A bill sponsored by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) protecting the clinical authority of licensed physicians inside California’s state prisons advanced on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, passing the Assembly Public Safety Committee with a strong majority vote.
AB 2593, introduced by Assemblymember Elhawary, would prohibit California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) supervisors, administrators, and employees from interfering with or refusing to implement medically necessary care prescribed by a licensed physician.
Clinical decisions made by a licensed physician should not be overridden by someone without the medical training or legal authority to make it. Yet inside California’s correctional facilities, that line has been crossed, leaving our members unable to advocate for their patients and patients unable to receive the care their doctors ordered.
Dr. Jennifer Villa, UAPD member, experienced this clinical interference firsthand during her time at CDCR. She testified before the Assembly Public Safety Committee, stating it is not an isolated incident but a systemic problem that has gone unaddressed for too long, at the expense of physician integrity and patient safety.
UAPD has worked alongside Assemblymember Elhawary since January 2026 to bring this legislation forward, though the need for this legislation predates this partnership.
AB 2593 now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for review before advancing further in the legislative process.
Watch Dr. Villa’s testimony below: