2025/2026 Legislative Accomplishments
As California’s 2025–2026 legislative session comes to a close, the Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP) is celebrating meaningful progress across our policy priorities—including two major wins that will strengthen career and employment pathways for justice-involved Californians, and a commonsense transparency measure addressing a costly problem for California renters and housing providers alike.
This year, MCPP helped secure a $5 million state investment for Jails to Jobs, creating new workforce education and employment infrastructure for people navigating the justice system in Los Angeles County. We also celebrated Governor Newsom’s signature of AB 2483, our co-sponsored legislation expanding pathways for California’s incarcerated firefighters to turn their experience and training into careers with CAL FIRE after their release.
Together, these accomplishments advance a shared principle at the heart of our economic mobility work: people should have meaningful opportunities to translate their skills, training, and experience into careers that provide economic stability and strengthen their communities.
Additionally, MCPP sponsored SB 1296, the Pet Policy Transparency Act, this legislative session. The bill, which passed into law with significant bipartisan support, will require housing providers to disclose written pet policies earlier in the rental process, helping renters identify viable homes before paying to apply while saving providers from processing applications that are not a fit.
Beyond these MCPP-led priorities, we were proud to support legislation advancing veterinary access, animal welfare, workforce development, and other efforts to create a more just and equitable California.
MCPP-Led Legislative & Budget Accomplishments
Jails to Jobs – $5 Million State Budget Investment
Legislative Champions: Assemblymember Tina McKinnor & Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
MCPP Position: Co-Sponsor
Final Outcome: Funded in the 2026–27 State Budget
MCPP, in partnership with Vera Institute of Justice and NextGen Policy, helped secure a one-time $5 million state investment to launch a Jails to Jobs pilot program in Los Angeles County. The investment will help build workforce education infrastructure, strengthen employer partnerships, and provide technical assistance to educate employers and workers about labor laws, workplace rights, and employment requirements affecting individuals navigating pending criminal cases.
By connecting people to employment opportunities and helping employers better understand how to hire justice-involved workers, the initiative is designed to reduce unnecessary barriers to work and strengthen long-term economic mobility.
AB 2483 – Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification & Employment
Author: Assemblymember Sade Elhawary
MCPP Position: Co-Sponsor
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
The measure passed the Legislature without opposition, including a 40–0 vote in the Senate and 77–0 Assembly concurrence vote.
The new law strengthens career pathways for people who receive extensive firefighting training and gain frontline experience while incarcerated in California’s conservation fire camps, ensuring that their hard-earned experience can follow them home and support a pathway to a career. It will:
Establish a standardized process so eligible incarcerated firefighters receive official documentation of the training they complete;
Provide a hiring preference for qualified formerly incarcerated applicants seeking CAL FIRE Fire Fighter I positions; and
Allow qualifying firefighting and fire-prevention training and experience earned while incarcerated to count toward minimum qualifications for Forestry Technician positions.
The measure builds on MCPP’s broader work to reduce unnecessary employment barriers for justice-involved Californians while helping California develop a skilled workforce prepared to protect communities from increasingly severe wildfires.
SB 1296 – Pet Policy Transparency Act
Author: Senator María Elena Durazo
MCPP Position: Sponsor
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
Passed both houses of the Legislature without opposition, including a 74–0 Assembly vote and 39–0 Senate concurrence vote.
The measure will require landlords to provide prospective tenants with written information about a property's pet policy as part of the rental application process, including whether pets are permitted and applicable restrictions, deposits, or other requirements. By making pet policies clear upfront, this new law will help renters with pets avoid wasting time and money applying for housing that doesn’t meet their needs.
Additional MCPP Supported Legislation
MCPP was also proud to support legislation aligned with our broader policy agenda across smart justice, workforce development, animal welfare, housing, and philanthropy & charitable giving.
Workforce & Economic Mobility
SB 1012 – Wildfire Workforce Reentry
Author: Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
MCPP Position: Support
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom.
Establishes workforce pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals with wildfire camp experience to enter apprenticeship programs in vegetation management and wildfire mitigation, expanding reentry employment opportunities while helping address California's wildfire workforce needs.
AB 2301 – Nursing Workforce Pilot Program
Author: Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria
MCPP Position: Support
Final Outcome: Passed the Legislature; Vetoed by Governor Newsom.
Would have established a community college Bachelor of Science in Nursing pilot program to expand educational pathways and strengthen California's nursing workforce pipeline.
Animal Welfare & Veterinary Access
AB 1999 – Veterinary Practice Modernization
Author: Assemblymember Ash Kalra
MCPP Position: Support
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom.
Modernizes California's Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, making changes intended to expand access to veterinary services and make it easier for qualified veterinary professionals—including retired volunteer and out-of-state veterinarians—to support shelter veterinary care.
AB 2010 – Spay and Neuter Services
Author: Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria
MCPP Position: Support
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom.
Modernizes requirements governing high-volume spay and neuter services, helping expand the ability of veterinary professionals and animal welfare organizations to provide efficient, high-quality sterilization services while maintaining clinical standards.
Housing Stability & Transparency
SB 1160 – Eviction Data Transparency
Author: Senator Maria Elena Durazo
MCPP Position: Support
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
Expands public access to eviction filing and outcome data across California, helping researchers, policymakers, and communities better understand eviction trends and supporting more evidence-based approaches to housing stability and homelessness prevention.
Philanthropy & Charitable Giving
SB 1288 – Nonprobate Transfer Modernization
Author: Senator John Lair
MCPP Position: Support
Final Outcome: Signed into law by Governor Newsom.
Modernizes California's nonprobate transfer laws by reducing administrative barriers for nonprofit organizations receiving planned gifts. The measure helps charitable beneficiaries more efficiently receive donor-designated assets while preserving donor intent.
Looking Ahead
The close of the 2025–2026 legislative session marks an important milestone, but the work continues. In the months ahead, MCPP will work with our partners to support implementation of newly enacted policies, build on lessons from this legislative cycle, and identify opportunities to advance policies that expand economic mobility, strengthen communities, and remove unnecessary barriers for Californians.
We are grateful to the legislative champions, coalition partners, advocates, community organizations, and stakeholders whose expertise and partnership helped move this work forward throughout the session.