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CaliforniaSB 542025-2026 Regular SessionSenate

Court fee waivers: veterans.

Sponsored By: Thomas Umberg (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Court fee waivers for low-income filers

You can start a court case without paying fees in three ways. You qualify if you get certain public benefits like SSI, CalWORKs or Tribal TANF, SNAP or California Food Assistance, Medi‑Cal, WIC, IHSS, CAPI, County/General Relief, or unemployment. You also qualify if your monthly income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline for your household size. The Judicial Council publishes a yearly income table and uses form FW‑001. You qualify if the court finds paying fees would take money needed for basic necessities. Courts can give a partial waiver only if you can pay part or over time without using money for basics, and they must follow set notice and hearing rules.

Fee waivers for guardians and conservators

If you file to be a guardian or conservator, you can file without paying fees when the ward or conservatee qualifies under the same waiver rules. Appointed fiduciaries can also file needed papers without fees when the person they represent meets those standards.

Veterans disability pay not counted

For the income test, the court does not count veterans’ service‑connected disability compensation. This makes it easier for veterans to meet the 200% of poverty income rule for a fee waiver.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Thomas Umberg

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Laura Richardson

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 181 • No: 0

House vote • 9/8/2025

Item 117 — Assembly AFLOOR

Yes: 79 • No: 0

legislature vote • 8/29/2025

Vote in CX25

Yes: 15 • No: 0

legislature vote • 7/15/2025

Vote in CX38

Yes: 8 • No: 0

legislature vote • 6/17/2025

Vote in CX13

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/29/2025

Item 285 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 38 • No: 0

legislature vote • 5/23/2025

Vote in CS61

Yes: 6 • No: 0

legislature vote • 5/12/2025

Vote in CS61

Yes: 7 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/28/2025

Vote in CS66

Yes: 4 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/8/2025

Vote in CS53

Yes: 13 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 646, Statutes of 2025.

    10/11/2025Senate

  2. Approved by the Governor.

    10/11/2025legislature

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

    9/16/2025legislature

  4. In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

    9/8/2025Senate

  5. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2989.) Ordered to the Senate.

    9/8/2025House

  6. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    9/2/2025House

  7. Coauthors revised.

    8/29/2025House

  8. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).

    8/29/2025House

  9. August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

    8/20/2025House

  10. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    7/16/2025House

  11. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.

    6/17/2025House

  12. Referred to Coms. on JUD. and M. & V.A.

    6/5/2025House

  13. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    5/29/2025House

  14. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1322.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    5/29/2025Senate

  15. Ordered to special consent calendar.

    5/27/2025Senate

  16. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    5/23/2025Senate

  17. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1189.) (May 23).

    5/23/2025Senate

  18. Set for hearing May 23.

    5/16/2025Senate

  19. May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

    5/12/2025Senate

  20. Set for hearing May 12.

    5/2/2025Senate

  21. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 918.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    4/29/2025Senate

  22. Set for hearing April 28.

    4/17/2025Senate

  23. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 705.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.

    4/9/2025Senate

  24. Set for hearing April 8.

    4/1/2025Senate

  25. Referred to Coms. on JUD. and M. & V.A.

    1/29/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Chaptered

    10/11/2025

    HTML

  • Enrolled

    9/10/2025

    HTML

  • Introduced

    1/7/2025

    HTML

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