Governor Gavin Newsom signed
AB 46 into law last week. The bill, authored by
Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, will replace out-of-date terms
used to refer to individuals living with mental illness
throughout California law.
Provisions throughout California law use terms such as, “insane”
or “mentally defective” to refer to persons living with mental
illness; these terms can lead to a negative perception of mental
illness. Research has shown that negative beliefs around mental
illness impact how willing an individual is to receive treatment
for the illness. AB 46 is a necessary step toward reducing the
stigma associated with mental health.
Recognizing the need for a long-term approach to ensuring that
California law represents current research and values, CSAC
thanks Assemblymember Carrillo for introducing the bill and
Governor Newsom for signing it into law.
