mental health condition to ensure that the patient or client receives appropriate clinical evaluation, and, if the practitioner diagnoses a patient or client with a maternal mental health condition, offer or provide treatment to the patient or client, consistent with the provider's scope of practice. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan or health insurer to develop a maternal mental health program designed to promote quality and cost-effective outcomes. Existing law requires the program to, among other things, conduct specified maternal mental health screenings during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Existing law requires the program guidelines and criteria to be provided to relevant medical providers, including all contracting obstetric providers. Existing law encourages health care service plans and health insurers to, among other things, improve screening, treatment, and referral to maternal mental health services. For purposes of these provisions, existing law defines "maternal mental health" to mean a mental health condition that occurs during pregnancy or during the postpartum period, as specified. This bill would modify the term to "maternal mental health condition" and define it as a mental health condition that occurs during the pregnancy or the postpartum period, as defined by the most recent clinical guidelines adopted by the American College of Obstetricians, as specified. The bill would instead require the above-described maternal mental health program to include maternal mental health screening to be conducted during pregnancy and one or more mental health screenings to be conducted during the postpartum period in accordance with applicable clinical guidelines and the standards of care appropriate to the provider's scope of practice, as specified. The bill would require program guidelines and criteria to be provided to relevant licensed health care practitioners, as defined, including all contracting obstetric providers. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to provide case management or care coordination for an enrollee or insured who screens positive for a maternal mental health condition in accordance with the plan's or insurer's existing case management and care coordination programs. The bill would encourage health care service plans and health insurers to improve treatment, including through the use of outpatient prescription drugs approved for maternal mental health by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Sponsors

• Smallwood-Cuevas — primary sponsor
• Cervantes
• Valladares

Bill text

SB626 Read version ↗

02/20/25 - Introduced Read version ↗

03/24/25 - Amended Senate Read version ↗

05/05/25 - Amended Senate Read version ↗

07/17/25 - Amended Assembly Read version ↗

08/20/26 - Amended Assembly Read version ↗

08/31/26 - Enrolled Read version ↗

09/30/26 - Chaptered Read version ↗

Recorded votes

Legislative history

1. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 973, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 4, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. August 28, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 27, 2026Ordered to special consent calendar.
6. August 25, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6514.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. August 20, 2026Ordered to third reading.
9. August 20, 2026Read third time and amended.
10. August 3, 2026Ordered to third reading.
11. August 3, 2026Action rescinded whereby bill was read third time, passed, and ordered to Senate.
12. January 12, 2026In Assembly. Held at Desk.
13. January 12, 2026Ordered to the Assembly.
14. January 12, 2026From inactive file on motion of Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.
15. September 3, 2025Ordered to inactive file on request of Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.
16. August 28, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
17. August 28, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 2776.) Ordered to the Senate.
18. August 21, 2025Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
19. August 20, 2025From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 20).
20. July 17, 2025Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
21. July 16, 2025From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 15).
22. July 1, 2025July 8 hearing postponed by committee.
23. June 9, 2025Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
24. June 3, 2025In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
25. June 2, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1395.) Ordered to the Assembly.
26. May 23, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
27. May 23, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1207.) (May 23).
28. May 20, 2025Set for hearing May 23.
29. May 19, 2025May 19 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
30. May 9, 2025Set for hearing May 19.
31. May 5, 2025Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
32. May 1, 2025From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 966.) (April 30).
33. April 4, 2025Set for hearing April 30.
34. March 24, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
35. March 5, 2025Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
36. February 21, 2025From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
37. February 20, 2025Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

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