California SB989: Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.

What the bill says

An act to add Section 5974.5 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to courts. courts Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program…

From the chaptered text, September 27, 2026:

An act to add Section 5974.5 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to courts. courts Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program. Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified persons, including a person with whom the respondent resides, family members, and first responders, among others, to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria. This bill would authorize a first responder to contact the county behavioral health agency in the county in which the individual resides or is found to request the agency file a petition to commence the CARE process. The bill would require the agency to review the request and determine whether to file a petition within 30 business days. The bill would require the agency, upon completion of the review, to notify the first responder that made the referral of specified information, including whether or not a petition was filed. Because the bill would require a higher level of …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Catherine Blakespear (D, SD38) · primary sponsor
• Thomas Umberg (D, SD34) · primary sponsor
• Jesse Arreguín (D, SD07)
• Patel, Darshana R (D, AD76)
• Diane Dixon (R, AD72)

Latest actions

1. September 27, 2026: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 667, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026: Approved by the Governor.
3. September 4, 2026: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. August 28, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 6068.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 28, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
6. August 25, 2026: In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. August 25, 2026: Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 6529.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. August 25, 2026: Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
9. August 13, 2026: Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 13, 2026: From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 13).

Votes

• Unfinished Business SB989 Blakespear et al. Concurrence (August 28, 2026): 40 yea, 0 nay, passed
• SB 989 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Patel (August 25, 2026): 73 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass. (August 13, 2026): 14 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] (June 23, 2026): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] (June 16, 2026): 14 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Senate 3rd Reading SB989 Blakespear et al. (May 27, 2026): 38 yea, 0 nay, passed

Common questions

What is SB989?

SB989 is a bill in the California Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.

What does SB989 do?

In its own words: An act to add Section 5974.5 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to courts. courts Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program…

What is the status of SB989?

Chaptered as of September 27, 2026. Latest action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 667, Statutes of 2026. (September 27, 2026).

Who sponsored SB989?

Catherine Blakespear (D, SD38), with 4 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for SB989?

On the California Legislature website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB989