CHAPTER 2. Patient Access and Protection [24250. - 24257.]

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 2.

in effect

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24250. Section 24250.

(a) A health care provider entity shall, to the extent possible, establish or amend procedures for monitoring, documenting, and receiving visitors to health care provider entities consistent with this chapter. Health care provider entities are encouraged to post a “notice to authorities” at facility entrances. (b) (1) Health care provider entity personnel shall immediately notify health care provider entity management, administration, or legal counsel of any request for access to a health care provider entity site or patient for immigration enforcement. (2) Health care provider entity personnel shall immediately provide any requests for review of health care provider entity documents, including through a lawfully issued subpoena, warrant, or court order, to health care provider entity management, administration, or legal counsel. (3) If a request is made to access a health care provider entity site or patient, including to obtain information about a patient or their family, for immigration enforcement, health care provider entity personnel shall direct that request to the designated health care provider entity management, administrator, or legal counsel.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24251. Section 24251.

(a) To enhance privacy available to facility users and promote a safe environment conducive to the facility’s mission and patient care, a health care provider entity shall designate areas where patients are receiving treatment or care, or where a patient is discussing protected health information, as nonpublic. The facility is encouraged to designate these areas through mapping, signage, key entry, policy, or a combination of those. (b) Unless required by state or federal law, a health care provider entity and its personnel shall not allow any person access to the nonpublic areas of the facility, as described in subdivision (a), for immigration enforcement purposes, unless that person has a valid judicial warrant or court order that specifically grants access to the nonpublic areas of the facility. (c) A health care provider entity and its personnel shall, to the extent possible, have the denial of permission for access to nonpublic areas of the facility pursuant to subdivision (b) witnessed and documented by at least one health care provider entity personnel. (d) Health care provider entities shall inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests relating to immigration enforcement that grants access to health care provider entity sites or to patients.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24252. Section 24252.

For purposes of this chapter, “health care provider entity” includes all of the following: (a) (1) Public hospitals, which means a hospital that is licensed to a county, a city, a city and county, the State of California, the University of California, a local health care district, a local health authority, or any other political subdivision of the state. (2) Nonpublic hospitals, which means a hospital that meets both of the following conditions: (A) The hospital does not meet the definition of a public hospital, as defined in paragraph (1). (B) The hospital is licensed as a general acute care hospital, as defined in Section 1250, pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2. (b) Clinics, as defined in Section 1200 and 1200.1, a clinic licensed pursuant to Section 1204, and a clinic exempt from licensure pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (h) of Section 1206. (c) A physician organization, as defined in subdivision (p) of Section 127500.2. (d) Providers, as defined in subdivision (q) of Section 127500.2. (e) Integrated health care delivery systems, as defined in Section 1182.14 of the Labor Code. (f) Other heath care providers that deliver or furnish services related to physical or mental health and wellness, education, or access to justice.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24253. Section 24253.

For purposes of this chapter, “immigration enforcement” means any and all efforts to investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal civil immigration law, and also includes any and all efforts to investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal criminal immigration law that penalizes a person’s presence in, entry or reentry to, or employment in, the United States.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24254. Section 24254.

This section does not prohibit a person who is in lawful custody from being accompanied to access health care services and for their transportation and arrangement to health care provider entities, and does not prohibit any person from entering nonpublic areas of a hospital to receive care for themselves or someone in their care or custody.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24255. Section 24255.

This chapter shall apply to all health care provider entities that receive public funding. All other health care provider entities that are not subject to this chapter are encouraged to adopt the requirements specified in this chapter.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24256. Section 24256.

Health care provider entities shall have 45 days from the effective date of this chapter to comply with the requirements contained herein.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 24257. Section 24257.

The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026