CaliforniaCalifornia would bar some immigration enforcers from public jobs
If signed, California would generally bar certain former immigration enforcers from public jobs beginning January 1, 2028, while allowing an exception through POST approval.
What it does
Beginning January 1, 2028, people who previously worked as sworn law enforcement officers or contractors and personally engaged in immigration enforcement would generally be barred from California public jobs. POST approval would provide an exception.
Hiring agencies would review covered applicants before they enter basic police training. They could use verified public information and would decide suitability case by case under standards set by the POST Commission.
Applicants for peace-officer jobs or basic police training would have to report prior personal immigration-enforcement work under penalty of perjury. State job forms would ask the same question, but a disclosure alone would not require rejection.
Argument forMore detailed background checks could help agencies identify past immigration-enforcement work before deciding whether applicants are suitable for police training or public jobs.
Argument againstThe broad public-employment bar could prevent covered workers from holding many government jobs, even though POST approval may provide an exception.
More detail
Public agencies would have to disqualify a person from public employment if the person previously worked as a sworn law enforcement officer or contractor and personally engaged in immigration enforcement. This would cover state and local public jobs, including jobs with cities, counties, districts, and other public agencies, as well as peace-officer positions. The disqualification would not apply if the person is approved to enter a POST basic course. Immigration enforcement includes efforts to investigate or enforce federal civil immigration laws and certain federal criminal immigration laws. The rule would not restrict government agencies from sharing immigration-status information as allowed by federal law. The disqualification would begin January 1, 2028.
Hiring agencies would have to complete and review a background investigation before a covered applicant enters a POST basic course. This would apply to applicants who previously worked as sworn law enforcement officers or contractors and personally engaged in immigration enforcement. Agencies may consider news articles, verified social media posts, civil-complaint filings, and other verified sources. The agency would decide suitability case by case using POST rules and California peace-officer standards. The POST Commission would have to adopt suitability standards by January 1, 2028. The background investigation and suitability decision would be required before the applicant participates in the POST basic course; the Commission's suitability regulations would be due by January 1, 2028.
Applicants for peace-officer jobs or POST basic courses would have to disclose under penalty of perjury whether they previously engaged in the covered immigration-enforcement work. The declaration would apply to every applicant seeking appointment as a peace officer or enrollment in a POST-certified basic course. State employment forms would also ask applicants about that work. A knowingly false declaration would be treated as a false statement under penalty of perjury and considered in the suitability review. The declaration alone would not be enough to deny appointment, certification, or course enrollment. State hiring officials could refuse to examine or certify an applicant who had the covered work, unless the applicant had been approved to enter a POST basic course. The declaration and state-form requirements would apply when covered applicants seek peace-officer appointment, POST enrollment, or state employment; the supplied text does not state a separate effective date for these requirements.
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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
- Sep 30Vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom.Latest
- Sep 14Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 1
- Vote recorded AB 1896 GONZÁLEZ, M. Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 31Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 52. Noes 19. Page 7070.).Major
- Aug 31Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 7070.)
- Aug 31In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 30Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 10.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1896 Mark González et al. By Gonzalez. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 28Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 27Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 24From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.Major
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L., P.E. & R. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.Minor
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and L., P.E. & R.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 53. Noes 21. Page 5430.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 1896 Mark González Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Apr 14From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 23Referred to Coms. on P. E. & R. and PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 13From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
- Feb 12Read first time. To print.Introduced
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