Committee advances fentanyl‑testing bill for juvenile dependency cases amid sharp debate
The Assembly Human Services Committee passed SB 1234 as amended to Appropriations to require juvenile courts to include fentanyl testing when risk indicators are present; supporters cited fatal child exposures, while drug policy groups warned of redundant, potentially disparate testing.
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Sen. Maria Alvarado Gill presented SB 1234, the "Accountability Before Custody Act," asking that when a juvenile court identifies a risk of fentanyl or opioid use by a parent or guardian, fentanyl be included in drug testing the court already orders. She told the committee that a California Department of Public Health report found 15 children ages 5 and under died from fentanyl‑related causes in 2019–2023 and said the bill "ensures that when courts are already engaged in evaluating child safety, fentanyl is not overlooked in that process." (Sen. Alvarado Gill)
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