Legislative Reform
California is advancing meaningful legislative reforms to strengthen oversight, accountability, and patient protections within alcohol and drug treatment services. Through both enacted laws and proposed measures, the state is working to improve transparency, close regulatory gaps, support responsible providers, and safeguard individuals and families seeking recovery. Continued legislative action is essential to ensure treatment systems operate with integrity, protect vulnerable populations, and promote high-quality, ethical care across our communities.
Enacted Legislation
AB 492
Alcohol and drug programs: licensing.
Assembly Member Avelino Valencia
68th Assembly District
Current law allows the Department of Health Care Services to issue a license for a recovery or treatment facility upon meeting specified requirements. This bill requires the department, when issuing a license, to also notify the city or county where the facility is located, providing the licensee’s name, mailing address, and facility location.
AB 1356
Alcohol and other drug programs.
Assembly Member Diane Dixon
72nd Assembly District
Current law requires facilities to promptly report resident deaths to the Department of Health Care Services. AB 1356 adds that a follow-up report must be submitted within 60 days, detailing the action plan and any new or previously unreported information.
AB 424
Alcohol and other drug programs: complaints
Assembly Member Laurie Davies
74th Assembly District
Current law requires recovery facilities to be licensed to operate in California. This bill would require the Department of Health Care Services, when receiving a public complaint about a licensed or unlicensed facility, to notify the complainant within 30 days that the complaint was received and, upon closure, inform them whether the facility was found in violation of licensing laws.
SB 83
Substance abuse treatment: disclosures
Sen. Tom Umberg
34th State Senate District
Current law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to make enforcement and licensing information for substance abuse treatment facilities publicly available on its website. This bill requires the department to indicate more clearly how recovery residence violation notices are not included in the existing list of sanctions and to publish an identification and summary of each violation it has issued for treatment facilities and programs, enhancing transparency for individuals seeking information about facility compliance.
Proposed Legislation
AB 877
Substance use disorder: residential facilities
Assembly Member Diane Dixon
72nd Assembly District
Current law requires licensed facilities to disclose certain ownership and contractual relationships related to recovery residences. This bill would define “business-operated recovery residences” and require them to register their location with the Department of Health Care Services, increasing transparency and improving oversight of sober living homes.
AB 3
Alcohol and drug programs: facility concentrations
Assembly Member Diane Dixon
72nd Assembly District
Current law treats recovery facilities serving six or fewer residents as residential uses for zoning purposes. This bill would allow cities and counties to regulate facilities differently if related homes cluster within 300 feet and exceed six total residents, addressing overconcentration.
AB 423
Alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment programs and facilities: disclosures.
Assembly Member Laurie Davies
74th Assembly District
Current law requires licensed treatment programs to disclose ownership interests in recovery residences. This bill would require business-operated recovery residences to register with the Department of Health Care Services and strengthen discharge and continuing care planning, including timely follow-up after treatment.
SB 490
Alcohol and drug programs.
Sen. Tom Umberg
34th Assembly District
Current law requires the state to investigate complaints against alcohol and drug treatment facilities. This bill would impose clear timelines for investigations, require reporting of financial transfers between programs and recovery residences to detect fraud or kickbacks, and allow counties to step in if the state fails to act.
SB 35
Alcohol and drug programs.
Sen. Tom Umberg
34th Assembly District
Current law requires the state to investigate unlicensed alcohol and drug treatment facilities. This bill would set clear investigation timelines and require annual reporting of financial transfers between programs and recovery residences to detect fraud or kickbacks.
SB 329
Alcohol and drug programs.
Sen. Catherine Blakespear
38th Assembly District
Current law requires the state to investigate complaints against alcohol and drug treatment facilities. SB 329 would set firm timelines, requiring complaints to be assigned within 10 days and investigations completed within 60 days.
AB 1556
The supportive-recovery resistance programs
Assembly Member Matt Haney
38th Assembly District
Existing law promotes Housing First policies to address homelessness, including harm-reduction approaches to substance use. AB 1556 would establish the Supportive-Recovery Residence Program, signaling the Legislature’s intent to create housing options that integrate recovery support within the state’s homelessness response framework.
AB 1779
Alcoholism and drug abuse recoevery and treatment programs: inducement of participants
Assembly Member Laurie Davies
74th Assembly District
Current law limits how treatment facilities may provide housing and transportation assistance. AB 1779 would require greater transparency around air transportation provided to patients, mandate documentation and public reporting of transportation costs, and prohibit offering cash, gift cards, or other remuneration to induce individuals to enter, remain in, or transfer between treatment programs, targeting patient brokering and financial incentives tied to enrollment.