SB 479 would let three city health jurisdictions share information for multidisciplinary homelessness response teams

Senate Bill 479 was presented as a targeted change to permit city‑based local health jurisdictions (LHJs) to use the same statutory authorities counties currently have to share specified information among multidisciplinary homeless response teams. The bill identifies Berkeley, Pasadena and Long Beach as the cities eligible to operate under this authority.

The author said county multidisciplinary teams are already authorized to share information across housing, behavioral health and service teams to improve continuity of care, but city teams that operate under city LHJs lack the same ability. “This is a targeted bill that allows city based LHJ multidisciplinary teams to have the same ability as counties,” the author said.

Scott Gilman, director of Health, Housing and Community Services for the City of Berkeley, described practical consequences of the difference: mental‑health staff cannot share case history with housing teams and therefore cannot provide context that might prevent failed placements or unsafe interactions with first responders. "It's to get the right information to the right professionals at the right time," Gilman said, arguing the change is limited and subject to existing confidentiality guardrails.

The chair noted receipt of a letter from OPM privacy suggesting potential amendments and said the committee would engage with OPM on those concerns if the bill advances. The committee reported SB 479 to Senate Judiciary and approved it on a 5–0 vote.

Supporters described the bill as a narrow statutory correction to enhance service coordination without creating a general waiver of confidentiality protections.