AB 78 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Attorney's fees: book accounts.

Summary
Under existing law, in any action on a contract based on a book account, as defined, that does not provide for attorney's fees and costs, the prevailing party on the contract is entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and the court is required to fix the attorney's fees in an amount that does not exceed the lesser of $960 for book accounts that are maintained for personal, family, or household purposes of a natural person, and $1,200 for book accounts that are maintained for all other purposes, or 25% of the principal obligation owing on the contract, as applicable. This bill would increase these maximum attorney's fees to an amount not to exceed the lesser of $1,200 for book accounts that are maintained for personal, family, or household purposes of a natural person, and $1,600 for book accounts that are maintained for all other purposes, or 25% of the principal obligation owing on the contract, as applicable.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Jul 2025
Assembly Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Jul 2025
Signed into Law
Jul 2025
Introduced Dec 18, 2024 Signed Jul 14, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Jul 3, 2025 · Assembly Mar 10, 2025

How they voted

350
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 40
Jul 3, 2025
D Democratic30
29 Yea 1
96% Yea
R Republican10
6 Yea 4
60% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
7
Committee
6
Jul 14, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor.
legislature
Jul 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
lower
Jul 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 1931.).
upper
Jun 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 24).
upper
May 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to Com. on JUD.
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 572.)
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (March 4).
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Committee
Referred to Com. on JUD.
lower
Dec 19, 2024
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee January 18.
lower
Dec 18, 2024
Introduced
Introduced. To print.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Phillip Chen
Phillip Chen
RRepublican
CA
59