AB-1199 • 2026

Hospitals: employee identification.

Crime Education Healthcare Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Patterson
Last action: 2025-06-09
Official status: From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on what information must be included in the ID tags or any potential penalties for non-compliance.

Hospitals: Employee Identification

The bill requires general acute care and acute psychiatric hospitals, except those run by the State Department of State Hospitals, to create a policy for employee identification that includes wearing ID tags with specific information.

What This Bill Does

Requires general acute care and acute psychiatric hospitals (except those run by the State Department of State Hospitals) to develop and implement a policy for employee identification.
This policy must require employees who have contact with patients to wear an ID tag while at work.
The ID tags must contain prescribed information.

Who It Names or Affects

General acute care hospitals
Acute psychiatric hospitals (except those run by the State Department of State Hospitals)
Employees who have contact with patients in these hospitals

Terms To Know

State-mandated local program: A state requirement that forces local agencies to do something, which can sometimes need extra funding from the state.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what information must be on the ID tags.
It is unclear if there are any penalties for hospitals or employees who don't follow this rule.
This bill has passed both chambers of the California Legislature but hasn't been signed into law yet.

Bill History

2025-06-09 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1740.)
2025-05-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 21).
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 29).
2025-03-18 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-03-17 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-10 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2025-02-22 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1199, as amended, Patterson.
Hospitals: employee identification.
Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate health facilities, including, among others, general acute care hospitals and acute psychiatric hospitals. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires a health care practitioner to disclose, while working, their name and license status on a name tag in at least 18-point type, subject to specified exceptions.
This bill would require general acute care hospitals and acute psychiatric
hospitals
hospitals, except those operated by the State Department of State Hospitals,
to develop and implement a policy that requires all employees who have patient contact
to wear an identification tag while on duty that contains prescribed information. By expanding the scope of a crime, this 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF