AB-2041 Emergency medical services
Oct 11, 2026 edition · GC-2026-0072 · Published 2026-10-11 · Version 3 · Final
AB 2041 adds a January 31, 2027 compliance-status report for covered emergency medical dispatch agencies that have not met the existing January 1 prearrival-instruction requirement. The September 18 law preserves approved protocols, interagency contracting, and the exception for peace-officer dispatch.
What happened
California chaptered AB 2041 on September 18 as Chapter 285. A public safety agency processing emergency medical response calls must already provide prearrival medical instructions by January 1, 2027. The amendment requires an agency that was not doing so on or before that date to report its compliance status to its local EMS agency by January 31. The existing instruction topics include airway and choking assistance, AED and CPR instructions, childbirth, bleeding control, and specified epinephrine and naloxone administration guidance.
An agency may meet the instruction requirement by contracting with another public safety agency. The instructions require the local EMS medical director's approval and implementation consistent with the agency's medical protocols and procedures. Agencies already providing approved instructions through emergency medical dispatch or another method need not update their policies solely because of this section. Dispatching peace officers does not count as emergency-medical call processing for this purpose, even when officers may provide first aid or CPR. The new report is therefore tied to the covered dispatch function and unmet January 1 requirement.
Scope and timing
- Authority status
- Final
- Applicability
- Potentially applicable
- Audience
- Health systems, Provider networks
- Jurisdiction
- California
- Recorded date
- 2027-01-31
- Date type
- compliance
Why it matters
Affected public-safety agencies and emergency medical services partners may need to document prearrival-instruction compliance and prepare the specified local report.
Recommended action
EMS dispatch owners should confirm January 1 prearrival-instruction readiness, LEMSA approval and contractual dispatch arrangements; if noncompliant, prepare the January 31 status report.
Sources
- AB-2041 Emergency medical services, bill historyOfficial · California Legislature · 2026-09-03 · Source review 2026-09-20
- AB-2041 Emergency medical services, current bill text (08/30/26 - Enrolled)Official · California Legislature · 2026-08-30 · Source review 2026-09-10
- AB2041 current official textOfficial · California Legislature · 2026-09-03 · Source review 2026-10-11
Complete edition and supplemental material
This finding in the complete approved report →Regulatory horizons, CIA trends and implementation trackers remain in the full report.
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