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CaliforniaSB 7792025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Contractors: civil penalties.

Sponsored By: Bob Archuleta (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Higher fines for contractor violations

Until July 1, 2026, civil penalties are capped at $8,000 for most violations and up to $30,000 for violations of Sections 7110, 7114, 7118, or 7125.4. Beginning July 1, 2026, penalties must be at least $500 and no more than $8,000 for most violations. For violations of Sections 7110, 7114, 7118, or 7125.4, penalties must be at least $1,500 and no more than $30,000. The Board may raise these minimums every five years for inflation.

Stronger fines for unlicensed contractors

Until July 1, 2026, each CSLB citation includes an order to fix the issue and a civil penalty of $200–$15,000. Beginning July 1, 2026, the minimum penalty for these citations rises to $1,500 (still up to $15,000). The registrar must cite anyone acting as a contractor or salesperson without a license and, within 72 hours, must warn a public agency that plans to hire an unlicensed contractor; the responsible officer can be cited. The Board sets penalty rules that consider gravity and past violations, and may raise minimums every five years for inflation. Citation penalties are on top of any other civil or criminal remedies.

License fees set to keep reserves

The Board sets license fees to keep a reserve of about 12 months of its authorized spending. This can change the fees you pay as a licensed contractor.

Penalty rules depend on another law

Some penalty sections take effect only if another contractor-law bill is also enacted and effective by January 1, 2026. If that happens and this law is enacted after the other bill, alternate versions apply and Sections 3 and 4 do not. In the alternate version, the higher $1,500–$30,000 range applies to violations of Sections 7110, 7114, and 7118, with inflation updates. If those conditions are not met, the standard version in this law applies.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Bob Archuleta

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 214 • No: 0

Senate vote • 9/11/2025

Item 49 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 40 • No: 0

House vote • 9/9/2025

Item 103 — Assembly AFLOOR

Yes: 80 • No: 0

legislature vote • 8/29/2025

Vote in CX25

Yes: 15 • No: 0

legislature vote • 7/1/2025

Vote in CX33

Yes: 17 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/3/2025

Item 20 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 39 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/22/2025

Vote in CS53

Yes: 13 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/7/2025

Vote in CS42

Yes: 10 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 233, Statutes of 2025.

    10/1/2025Senate

  2. Approved by the Governor.

    10/1/2025legislature

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.

    9/22/2025legislature

  4. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2876.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

    9/11/2025Senate

  5. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

    9/9/2025Senate

  6. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3079.) Ordered to the Senate.

    9/9/2025House

  7. Ordered to third reading.

    9/4/2025House

  8. Read third time and amended.

    9/4/2025House

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    9/2/2025House

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

    8/29/2025House

  11. July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

    7/16/2025House

  12. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    7/2/2025House

  13. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (July 1).

    7/1/2025House

  14. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

    6/17/2025House

  15. Referred to Com. on B. & P.

    6/9/2025House

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

    6/4/2025House

  17. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1471.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    6/3/2025Senate

  18. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    5/6/2025Senate

  19. From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

    5/5/2025Senate

  20. Set for hearing May 5.

    4/25/2025Senate

  21. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 837.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    4/23/2025Senate

  22. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 680.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

    4/7/2025Senate

  23. Set for hearing April 22 in JUD. pending receipt.

    4/4/2025Senate

  24. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

    4/1/2025Senate

  25. Set for hearing April 7.

    3/18/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Chaptered

    10/1/2025

    HTML

  • Enrolled

    9/16/2025

    HTML

  • Amended Assembly

    9/4/2025

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  • Amended Assembly

    7/2/2025

    HTML

  • Amended Assembly

    6/17/2025

    HTML

  • Amended Senate

    4/1/2025

    HTML

  • Introduced

    2/21/2025

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