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<ns0:Id>20250SB__090399INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-21</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Padilla</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Padilla</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 the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate licensees under 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. </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 prohibit a licensed professional, as defined, from engaging in the use of artificial intelligence to assist in providing supplementary support in therapy or psychotherapy where the client’s therapeutic session is recorded or transcribed unless the patient or their authorized representative is informed that artificial intelligence will be used and provides consent, as specified. The bill would also prohibit an individual, corporation, or entity from providing, advertising, or otherwise offering therapy or psychotherapy, including through the use of internet-based artificial intelligence, to the public in this state unless the therapy or psychotherapy services are conducted by an individual who is a licensed professional. The bill would additionally prohibit a licensed professional from allowing artificial intelligence to make independent therapeutic decisions or take other specified actions
related to communications with clients, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to investigate actual, alleged, or suspected violations of these provisions and impose civil penalties, as prescribed.</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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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 type="CHAPTER" id="id_C6AF1B2D-83AD-4BC1-A10D-04B36DC222F4">
<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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<html:p>This chapter may be cited as the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act.</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>4989.81.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>The purpose of this chapter is to safeguard individuals seeking therapy or psychotherapy services by ensuring these services are delivered by qualified, licensed, or certified 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. </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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<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 therapy or psychotherapy services that do not involve therapeutic 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 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 written agreement, including a written agreement provided by electronic means.
</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"/>
“Department” means the Department of Consumer Affairs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Licensed professional” means an individual who holds a valid license issued by this state to provide therapy or psychotherapy services, including, but not limited to, the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A licensed clinical
psychologist.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A licensed clinical social worker.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A licensed professional clinical counselor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A licensed marriage and family therapist.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A registered or certified alcohol or other drug counselor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any other professional authorized by this state to provide therapy or psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<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>
(g)
<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 therapy or psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(h)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Supplementary support” means tasks performed to assist a licensed professional in the delivery of therapy or psychotherapy services that do not involve therapeutic 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 therapy 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>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Therapeutic 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. “Therapeutic 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"/>
“Therapeutic communication” does not include the discussion of a patient’s use of artificial intelligence in a clinical setting.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(j)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Therapy or psychotherapy services” means services provided to diagnose, treat, or improve an individual’s mental health or substance use disorder condition. “Therapy or psychotherapy services” does not include religious counseling or peer support.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(k)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Use of artificial intelligence” means the use of artificial intelligence tools or systems by a licensed professional to assist in providing administrative support or supplementary support in therapy or psychotherapy services where the licensed professional maintains full responsibility for all interactions, outputs, and data use associated with the system and satisfies the requirements of Section 4989.83.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_FE620050-DDE0-4C3B-8367-90F271D4D04D">
<ns0:Num>4989.83.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>A licensed professional shall not engage in the use of artificial intelligence to assist in providing supplementary support in therapy or psychotherapy where the client’s therapeutic session is recorded or transcribed unless both of the following conditions are satisfied:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The patient or the patient’s legally authorized representative is informed in writing of both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
That artificial intelligence will be used.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The specific purpose of the artificial intelligence tool or system that will be used.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The patient or the patient’s legally authorized
representative provides consent to the use of artificial intelligence.
</html:p>
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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 therapy or psychotherapy services, including through the use of internet-based artificial intelligence, to the public in this state unless the therapy or psychotherapy services are conducted by an individual who is a licensed professional.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A licensed professional may use artificial intelligence only to the extent the use meets the requirements this chapter. A licensed professional 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 therapeutic communication, unless they are using a product that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration 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 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>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_CC138E01-E855-41BC-AAD9-6B5D932B74F4">
<ns0:Num>4989.85.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_E5420F02-7F8A-4778-A05E-784171D0A820">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>All records kept by a licensed professional and all communications between an individual seeking therapy or psychotherapy services and a licensed professional shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except as otherwise required by law.</html:p>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_C77094B0-D54C-47C9-8B6C-D6D9B7EC458B">
<ns0:Num>4989.86.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_5A96342A-3E94-4259-96AE-6538EA54AF57">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The department shall have the authority to investigate any actual, alleged, or suspected violation of this chapter.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any individual, corporation, or entity found in violation of this chapter shall pay a civil penalty to the department in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation, as determined by the department, with penalties assessed based on the degree of harm and the circumstances of the violation. Before the civil penalty is levied, the individual, corporation, or entity shall be given a written notice of the proposed action, including the nature of the violation and the amount of the proposed penalty, and shall have the right to request a hearing, which shall be held pursuant to the Administrative
Procedure Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). An individual, corporation, or entity found in violation of this chapter shall pay the civil penalty within 60 days after the date or the order by the department imposing the civil penalty. The order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and executed in the same manner as any judgment from the appropriate court.
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<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 therapy or psychotherapy services.
</html:p>
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