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<ns0:Id>20250SB__090398AMD</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-21</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-04-07</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Padilla</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthor: Senator Rubio)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Padilla</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Rubio</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Chapter 13.6 (commencing with Section 4989.80) to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>healing arts</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Mental health professionals: artificial intelligence.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law establishes various healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs that license and regulate various healing arts licensees. Existing laws, including the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Educational Psychologist Practice Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act, make a violation of those acts a crime. </html:p>
<html:p>Existing law regulates the use of artificial intelligence, as defined. Existing law requires a health facility, clinic, physician’s office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information to ensure those communications include a disclaimer that indicates to the patient that a communication was generated by artificial intelligence and instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee, or other appropriate person. </html:p>
<html:p>This bill would regulate the use of artificial intelligence by licensed professionals providing psychotherapy services, as defined. The bill, among other things, would prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from using artificial intelligence to record or transcribe psychotherapeutic communications or sessions or to triage or screen a person for the need for psychotherapy services unless the patient or their authorized representative is informed that artificial intelligence will be used and provides consent, as specified. The bill would prohibit a licensed professional from allowing artificial intelligence to perform certain acts, including making independent therapeutic decisions or detecting emotions or mental states.
The bill would make a violation of the bill’s provisions subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care professional licensing board or enforcement agency, as specified, and would authorize those boards and enforcement entities to pursue any remedies authorized by law.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing law, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, generally restricts the persons and entities to whom, and the purposes for which, a health care provider, health care service plan, or contractor may release a patient’s medical information. The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act additionally imposes certain disclosure requirements for the release of medical information that specifically relates to the patient’s participation in outpatient treatment with a psychotherapist. In this regard, the act prohibits a health care provider, health care service plan, or
contractor from releasing that information to persons or entities who have requested that information and who are otherwise authorized by specified laws to receive that information, unless the requester makes certain written disclosures to the patient and to the provider of health care, health care service plan, or contractor, as specified. Those disclosures include, among other things, the specific intended uses of the information, and the length of time during which the information will be kept before being destroyed or disposed of, as specified. Existing law makes a violation of those provisions that result in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require the use of artificial intelligence in psychotherapy records to comply with the confidentiality requirements of the above-described provision of the
Confidentiality of Medical Information Act.</html:p>
<html:p>By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
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<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_5A9A87F8-E630-4035-B780-DD7D2BE03CFC">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Chapter 13.6 (commencing with Section 4989.80) is added to Division 2 of the
<ns0:DocName>Business and Professions Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read
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<ns0:LawHeading id="id_C6AF1B2D-83AD-4BC1-A10D-04B36DC222F4" type="CHAPTER">
<ns0:Num>13.6.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawHeadingVersion id="id_A8DF9E01-CE05-48D3-B233-94D7E43C2C77">
<ns0:LawHeadingText>Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_DF13869F-36A7-40F0-A5D8-0ACA9DAE23BD">
<ns0:Num>4989.80.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>This chapter may be cited as the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act.</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_E7EB9E90-F89F-4F3C-9004-93DC6753D859">
<ns0:Num>4989.81.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>The purpose of this chapter is to safeguard individuals seeking psychotherapy services by ensuring these services are delivered by licensed professionals. This chapter is intended to protect consumers from unlicensed or unqualified providers, including unregulated artificial intelligence systems, while respecting individual choice and access to community-based and faith-based mental health
support and recognizing that artificial intelligence technology has the potential to expand clinical capacity if used in a safe, ethical, and legal manner.</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_5E187CA9-756A-4C88-9469-2AC117AD0019">
<ns0:Num>4989.82.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Administrative support” means tasks performed to assist a licensed professional in the delivery of psychotherapy services that do not involve psychotherapeutic communication. “Administrative support” includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Managing appointment scheduling
and reminders.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Processing billing and insurance claims.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Drafting general communications related to therapy logistics that do not include therapeutic advice.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Artificial intelligence” means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in its level of autonomy and that can, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input it receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Consent” means a clear, explicit affirmative act by an individual that meets both of the following
requirements:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Unambiguously communicates the individual’s express, freely given, informed, voluntary, specific, and unambiguous agreement, either written or verbally, and documented in the record.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Is revocable by the individual.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Consent” does not include an agreement that is obtained
by any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The acceptance of a general or broad terms of use agreement or a similar document that contains descriptions of artificial intelligence along with other unrelated information.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An individual hovering over, muting, pausing, or closing a given piece of digital content.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An agreement obtained through the use of deceptive actions.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Licensed professional” has the same meaning as “psychotherapist” as defined in Section 1010 of the Evidence Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Peer support” means services provided by individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions or recovery from substance use that are intended to offer encouragement, understanding, and guidance without clinical intervention.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Psychotherapeutic communication” means any verbal, nonverbal, or written interaction conducted in a clinical or professional setting that is intended to diagnose, treat, or address an individual’s mental, emotional, or behavioral health concerns. “Psychotherapeutic communication” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Direct interactions with clients for the purpose of understanding or reflecting their thoughts, emotions, or experiences.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Providing guidance, therapeutic strategies, or interventions designed to achieve mental health outcomes.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Offering emotional support, reassurance, or empathy in response to psychological or emotional distress.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Collaborating with clients to develop or modify therapeutic goals or treatment plans.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Offering behavioral feedback intended to promote psychological growth or address mental health conditions.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Psychotherapeutic communication” does not include the discussion of a patient’s use of artificial intelligence in a clinical setting.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Psychotherapy services” means services provided to diagnose, treat, or improve an individual’s mental health or substance use disorder condition. “Psychotherapy services” does not include religious counseling or peer support.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(h)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Religious counseling” means counseling provided by clergy members, pastoral counselors, or other religious leaders acting within the scope of their religious duties if the services are explicitly faith based and are not represented as clinical mental health services or psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Supplementary support” means tasks performed to assist a
licensed professional in the delivery of psychotherapy services that do not involve psychotherapeutic communication and that are not administrative support. “Supplementary support” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Preparing and maintaining client records, including
psychotherapy and progress notes.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Analyzing anonymized data to track client progress or identify trends, subject to review by a licensed professional.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Identifying and organizing external resources or referrals for client use.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Using artificial intelligence tools that assist licensed professionals with documentation, workflow management, or other functions that enhance clinical capacity, provided the licensed professional maintains responsibility for all clinical decisions and communications.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(j)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Triage or screening” means the assessment of an individual’s health concerns and symptoms for the purpose of determining the urgency, clinical nature, or appropriate level of the individual’s need for psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(k)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Use of artificial intelligence” means the use of artificial intelligence tools or systems to assist in providing administrative support or supplementary support in
psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_FE620050-DDE0-4C3B-8367-90F271D4D04D">
<ns0:Num>4989.83.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_DD388C8A-423D-4A63-B4DE-04E01B6FAACE">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An individual, corporation, or entity shall not use artificial intelligence to record or transcribe psychotherapeutic communications, psychotherapy sessions, or triage or screening unless both of the following conditions are satisfied:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The patient or the patient’s legally authorized representative is informed verbally or in writing of both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
That artificial intelligence will be used.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The specific purpose of the artificial intelligence tool or system that will be used.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The patient or the patient’s legally authorized representative provides consent to the use of artificial intelligence.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A patient does not surrender any of their rights to care if the patient or their legally authorized representative does not provide consent to the use of artificial intelligence.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_23BD6F86-7D74-4980-8921-69A3B36C405B">
<ns0:Num>4989.84.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_DCF6817C-AFDC-4806-8F07-2BB6AE2AF32E">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An individual, corporation, or entity shall not provide, advertise, or otherwise offer psychotherapy services, including through the use of artificial intelligence, to the public in this state unless the psychotherapy services are conducted by an individual who is a licensed professional.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When providing psychotherapy services or conducting triage or screening, an individual, corporation, or entity may use artificial intelligence only to the extent the use meets the requirements of this chapter and shall not allow artificial intelligence to do any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Make independent therapeutic decisions.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Directly interact with clients in any form of psychotherapeutic communication, unless
the tool or system is consistent with the United States Food and Drug Administration
guidance for low-risk general wellness products or clinical support software, and is compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Generate therapeutic recommendations, assessment results, diagnoses, or treatment plans without review and approval by the licensed professional.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Detect emotions or mental states.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Assess an individual’s health concerns or symptoms for the purpose
of determining the urgency, clinical nature, or appropriate level of the individual’s need for psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If a licensed professional uses artificial intelligence in connection with psychotherapy services or triage or screening and the use has not been selected, provided, directed, or mandated by an employing or contracting entity, the licensed professional shall be responsible for both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Ensuring the artificial intelligence is deployed in compliance with this chapter.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Ensuring the artificial intelligence is used in a clinically appropriate manner.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If a licensed professional uses artificial intelligence required or authorized by their employer or contracting entity, the following shall apply:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The employer or contracting entity shall be responsible for both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Ensuring the artificial intelligence is deployed in compliance with this chapter.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Directing the licensed professional to use the artificial intelligence in compliance with this chapter.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The licensed professional shall use artificial intelligence in a clinically appropriate manner.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_FA1A978E-B63E-499F-AC96-F4CCC73B7B7E">
<ns0:Num>4989.85.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_CDC24664-73AB-4E65-9CDD-05B60F8EF9DF">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>Use of artificial intelligence in psychotherapy records shall comply with the confidentiality required in Section 56.104 of the Civil Code. A company or entity shall not share, sell, store, or train their models on any data obtained from psychotherapy.</html:p>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_35CE7E67-5710-49D4-A452-2306BF0375FF">
<ns0:Num>4989.86.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_FDF5F35F-B171-480D-9A08-5FBC11D161E2">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A violation of this chapter is subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care professional licensing board or enforcement agency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The appropriate health care professional licensing board may pursue an injunction or restraining order to enforce the provisions of this chapter, as authorized by Section 125.5.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section does not limit the authority of a health care professional licensing board or enforcement agency to pursue any remedy otherwise authorized by law.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The appropriate health care professional licensing boards may adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this
chapter.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_6F20B3C0-2C5C-462E-B039-AEEEAC17762A">
<ns0:Num>4989.87.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_B5FFB5A8-D0A1-4AAA-BE5F-CAE62DDAEC74">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>This chapter does not apply to any of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Religious counseling.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Peer support.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Self-help materials and educational resources that are available to the public and do not purport to offer psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Artificial intelligence used solely for training or simulation purposes.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_1F2F7CED-604B-44E3-8A8B-355B013D6684">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution.
</html:p>
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