CaliforniaSB 5822025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Residential care facilities for the elderly: skilled nursing facilities.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Stronger disaster plans for elder care

The law strengthens emergency planning in elder facilities. Residential care homes for seniors must keep a detailed plan, be ready for 72 hours, train staff yearly, run quarterly drills, and keep an evacuation chair at each stairwell. Skilled nursing facilities must review their disaster plan each year, get input from local emergency planners, and share the plan with them. These steps improve safety and coordination before, during, and after disasters.

Disaster closures: pause care facility licenses

If a disaster closes your facility, you can ask to place your license on inactive status. This applies to residential care for seniors, facilities for people with chronic life‑threatening illness, medical foster homes for veterans, adult and child community care, and home care organizations. Your license is not valid while inactive, and you must meet all rules before reopening. The state may adjust inspection timing, check for illegal operation, and use temporary rules until permanent ones are set.

Emergency licensing relief and fee waivers

When the Governor or federal government declares an emergency, covered providers can ask for inactive status within 90 days, usually for up to two years, with inspections still required to reopen. The state may waive annual or biennial licensing fees year by year for facilities being rebuilt. Agencies must coordinate for facilities with multiple licenses and work with local building, fire, and permitting offices to speed inspections and permits. The department can issue interim licensing standards, and Public Health can suspend beds or licenses, coordinate inspections, and waive fees when allowed.

30-day remote CBAS help after disasters

If your Community‑Based Adult Services (CBAS) center is closed by a covered disaster, Medi‑Cal plans must assume you qualify for Emergency Remote Services for the first 30 days. This keeps your CBAS support going right after the event.

90-day child care attendance waiver

If your child’s program is closed by a covered disaster, the state waives in‑person or daily attendance rules for the first 90 days. This helps keep your child enrolled and benefits in place while the site recovers.

2028: Pause care licenses outside disasters

Beginning January 1, 2028, some care facilities can request inactive status even when no disaster caused the closure. This applies to residential care for seniors, facilities for chronic life‑threatening illness, medical foster homes for veterans, and adult community care facilities. A written request is required, the state may set time limits, and it may waive annual fees in whole or in part, year by year. The license is not valid while inactive.

Inactive status for addiction treatment programs

If a disaster makes your alcohol or drug treatment site unsafe, you can request inactive status within 90 days. The state checks completeness within 15 working days, and you have 30 working days to supply missing items. Fees are not due while inactive, and reactivation filings avoid renewal/extension fees. You must apply to reopen within two years or the license or certification expires. You cannot provide services while inactive, and state agencies coordinate when more than one department licenses you.

Child care inspections within business hours

Routine child day care inspections happen no earlier than one hour before and no later than one hour after normal hours, or when care is provided. The state may inspect outside those times for complaints to protect child safety. No inspections occur during inactive status. Providers can request inactive status for emergencies or other inactivity; a written request is needed for non‑emergencies. Annual fees are generally still due during inactive status, but the state may waive them in whole or in part, year by year. If your license was inactive on or before December 31, 2023, submit a request by May 1, 2026; if inactive January 1, 2024–December 31, 2025, submit by October 1, 2026.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Henry Stern
Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

Sabrina Cervantes
Democratic • Senate
Dave Cortese
Democratic • Senate
Mark Mark GonzÃ¡lez
Democratic • House
Sasha RenÃ©e PÃ©rez
Democratic • Senate
Eloise GÃ³mez Reyes
Democratic • Senate
Laura Richardson
Democratic • Senate
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
Democratic • Senate
Thomas Umberg
Democratic • Senate
Aisha Wahab
Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 223 • No: 0

Senate vote • 9/10/2025

Item 39 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 40 • No: 0

House vote • 9/8/2025

Item 160 — Assembly AFLOOR

Yes: 79 • No: 0

legislature vote • 8/29/2025

Vote in CX25

Yes: 15 • No: 0

legislature vote • 7/15/2025

Vote in CX08

Yes: 16 • No: 0

legislature vote • 6/24/2025

Vote in CX31

Yes: 7 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/3/2025

Item 127 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 39 • No: 0

legislature vote • 5/23/2025

Vote in CS61

Yes: 6 • No: 0

legislature vote • 5/19/2025

Vote in CS61

Yes: 5 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/30/2025

Vote in CS60

Yes: 11 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/21/2025

Vote in CS74