AB 1235 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California State University: skilled and trained workforce requirement.

Summary

Existing law establishes requirements that apply when a public entity is required by statute or regulation to obtain an enforceable commitment that a bidder, contractor, or other entity will use a skilled and trained workforce to complete a contract or project. Existing law also authorizes a public entity to require that a bidder, contractor, or other entity use a skilled and trained workforce, regardless of whether they are required to do so by statute or regulation. Existing law, the California State University Contract Law, authorizes the Trustees of the California State University to enter into an agreement with a contractor to provide all or significant portions of the design services and construction of a project, chosen by a competitive bidding process that employs selection criteria in addition to cost. Existing law also requires a contractor, when selecting subcontractors under this provision, to competitively bid for those portions of work. This bill would prohibit a contractor from being prequalified for, shortlisted for, or awarded a contract with the Trustees of the California State University, as described above, unless, among other things, the contractor provides an enforceable commitment to the trustees that the contractor and its subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work on the project or contract that falls within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades, as specified. The bill would exempt from its provisions, among things, a project or contract for the development of housing.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

Jan 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Aug 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/30/26 - Enrolled → AB1235 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes occurred between these two versions. The diff reflects a transition from a formally formatted enrolled legislative document (with chapter heading, signature block, and page numbers) to a web page rendering of the same bill text on the California Legislature website. The statutory language of Section 10708 is identical in both versions.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reformatted from a formal enrolled document layout (with chapter number, 'An act to amend' preamble, approval signature block, and page numbers) into a web page display format with navigation menus, search tools, version history, and status timeline. No changes were made to the actual statutory provisions.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MODERATE

AB 1235 was expanded from a nonsubstantive technical amendment to Section 2600 into a substantive policy bill that adds a new Section 10708 to the Public Contract Code. The new section requires contractors seeking CSU design-build contracts to provide an enforceable commitment that they and all subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce for apprenticeable building and construction trades work, with exceptions for projects covered by project labor agreements. The fiscal committee answer also changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amendment introduced a fiscal impact.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a nonsubstantive technical fix to Section 2600 (general skilled and trained workforce provisions) to a substantive requirement specifically targeting CSU design-build contracts under Section 10708, adding enforceable workforce commitments as a condition of contract eligibility.

SCOPE

The bill now amends Section 10708 of the Public Contract Code (CSU Contract Law) in addition to Section 2600, expanding its applicability specifically to California State University design-build contracts.

REQUIREMENT

New subdivision (d)(1) of Section 10708 prohibits a contractor from being prequalified, shortlisted, or awarded a CSU contract unless the contractor provides an enforceable commitment that it and its subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce for all work in apprenticeable occupations in building and construction trades.

ELIGIBILITY

Three exceptions are created: (A) the trustees have entered into a project labor agreement binding all contractors and subcontractors to use a skilled and trained workforce; (B) the project is under an extension or renewal of a PLA entered by the trustees before January 1, 2026; or (C) the contractor has its own PLA binding it and all subcontractors at every tier.

DEFINITION

'Project labor agreement' is defined for purposes of the new section by reference to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 2500 of the Public Contract Code.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee answer changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amendment introduces a state fiscal impact that was not present in the original nonsubstantive version.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 25, 2026 · Assembly Jan 29, 2026

How they voted

30–8

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Aug 25, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

8 Nay 2

80% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

lower

Aug 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 8.).

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 13).

upper

Jun 15, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jun 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (June 3). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

May 6, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 5. Page 3877.)

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (January 22).

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and HIGHER ED.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors