AB 2600 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Immigration: access to legal counsel.

Summary

Existing law, subject to available funding, provides legal counsel to immigrant youth in the State of California. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to allocate funding for these purposes, and requires the department to consider whether federal funding has been made available and dispersed to organizations or relevant projects in the state in determining the amount and allocation of contracts awarded. Existing law requires the department to contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations, or public defender offices, that meet certain requirements to provide legal counsel to immigrant youth. This bill would, subject to the availability of funding, similarly provide legal counsel to every covered individual subject to certain immigration proceedings if that individual is not otherwise being provided counsel, as specified. The bill would define a covered individual to include an individual who is not represented by counsel and who satisfies the indigency requirements established by the administrator and one or more of certain specified criteria relating to the connection of them or their immigration case to the State California. The bill would require the department to establish the office of the administrator within the department to oversee implementation of these provisions. The bill would require the provisions to be implemented by the administrator, or their designee, by January 1, 2027, and would specify the duties and authorities of the administrator, or their designee, with regard to implementation, including, among others, the authority to develop and implement a phase-in plan. The bill would require the administrator, or their designee, to contract to provide legal counsel for covered individuals with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations or public defender officers that meet the requirements referred to above, or with private firms or private attorneys who meet the criteria for participation in a private attorney panel. The bill would require the administrator to annually submit a report to the Legislature regarding the implementation of these provisions.

Issues: ✓ Immigration

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/23/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/09/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Apr 9, 2026

MODERATE

The April 9 amendment to AB 2600 makes several structural and procedural changes. Most significantly, it requires the Department of Social Services to formally establish an office of the administrator within the department to oversee implementation of the immigration legal counsel program, rather than leaving the administrator's organizational placement unspecified. The bill also removes a standalone legislative intent section and changes its fiscal committee designation from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now carries identifiable state fiscal impacts that require fiscal review.

REQUIREMENT

The Department of Social Services is now required to establish the office of the administrator within the department to oversee implementation of the immigration legal counsel program. Previously, the bill only referenced an unnamed administrator without specifying where their office would be housed.

SCOPE

A separate Section 2 stating 'It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to provide legal representation to an individual facing removal at state government expense' was removed entirely from the bill.

Assembly Member Kalra was added as a coauthor of the bill.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has identifiable state fiscal impacts requiring fiscal committee review. This is a procedural change with significant implications for budgetary scrutiny.

TECHNICAL

The bill's subject line was corrected from 'An act relating to legal assistance. to add Section 13300.6' to 'An act to add Section 13300.6,' removing the redundant and grammatically awkward 'relating to legal assistance' language.

The legislative counsel's digest removed references to existing law (the State Bar Act and the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act) that were included in the prior version but are not directly relevant to the bill's operative provisions.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/23/26 - Amended Assembly · 9 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MAJOR

AB 2600 was transformed from a one-line legislative intent statement into a full operational program that would require the state to provide legal counsel to indigent individuals in immigration removal proceedings. The amended bill adds an entirely new Section 13300.6 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, establishing eligibility criteria, contracting mechanisms, implementation timelines, and reporting requirements. This is a shift from symbolic legislation to a concrete funding and service-delivery framework.

Scope change

The bill expanded dramatically from a non-operative statement of legislative intent (one section, three lines) to a full statutory program adding Section 13300.6 to the Welfare and Institutions Code. It now creates enforceable obligations on an administrator to provide legal counsel, set eligibility criteria, contract with providers, and report annually - all subject to state funding availability.

SCOPE

Added a comprehensive new Section 13300.6 to the Welfare and Institutions Code that creates an actual program for providing legal counsel to covered individuals in immigration proceedings, replacing the original bill's single intent statement with dozens of operative provisions.

The bill title was expanded from 'An act relating to legal assistance' to include 'to add Section 13300.6 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to immigration,' reflecting the shift from a general intent statement to specific statutory authority.

DEFINITION

Defined 'covered individual' as a person not already represented by counsel who meets indigency criteria set by the administrator AND satisfies at least one California connection: resident of California, detained in California, subject to proceedings in a California immigration court, or has a significant nexus to California regardless of detention location.

TIMELINE

Set a hard implementation deadline of January 1, 2027, by which an administrator (or designee) must have the program operational. The administrator may develop a phase-in plan in collaboration with legal services providers and immigrant rights advocacy organizations.

ELIGIBILITY

Established that the right to counsel begins at the earliest of: being taken into immigration or HHS custody, receiving a notice to appear, issuance of an immigration detainer, or initiation of immigration proceedings. For unaccompanied minors, representation may begin upon reunification with relatives if counsel determines it is in the minor's best interest.

FISCAL

Required the administrator to contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations, public defender offices (with specific immigration experience requirements), or private attorneys on a panel. Federal funding availability must be considered when allocating contracts, and awards should prioritize nonprofits with unmet needs despite federal assistance.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amended bill now has identifiable fiscal implications requiring fiscal committee review, consistent with the addition of actual program funding and contracting obligations.

REQUIREMENT

Set minimum qualifications for private attorneys on the panel: at least 3 years of removal defense experience before EOIR, at least 5 merits individual calendar hearings and 5 bond hearings in the last 3 years, good standing with a state bar and BIA, and proof of malpractice insurance covering at least $200,000 per claim.

ENFORCEMENT

Required annual reports to the Legislature and Governor covering eligibility criteria, number of eligible individuals denied representation due to funding or attorney shortages, outcomes of representation, qualitative review of services, participating providers, underserved regions, and analysis of the immigration enforcement landscape with funding recommendations.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

May 13, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (April 7).

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUM. S.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors