BILL NUMBER: AB 768CHAPTERED BILL TEXT CHAPTER 398 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 2, 2011 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 2, 2011 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 30, 2011 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 15, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 7, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 25, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Gatto and Ma (Principal coauthors: Senators Leno and Steinberg) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Block, Feuer, Halderman, Hill, Bonnie Lowenthal, and Miller) (Coauthor: Senator Yee) FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to add Part 10 (commencing with Section 125850) to Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to male circumcision, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 768, Gatto. Male circumcision. Existing law regulates various subjects relating to the protection and preservation of personal health, including infant, child, and adolescent health, reproductive privacy, and the prevention of the practice of female genital mutilation. This bill would preclude a city, county, or city and county ordinance, regulation, or administrative action from prohibiting or restricting the practice of male circumcision, or the exercise of a parent's authority to have a child circumcised. This bill would provide that the Legislature finds and declares that the laws affecting male circumcision must have uniform application throughout the state. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Part 10 (commencing with Section 125850) is added to Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code, to read: PART 10. MALE CIRCUMCISION 125850. (a) The Legislature finds and declares as follows: (1) Male circumcision has a wide array of health and affiliative benefits. (2) This section clarifies existing law. (b) No city, county, or city and county ordinance, regulation, or administrative action shall prohibit or restrict the practice of male circumcision, or the exercise of a parent's authority to have a child circumcised. (c) The Legislature finds and declares that the laws affecting male circumcision must have uniform application throughout the state. Therefore, this part shall apply to general law and charter cities, general law and charter counties, and charter city and counties. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to clarify the state's authority with respect to the regulation of the practice of male circumcision at the earliest possible time, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.