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California P&C Legislative Summary: 2026 End of Session

The 2026 California legislative session officially concluded on September 30, 2026. The 2027-2028 legislative session will commence on December 7, 2026.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to play an increasingly prominent role in daily life, legislation governing its use remained a key focus for California lawmakers this year. In particular, the Legislature directed significant attention to the potential impact of AI on employer-employee relationships and workplace decision-making. The Legislature also advanced numerous workplace training requirements, adding to the growing list of mandatory trainings employers must provide to their employees.

Additionally, lawmakers pursued reforms related to childhood sexual harassment claims to address the financial uncertainty and liability exposure such claims can create for public entities.

Below is a summary of the bills signed into law during the 2026 legislative session, along with notable measures vetoed by the Governor. Unless otherwise noted, these new laws will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Artificial intelligence

AB 1883 – Workplace Surveillance Tools

AB 1883 regulates employers’ use of workplace surveillance tools by prohibiting an employer from using AI-powered workplace surveillance tools to, among other things, collect neural data or recognition of an individual’s emotional state. Employers that violate the bill's provisions may be subject to penalties of up to $500 per violation. The bill also provides certain exceptions when the use of such tools is necessary to comply with federal statutes or regulations.

Status: AB 1883 has been signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 853, Statutes of 2026.

SB 947 – Employment: Automated Decision Systems

SB 947 prohibits employers from using an automated decision system to make personnel decisions, including decisions related to termination or suspension. The bill also authorizes civil enforcement for violations of its provisions.

Status: SB 947 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 859, Statutes of 2026.

Background checks

AB 1381 – Education-Related Positions: Previous Employment Disclosures: Commission on Teacher Credentialing: Unprofessional Conduct

Local Educational Agencies (LEA) and private school employers are required to review prior employment history of certificated and noncertificated applicants for credible complaints, investigations, or discipline involving egregious misconduct. AB 1381 further establishes consequences for certificated applicants and school administrators who fail to comply with previous employment investigations and disclosure requirements.

Status: AB 1381 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 364, Statutes of 2026.

SB 1083 – Noncertificated Public School Employees: Private School Employees: Egregious Misconduct: Statewide Data System: Commission on Teacher Credentialing: Adverse Actions: Contracts and Background Checks for Educational Services

This bill revises existing law governing investigations, reporting, and disclosure of egregious misconduct by noncertificated public and private school employees. The bill also revises the statewide data system and related responsibility of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), expands background checks and misconduct screenings to apply to contractors providing services to students, and revises mandated reporter training requirements for public schools.

Status: SB 1083 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 676, Statutes of 2026.

Family, medical, maternity and other leaves

SB 1149 – Employees: Bereavement Leave

SB 1149 expands the definition of "family member" for purposes of employee bereavement leave to include a designated person. A designated person is an individual related to the employee by blood or whose association with the employee is equivalent to that of a family member. The designated person may be identified when the employee requests leave and may be limited to one designated person during a 12-month period.

Status: SB 1149 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 679, Statutes of 2026.

Government transparency

AB 1821 – California Public Records Act: Agency Response Time

This bill extends a public agency's response time to a request for disclosable public records, when unusual circumstances exist, from no more than 14 days to no more than 14 business days.

Status: AB 1821 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 899, Statutes of 2026.

AB 2523 – Public Postsecondary Education: Governing Bodies: Biography and Contact Information

AB 2523 requires all public postsecondary governing bodies to post on their respective websites specified biographical and contact information for each board member and encourages each member to consider public input when voting on matters coming before the board.

Status: AB 2523 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 617, Statutes of 2026.

AB 2726 – School Facilities: Disposal of Surplus Technology Property

This bill permits local educational agencies and community college districts to create policies for disposing of surplus technology through methods such as online auctions, trade-ins, buyback programs, sales, or donations. These policies must address fair competition, data security protections, and environmentally responsible disposal practices.

Status: AB 2726 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 51, Statutes of 2026.

SB 401 – Political Reform Act of 1974: Filing Deadlines: Emergency Situations

This bill authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to extend any filing deadline by no more than 60 days for individuals that live in an area impacted by an emergency situation as declared by the Governor or a local governing body. However, the FPPC is prohibited from extending the deadline during the 90 days before an election.

Status: SB 401 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 968, Statutes of 2026.

SB 1159 – Artificial Intelligence: Transparency and Governance

SB 1159 clarifies that the terms “person,” “interested person,” “participant,” and “member of the public,” as used in the California Public Records Act, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, the Brown Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Legislative Open Records Act, and the California Coastal Act, do not include artificial intelligence systems, autonomous agents, robots, or other nonhuman entities, whether physical or digital.

Status: SB 1159 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 863, Statutes of 2026.

SB 1439 – Local Government: Omnibus Bill

Among its many changes to local government administration, SB 1439 clarified that, for purposes of teleconferencing under the Brown Act, an eligible multijurisdictional body that may meet without complying with certain teleconferencing requirements includes an inter-county or intra-county agency.

Status: SB 1439 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 716, Statutes of 2026.

SB 994 – Local Agencies: Nondisclosure Agreements

This bill prohibits a local government official, acting in their official capacity, from entering into, or requesting that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that prevents the individual from sharing information with fellow local government officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency.

Status: SB 994 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 669, Statutes of 2026.

Litigation

AB 2529 – Civil Claims: Public Entities and Employees: Declaration

This bill requires that a claim filed against a public entity or a public employee be signed with a declaration that the contents of the claim are true and correct.

Status: AB 2529 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 618, Statutes of 2026.

SB 577 – Public Entities

SB 577 revises existing law governing claims against public entities, including claims for childhood sexual assault. Specifically, SB 577 limits economic damages recoverable from public entities by eliminating recovery of treble damages, removing joint and several liability unless the public entity's liability is more than 15%, and provides that a claim for sexual assault that occurred before January 1, 2024, must be filed within 22 years of the date the plaintiff reaches the age of majority or within three years of the date the plaintiff discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury or illness, whichever is later.

A plaintiff who is 40 years of age or older must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the public entity knew of the misconduct and was negligent. The bill also amends how a public entity can pay the claim over time and requires policy changes to help prevent childhood sexual assault, among other changes.

Status: SB 577 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 971, Statutes of 2026.

Public employees

AB 2148 – Elementary and Secondary Education: Public School Employees: Contractors: Natural Persons

AB 2148 defines a public-school employee and contractor providing services in a public school to mean a natural person.

Status: AB 2148 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 45, Statutes of 2026.

School facilities

AB 387 – Nevaeh Youth Sports Safety Act

Starting on January 1, 2028, AB 387 revises the requirement that a youth sports organization ensure that it has access to an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) during any official practice or match, by allowing a public or private local facility with a permanent sports infrastructure, as defined, to procure and maintain an AED, ensuring that the youth sports organization has access to the AED.

Status: AB 387 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 502, Statutes of 2026.

For more information on AB 387, you can visit: Tracking AB 387: Proposed Changes to AED Access Requirements.

AB 1642 – Wildfires: Contamination Standards

AB 1642 requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop specific regulations and guidance pertaining to indoor and outdoor contaminants after a wildfire, including strategies for reducing human exposures for preoccupancy related to residential properties and schools.

Status: AB 1642 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 239, Statutes of 2026.

AB 2241 – School Facilities: Inclusive School Playgrounds

This bill requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to curate and maintain resources demonstrating best practices for inclusive playground designs.

Status: AB 2241 was signed into law by the Governor, Chapter 295, Statutes of 2026.

Keenan is not a law firm and no opinion, suggestion, or recommendation of the firm or its employees shall constitute legal advice. Clients are advised to consult with their own attorney for a determination of their legal rights, responsibilities, and liabilities, including the interpretation of any statute or regulation, or its application to the clients’ business activities.