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AB-2131 • 2026

Hospitals: seismic standards.

Hospitals: seismic standards.

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Blanca Rubio
Last action
2026-03-24
Official status
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the consequences for hospitals failing to meet older seismic requirements.

Hospitals: Earthquake Safety Rules

This law changes earthquake safety rules for certain hospitals in California.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the earthquake safety standards for certain hospital buildings under existing seismic safety laws.
  • Exempts general acute care hospitals from new earthquake safety requirements if they meet older safety rules and are used exclusively to provide extended medical care to patients with complex needs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • General acute care hospitals in California
  • The Department of Health Care Access and Information

Terms To Know

Seismic standards
Rules about how buildings should be built to stay safe during earthquakes.
General acute care hospital
A hospital that provides medical treatment for people with serious but not life-threatening conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a hospital building does not meet the older seismic requirements.
  • It is unclear how many hospitals will be exempt from new earthquake safety rules under this law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-24 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  2. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  3. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

  4. 2026-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2131, as introduced, Blanca Rubio.
Hospitals: seismic standards.
Existing law, the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983, establishes, under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health Care Access and Information, a program of seismic safety building standards for certain hospital buildings. Under existing law, a hospital building includes any building that is used, or designed to be used, for a health facility of a type required to be licensed, as specified. Under existing law, a hospital building does not include, among others, a freestanding building used, or designed to be used, as a congregate living health facility or a hospice facility.
This bill would exempt a general acute care hospital from the requirements of the act if, among other things, the hospital building is a freestanding building used, or designed to be used, exclusively to provide extended hospital care to
patients with complex medical and rehabilitative needs and the hospital building has met all the seismic requirements that a hospital was required to meet prior to January 1, 2021.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF