AB-432 • 2026

Menopause.

Crime Education Healthcare

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor: Bauer-Kahan
Last action: 2026-01-22
Official status: Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status is Vetoed by the governor.

Menopause Health Care

AB-432 modifies continuing education requirements for doctors and osteopathic physicians regarding menopausal care, and mandates health insurance coverage for certain treatments related to perimenopause and menopause.

What This Bill Does

Removes the requirement for medical boards to include a course on menopause in continuing education for physicians and surgeons.
Gives physicians and osteopathic physicians extra credit hours for taking courses related to perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care from July 1, 2026, until July 1, 2032.
Requires health insurance plans to cover evaluation and treatment options for symptoms of perimenopause and menopause starting January 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

Physicians and osteopathic physicians who take courses on menopausal care will receive extra credit hours.
Health insurance plans must cover evaluation and treatment options for symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Primary care providers treating patients with perimenopause and menopause may receive yearly clinical care recommendations.

Terms To Know

Continuing Medical Education (CME): Training that doctors must complete to keep their medical licenses.
Perimenopause: The period leading up to menopause when hormone levels start changing.

Limits and Unknowns

It is unclear if the governor's veto will be overridden by lawmakers.
The bill does not specify what happens after July 1, 2032, regarding extra credit hours for doctors.
Health insurers must provide yearly recommendations but it’s not clear how these will be implemented.

Bill History

2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Vetoed by Governor.
2025-09-22 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-10 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 1. Page 3224.).
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2748.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-05 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 16).
2025-07-09 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.
2025-07-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and HEALTH.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 70. Noes 1. Page 2020.)
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 22).
2025-03-27 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-03-10 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Coms. on B. & P. and HEALTH pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and B. & P.
2025-02-06 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 8.
2025-02-05 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 432, Bauer-Kahan.
Menopause.
(1) Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees. Existing law requires the board, in determining its continuing education requirements, to consider including a course in menopausal mental or physical health.
This bill would delete that requirement of the board. The bill would require, beginning July 1, 2026, and until July 1, 2032, a qualifying physician and
surgeon, as defined, who completes continuing medical education courses in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care to receive 2 hours of credit for each hour completed of that coursework, as specified.
Existing law, the Osteopathic Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California and requires the board to adopt and administer standards for the continuing education of those licensees.
This bill would require osteopathic physicians and surgeons to receive the same credit as described above for completed coursework relating to perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal care.
(2) Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of
Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law sets forth specified coverage requirements for health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies.
This bill would require a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy that covers outpatient prescription drugs, except as specified, that is issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, to include coverage for evaluation and treatment options for symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to annually provide clinical care recommendations, as specified, for hormone therapy to all contracted primary care providers who treat individuals with perimenopause and menopause. Because a willful violation of these provisions by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.
(3) 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

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