Bill > AB1922

This bill aims to prohibit the use of mechanical restraints, such as handcuffs, chains, or leg irons, on incarcerated individuals, including juveniles, when they are admitted to a hospital for medical care, with the goal of ensuring more humane and effective treatment. Mechanical restraints are defined as devices not ordered by medical providers that restrict movement. The bill specifies that if an incarcerated patient poses an immediate physical threat to themselves or others while in the hospital, the hospital can initiate its own medical restraint process, which is regulated by federal standards, but correctional facility staff cannot use mechanical restraints. This new rule applies to both state and local correctional facilities and juvenile facilities, and it clarifies that these restrictions do not apply during transportation to or from the hospital, where the least restrictive means necessary for safety should still be used. The bill also makes conforming changes to existing laws regarding standards for local correctional facilities and the use of restraints on juveniles, and it acknowledges that these new requirements may create state-mandated costs for local agencies, with provisions for reimbursement if determined by the Commission on State Mandates.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1922