CaliforniaCalifornia bar examination.
What it does
The State Bar Act provides for the licensure and regulation of attorneys by the State Bar of California, a public corporation governed by a board of trustees. Existing law authorizes the board of trustees to establish an examining committee, also known as the Committee of Bar Examiners, and requires an applicant for a license to practice law to pass the general bar examination, known as the California bar examination, given by the examining committee. Existing law prohibits the examining committee from altering the bar examination in a manner that requires the substantial modification of the training or preparation required for passage of the examination, except after giving 2 years' notice of that change.
More detail
Existing law requires the Committee of Bar Examiners, on or before November 30, 2026, to provide a report to the board of trustees, the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, and to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary on whether adopting a uniform bar examination would be more efficient to administer and lower the cost of administration for the State Bar and examinees.
This bill would require the examining committee, on January 1, 2029, to replace the California bar examination with the National Conference of Bar Examiners' Uniform Bar Examination or any successor or replacement of that exam.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 10Referred to Com. on JUD.Latest
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 5438.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2109 Dixon Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Mar 24From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (March 24).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Mar 17From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 2Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Feb 19From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
- Feb 18Read first time. To print.Introduced