SB 187 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Employment.

SB 187, titled "Budget Act of 2025," is a procedural bill that expresses the Legislature's intent to later enact statutory changes to the Budget Act of 2025. It does not create new policies, spending, or budget allocations itself - it merely states the Legislature's future plan to make formal updates to the existing budget framework. This bill directly affects the legislative process by signaling upcoming changes to budget law, but it has no immediate impact on state finances or programs. As a procedural measure, it requires no fiscal committee action and does not mandate local spending.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Aug 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/28/26 - Amended Assembly → SB187 · 1 edit

MINOR

This diff reflects a reformatting of SB 187 from a traditional legislative document layout (with page numbers, line numbers, and column formatting) to a web page rendering. The substantive policy content of the bill - including provisions on public employee orientation access, self-funded benefit fund reserve accounts, PERS membership for additional board members, and goat herder labor protections - is unchanged between the two versions.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reformatted from a paginated legislative document with line numbers to a web page layout. Website navigation elements (skip to content, home, accessibility, FAQ, search fields, etc.) were added and traditional formatting artifacts (page numbers, line numbers, column breaks) were removed. No substantive policy language was changed.

01/23/25 - Introduced → 08/28/26 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Aug 28, 2026

MODERATE

SB 187 was expanded from a one-line placeholder expressing legislative intent regarding the Budget Act of 2025 into a multi-topic implementation bill with nine operative sections. The amended version adds substantive provisions covering public employee union access to orientations, self-funded benefit fund reserve accounts, PERS pension eligibility for two state boards, and new labor protections for goat herders. This transforms the bill from a procedural shell into a vehicle for enacting multiple policy changes tied to the 2025 budget.

Scope change

Expanded from a single-purpose intent statement about the Budget Act of 2025 into a comprehensive multi-topic bill implementing budget-related statutory changes across labor relations, employee benefits administration, pension eligibility, and agricultural worker protections. Now includes an appropriation and is subject to state mandates reimbursement.

SCOPE

The bill now covers five distinct policy areas: public employee union orientation access, self-funded benefit program reserve accounts, PERS pension eligibility expansion, dental plan reserve accounts, and goat herder labor protections. Previously it contained only a single intent statement.

REQUIREMENT

Government Code Section 3556 is amended to remove the June 30, 2027 sunset date on in-person meeting requirements for exclusive representatives of public employees, making those access rights permanent rather than temporary.

New Labor Code Section 2695.4 establishes labor protections for goat herders until January 1, 2029, including: a monthly minimum wage alternative for 24-hour on-call shifts (tied to IWC Wage Order 14-2001), meal and rest period requirements, employer-provided tools and equipment, lodging standards (toilets, heating, lighting, water, cooking facilities, refrigerator), communication access, posting requirements in a language understood by the worker, and civil penalties of $100 per underpaid employee per pay period for initial violations and $250 for subsequent violations.

FISCAL

New provisions allow claims fund reserve accounts to be established for self-funded or self-insured benefit programs (Government Code 19816.18) and dental care plans (Government Code 22953). These accounts may be created outside the centralized State Treasury System using a contracted carrier's taxpayer identification number, subject to conditions including fund segregation, state ownership of funds, and insurance or security requirements.

ELIGIBILITY

PERS membership exceptions are expanded to include members of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board and the Central Valley Flood Protection Board who elect to become members. A new section (20899.7) provides that service prior to January 1, 2027 is credited as full-time service for these board members.

TECHNICAL

Gender-neutral language changes throughout Government Code Section 20305 (changing 'he or she' to 'they,' etc.) as part of the PERS eligibility amendment.

TIMELINE

The bill takes effect immediately as a budget-related appropriation bill. The goat herder provisions sunset on January 1, 2029. The state mandates reimbursement provision is included for any costs determined to be mandated by the Commission on State Mandates.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

28–10

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Mar 20, 2025

D Democratic30

28 Yea 2

93% Yea

R Republican10

10 Nay

100% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on BUDGET.

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 459.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. & F. R.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors