Bill Commons

CA AB 2120

enacted

School district employees: merit system.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did CA AB 2120 pass?

Yes. CA AB 2120 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-18): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 289, Statutes of 2026.

What is CA AB 2120 about?

(1) Existing law requires vacancies in the classified service of a school district that has adopted the merit system to be filled by appointments made from eligible applicants having the first 3 ranks on the applicable eligibility list who are ready and willing to accept the position. Notwithstanding that provision, existing law authorizes, until January 1, 2027, the Los Angeles Unified School District to make an appointment to one of specified classifications of positions, including, among others, an information technology electronic communications technician, to be made from other than the first 3 ranks on the eligibility list if one or more of specified criteria are required for successful job performance of the position filled, in which case existing law requires the appointment to be made from among the highest 3 ranks of eligible candidates on the list who meet the special requirements and are ready and willing to accept the position. Under existing law, any person who willfully or through culpable negligence violates certain provisions that apply to school district merit systems is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would, for purposes of the above-described provision, remove the classification of information technology electronic communications technician from the list of specified classifications and would extend until January 1, 2031, the Los Angeles Unified School District's authority to make an appointment from other than the first 3 ranks on the eligibility list. By extending the operation of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Los Angeles Unified School District, on or before January 1, 2030, to submit a report to the Legislature on the use of an exemption to the merit process as authorized by the above-described provisions, as provided. (2) Existing law requires that when classified employees are subject to layoff for lack of work or lack of funds, the order of layoff within the class be determined by length of service, providing that the employee who has been employed the shortest time in the class, plus higher classes, be laid off first. Existing law requires that reemployment be in order of seniority. This bill would, notwithstanding the above-described provisions, authorize the Los Angeles Unified School District to retain a classified employee hired pursuant to specified provisions, without regard to seniority, if the employee's layoff would deprive the district of certain specified qualifications that was the basis for the employee's original employment. (3) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Los Angeles Unified School District. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. (4) This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Who sponsors CA AB 2120?

Solache is the primary sponsor of CA AB 2120.

Description

(1) Existing law requires vacancies in the classified service of a school district that has adopted the merit system to be filled by appointments made from eligible applicants having the first 3 ranks on the applicable eligibility list who are ready and willing to accept the position. Notwithstanding that provision, existing law authorizes, until January 1, 2027, the Los Angeles Unified School District to make an appointment to one of specified classifications of positions, including, among others, an information technology electronic communications technician, to be made from other than the first 3 ranks on the eligibility list if one or more of specified criteria are required for successful job performance of the position filled, in which case existing law requires the appointment to be made from among the highest 3 ranks of eligible candidates on the list who meet the special requirements and are ready and willing to accept the position. Under existing law, any person who willfully or through culpable negligence violates certain provisions that apply to school district merit systems is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would, for purposes of the above-described provision, remove the classification of information technology electronic communications technician from the list of specified classifications and would extend until January 1, 2031, the Los Angeles Unified School District's authority to make an appointment from other than the first 3 ranks on the eligibility list. By extending the operation of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Los Angeles Unified School District, on or before January 1, 2030, to submit a report to the Legislature on the use of an exemption to the merit process as authorized by the above-described provisions, as provided. (2) Existing law requires that when classified employees are subject to layoff for lack of work or lack of funds, the order of layoff within the class be determined by length of service, providing that the employee who has been employed the shortest time in the class, plus higher classes, be laid off first. Existing law requires that reemployment be in order of seniority. This bill would, notwithstanding the above-described provisions, authorize the Los Angeles Unified School District to retain a classified employee hired pursuant to specified provisions, without regard to seniority, if the employee's layoff would deprive the district of certain specified qualifications that was the basis for the employee's original employment. (3) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Los Angeles Unified School District. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. (4) This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Introduced
2026-06-10
Latest action
2026-09-18 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 289, Statutes of 2026.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Solacheauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-09-18

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 289, Statutes of 2026.

    became-law

  2. 2026-09-18

    Approved by the Governor.

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-08-20

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

  4. 2026-08-13

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0.).

  5. 2026-08-13

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 6138.).

    amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  6. 2026-08-11

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  7. 2026-08-10

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

  8. 2026-08-10

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5323.).

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  9. 2026-08-04

    Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

  10. 2026-08-03

    From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.

    committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  11. 2026-07-02

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  12. 2026-06-22

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED.

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  13. 2026-06-11

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

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  14. 2026-06-10

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 10).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee

  15. 2026-05-27

    Referred to Coms. on L., P.E. & R. and ED.

    referral-committee

  16. 2026-05-14

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

    reading-1,referral-committee

  17. 2026-05-14

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5047.)

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  18. 2026-05-07

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  19. 2026-05-06

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  20. 2026-04-23

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  21. 2026-04-08

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on ED.

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee

  22. 2026-03-09

    Referred to Coms. on P. E. & R. and ED.

    referral-committee

  23. 2026-02-19

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

  24. 2026-02-18

    Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

Versions

  • 02/18/26 - Introduced — 2026-02-18Compare
  • 06/11/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-06-11Compare
  • 06/22/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-06-22Compare
  • 08/17/26 - Enrolled — 2026-08-17Compare
  • 09/18/26 - Chaptered — 2026-09-18Compare
  • AB2120Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Education]

    2026-04-08 · pass · 6-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Lackey: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Boerner: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • Alanis: other
  • Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

    2026-04-22 · pass · 9-0

    Member-level votes (9)
    • Bonta: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Alvarez: yes
    • Zbur: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Hoover: yes
    • Castillo: yes
  • Do pass.

    2026-05-06 · pass · 14-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Tangipa: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Dixon: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Ta: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Hoover: yes
    • Arambula: other
  • AB 2120 Solache Assembly Third Reading

    2026-05-14 · pass · 77-0

    Member-level votes (80)
    • Petrie-Norris: yes
    • Chen: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Blanca Rubio: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Johnson: yes
    • Wallis: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Macedo: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Soria: yes
    • Muratsuchi: yes
    • Sanchez: yes
    • Quirk-Silva: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Wilson: yes
    • DeMaio: yes
    • Lackey: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Ortega: yes
    • Jeff Gonzalez: yes
    • Dixon: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Davies: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Ransom: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Bennett: yes
    • Ward: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Alvarez: yes
    • Carrillo: yes
    • Ta: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • Zbur: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Bains: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • Alanis: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Ramos: yes
    • Tangipa: yes
    • Rivas: yes
    • Gallagher: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Stefani: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Ellis: yes
    • Bonta: yes
    • Ávila Farías: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Valencia: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Hoover: yes
    • Gipson: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Gabriel: yes
    • Patterson: yes
    • Castillo: yes
    • Hadwick: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Boerner: yes
    • Arambula: other
    • Celeste Rodriguez: other
    • Flora: other
  • Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Education]

    2026-06-10 · pass · 5-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Durazo: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Strickland: yes
  • Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

    2026-07-01 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Ochoa Bogh: yes
    • Reyes: yes
    • Choi: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Cortese: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-21T02:53:48.612860Z

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