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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-13</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-19</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Zbur</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Title>An act to add Section 1798.309 to the Civil Code, relating to civil law.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>civil law</ns0:RelatingClause>
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<ns0:Subject>Legally protected health care activity: inquiries, investigations, subpoenas, or summons.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law provides that reproductive health care services, gender-affirming health care services, and gender-affirming mental health care services are rights secured by the Constitution and laws of California, and interference with these rights, whether or not under the color of law, is against the public policy of California. Existing law defines “legally protected health care activity” for those purposes to include, among other things, the exercise and enjoyment, or attempted exercise and enjoyment, by a person of rights to those health care services and the provision of those health care services by a person duly licensed under the laws of California.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing law provides for various protective measures for persons engaging in legally protected health care activity, including prohibiting a provider of health care, health care service plan, health insurer, or contractor from releasing medical information related to, among other things, an individual seeking or obtaining gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care, and prohibiting a state or local public agency, or any employee thereof acting in their official capacity, from cooperating with or providing information to an individual or agency from another state or a federal law enforcement agency, as specified, regarding a legally protected health care activity that is lawful in this state and performed in this state.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would prohibit a person or entity that is located, headquartered, incorporated, or otherwise conducting business in California and receives, is served with, or is subject to a
civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons for information regarding legally protected health activity from complying with or providing information in response to the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons unless specified conditions are met, including that the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons contains or is accompanied by an affidavit under penalty of perjury attesting certain information, including that the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons is related to an investigation or proceeding regarding activity that is unlawful under California civil or criminal law, and it identifies the California law under which the activity is unlawful.</html:p>
<html:p> The bill would authorize the Attorney General to intervene in any civil action instituted by a person or entity to protect against compliance with the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to commence certain actions,
including a civil action against any person or entity that submits a false affidavit described above, and would make the submission of a false affidavit by a person or entity punishable by a civil penalty of $15,000, as specified. The bill would require any action brought by the Attorney General to be commenced within 6 years of the date on which the Attorney General received the notice of the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons at issue, and would require the court to award court costs and attorney’s fees to the Attorney General in any civil action in which the court imposes any penalty authorized by the bill’s provisions.</html:p>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 1798.309 is added to the
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, to read:
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(a)
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Notwithstanding any other law, a person or entity that is located, headquartered, incorporated, or otherwise conducting business in California and receives, is served with, or is subject to a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons for information regarding legally protected health care activity shall not comply with or provide information in response to the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons unless all of the following conditions are met:
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(1)
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The inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons contains or is accompanied by an affidavit under penalty of perjury attesting any of the following:
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(A)
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It is not related to, and that
any information obtained shall not be used in, any investigation or proceeding that seeks to impose civil or criminal liability, professional sanctions, or any other legal consequences upon a person or entity for engaging in any legally protected health care activity.
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(B)
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It is related to an investigation or proceeding regarding activity that is unlawful under California civil or criminal law, and it identifies the California law under which the activity is unlawful.
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(C)
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It is related to an investigation or proceeding regarding activity that is grounds for professional discipline in California, and it identifies the grounds for professional discipline.
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(2)
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The person or entity receiving or subject to the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons regarding legally protected health care activity has done both of the
following:
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(A)
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Provided notice to the Attorney General within seven days of receiving the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons indicating whether the person or entity intends to comply with or provide information in response to the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons. The notice shall include a copy of the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons, and any related materials.
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(B)
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Made reasonable attempts to notify the individual or individuals who provided, sought, received, facilitated, or otherwise engaged in the legally protected health care activity to which the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons pertains at least 30 days prior to providing any responsive information, unless otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
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(3)
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A minimum of 30 days has passed since the person or
entity notified the Attorney General of the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons pursuant to paragraph (2).
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(4)
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Paragraphs (2) and (3) shall not apply to any inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summon issued by the office of the Attorney General.
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(b)
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If a person or entity that is located, headquartered, incorporated, or otherwise conducting business in California receives, is served with, or is subject to a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons for information regarding legally protected health care activity institutes a civil action to protect against compliance with or the providing information in response to the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons, the Attorney General may intervene in that action.
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(c)
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(1)
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(A)
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The
Attorney General may commence a civil action against any person or entity that submits a false affidavit described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
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(B)
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The submission of a false affidavit described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) by a person or entity shall be punishable by a civil penalty of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000). The civil penalty shall be in addition to any other penalties or remedies provided by law.
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(2)
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The Attorney General may commence an action to enforce the provisions of this section, including, but not limited, to an application or motion for an order enjoining ongoing or subsequent violations of this section. The Attorney General shall not commence an action pursuant to this paragraph unless the Attorney General has reason to believe the defendant or respondent intends to comply or has complied with an inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons
regarding legally protected health care activity.
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<html:p>
(A)
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Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Attorney General may seek all available legally and equitable remedies.
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(B)
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A court of this state shall assess a statutory penalty of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the first violation and fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for each subsequent violation against any person or entity found to have intentionally, knowingly, willingly, or recklessly complied with an inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons for information regarding legally protected health care activity in violation of this section. The statutory penalty shall be in addition to any other legal or equitable remedies available at law.
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(3)
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Any action brought by the Attorney General pursuant to this section shall be commenced within six years of
the date on which the Attorney General received the notice of the inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons at issue.
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(4)
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The court shall award court costs and attorney’s fees to the Attorney General in any civil action in which the court imposes any penalty authorized by this section.
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