California SB1242: Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.

What the bill says

An act to amend Section 5977 of 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 amend Section 5977 of 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 adult persons 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. Existing law authorizes specified individuals to file a petition to commence the CARE process, including, but not limited to, a spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, or an individual who stands in loco parentis to the respondent. Existing law requires the court to issue an order relieving the original petitioner if the petitioner is someone other than the director of a county behavioral health agency or their designee and appoint the director or their designee as the successor petitioner. Existing law requires the original petitioner to have specified rights to notice of proceedings if the petitioner is a parent or specified family member or the person with whom the respondent resides. Existing law …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Steven Choi (R, SD37) · primary sponsor
• Jeff Gonzalez (R, AD36)
• Heather Hadwick (R, AD01)

Latest actions

1. September 27, 2026: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 687, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026: Approved by the Governor.
3. September 3, 2026: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. August 27, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 6019.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 27, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. 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 75. Noes 0. Page 6475.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. August 25, 2026: Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
9. August 17, 2026: Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 13, 2026: Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

Votes

• Unfinished Business SB1242 Choi et al. Concurrence (August 27, 2026): 40 yea, 0 nay, passed
• SB 1242 Choi Senate Third Reading By Hadwick (August 25, 2026): 75 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass as amended. (August 13, 2026): 10 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] (June 30, 2026): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Senate 3rd Reading SB1242 Choi (May 18, 2026): 36 yea, 1 nay, passed
• Do pass (April 28, 2026): 12 yea, 0 nay, passed

Common questions

What is SB1242?

SB1242 is a bill in the California Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.

What does SB1242 do?

In its own words: An act to amend Section 5977 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to courts. courts Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program…

What is the status of SB1242?

Chaptered as of September 27, 2026. Latest action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 687, Statutes of 2026. (September 27, 2026).

Who sponsored SB1242?

Steven Choi (R, SD37), with 2 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for SB1242?

On the California Legislature website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1242