AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 18, 2025
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2025
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
95
CHAPTER 414
Statutes of 2025
[ Approved by Governor October 6, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 6, 2025. ]
Introduced by Senator Limón
February 14, 2025
An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 1796.44 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: yes
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law, the Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act, requires a home care organization, as defined, to ensure that an affiliated home care aide completes specified training requirements prior to providing home care services, including annual training related to the aide’s clients’ rights and safety and how to provide for a client’s daily living needs. A violation of the act is a misdemeanor.
This bill would, beginning on January 1, 2027, additionally require a home care organization to ensure that a home care aide completes, prior to providing home care and annually thereafter, training related to the special care needs of clients with dementia. Because the bill creates new crimes by expanding the act to include additional requirements for home care organizations, the 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1796.44 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
1796.44.
(a) A licensee shall ensure that prior to providing home care services, an affiliated home care aide shall complete the training requirements specified in this section.
(b) An affiliated home care aide shall complete a minimum of five hours of entry-level training prior to presence with a client, as follows:
(1) Two hours of orientation training regarding their role as home care aide and the applicable terms of employment.
(2) Three hours of safety training, including basic safety precautions, emergency procedures, and infection control.
(c) In addition to the requirements in subdivision (b), an affiliated home care aide shall complete a minimum of five hours of annual training. The annual training shall relate to core competencies and be population specific, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:
(1) Clients’ rights and safety.
(2) How to provide for, and respond to, a client’s daily living needs.
(3) How to report, prevent, and detect abuse and neglect.
(4) How to assist a client with personal hygiene and other home care services.
(5) If transportation services are provided, how to safely transport a client.
(d) The entry-level training and annual training described in subdivisions (b) and (c) may be completed through an online training program.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 2.
Section 1796.44 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
1796.44.
(a) A licensee shall ensure that prior to providing home care services, an affiliated home care aide shall complete the training requirements specified in this section.
(b) An affiliated home care aide shall complete a minimum of five hours of entry-level training prior to presence with a client, as follows:
(1) Two hours of orientation training regarding their role as home care aide and the applicable terms of employment.
(2) Three hours of safety training, including basic safety precautions, emergency procedures, and infection control.
(c) In addition to the requirements in subdivision (b), an affiliated home care aide shall complete a minimum of five hours of annual training. The annual training shall relate to core competencies and be population specific, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:
(1) Clients’ rights and safety.
(2) How to provide for, and respond to, a client’s daily living needs.
(3) How to report, prevent, and detect abuse and neglect.
(4) How to assist a client with personal hygiene and other home care services.
(5) If transportation services are provided, how to safely transport a client.
(6) The special care needs of clients with dementia.
(d) The entry-level training and annual training described in subdivisions (b) and (c) may be completed through an online training program.
(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2027.
SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.