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AB-2304 • 2026

Social workers.

Social workers.

Children 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
Lackey
Last action
2026-06-10
Official status
Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and PUB. S.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Social workers.

AB 2304, as amended, Lackey.

What This Bill Does

  • AB 2304, as amended, Lackey.
  • Social workers.
  • Existing law makes it a crime for a person having the custody of any record, map, or book, or of any paper or proceeding of any court, filed or deposited in any public office, or placed in their hands for any purpose to steal, remove, secrete, destroy, mutilate, deface, alter, or falsify, or to allow another to do any of those acts, with regard to the whole, or any part of, the record, map, book, paper, or proceeding.
  • Existing law provides that if those acts are done by an officer, it is a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 2, 3, or 4 years, and, if done by a person who is not an officer, it is either a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, or a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-10 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and PUB. S.

  2. 2026-05-28 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  3. 2026-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)

  4. 2026-05-18 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  5. 2026-05-14 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

  6. 2026-05-06 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  7. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  8. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  9. 2026-04-16 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  10. 2026-04-15 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 14).

  11. 2026-03-24 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  12. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.

  13. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and PUB. S.

  14. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  15. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2304, as amended, Lackey.
Social workers.
Existing law makes it a crime for a person having the custody of any record, map, or book, or of any paper or proceeding of any court, filed or deposited in any public office, or placed in their hands for any purpose to steal, remove, secrete, destroy, mutilate, deface, alter, or falsify, or to allow another to do any of those acts, with regard to the whole, or any part of, the record, map, book, paper, or proceeding. Existing law provides that if those acts are done by an officer, it is a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 2, 3, or 4 years, and, if done by a person who is not an officer, it is either a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, or a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both.
This
bill would clarify that, for the purposes of these provisions, a social worker employed by a county
child welfare department
is not an officer.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent or ward of the court under certain circumstances. Under existing law, if a minor has been, or has a petition filed with the court to be, adjudged a dependent child of the court, and it appears the minor needs immediate emergency treatment, a social worker may, without court order, authorize medical and other care for a minor, to be provided by a licensed physician and surgeon or dentist, as applicable.
This bill would require, in that situation, the social worker to secure care for the child. By increasing the duties of social workers, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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