AB 187 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Employment.

The bill's abstract states only that it "expresses the intent of the Legislature to enact statutory changes relating to the Budget Act of 2025." No specific provisions, affected parties, or policy changes are described in the provided abstract. This appears to be a procedural placeholder bill indicating future legislative action, not a substantive bill with defined mechanisms or impacts. Without additional details on the proposed statutory changes, a meaningful summary of the bill's content cannot be provided.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Assembly Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Aug 28, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/28/26 - Amended Senate → AB187 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The enrolled version of AB 187 removes the June 30, 2027 sunset date from Section 3556 of the Government Code, making the requirement for public employers to provide union representatives in-person meeting access to newly hired employees permanent rather than temporary. The remaining changes are primarily formatting updates converting the document from a traditional legislative layout to a modern web-based presentation with navigation elements and status information.

TIMELINE

Removed the sunset provision (subdivision (d)) that would have repealed Section 3556 on June 30, 2027. The union access requirements for new employee orientations are now permanent.

TECHNICAL

Removed the transitional language in Section 2 that included a replacement version of Section 3556 with its own operative date of June 30, 2027. Section 2 now simply repeals the prior version without sunset language.

Reformatted the entire document from traditional legislative layout (with page numbers, line numbers, and em-dash separators) to a web-based format with navigation menus, search functionality, and bill status tracking.

Added a 'Digest Key' section explicitly listing Vote: MAJORITY, Appropriation: YES, Fiscal Committee: YES, Local Program: YES, replacing the old inline notation that showed both yes and no options.

01/08/25 - Introduced → 08/28/26 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Aug 28, 2026

MODERATE

AB 187 was transformed from a one-line placeholder expressing legislative intent into a comprehensive omnibus budget bill with five major substantive provisions: making union access to new-hire orientations permanent, creating claims fund reserve accounts for state benefit programs, expanding PERS retirement eligibility to two additional state boards, and establishing labor protections for goat herders. The bill now carries an appropriation, a state-mandated local program finding, and takes effect immediately.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a single-sentence intent statement with no operative provisions to a multi-section omnibus act covering public employee union access rights, state benefit fund management, public retirement eligibility, and agricultural labor protections for goat herders. It now imposes a state-mandated local program and makes an appropriation.

REQUIREMENT

Section 3556 of the Government Code is amended to clarify that an in-person meeting scheduled by an exclusive representative satisfies the mandatory access requirement for new employee orientations. The section is then repealed and replaced with a version that removes the June 30, 2027 sunset date, making the in-person meeting requirements permanent rather than temporary.

FISCAL

New provisions (Gov Code 19816.18(c)-(d) and 22953(d)-(e)) authorize claims fund reserve accounts for self-funded or self-insured benefit programs, including dental plans. These accounts may be created outside the centralized State Treasury System using a contracted carrier's taxpayer identification number, provided funds remain state property, are segregated and identifiable, are insured or secured, and any remaining funds return to the state after contract termination.

ELIGIBILITY

PERS membership eligibility is 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 (Gov Code 20899.7) provides that for service prior to January 1, 2027, a year of service is credited for each year of board tenure, and board members are deemed to serve on a full-time basis.

SCOPE

A new Labor Code section 2695.4 establishes labor protections for goat herders until January 1, 2029, including: an alternative monthly minimum wage for 24-hour on-call shifts (mirroring existing sheepherder rules), meal and rest period requirements, employer-provided tools and equipment, minimum 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.

TECHNICAL

The bill's fiscal findings change from no appropriation, no fiscal committee review, and no state-mandated local program to yes on all three. The bill is now declared to take effect immediately as a budget-related appropriation bill.

Floor votes · Assembly Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

52–17

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 79

Mar 20, 2025

D Democratic59

52 Yea 7

88% Yea

R Republican20

17 Nay 3

85% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 28, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. & F. R.

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

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

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 53. Noes 17. Page 756.)

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on BUDGET.

lower

Jan 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee February 8.

lower

0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors