All Roll Calls
Yes: 129 • No: 38
CaliforniaSB 4772025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
The Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program loan: term extension.
Sponsored By: Catherine Blakespear (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Broader protections for workers' identity and health
The law clarifies that sex includes pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, plus related medical needs. It also protects gender identity and gender expression. Religious dress and grooming are broadly protected, including head or face coverings, jewelry, and hair kept for faith. Race now clearly covers hair texture and protective styles like braids, locs, and twists. Choices about reproductive health drugs, devices, products, and services are protected from discrimination.
More time and clearer steps to sue
Filing an intake form with the civil rights department counts as filing your complaint and sets the date. You can get extra time in set cases: up to 90 days if you learned key facts in the 90 days after a deadline; up to one year after you turn 18; up to one year after an employer-identity presumption is rebutted; and for Section 51.7 claims, up to one year after you learn who is liable, but never more than three years from the event. Deadlines pause while your case is with the department—from filing until the department sues or one year after it closes the investigation (or after an appeal closes). They also pause during free department dispute resolution, during any written extension made before a deadline, while a petition to compel extends the probe, and during a timely internal appeal. If the department does not sue within 150 days, it must tell you that you may request a right‑to‑sue notice; if not requested, it must issue one when the probe ends and no later than one year after filing (two years for group/class). You then have one year from that notice to sue. When you file with both the state and the EEOC, the one‑year clock is paused; your deadline ends when the federal right‑to‑sue period ends, or one year after the state notice, whichever is later.
Stronger court remedies and fee rules
Courts can order employer training and other relief to fix violations. If the complaint asks for it, courts can award up to $25,000 to a person denied rights under Civil Code 51.7. Courts may award reasonable attorney and expert fees to the winning party. A defendant gets fees only if the case was frivolous or clearly groundless.
Local lawyers can sue HIV/AIDS bias
In places that set up an enforcement unit by March 1, 1991, the city, county, or district attorney can bring a civil suit for a person facing HIV or AIDS discrimination. This gives another path to get relief in those areas.
Rules for group and class cases
A pattern‑or‑practice claim counts as a group or class complaint. But you cannot file or keep a state class action on a comparable claim if a similar federal class case against the same defendant is already filed.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Catherine Blakespear
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 9/9/2025
Item 17 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 59 • No: 19
legislature vote • 7/2/2025
Vote in CX25
Yes: 10 • No: 4
legislature vote • 6/17/2025
Vote in CX13
Yes: 9 • No: 2
Senate vote • 5/28/2025
Item 164 — Senate SFLOOR
Yes: 28 • No: 10
legislature vote • 5/23/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 5 • No: 1
legislature vote • 5/5/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 7 • No: 0
legislature vote • 4/22/2025
Vote in CS53
Yes: 11 • No: 2
Actions Timeline
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 321, Statutes of 2025.
10/3/2025SenateApproved by the Governor.
10/3/2025legislatureEnrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
9/17/2025legislatureIn Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
9/10/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. (Ayes 59. Noes 19. Page 3064.) Ordered to the Senate.
9/9/2025HouseRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
7/3/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (July 2).
7/2/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
6/17/2025HouseReferred to Com. on JUD.
6/5/2025HouseIn Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
5/28/2025HouseRead third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 1290.) Ordered to the Assembly.
5/28/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
5/23/2025SenateFrom committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1201.) (May 23).
5/23/2025SenateSet for hearing May 23.
5/16/2025SenateMay 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
5/5/2025SenateSet for hearing May 5.
4/25/2025SenateFrom committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 835.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4/23/2025SenateSet for hearing April 22.
4/4/2025SenateRe-referred to Com. on JUD.
4/2/2025SenateFrom committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
3/26/2025SenateReferred to Com. on RLS.
2/26/2025SenateFrom printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
2/20/2025SenateIntroduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
2/19/2025Senate
Bill Text
Chaptered
10/3/2025
Enrolled
9/12/2025
Amended Senate
3/26/2025
Introduced
2/19/2025