CALA News & Views | Issue 57 | Impact

Preserving resident care and expanding options

CALA-supported AB 1567 (Ta) would have made it easier to develop by providing stronger incentives to local governments to approve new RCFEs by allowing them to count as part of their RHNA numbers. Unfortunately, this bill was vetoed.

SB 1304 (Wahab) removes Respiratory Care Board restrictions that became effective Oct. 1, 2025 and impacted LVN assistance with CPAP and BiPAP machines and oxygen in RCFEs. The regulatory changes created access and continuity-of-care challenges for current and prospective residents unable to independently manage these systems. These restrictions will no longer apply beginning Jan. 1. SB 950 (Weber Pierson) requires health plans and insurers to cover FDA-approved, medically necessary treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other memory-related conditions without requiring patients to try other treatments first. Plans are not required to cover every FDA approved treatment if at least one antiamyloid therapy is covered without those restrictions. SB 1088 (Blakespear) updates POLST requirements, including allowing out of state POLSTs to be accepted, requiring dates on POLSTs so the most updated form can be honored, and allowing electronic signatures. AB 1983 (B. Rubio) , allows CCRCs to offer sequential repayment contracts as an additional repayment option if they choose to. Providers are permitted to repay the second in-line account if repayment to the first account cannot yet be made (e.g., an estate has not been established), provided the full amount owed to the first account is reserved. The bill also adds definitions for “repayable in sequential order contract” and “sequential repayment account,” requires the repayment account to be separately maintained, and mandates additional disclosures for sequential repayment contracts.

AB 1567

SB 1304

Business climate, employer regulation and technology

SB 950

CALA joined a broad coalition led by the California Chamber of Commerce in opposing AB 1776 (Aguiar-Curry) . Although the bill was signed into law, the coalition secured amendments that eliminated several of its most concerning provisions, reducing the potential for expanded antitrust litigation against businesses. The bill nevertheless represents the most significant expansion of California antitrust law in more than a century by amending the Cartwright Act to prohibit monopolization and monopsonization. AB 2796 (Committee on Public Safety) clarifies that employees under 18 who have contact with residents must undergo background checks. The bill took effect immediately upon signing. DSS is expected to issue implementation guidance, including updates to Guardian and clarification of what constitutes resident “contact.” Providers should be prepared to complete Live Scan background checks for current and future minor employees once guidance is released. AB 1883 (Bryan) places restrictions on employers' use of AI-enabled workplace surveillance tools. The bill broadly defines a workplace surveillance tool as “any system, application, instrument or device that collects or facilitates the collection of employee data, activities, communications, actions,

AB 1776

SB 1088

AB 2796

AB 1983

AB 1883

CALA NEWS & VIEWS I ISSUE 57 | NOVEMBER 2026 8