Press Release

Senator Weber Pierson’s Sweeping Bill Package Advances to Assembly Floor, Tackling Health, Education and Affordability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                          
August 13, 2026      

Contact: Albert Parnell, Press Secretary  
Albert.Parnell@sen.ca.gov

 

Senator Weber Pierson’s Sweeping Bill Package Advances to Assembly Floor, Tackling Health, Education and Affordability

SACRAMENTO, CA — Seven bills authored by Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D. (D-San Diego) have advanced from the Assembly Appropriations Committee and are now headed to the Assembly floor for a vote, marking another significant step forward for legislation addressing education, health care, consumer protections and public health.

The package reflects Senator Weber Pierson’s broad legislative priorities, from identifying students who need additional support in math at an early age to making prescription drugs more affordable, improving access to behavioral health services and giving consumers more information about the products they buy.

“Whether we are talking about a child who needs support learning math, a senior trying to afford prescription medication, or a consumer who deserves the right to know how long their product will be able to receive updates, these bills are about making systems work better for Californians,” said Senator Weber Pierson. “I am proud that my legislative package has cleared another major hurdle and is now headed to the Assembly floor. Each measure addresses a specific challenge, but together they reflect our responsibility to build a California where people have the information, protections and opportunities they need to thrive.”

Senator Weber Pierson’s Bills Advancing to the Assembly Floor:

  • SB 874 – Medi-Cal: Behavioral Health Treatment Workgroup 
    Strengthens oversight and standardization of behavioral health treatment services in Medi-Cal, including establishing a stakeholder workgroup and directing the Department of Health Care Services to examine service delivery and program integrity.
  • SB 945 – School Curriculum: CPR and AEDs
    Requires the Instructional Quality Commission to consider incorporating information on the importance and use of CPR and automated external defibrillators into the state’s physical education framework during its next revision.
  • SB 977 – Healthy Kids’ Meals
    Requires a chain restaurant that sells children’s meals to offer at least one healthy meal that meets minimum nutrition standards and would require that chain restaurant to train its employees on how to comply with those healthy meal requirements.
  • SB 1037 - Health care coverage: rate review
    Requires health insurance regulators to incorporate in existing premium rate reviews a focus on affordability of those premiums for Californians.
  • SB 1049 – Health Care Claims Reimbursement
    Establishes a uniform right for healthcare providers to submit a corrected claim within 90 days following a plan’s latest action (such as a denial or overpayment notice).
  • SB 1067 – Early Math Assessments
    Establishes statewide math assessment for students in kindergarten through second grade to identify students experiencing math difficulties early and connect them with appropriate support.
  • SB 1094 – Prescription Drugs
    Promotes greater use of biosimilars, which are more affordable but equally effective biologic medications that people with certain chronic conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or cancer, take to manage their conditions. 

The bills will now move to the Assembly floor, where they will be considered by the full Assembly.

For more information about Senator Weber Pierson’s bill package or to request an interview, please contact Albert Parnell at Albert.Parnell@sen.ca.gov or 916-651-4039.

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Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D. represents California's 39th Senate District, which includes portions of San Diego County, the cities of Coronado, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove, as well as portions of the City of San Diego. Senator Weber Pierson is a board-certified OB/GYN and serves as the chair of the Senate Health Committee.