California SB 297: Coastal Watershed Salmon Habitat Program.

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 Bill Text - SB-297 Valley Fever Screening and Prevention Act of 2025. 

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 07/07/25 - Amended Assembly
 04/10/25 - Amended Senate
 04/02/25 - Amended Senate
 02/10/25 - Introduced

 SB-297 Valley Fever Screening and Prevention Act of 2025. (2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 07/07/2025 09:00 PM

SB297:v96#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Amended
 IN 
 Assembly
 July 07, 2025

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 April 10, 2025

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 April 02, 2025

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Senate Bill

No. 297

Introduced by Senator Hurtado

February 10, 2025

An act to amend Section 122475 of, to add Sections 1316.8 and 1367.57 to, to add the heading of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 122475) to Part 7.7 of Division 105 of, and to add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 122480) to Part 7.7 of Division 105 of, the Health and Safety Code, and to add Section 10123.25 to the Insurance Code, and to add Section 14132.13 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public health. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 297, as amended, Hurtado.
 Valley Fever Screening and Prevention Act of 2025. 

(1) Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health to, among other things, implement and administer various programs relating to public health. Existing law, the Valley Fever Education, Early Diagnosis, and Treatment Act, states the intent of the Legislature to raise awareness of the symptoms, tests, and treatments for valley fever among the general public, primary health care providers, and health care providers who care for persons at higher risk for getting valley fever. 

This bill, the Valley Fever Screening and Prevention Act of 2025, would require the department to annually analyze and identify regions with high rates of valley fever using public health surveillance data.
 department, in consultation with subject matter experts, to the extent feasible and using available data and resources, including public health surveillance data, to annually analyze and identify regions with elevated rates of valley fever. The bill would require the department to publish its first list of high-incidence regions for valley fever on or before March 1, 2027. The bill would require the department to provide local health departments in high-incidence regions with detailed infection data and standardized screening protocols that align with the current national clinical practice recommendations for valley fever. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2030, and every 2 years thereafter, to evaluate the effectiveness of the valley fever screening and prevention program and report its findings to the Legislature.

This bill would require local health departments in high-incidence areas to conduct outreach to health care providers and the general public to raise awareness of valley fever risks, symptoms, and prevention strategies. The bill would require local health departments to annually report the number of confirmed cases of valley fever to the department, as specified. By imposing duties on local health departments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 

(2) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities and clinics by the State Department of Public Health. A violation of these provisions is a crime. 

This bill, commencing January 1, 2028, would require an adult patient receiving primary care services in a facility, clinic, unlicensed clinic, center, office, or other setting, and in a high-incidence region for valley fever,
 to be offered a valley fever screening test, as specified. screened for valley fever, to the extent the services are covered under the patient’s health insurance, unless specified circumstances exist. If the results of a screening suggest that testing should be considered, the bill would require the health care provider to offer the patient diagnostic testing. If the test result is positive, the health care provider shall offer care, as specified, for valley fever management. The bill would prohibit a health care provider who fails to comply with these provisions who, based on their professional judgment, determines it is not appropriate to screen, offer
 to screen, or consider or offer a patient testing for valley fever from being subject to any disciplinary action related to their licensure or certification, o