Photo of María Elena Durazo
D California Senate · District 26

Sen. María Elena Durazo

Compare
Total votes
18,987
all sessions
Attendance
98%
302 missed
Higher than 85% of chamber peers
With party
99%
of cast votes
Near the chamber average
Bipartisan score
0%
crosses aisle rarely
Near the chamber average
Sponsored
555
bills & resolutions
Near the chamber average
Committees
8
assignments
555 bills and resolutions

Sponsored bills

Total
555
Primary
172
Co-sponsor
383
This page
555
matching current filters
Co-sponsor SB 294
Signed into law · California Senate · Co-sponsor
The Workplace Know Your Rights Act.

Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, headed by the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations, for the purpose of enforcing labor laws. Existing law prescribes the duties and rights of employers and employees relating to specified labor laws, including, among other things, workers' compensation and notice requirements related to inspections conducted by an immigration agency. This bill would establish the Workplace Know Your Rights Act. The bill would require an employer, on or before February 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, to provide a stand-alone written notice to each current employee of specified workers' rights, including, among other things, the categories described above, as well as constitutional rights of an employee when interacting with law enforcement at the workplace, as specified. The bill would also require the employer to provide the written notice to each new employee upon hire and to provide the written notice annually to an employee's authorized representative, if any. This bill would require the Labor Commissioner to develop a template notice that an employer may use to comply with the notice requirement described above. The bill would require the Labor Commissioner to post the template notice on its internet website on or before January 1, 2026, and to post an updated template notice annually thereafter. The bill would also require the Labor Commissioner, on or before July 1, 2026, to develop a video for employees advising them of their rights under the areas described above and to develop a video for employers advising them of their rights and requirements under those areas, as provided. The bill would require the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, the Public Employment Relations Board, and the Attorney General's office to provide specified input for the template notice and the videos. This bill would require an employer, if an employee has designated an emergency contact for this purpose, to notify the designated emergency contact if the employee is arrested or detained on their worksite. If the arrest or detention occurs during work hours, or during the performance of the employee's job duties, but not on the worksite, the bill would require the employer to notify the employee's designated emergency contact only if the employer has actual knowledge of the arrest or detention of the employee. The bill would require an employer to provide an employee the opportunity to name an emergency contact on or before March 30, 2026, for an existing employee, and at the time of hiring for a new employee hired after March 30, 2026. This bill would prohibit an employer from discharging, threatening to discharge, demoting, suspending, or in any manner discriminating or retaliating against an employee for exercising or attempting to exercise their rights under the bill, as provided. This bill would require the Labor Commissioner to enforce the bill, as specified, and would also alternatively authorize enforcement by a public prosecutor. The bill would provide that an employer who violates the bill may be subject to a penalty of up to $500 per employee for each violation, except that the penalty for a violation of the provisions relating to emergency contacts would be an amount up to $500 per employee for each day the violation occurs, up to a maximum of $10,000 per employee.

Signed into law Oct 12, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Primary SB 580
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Attorney General: immigration enforcement policies.

Existing law requires the Attorney General to develop model policies limiting assistance with immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible consistent with federal and state law at public schools, public libraries, courthouses, specified health facilities, shelters, and other specified state agencies. This bill would similarly require the Attorney General, on or before July 1, 2026, and in consultation with appropriate stakeholders, to publish model policies relating to interaction with immigration enforcement, consistent with federal and state law, and to publish guidance and recommendations for databases operated by state and local agencies to limit the availability of information in those databases for the purposes of immigration enforcement, consistent with federal and state law. The bill would require state and local agencies to implement the model policies on or before January 1, 2027, as specified. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Signed into law Oct 12, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Primary SB 809
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Employees and independent contractors: construction trucking.

(1) Existing law, as established in the case of Dynamex Operations W. v. Superior Court (2018) 4 Cal.5th 903 (Dynamex) , creates a presumption that a worker who performs services for a hirer is an employee for purposes of claims for wages and benefits arising under wage orders issued by the Industrial Welfare Commission. Existing law requires a 3-part test, commonly known as the "ABC" test, to determine if workers are employees or independent contractors for those purposes. Existing law establishes that, for purposes of the Labor Code, the Unemployment Insurance Code, and the wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission, a person providing labor or services for remuneration is considered an employee rather than an independent contractor unless the hiring entity demonstrates that the person is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity in connection with the performance of the work, the person performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business, and the person is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business. This test is commonly known as the "ABC" test, as described above. Existing law charges the Labor Commissioner with the enforcement of labor laws, including worker classification. Existing law exempts specified occupations and business relationships from the application of Dynamex and the provisions described above. This bill would provide that mere ownership of a vehicle, including a personal vehicle or a commercial vehicle, used by a person in providing labor or services for remuneration does not make that person an independent contractor. The bill would state that this provision is declarative of existing law. (2) Existing law establishes the Motor Carrier Employer Amnesty Program administered by the Labor Commissioner and the Employment Development Department. Pursuant to the program, notwithstanding any law, a motor carrier performing drayage services may be relieved of liability for statutory or civil penalties associated with the misclassification of commercial drivers as independent contractors if the motor carrier enters into a settlement agreement with the commissioner, with the cooperation and consent of the department, prior to January 1, 2017, whereby the motor carrier agrees to classify all of its commercial drivers as employees, and the settlement agreement contains prescribed components, including, but not limited to, an agreement by the motor carrier to pay all wages, benefits, and taxes owed, if any. This bill would establish a similar program, known as the Construction Trucking Employer Amnesty Program, to be administered by the commissioner and the department. Under the bill, an eligible construction contractor would be relieved of liability for statutory or civil penalties, except as provided, associated with the misclassification of construction drivers as independent contractors, if the eligible construction contractor executes a settlement agreement negotiated with, or approved by, the commissioner prior to January 1, 2029, whereby the eligible construction contractor agrees to properly classify all drivers performing construction work on their behalf as employees and the settlement agreement contains prescribed components, including, but not limited to, an agreement by the construction contractor to pay all wages, benefits, and taxes owed, if any. If a construction driver declines to accept the terms of a settlement agreement, the bill would still require an eligible construction contractor to reclassify the construction driver as an employee and the construction driver would be precluded from pursuing a claim for civil or statutory penalties under specified provisions of law for a claim arising during the period of time covered by the settlement agreement. (3) Existing law requires an employer to indemnify their employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of their duties, or of their obedience to the directions of the employer, as provided. This bill would provide that the duty of an employer to indemnify their employee for all necessary expenses or losses applies to the use of a vehicle owned by an employee and used by that employee in the discharge of their duties. The bill would provide that, with respect to construction trucking, a commercial motor vehicle driver who owns the truck, tractor, trailer, or other commercial vehicle that they use in the discharge of their duties as an employee working for an employer would be entitled to reimbursement for the use, upkeep, and depreciation of that truck, tractor, trailer, or other commercial vehicle, as provided. The bill would state that specified provisions described above are declarative of existing law.

Signed into law Oct 11, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Primary SB 513
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Personnel records.

Existing law grants current and former employees, or their representative, the right to inspect and receive a copy of personnel records maintained by the employer relating to the employee's performance or to any grievance concerning the employee. Existing law requires the employer to make the contents of those personnel records available for inspection, as specified, and makes it a crime for an employer to violate these requirements. This bill would provide that personnel records relating to the employee's performance include education and training records and would require an employer who maintains education and training records to ensure those records include specified information. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Signed into law Oct 11, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Primary SB 598
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Public contracts: local water infrastructure projects: Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery method.

Existing law defines the Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery method (CM/GC method) as a project delivery method in which a construction manager is procured to provide preconstruction services during the design phase of a project and construction services during the construction phase of the project. Under existing law, the method allows the contract for construction services to be entered into at the same time as the contract for preconstruction services or at a later time. Existing law authorizes the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to utilize the CM/GC method for regional recycled water projects or other water infrastructure projects under specified conditions. Pursuant to existing law, certain information required to be submitted as part of the CM/GC method is required to be verified under oath. Existing law makes the provisions described above pertaining to the CM/GC method effective only until January 1, 2028, and inoperative as of that date. This bill would, until January 1, 2031, authorize a local agency, as defined, upon approval of its governing body, to similarly use the CM/GC method for a regional recycled water project or other water infrastructure project undertaken by the district to alleviate water supply shortages attributable to drought or climate change. The bill would require that authorization to apply to no more than 15 capital outlay projects for each local agency and would require a local agency to award a contract pursuant to the bill on a best value basis or to the lowest responsible bidder. Because the bill would expand the crime of perjury, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Signed into law Oct 11, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Primary SB 754
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Menstrual products: disposable tampons and pad products: concerning chemicals.

Existing law prohibits any person from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or offering for sale in the state any menstrual products that contain regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as defined. Existing law requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2029, as specified, for the purposes of implementing, interpreting, enforcing, or making specific these provisions. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions punishable by a civil and administrative penalty. Existing law creates the T.A.M.P.O.N. Act Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of these penalties. Existing law provides that moneys in the fund are available upon appropriation by the Legislature. This bill would require, on and after December 31, 2026, a manufacturer of disposable tampons or pad products to maintain information regarding the concentrations of specified chemicals in the manufacturer's disposable tampon or pad products. The bill would authorize the department to determine, and publish on its internet website, additional concerning chemicals in disposable tampons or pad products, as provided. The bill would authorize the department to require a manufacturer of disposable tampons or pad products to maintain information regarding the concentrations of those additional chemicals in the manufacturer's disposable tampon or pad products. The bill would authorize the department to publish on its internet website a list of acceptable testing methods, frequencies for testing, and appropriate third-party laboratory accreditations, for the testing of disposable tampon or pad products for those specified and any additional concerning chemicals, as specified. The bill would require, upon request from the department, a manufacturer to provide any technical documentation, including test methods and analytical test results, to assess the concentrations of those specified and any additional chemicals in its disposable tampon or pad products, as provided. The bill would authorize the department to conduct its own tests to confirm the manufacturer's results, or contract with third-party laboratories for that testing. The bill would require the manufacturer to pay for the costs of testing the manufacturer's products before the testing is conducted. The bill would require that any charges collected by the department pursuant to these provisions be deposited into the T.A.M.P.O.N. Act Fund and made available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the department for purposes of implementing these provisions, including, but not limited to, the administration of chemical testing pursuant to, and the oversight of manufacturers' compliance with, these provisions. The bill would authorize the department to publish any analytical test results received from manufacturers or obtained through its own testing, along with any departmental analysis of these results. The bill would authorize the department to provide information regarding the potential health impacts associated with the presence of specific chemicals in disposable tampon or pad products by making the information available to the public in a searchable format on the department's internet website.

Signed into law Oct 11, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Primary SB 21
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Single-room occupancy units: demolition and replacement: housing assistance programs: eligibility for homeless individuals and families.

(1) Existing law, known as the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, among other things, prohibits an affected city or an affected county, as defined, from approving a housing development project that will require the demolition of occupied or vacant protected units, as defined, or that is located on a site where protected units were demolished in the previous 5 years unless specified requirements are met. Among these requirements, existing law requires that the project replace all existing protected units and protected units demolished on or after January 1, 2020, and, if the project is a housing development project, as defined, it will include at least as many residential dwelling units as the greatest number of residential dwelling units that existed on the project site within the last 5 years. Existing law requires that specified protected units replaced under these provisions be considered in determining whether the housing development project satisfies certain state and local requirements that the project provide a certain percentage of residential rental units affordable to, and occupied by, households with incomes that do not exceed the limits for moderate-income, lower income, very low income, or extremely low income households, as specified. This bill would additionally require that the above-described replaced protected units be considered in determining whether the housing development project satisfies requirements that the project provide a certain percentage of residential rental units affordable to, and occupied by, households with incomes that do not exceed the limits for acutely low income households, as specified. This bill, notwithstanding the above-described requirements, in the case of rehabilitation or replacement of an existing single-room occupancy building that meets prescribed criteria, would permit an affected city or an affected county to reduce the number of replacement units required if the project meets specified requirements, including, among others, that the reduction in replacement units is necessary to accommodate the conversion of single-room occupancy units, as provided, and that the converted units will be rental units with affordable rents, as specified. The bill would include specified findings declaring legislative intent with respect to these provisions. The bill would permit a borrower to conduct a market study to support the unit sizes proposed in the replacement housing plan, as provided. (2) Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development and requires it to administer various programs intended to promote the development of housing, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, pursuant to which the department provides financial assistance in the form of deferred payment loans to pay for the eligible costs of development of specified types of housing projects. Existing law sets forth various general powers of the department in implementing these programs, including authorizing the department to enter into long-term contracts or agreements of up to 30 years for the purpose of servicing loans or grants or enforcing regulatory agreements or other security documents. This bill, for purposes of determining eligibility for an individual displaced from or returning to a single-room occupancy unit undergoing rehabilitation or a replacement unit that received funds from the department and is for a homeless individual or family, would (A) specify that an individual is deemed homeless if they meet certain criteria and (B) prohibit an individual or family meeting these criteria from being subject to a requirement that the unit be filled through a referral from a coordinated entry system, as defined, or a similar referral system.

Signed into law Oct 10, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Co-sponsor SB 610
Signed into law · California Senate · Co-sponsor
Disaster assistance: tenants, mobilehome parks, and mortgages.

(1) Existing law, the Mobilehome Residency Law, prescribes various terms and conditions of tenancies in mobilehome parks. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires a person or entity proposing a change in use of a mobilehome park to file a report on the impact of the conversion, closure, or cessation of use of the mobilehome park that includes a replacement and relocation plan, as specified. Existing law requires the legislative body or advisory agency to review the report before any change of use, as provided. Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development and requires it to administer various programs intended to promote the development of housing. This bill would require, if a closure, cessation, or change of use is the result of damage or destruction of the mobilehome park by a disaster, as defined, the person or entity proposing that closure, cessation, or change of use to file an impact report, as described in the paragraph above, which also includes a technical service inspection report from the Department of Housing and Community Development that identifies the observed conditions within the park. By placing new requirements on local legislative bodies when approving permits for a change of use for mobilehome parks, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the person or entity proposing the change of use of a mobilehome park to pay to the displaced resident the in-place market value of the displaced resident's mobilehome, as provided. This bill would provide that if the proposed closure, cessation, or change of use is related to damage or destruction by a disaster, the person or entity proposing the change of use of a mobilehome park is not required to pay to the displaced resident the in-place market value of the displaced resident's mobilehome. (2) Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential tenancies. Existing law requires the lessor of a building intended for human occupation to repair dilapidations, as specified, rendering it untenantable. Existing law requires a dwelling to be deemed untenantable if it substantially lacks certain affirmative standard characteristics. This bill would impose a duty upon the landlord to undertake certain actions, within a reasonable time and according to specified cleaning protocols, as may be necessary to remediate any dilapidations that arise as a result of a disaster. The bill would establish a presumption that the presence at the rental unit of debris from the disaster renders the unit untenantable, until a determination has been made by a local public health agency or official that the debris does not contain toxic substances. This bill would require the landlord to notify the tenant in writing that the landlord has fulfilled its duty to remediate dilapidations and that the tenant may view various reports, if requested. The bill would specify that these provisions do not require a landlord to rebuild a residential real property or any portion thereof that has sustained damage as a result of a disaster, and that, unless lawfully terminated by either party, the tenancy remains in effect and the tenant has the right to return to the rental unit, at the same rental rate in effect immediately prior to the disaster, as soon as it is safe and practicable. (3) Existing law terminates the hiring of a thing by the destruction of the thing hired, or when the greater part of the thing hired perishes from any other cause than the want of ordinary care of the hirer. This bill would require the landlord to return to the tenant any advance rental payments made by the tenant when the hiring of residential real property is terminated due to damage or destruction of the property. The bill would also require management of a mobilehome park to return to the homeowner any advance rental payments made by the homeowner when the mobilehome tenancy is terminated due to damage or the destruction of the mobilehome park or any space as a result of a disaster. The bill would discharge the tenant's or homeowner's obligation to pay rent during any period during which a tenant or homeowner is unable to occupy their rental unit due to a mandatory evacuation order pursuant to a disaster, as provided. (4) Existing law makes the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation the head of the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which executes the laws of this state relating to, among other things, residential mortgage lenders and servicers and mortgage loan originators employed or supervised by finance lenders or residential mortgage lenders. This bill would require the commissioner to, upon the declaration of a state of emergency due to wildfire, as specified, coordinate with mortgage lenders and servicers subject to the commissioner's jurisdiction operating in this state to facilitate and monitor the implementation and promotion of mortgage forbearance, foreclosure prevention, and loss mitigation programs available to borrowers who experience a material decrease in household income or a material increase in household expenses due, directly or indirectly, to the wildfire emergency. (5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Signed into law Oct 10, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Primary SB 635
Signed into law · California Senate · Lead sponsor
Food vendors and facilities: enforcement activities.

(1) Existing law authorizes a local authority, as defined, to adopt a program to regulate sidewalk vendors if the program complies with specified standards. These standards include restricting the local authority from requiring a sidewalk vendor to operate within specific parts of the public right-of-way, except when that restriction is directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. A violation of these provisions is punishable only by an administrative fine, as specified. This bill would prohibit a local authority, except as otherwise required by state or federal law, from providing voluntary consent to any individual to access, review, or obtain certain records of the local authority that include personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendors in the jurisdiction without a subpoena or judicial warrant. The bill would also prohibit a local authority and its personnel from disclosing or providing in writing, verbally, or in any other manner personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendor that is requested, except pursuant to a subpoena or a valid judicial warrant. The bill would define "personally identifiable information," for these purposes, to include an individual's name, business name, home address, business address, birthdate, telephone number, California driver's license or identification, and other related information. The bill would also define "immigration enforcement" for these purposes. Existing law authorizes a local authority to adopt additional requirements regulating the time, place, and manner of sidewalk vending if the requirements are directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. These include requiring the sidewalk vendor to obtain from the local authority a permit or valid business license, provided that the local authority issuing the permit or business license accepts a California driver's license or identification number, an individual taxpayer identification number, or a municipal identification number in lieu of a social security number for the issuance of a permit or business license, and that the number collected is not disclosed, except as specified. This bill would also prohibit a local authority, in the above-described circumstances, from inquiring into or collecting information about an individual's immigration or citizenship status, place of birth, or individual criminal history, or requiring an applicant to submit fingerprints, complete a LiveScan fingerprinting, or submit to a background check as part of an application for a permit or business license. The bill would require a local authority that inquired into or collected information or documentation regarding an individual's place of birth or criminal history, required an applicant to submit fingerprints or complete a LiveScan fingerprinting, or performed a background check before January 1, 2026, to destroy those records on or before March 1, 2026, unless those records are expressly required by law to be preserved. The bill would provide that specified personally identifiable information collected by a local authority is exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act. This bill would prohibit an agency or department of a local authority, including any nonpublic entity working on the local authority's behalf, as provided, from using local authority moneys or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for certain purposes, and from engaging in specified activities related to immigration enforcement, when enforcing certain provisions regulating sidewalk vendors. The bill, for specified contracts between a nonpublic entity and a local authority entered into or modified on or after January 1, 2026, would require a nonpublic entity to explicitly agree to adhere to these provisions and would immediately terminate the contract if it is found that the nonpublic entity has violated these provisions. (2) Existing law, the California Retail Food Code (the code) , establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities and requires local health agencies to enforce these provisions. Existing law requires compact mobile food operations to meet specified health and safety standards. For purposes of the code, a "compact mobile food operation," means a mobile food facility that operates from an individual or from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other nonmotorized conveyance. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions by an operator or employee of a compact mobile food operation or a sidewalk vendor punishable only by an administrative fine, as specified. This bill would prohibit an enforcement agency, including any nonpublic entity working on the enforcement agency's behalf, as provided, from using enforcement agency moneys or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for certain purposes, and from engaging in specified activities related to immigration enforcement, when enforcing certain provisions regulating compact mobile food operations. The bill, for specified contracts between a nonpublic entity and an enforcement agency entered into or modified on or after January 1, 2026, would require a nonpublic entity to explicitly agree to adhere to these provisions and would immediately terminate the contract if it is found that the nonpublic entity has violated these provisions. This bill would also prohibit an enforcement agency from providing voluntary consent to any individual to access, review, or obtain certain records of the enforcement agency that include personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendor or operator or employee of a compact mobile food operation in the jurisdiction without a subpoena or judicial warrant. The bill would further prohibit a local authority and its personnel from disclosing or providing in writing, verbally, or in any other manner personally identifiable information of any sidewalk vendor that is requested, except pursuant to a subpoena or a valid judicial warrant. Existing law prohibits a food facility from being open for business without a valid permit and requires a permit to be issued by the enforcement agency when investigation has determined that the proposed facility and its methods of operation conform to code requirements. This bill would require a permit application for a compact mobile food operation to comply with specified requirements. In this regard, the bill would require an enforcement agency to accept a California driver's license or identification number, an individual taxpayer identification, or a municipal identification number in lieu of a social security number. The bill would also prohibit an enforcement agency from, among other things, inquiring into the individual's immigration status, citizenship status, or criminal history, as prescribed. The bill would further require an enforcement agency that inquired into or collected information or documentation regarding an individual's place of birth or criminal history, required an applicant to submit fingerprints or complete a LiveScan fingerprinting, or performed a background check before January 1, 2026, to destroy those records on or before March 1, 2026, unless those records are expressly required by law to be preserved. The bill would provide that specified personally identifiable information collected by an enforcement agency is exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act. The bill would make other related changes to these provisions. To the extent the bill would impose new requirements on local governmental agencies, it would create a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Signed into law Oct 7, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Co-sponsor AB 969
Signed into law · California Assembly · Co-sponsor
CalWORKs: family violence option and gender-based violence information.

Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals. Existing law imposes various requirements on CalWORKs recipients, including the requirement to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities, unless a good cause exception applies. Existing law requires a county to waive a program requirement for a recipient who has been identified as a past or present victim of domestic abuse when it has been determined that good cause under the welfare-to-work requirement exists. This bill would, among other things, instead require a county to waive a program requirement for an applicant or recipient who has been identified as a past or present victim of domestic abuse for good cause, and requires the county to find good cause for a waiver when compliance with the program requirement would make it more difficult for the applicant or recipient, or their children, to escape or to stay safe after escaping abuse, or that it would be detrimental or unfairly penalize those applicants or recipients who are or have been victimized by abuse or who are at risk of further domestic abuse. The bill would require counties, within specified timeframes, to notify each applicant or recipient about whether a waiver will be issued, and if a waiver is denied, the specific reasons for the denials. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop a uniform set of written materials that addresses all relevant information and necessary requirements designed to assist individuals to identify, escape, or stop future abuse, overcome the effects of abuse, and make informed decisions, and a standardized waiver request form. The bill would require each county to provide the written materials and standardized waiver request form to each applicant and recipient, as specified. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2028, or on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement these provisions, and would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction. By imposing duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Signed into law Oct 6, 2025 1 co-sponsor
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