State legislature rushes to pass bills before deadline

An influx of bills are set to land on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk this week as the state legislature’s session comes to an end.

Legislators in the California State Assembly and Senate have until Friday to revise and pass their bills for the 2025 legislative session. The legislature will then adjourn for an interim recess before it picks back up in January 2026. Newsom has exactly one month to either sign or veto bills that are passed by the Legislature this week.

There are currently hundreds of bills still in progress, though the “progress” differs for each bill. Statuses of the bills change daily, especially in this final week, as they move through various committees, floor votes and final approvals.

Senate Bill 98, authored by Senator Sasha Pérez (D-Pasadena) passed in both the State Senate and Assembly on Sept. 2 and is headed to Newsom. The Sending Alerts to Families in Education (SAFE) Act would require K-12 schools to send alerts to its community members if and when immigration enforcement authorities are present on campus. 

“The SAFE Act will inform and protect immigrant students and their families on school campuses,” said Pérez, the chair of the Senate Education Committee, in a news release, adding “In the face of mass deportations, raids and immigration enforcement authorities showing up at schools, the SAFE Act can help inform and empower school communities to make the best decisions about their safety and their family’s safety.”

The bill also includes an urgency clause, meaning it will go into effect as soon as Newsom signs the legislation, instead of waiting until the regular January 1 effect date. SB 98 would be in effect until Jan. 1, 2031. 

The SAFE Act has support from California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the California Faculty Association, the California State PTA and is a priority bill under the state’s Latino Legislative Caucus.

Another bill now under Newsom’s discretion is Senate Joint Resolution 9 (SJR 9), a measure condemning and denouncing the mass immigration raids that have been targeting immigrant workers and families in California since June. SJR 9 affirms the state’s support for the rights of all residents regardless of immigration status as well as supports expansion of legal and emergency response services for those affected by these raids. 

The measure passed the senate in July and was approved by the assembly on Sept. 2 with a 59-11 party-line vote. 

“President Trump is trying to deport people that simply just look like me,” said Assembly Majority Whip and bill co-author Mark González (D- Los Angeles) during the Assembly Floor Session on Sept. 2. He continued, “SJR 9 is our call to justice … it declares that in California, regardless of your immigration status, you are human, you are worthy and you belong.”

Exactly one week after SJR 9 passed in the state legislature, the Supreme Court issued a ruling stating immigration enforcement officials are able to continue conducting immigration operations in Los Angeles. The ruling also states officers may detain and question individuals about their legal status, sparking concerns that individuals may be stopped if they are speaking Spanish or appear to be Latino.

Still waiting to be passed by both houses, AB 495 expands current caregiver legislation to give families more tools to navigate instances of parental separation caused by events related to immigration enforcement, incarceration or illness. 

The Family Preparedness Plan Act, authored by Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez (D- San Fernando), establishes a new short-term joint guardianship process that would expand the use of Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavits, which allows parents to designate a temporary caregiver with a court order. Rodriguez’ bill expands who can be named as a temporary guardian to include godmothers, second cousins and close family friends. 

It would also require, among other things, for schools and daycare facilities to distribute guidance for families to be prepared in times of crises like family separations. The bill is supported by over 30 child welfare and immigrant advocacy organizations, including the Alliance for Children’s Rights and the Children’s Law Center of California.

“AB 495 is about one thing: keeping families together,” said Rodriguez in a news release, adding “It strengthens the ability of parents to make decisions for their children, empowers them to prepare for the unthinkable, and ensures kids are cared for by people they know and love.”

Senate Bill 79, a housing bill that would pave the way for high-density housing developments near major transit including bus stops and train and subway stations, is yet to be finalized in the legislature. The bill, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would allow developers to build residential housing as high as six stories within a half-mile from busy public transit. 

The bill is supported by agencies including the Alliance For Community Transit-Los Angeles and the California Apartment Association, but opposed by dozens of cities throughout the state, including the Cities of Hawthrone, Downey and Palmdale. 

Supporters of the bill say this is a way to turbo-charge construction in order to bring down the cost-of-living. Opponents have taken issue with the bill’s affordable housing requirements, which states developers must meet existing requirements or a new statewide standard, which could result in anywhere from 7-13% of units reserved for low-income tenants.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the L.A. City Council have opposed the bill, raising concerns that it could potentially displace low-income residents. The Western Center on Law and Poverty has stated the bill has potential to undermine affordable housing incentive programs meant to protect and stabilize low-income and Latino communities.

SB 79 was passed and retained during the Tuesday Assembly floor session, meaning the bill was not voted on and has until Friday to be passed by the Assembly.