California Senate Bill 623
Session 20252026
Automobile accidents: civil actions: transportation network companies.
Active
Passed Senate on Jan 29, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
623
State
California
Session
20252026
Motion Text
Special Consent SB623 Archuleta et al.
Senate Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Summary
(1) Existing law provides that in an action for the breach of an obligation not arising from contract, the measure of damages, except as provided, is the amount that will compensate for all the detriment proximately caused thereby, whether it could have been anticipated or not.
This bill, with respect to a civil case, claim, action, or arbitration against a network company, its subsidiary, or an app-based driver, as defined, arising from an automobile accident, would, except as specified, prohibit the maximum recovery of a plaintiff for damages for any medical expense for services rendered by a lien-based provider, as defined, from exceeding the 70th percentile of FAIR Health, Inc.'s billed charges, or the 70th percentile of a comparable commercially recognized billed charges database for the same or similar service in the applicable geographic area at the time the service was rendered. The bill would prohibit certain evidence from being introduced that exceeds the recoverable amount.
This bill would provide that if a medical lien, as defined, receivable, or right to payment has been sold or otherwise transferred, the maximum recoverable medical expense damages shall not exceed the total consideration paid or payable in connection with the transaction to acquire the lien, receivable, or right to payment, as provided. The bill would require any agreement relating to the sale or transfer of a medical lien, receivable, or right to payment, and the consideration paid or payable therefor, to be discoverable, and would prohibit an undisclosed lien sale or transfer from being asserted against a defendant, insurer, settlement, judgment, or settlement proceeds. The bill would also require certain medical lien financial relationships and attorney referral information to be discoverable.
This bill would make it unlawful for an attorney representing a plaintiff under a contingency fee agreement in a civil claim, action, or arbitration, as described above, to refer a client to a health care provider in which the attorney or a member of the attorney's immediate family has a direct ownership interest. The bill would also make it unlawful for an attorney to fee split or receive other specified compensation in connection with the furnishing of lien-based provider medical treatment for a plaintiff and would make it unlawful for an attorney or law firm to provide specified compensation for referrals of clients to lien-based providers for lien-based treatment. The bill would also make other actions related to the reduction of a medical lien unlawful, as specified.
This bill would provide that these provisions are severable.
(2) The Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act defines a transportation network company as an organization, whether a corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, or other form, operating in California that provides prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled platform to connect passengers with drivers using a personal vehicle. Existing law requires a transportation network company to conduct, or have a third party conduct, a local and national criminal background check for each participating driver, as specified, and prohibits a transportation network company from contracting with, employing, or retaining a driver if the driver, among other things, is currently registered on the United States Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public website, has been convicted of any of certain terrorism-related or human trafficking felonies or a violent felony or, within the previous 7 years, has been convicted of any misdemeanor assault or battery, any domestic violence offense, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or any of a specified list of felonies. A violation of the act is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both a fine and imprisonment.
This bill would additionally prohibit a transportation network company from contracting with, employing, or retaining a driver if the driver has been convicted of specified offenses or, within the previous 7 years, has been convicted of other specified offenses, including driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug. The bill would require the background check to be performed prior to the activation of a driver's account and once annually thereafter, as provided. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(3) Existing law, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, provides that all persons within the jurisdiction of this state are entitled to full and equal accommodations in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever, regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status.
This bill would provide that notwithstanding that act, a transportation network company or charter-party carrier of passengers, as defined, may allow a woman passenger on its online-enabled application or platform or a participating woman driver to indicate a preference to be matched with a woman driver or woman passenger, respectively, and facilitate passenger-driver matches based on such preferences. The bill would make these provisions apply retroactively, as provided.
(4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
02/20/25 - Introduced
February 20, 2025
06/03/26 - Amended Assembly
June 3, 2026
06/18/26 - Amended Assembly
June 18, 2026
06/22/26 - Amended Assembly
June 22, 2026
01/09/26- Senate Revenue and Taxation
January 9, 2026
01/12/26- Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs
January 12, 2026
01/16/26- Senate Appropriations
January 16, 2026
01/23/26- Sen. Floor Analyses
January 23, 2026
06/15/26- Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs
June 15, 2026
06/22/26- Assembly Judiciary
June 22, 2026
Sort by most recent
06/23/2026
Assembly
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 23).
06/22/2026
Assembly
Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
06/22/2026
Assembly
Re-referred to Com. on JUD. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
06/22/2026
Assembly
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
06/18/2026
Assembly
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
06/17/2026
Assembly
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 16).
06/03/2026
Assembly
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.
05/07/2026
Assembly
Re-referred to Coms. on M. & V.A. and REV. & TAX. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
05/04/2026
Assembly
Referred to Coms. on REV. & TAX. and M. & V.A.
01/29/2026
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
01/29/2026
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 3324.) Ordered to the Assembly.
01/26/2026
Senate
Ordered to special consent calendar.
01/22/2026
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
01/22/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3269.) (January 22).
01/21/2026
Senate
Set for hearing January 22.
01/20/2026
Senate
January 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
01/15/2026
Senate
Set for hearing January 20.
01/14/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 3. Noes 0. Page 3225.) (January 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
01/14/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3225.) (January 14). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.
01/09/2026
Senate
Set for hearing January 14 in M. & V.A. pending receipt.
12/23/2025
Senate
Set for hearing January 14.
03/05/2025
Senate
Referred to Coms. on REV. & TAX. and M. & V.A.
02/21/2025
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
02/20/2025
Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 21, 2025 5:55:23 AM
Record Updated
Jun 24, 2026 8:54:11 AM