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<ns0:Id>20250AB__230498AMD</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-19</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-23</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Lackey</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthor: Assembly Member Nguyen)</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Name>Lackey</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Nguyen</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title>An act to amend Section 6201 of the Government Code, and to amend Section 369 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to social workers.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>social workers</ns0:RelatingClause>
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<ns0:Subject>Social workers.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law makes it a crime for a person having the custody of any record, map, or book, or of any paper or proceeding of any court, filed or deposited in any public office, or placed in their hands for any purpose to steal, remove, secrete, destroy, mutilate, deface, alter, or falsify, or to allow another to do any of those acts, with regard to the whole, or any part of, the record, map, book, paper, or proceeding. Existing law provides that if those acts are done by an officer, it is a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 2, 3, or 4 years, and, if done by a person who is not an officer, it is either a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, or a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, by a
fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would clarify that, for the purposes of these provisions, a social worker employed by a county is not an officer.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent or ward of the court under certain circumstances. Under existing law, if a minor has been, or has a petition filed with the court to be, adjudged a dependent child of the court, and it appears the minor needs immediate emergency treatment, a social worker may, without court order, authorize medical and other care for a minor, to be provided by a licensed physician and surgeon or dentist, as applicable.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require, in that situation, the social worker to secure care for the child. By increasing the duties of social workers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>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.</html:p>
<html:p>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.</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 6201 of the
<ns0:DocName>Government Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>6201.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>A person who is not an officer referred to in Section 6200, including, but not limited to, a social worker employed by a county, who is guilty of any of the acts specified in that section, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and
imprisonment.</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 369 of the
<ns0:DocName>Welfare and Institutions Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>369.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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(1)
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If a person is taken into temporary custody under Article 7 (commencing with Section 305) and is in need of medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care, the social worker may, upon the recommendation of the attending physician and surgeon or, if the person needs dental care and there is an attending dentist, the attending dentist, authorize the performance of the medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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The social worker shall notify the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of the person, if any, of the care found to be needed before that care is provided, and if the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis objects, that care shall be given only upon order of the court in the exercise
of its discretion.
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<html:p>
(b)
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If it appears to the juvenile court that a person concerning whom a petition has been filed with the court is in need of medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care, and that there is no parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis capable of authorizing or willing to authorize the remedial care or treatment for that person, the court, upon the written recommendation of a licensed physician and surgeon or, if the person needs dental care, a licensed dentist, and after due notice to the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis, if any, may make an order authorizing the performance of the necessary medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care for that person.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If a dependent child of the juvenile court is placed by order of the court within the care and custody or under the supervision of a social worker of the county where
the dependent child resides and it appears to the court that there is no parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis capable of authorizing or willing to authorize medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care or treatment for the dependent child, the court may, after due notice to the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis, if any, order that the social worker may authorize the medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care for the dependent child, by licensed practitioners, as necessary.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
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If it appears that a child otherwise within subdivision (a), (b), or (c) requires immediate emergency medical, surgical, or other remedial care in an emergency situation, the social worker shall secure care for the
child. The care shall be provided by a licensed physician and surgeon or, if the child needs dental care in an emergency situation, by a licensed dentist, without a court order.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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The social worker shall make reasonable efforts to obtain the consent of, or to notify, the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis prior to authorizing emergency medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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For purposes of this subdivision, “emergency situation” means a child requires immediate treatment for the alleviation of severe pain or an immediate diagnosis and treatment of an unforeseeable medical, surgical,
dental, or other remedial condition or contagious disease that, if not immediately diagnosed and treated, would lead to serious disability or death.
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<html:p>
(e)
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If the court orders the performance of a medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care pursuant to this section, the court may also make an order authorizing the release of information concerning that care to a social worker, parole officer, or other qualified individual or agency caring for or acting in the interest and welfare of the child under order, commitment, or approval of the court.
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<html:p>
(f)
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(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding any other provision within this section, a dependent child of the juvenile court who is 16 years of age or older may consent to receive medications for opioid use disorder from a licensed narcotic treatment program as replacement narcotic therapy without the consent of their parent, guardian,
person standing in loco parentis, or social worker, and without a court order, only if, and to the extent, expressly permitted by federal law.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding any other law, a dependent child of the juvenile court who is 16 years of age or older may consent to opioid use disorder treatment that uses buprenorphine at a physician’s office, clinic, or health facility, by a licensed physician and surgeon or other health care provider acting within the scope of their practice, whether or not they have the consent of their parent, guardian, person standing in loco parentis, or social worker and without a court order.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
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This section does not limit the right of a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis, who has not been deprived of the custody or control of the child by order of the court, in providing a medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial treatment recognized
or permitted under the laws of this state.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(h)
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(1)
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The parent of a person described in this section may authorize the performance of medical, surgical, dental, or other remedial care provided for in this section notwithstanding their age or marital status.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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In a nonemergency situation, the parent authorizing the care shall notify the other parent prior to the administration of that care.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
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(1)
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This section does not limit the rights of a dependent child, pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 6920) of Part 4 of Division 11 of the Family Code, to consent to, among other things, the diagnosis and treatment of sexual assault, medical care relating to the prevention or treatment of pregnancy, including contraception, abortion, and prenatal care, treatment of
infectious, contagious, or communicable diseases, mental health treatment, and treatment for alcohol and drug abuse.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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If a dependent child is 10 years of age or older, their social worker is authorized to inform the child of their right as a minor to consent to and receive those health services, as necessary, and their confidentiality rights regarding those services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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A social worker for a dependent child may do either or both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
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Provide access to age-appropriate, medically accurate information about sexual development, reproductive health, and prevention of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections and how to access reproductive and sexual health care services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Facilitate access to the care described in
subparagraph (A), including assisting with any barriers to care.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>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.</html:p>
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