SB971 - Healthy Aging Community Partnership Program.

Amended IN Assembly August 05, 2026 Amended IN Assembly July 02, 2026 Amended IN Senate April 09, 2026 Amended IN Senate April 06, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 971 Introduced by Senator Choi (Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Jones, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, and Rubio) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis, Castillo, Davies, Garcia, and Wallis) February 04, 2026 An act to add Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 105146) to Part 4 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to older individuals. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 971, as amended, Choi. Healthy Aging Community Partnership Program. Existing law establishes various programs and services for older adults, as defined, including, among other things, the Adult Education Program under the administration of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and health promotion and preventative health services for older adults under the administration of the State Department of Public Health. This bill would authorize a local health department, area agency on aging, community college, public or private college, public or private university, or other appropriate county department, as determined by a county, to establish a Healthy Aging Community Partnership Program for older individuals designed to promote healthy aging, social engagement, and independent living in collaboration with relevant local entities, including school districts, libraries, faith institutions, and community organizations. The bill would authorize program activities to include, among other things, technology assistance, physical activity, and other community-based enrichment activities that support healthy aging and social connection. The bill would make implementation of these provisions subject to the availability of local resources and partnerships. The bill would specify that these provisions do not duplicate or supplant specified current adult education courses, classes, and services provided by the California Community Colleges, including through the Adult Education Program, as provided. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 105146) is added to Part 4 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, to read: CHAPTER 4. Healthy Aging Community Partnership Program. Program 105146. (a) A local health department, area agency on aging, community college, public or private college, public or private university, or other appropriate county department, as determined by the county, may establish a Healthy Aging Community Partnership Program to provide community-based programs for older individuals designed to promote healthy aging, social engagement, and independent living in collaboration with relevant local entities, including school districts, libraries, faith institutions, and community organizations. (b) If a local entity establishes a community-based program pursuant to subdivision (a), the program activities may include, but are not limited to, technology assistance, physical activity, music or arts programming, cultural programming, language learning opportunities, shared meals, and other community-based enrichment activities that support healthy aging and social connection. (c) For purposes of this section, “older individual” has the same meaning as defined in Section 9018 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (d) This section shall not be construed to be mandatory for any local entity or department to implement. (e) Implementation of this section shall be subject to the availability of local resources and partnerships. (f) Nothing in this chapter is intended to duplicate or supplant the current adult education courses, classes, and services provided by the California Community Colleges pursuant to Section 84757 of the Education Code and Article 9 (commencing with Section 84900) of Chapter 5 of Part 50 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code.