Health care districts: County of San Diego.

Assembly Member Patel's legislation establishes a working group under the Department of Health Care Access and Information to evaluate health care service delivery in northern San Diego County's health districts. The working group will include representatives from the Palomar, Fallbrook, and Tri-City Health Care Districts, along with the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission, regional hospitals, trade associations, and labor organizations.

The working group must assess each health district's statutory responsibilities and capacity to serve their communities, while examining whether existing resources and organizational structures adequately support health care access across the region, particularly for underserved populations. Their findings and recommendations are due to the Legislature by June 1, 2026. The legislation maintains all current statutory and contractual obligations of regional health care providers and districts during the assessment period.

The bill's provisions expire on June 1, 2030. According to the legislative findings, this targeted approach addresses the unique characteristics of northern San Diego County's integrated health district services, which preclude the use of general statewide regulations.