SB 27, the extremely disturbing expansion of CARE Court put forth by Sen. Tom Umberg, is being heard this afternoon by the Assembly Health Committee, potentially its last stop before reaching the floor for a full vote. The contents of this bill were kept under wraps for some time and is now being rushed through with incredible haste, driven by Gov. Newsom’s broader agenda on mental health and public safety, and facilitated by Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas and Committee Chair Mia Bonta. Asm. Bonta, along with all of the other members of the Health Committee— Vice Chair Asm. Chen, Asm. Addis, Asm. Aguiar-Curry, Asm. Caloza, Asm. Carrillo, Asm. Flora, Asm. Gonzalez, Asm. Krell, Asm. Patel, Asm. Patterson, Asm. Rodriguez, Asm. Sanchez, Asm. Schiavo, Asm. Sharp-Collins, and Asm. Stefani—voted for the original CARE Court bill. While they call these regular additions “cleanup bills,” in reality they are a massive expansion to CARE Court, and to further building the legal infrastructure to put more and more Californians behind bars, in forced institutionalization, and afflicted with other forms of coercive treatment and state control.

There is no data to suggest that this approach to mental health policy has been effective by any metric, and it has remained deeply unpopular among impacted populations and those who are supposed to be receiving care. SB 27 would vastly widen the kind of diagnoses that justify the state for involuntary commitment and treatment, and would expedite their ability to do so, significantly eroding due process. The bill would secure more funding for the court system and not to expand actual health services and, again, has shown no efficacy in any of its stated positive goals. CARE Court is being progressively built up as an institution for mass detainment and locking up of Californians, much as on the national stage ICE was gradually built up after 9/11. We see the current role of ICE in Los Angeles and across the nation, and the radical redistribution of resources to it in the just-passed Big Beautiful Bill. We must rage in opposition against this same creep in California policy, funneling more and more money toward systems that are cruel, harmful, and only serve to lock up and disappear the most vulnerable in our society. We call on all Californians to stand with DRC in total opposition to SB 27 at today’s hearing and in the bill’s path ahead. Our message is clear: SB 27 must die. 

The Assembly Health Committee:

• Mia Bonta (Chair) Dem - 18
  (916) 319-2018 @asmmiabonta
• Phillip Chen (Vice Chair) Rep - 59
  (916) 319-2059 @PhillipChenCA @phillipchenca
• Dawn Addis Dem - 30
  (916) 319-2030 @AsmDawnAddis @asmdawnaddis
• Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry Dem - 04
  (916) 319-2004 @AsmAguiarCurry @asmaguiarcurry
• Jessica M. Caloza Dem - 52
  (916) 319-2052 @jessicacaloza @asmcaloza
• Juan Carrillo Dem - 39
  (916) 319-2039 @JuanCarrillo4CA @juancarrillo4ca
• Heath Flora Rep - 09
  (916) 319-2009 @HeathFlora @assemblyman_heath_flora
• Mark González Dem - 54
  (916) 319-2054 @AsmMarkGonzalez @asmmarkgonzalez
• Maggy Krell Dem - 06
  (916) 319-2006 @maggykrell @asmmaggykrell
• Dr. Darshana R. Patel Dem - 76
  (916) 319-2076 @AsmDarshana @asmdarshana
• Joe Patterson Rep - 05
  (916) 319-2005 @Patterdude @patterdude
• Celeste Rodriguez Dem - 43
  (916) 319-2043 @AsmCRodriguez
• Kate Sanchez Rep - 71
  (916) 319-2071 @AsmKateSanchezCA @asmkatesanchez
• Pilar Schiavo Dem - 40
  (916) 319-2040 @AsmPilarSchiavo @asmpilarschiavo
• Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins Dem - 79
  (916) 319-2079 @LaShae4Assembly @asmlashae
• Catherine Stefani Dem - 19
  (916) 319-2019 @Stefani4CA

Media Contact

Sam Mickens
Director of Communications
(646) 945-0918
Sam.Mickens@disabilityrightsca.org

Disability Rights California (DRC) – Is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. The mission of DRC is to defend, advance, and strengthen the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities. For more information visit: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org.