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State Legislation: Bill Amendments · September 30, 2026 · Primary source

CA AB 1876: new version, AB1876

Score 68PRIMARYregulatoryState legislature

Summary

California AB 1876, chaptered as Chapter 903, Statutes of 2026 on September 30, 2026, enacts a state nondiscrimination mandate for health care service plans and health insurers licensed in California, prohibiting exclusion, denial of benefits, or discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. The law defines sex discrimination to include gender identity, sex characteristics, intersex traits, and pregnancy, and bars plans and insurers from denying or limiting enrollment, coverage, or claims on those bases. Willful violation by a health care service plan constitutes a crime under the Knox-Keene Act.

What this may mean

Health care service plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care and health insurers regulated by the Department of Insurance are prohibited from denying, canceling, limiting, or refusing to issue coverage, or imposing additional cost sharing, based on the protected characteristics enumerated in the statute. The criminal penalty provision under Knox-Keene attaches to willful violations by health care service plans, creating enforcement exposure beyond civil remedies.

Informational only. Not legal, medical, financial, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional familiar with your specific facts before relying on any item.

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