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Board committee reviews 2025 legislation including SB 775 sunset, AB 489 on AI, SB 470 teleconferencing rules and SB 579 AI/mental‑health working group
Summary
Staff updated the committee on five bills where the Board of Psychology has active positions — SB 775, AB 489, SB 470, SB 641 and SB 579 — and on several watch bills. No new formal positions were taken during the committee beyond the AB 82 recommendation; staff said letters of support or support‑if‑amended have been filed on several measures.
Board staff reviewed five bills the Board of Psychology had active positions on during the 2025 legislative session and outlined recent committee and floor activity.
A summary provided to the committee indicated: SB 775 would extend the statutory authority for the Board of Psychology and Board of Behavioral Sciences from Jan. 1, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2030; the board submitted a ‘‘support if amended’’ letter on May 9 and again on May 21. AB 489 would prohibit deceptive use of terms and letters that falsely imply AI‑provided care is from a licensed natural person; the board submitted proposed amendments in collaboration with the Board of Registered Nursing and the Assembly Health Committee and AB 489 has passed the Assembly and is in the Senate. SB 470 would extend provisions governing state‑body teleconferencing (Bagley‑Keene/Bagley Open Meeting Act provisions) to Jan. 1, 2030; staff reported the board submitted a support letter and the bill passed the Senate. SB 641 would postpone certain license renewal fees for Department of Consumer Affairs licenses impacted by a governor‑declared emergency; the board submitted a support letter and the bill passed the Senate. SB 579 would create a mental health and artificial intelligence working group; the board took a support‑if‑amended position asking that at least one working‑group member be a licensed psychologist. SB 579 did not meet a fiscal‑committee deadline and is a two‑year bill.
Miss Mancilla told the committee the board’s staff has submitted position letters on several bills: for example, support if amended for SB 775 (sunset), and support for SB 470 and SB 641. Committee members asked for clearer presentation of the board’s current positions when staff summarizes bill updates so that members and the public — including attendees newer to board proceedings — can follow which measures the board has already taken positions on. Dr. Cervantes recommended that future bill updates explicitly state the board’s current position in the slide or packet text.
Committee members also asked about outstanding policy requests that had not been included in SB 775’s language (the sunset bill). Mr. Burke (board counsel/staff) said staff is in ongoing contact with Assembly consultants and other stakeholders; he reported that additional amendments could be forthcoming now that the bill has moved from the Senate to the Assembly.
Staff and the committee also discussed watch bills that the board monitors but has not taken formal positions on; one example discussed was AB 985 (anesthesiologist assistant/title issues), which was retained as a watch bill because earlier language about use of the title ‘‘doctor’’ had been revised but could revert. Staff noted the board typically watches bills that might affect use of professional titles or other matters that could affect psychologists’ practice. Public commenters asked clarifying questions about the difference between watch bills and bills with positions and about where to find bills in the packet (staff identified page numbers during the meeting).
