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AB-2259 • 2026

Prisons: mental health.

Prisons: mental health.

Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Ransom
Last action
2026-03-25
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details of what information must be reported to the Legislature are not specified in the provided official source material.

Prisons: Mental Health Therapy Program

This law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to start a three-year mental health therapy pilot program for certain prisoners who do not currently receive such treatment.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes a 3-year pilot program at two institutions providing specified mental health therapy for incarcerated persons not classified by the department to receive mental health treatment from the institution.
  • Ensures that communications during therapy sessions between incarcerated individuals and their assigned therapists are confidential.
  • Designates California Correctional Health Care Services as the custodian of records for treatment records generated under this pilot program.
  • Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to report certain information to fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature from March 1, 2028, to March 1, 2031.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Incarcerated persons not classified by the department to receive mental health treatment.
  • The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
  • California Correctional Health Care Services.

Terms To Know

Pilot program
A small-scale test run of a new idea or service before it is fully implemented.
Confidentiality
Keeping information private and not sharing it with others who are not supposed to know.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact details of what information must be reported to the Legislature.
  • It is unclear which two institutions will host the pilot program.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-03-09 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  3. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  4. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2259, as introduced, Ransom.
Prisons: mental health.
Existing law authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to establish and maintain classes for incarcerated persons utilizing institutional personnel or entering into an agreement with the governing board of a school district or private school. Existing law requires the department to develop and implement a plan to obtain additional rehabilitation and treatment services for incarcerated persons and parolees. Existing law requires that plan to include, among other things, filling vacant state staff positions that provide direct and indirect rehabilitation services, or obtaining services from local governments and contractors to assist with treatment for parolees and incarcerated persons.
This bill would require the department to establish a 3-year pilot program at 2 institutions that would provide access to
specified mental health therapy for certain incarcerated persons not classified by the department to receive mental health treatment from the institution. The bill would require communications during therapy sessions, as specified, between the incarcerated person and assigned therapist to be confidential. The bill would require the California Correctional Health Care Services to be the custodian of records for treatment records generated under this pilot program. The bill would require the department to report certain information to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, from March 1, 2028, to March 1, 2031.
The bill would make related findings and declarations.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF