The following bills were signed or vetoed by Governor
Gavin Newsom in 2025 or 2026, were referred to the ballot by the legislature, or are awaiting gubernatorial action. Particularly notable legislation includes: • in September 2025, a package of energy legislation including: • AB 825 (amended SB 540) which pushes forward California joining a western grid, allowing for a
regional transmission organization (RTO) instead of the California-only
CAISO Signed •
AB 130 – exempts most infill housing development from review under the
California Environmental Quality Act. •
SB 131 – exempts certain other projects from CEQA review, including advanced manufacturing in industrial districts,
high-speed rail, and wildfire mitigation. •
No Secret Police Act (SB 627) – prohibits certain federal and local law enforcement agencies from wearing masks while carrying out most operations • AB 49 – requires that families be notified when immigration enforcement comes on school campuses, and requires a judicial warrant or court order for
ICE to request student information • SB 81 – requires a judicial warrant or court order for ICE to access emergency rooms and other non-public hospital areas • SB 53 – requires large AI developers to publicly disclose protocols for development of frontier artificial intelligence models and develop safety policies, and holds such companies civilly liable for violations. • AB 288 – allowing California workers covered under the
National Labor Relations Act as of January 1, 2025 to petition the
California Public Employee Relations Board when the federal
National Labor Relations Board does not respond to unfair labor practice challenges, issue bargaining orders or respond to certification petitions within six months; creating the PERB Enforcement Fund sustained by civil penalties from employers found in violation of labor laws. • SB 398 – criminalizes offering payments, other valuable items and chance to win a lottery or prize-drawing contest to incentivize voting or voter registration. • AB 30 – allowing E15 fuel to be sold in California while the state studies its environmental impact. • AB 8 – regulate intoxicating hemp products. • SB 9 (
Arreguín), which would authorize the HCD to void any local ADU ordinances which violate state law and apply state ADU standards until the local government passes remedial measures; • AB 1154 (
Carrillo), which aligns standards for all ADUs under 500 square feet; • AB 413 (
Fong) would require the
HCD to translate key state housing guidelines and handbooks into the non-English languages commonly spoken in California •
SB 79 (Wiener), which would allow upzoning and rezoning near rail stations, rapid bus lines and other transit-oriented development zones within a half-mile of public transit stops, including in areas currently zoned only for single-family homes; • AB 1061 (
Quirk-Silva), allowing the HOME Act to be used in designated historic districts as long as an existing historic structure is not altered or demolished; • AB 1308 (
Hoover), establishing a 10-day period for inspecting small residential projects; • AB 253 (
Ward), allowing home builders to hire a licensed and certified third-party reviewer.; • SB 543 (
McNerney) codifies existing HCD guidance regarding ADUs and Junior ADUs (JADUs) • AB 715 (
Zbur) establishing a new Office of Civil Rights and an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator who would help track and report antisemitism in schools
Referred to ballot measure •
2025 California Proposition 50 – Amend the California Constitution to allow the state to use a new congressional district map for 2026 through 2030 (Passed on November 4, 2025 statewide ballot) • SB 42 – repeals the ban on public financing of elections in California, extending to all cities and counties the ability to create programs for publicly financed elections (sent to November 2026 statewide ballot). == State Senate ==