Existing law establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency, which includes departments charged with the administration of health, social, and other human services. Under existing law, the Legislature finds that state government has an affirmative role in alleviating problems related to the inappropriate use of alcoholic beverages and other drug use and that its major objective is protection of the public health and safety, particularly where problems related to inappropriate alcohol use and other drug use are likely to cause harm to individuals, families, and the community.
This bill, the California Overdose Death and Addiction Reduction Act of 2025, would require the California Health and Human Services Agency, on or before January 1, 2028, to create a set of recommendations to support a five-year implementation plan for reducing alcohol- and drug-related addiction deaths by 50% by 2031 and convene a state advisory group for the purposes of advising the agency on those recommendations. The bill would require the advisory group to consist of representatives from specified entities, including the State Department of Health Care Services, among others. The bill would require the agency to adopt the recommendations provided by the advisory group and require the agency to consider specified information, including quality and performance measures to establish minimum standards for effective delivery of services.
The bill would require the agency to provide the Governor and the Legislature a report of the findings and recommendations related to the extent that the 2031 goal was met and how effective the recommendations of the advisory group were, and recommendations for beyond 2031 that will continue to reduce overdose deaths and addiction.
The bill would also make related findings and declarations.

Statutes affected:
SB 548: 108770 HSC
02/20/25 - Introduced: 108770 HSC
03/24/25 - Amended Senate: 108770 HSC