AB 2318
Law enforcement: facilitating medical care.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Appropriations
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Sign in to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill requires law enforcement officers to facilitate access to medical care for individuals under their control who are not in custody, provided it is safe and reasonable to do so and a medical professional is available. If access is denied or delayed when a medical professional is present, officers must document the reason within 72 hours. The bill also mandates training for law enforcement officers on providing emergency medical access and requires reporting of denials to oversight bodies. Finally, it clarifies that certain costs associated with the bill will not require state reimbursement.
Key provisions
- Law enforcement officers must facilitate access to medical evaluation or treatment when safe and reasonable.
- A medical professional must be present or requested and willing to provide care.
- Officers must document the basis for denial or delay within 72 hours.
- Documentation must include details of the incident, identified threats, and supporting evidence.
- Failure to comply can result in administrative discipline, including suspension or termination.
- The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training must incorporate relevant guidance into training curricula.
- Certain costs associated with the bill will not require state reimbursement.
- Reporting requirements to civilian oversight bodies, the Office of the Inspector General, or the Attorney General.
Who is affected
- Law enforcement officers
- Individuals under law enforcement control
- Medical professionals
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yoursRead the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
AB2318:v96#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
| Amended IN Senate June 25, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly May 18, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 07, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2318
| Introduced by Assembly Member Elhawary (Coauthors: Assembly Members Mark González and Schultz) (Coauthors: Senators Gonzalez and Wiener) |
| February 19, 2026 |
An act to add Section 832.11 to the Penal Code, relating to law enforcement.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2318, as amended, Elhawary. Law enforcement: facilitating medical care.
Existing law generally provides for the regulation of law enforcement agencies and requires specified law enforcement agencies to maintain policies on, among other things, use of force, hate crimes, and gun violence restraining orders. Existing law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish and keep updated a field training officer course relating to competencies of the field training program and police training program that addresses how to interact with persons with certain conditions.
This bill would make it unlawful for a law enforcement officer to deny, delay, obstruct, or fail to facilitate access to medical evaluation or treatment for an individual under law enforcement control, but who is not in the custody of, or detained in, a county jail or the state prison, if it is safe and reasonable to provide access to treatment and a medical professional has been requested or is present or has been requested. and is willing to render care to the individual. If access to medical evaluation or treatment is denied or delayed when a medical professional is present, present and is willing to assist, the bill would require law enforcement to provide written documentation for document the basis of a the denial within 72 hours of the incident, as specified. The bill would authorize administrative discipline, including suspension or termination, against a law enforcement officer who violates those provisions. The bill would require the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to incorporate guidance on those provisions into law enforcement training curricula. By creating a new crime and by increasing the duties on local law enforcement relating to reporting, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 832.11 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
832.11.
(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Law enforcement” means any federal, state, or local law enforcement, acting under the color of the law, to the extent permitted by federal law.
(2) “Medical professional” means an individual licensed or certified to provide emergency medical care. who is qualified by education, training, licensure, or regulation to perform a professional medical service within their scope of practice.
(b) (1) It shall be unlawful for any law enforcement officer to deny, delay, obstruct, or fail to facilitate access to medical evaluation or treatment for an individual under law enforcement control if it is safe and reasonable to provide access to the treatment and a medical professional has been requested or is present or has been requested. and is willing to render care to the individual.
(2) This subdivision does not apply to an individual in the custody of, or detained in, a county jail or the state prison.
(c) (1) To the extent disclosure documenting the incident does not compromise an ongoing criminal investigation or officer safety, if access to medical evaluation or treatment is denied or delayed when a medical professional is present, present and is willing to assist, law enforcement shall provide written documentation indicating document the basis for the denial within 72 hours of the incident that meets all of the following requirements: and include the following information:
(A) States the The basis for denial or delay.
(B)Identifies the specific threat relied upon.
(C)Provides a
(B) A detailed incident narrative that includes, but is not limited to, time of the incident, location of the incident, and personnel involved in the incident.
(D)Includes any
(C) Any available supporting evidence, including body-worn camera footage, radio transmissions, or written incident reports.
(2) Reporting pursuant to this subdivision shall be provided to the relevant civilian oversight body responsible for reviewing law enforcement conduct, the Office of the Inspector General, or the Attorney General.
(d) Failure to comply with subdivision (b) or (c) may result in administrative discipline, including suspension or termination.
(e)The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training shall incorporate guidance on facilitating emergency medical access, scene security standards, and coordination with emergency medical services into law enforcement training curricula.
SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, 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 B of the California Constitution.
However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other 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.