SB-588 • 2026

Health facilities: freestanding emergency center study.

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Ochoa Bogh
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
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.

Health facilities: freestanding emergency center study.

SB 588, as amended, Ochoa Bogh.

What This Bill Does

SB 588, as amended, Ochoa Bogh.
Health facilities: freestanding emergency center study.
Existing law authorizes a general acute care hospital, as defined, to offer special services, including, but not limited to, emergency medical services.
Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs related to health care infrastructure, such as health policy and planning, health professions development, and facilities design review and construction, among others.

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

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2026-01-06 California Legislative Information
January 14 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-01-06 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing January 14.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
April 30 set for first hearing. Testimony taken. Further hearing to be set.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 30.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
April 23 hearing postponed by committee.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 23.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-03-26 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2025-03-05 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on RLS.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 588, as amended, Ochoa Bogh.
Health facilities: freestanding emergency center study.
Existing law authorizes a general acute care hospital, as defined, to offer special services, including, but not limited to, emergency medical services. Existing law establishes the Department of Health Care Access and Information to oversee and administer various health programs related to health care infrastructure, such as health policy and planning, health professions development, and facilities design review and construction, among others.
This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information to conduct a feasibility study on the implementation of freestanding emergency
departments
departments, as defined,
in rural,
disadvantaged, and underserved areas with limited access to emergency care. The bill would require that the study be conducted in collaboration with certain stakeholders and that the department issue a report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2027, with its findings and recommendations. The bill would appropriate an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the department for those purposes. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2031.

Current Bill Text

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