Bill Commons

CA SB 261

enacted

Division of Labor Standards Enforcement: orders, decisions, and awards.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper

Quick answers

Did CA SB 261 pass?

Yes. CA SB 261 has been enacted into law as of 2025-10-13. Latest recorded action (2025-10-13): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 747, Statutes of 2025.

What is CA SB 261 about?

Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, under the direction of the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the enforcement of labor laws. Existing law authorizes the commissioner to investigate employee complaints and to provide for a hearing in any action to recover wages, penalties, and other demands for compensation, as specified. Existing law provides that the judgment creditor, or the commissioner, as assignee of the judgment creditor, is entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney's fees for enforcing the judgment, as specified. This bill would instead require that the judgment creditor, or the Labor Commissioner or public prosecutor as assignee of the judgment creditor, be awarded the above-described court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Existing law provides for enforcement if a final judgment against an employer arising from the employer's nonpayment of wages for work performed in this state remains unsatisfied after specified periods of time, including prohibiting the employer from conducting business in the state, as specified, if a final judgment against the employer remains unsatisfied for 30 days. This bill would additionally require the judgment debtor to be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed 3 times the outstanding judgment amount if a final judgment arising from the nonpayment of work performed in this state remains unsatisfied after a period of 180 days, as provided. The bill would require a court to award a prevailing plaintiff all reasonable attorney's fees and costs in any action brought by a judgment creditor, the commissioner, or a public prosecutor to enforce a final judgment arising from the nonpayment of wages, penalties, or other amounts owed arising from work performed in this state, as provided. This bill would also make findings and declarations related to its provisions.

Who sponsors CA SB 261?

Wahab is the primary sponsor of CA SB 261, joined by 3 cosponsors.

Description

Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, under the direction of the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the enforcement of labor laws. Existing law authorizes the commissioner to investigate employee complaints and to provide for a hearing in any action to recover wages, penalties, and other demands for compensation, as specified. Existing law provides that the judgment creditor, or the commissioner, as assignee of the judgment creditor, is entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney's fees for enforcing the judgment, as specified. This bill would instead require that the judgment creditor, or the Labor Commissioner or public prosecutor as assignee of the judgment creditor, be awarded the above-described court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Existing law provides for enforcement if a final judgment against an employer arising from the employer's nonpayment of wages for work performed in this state remains unsatisfied after specified periods of time, including prohibiting the employer from conducting business in the state, as specified, if a final judgment against the employer remains unsatisfied for 30 days. This bill would additionally require the judgment debtor to be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed 3 times the outstanding judgment amount if a final judgment arising from the nonpayment of work performed in this state remains unsatisfied after a period of 180 days, as provided. The bill would require a court to award a prevailing plaintiff all reasonable attorney's fees and costs in any action brought by a judgment creditor, the commissioner, or a public prosecutor to enforce a final judgment arising from the nonpayment of wages, penalties, or other amounts owed arising from work performed in this state, as provided. This bill would also make findings and declarations related to its provisions.

Introduced
2025-02-03
Latest action
2025-10-13 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 747, Statutes of 2025.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Wahabauthor
  • Wienerauthor
  • Cortesecoauthor
  • Kalracoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-02-03

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    introduction,reading-1,referral-committee

  2. 2025-02-04

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.

  3. 2025-02-14

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

    referral-committee

  4. 2025-03-17

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.

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

  5. 2025-03-18

    Set for hearing March 26.

  6. 2025-03-26

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 4. Noes 1. Page 567.) (March 26).

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

  7. 2025-03-27

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

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

  8. 2025-04-01

    Set for hearing April 8.

  9. 2025-04-09

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 705.) (April 8).

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

  10. 2025-04-10

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

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

  11. 2025-04-17

    Set for hearing April 28.

  12. 2025-04-28

    April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  13. 2025-05-16

    Set for hearing May 23.

  14. 2025-05-23

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  15. 2025-05-23

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1193.) (May 23).

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

  16. 2025-05-27

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  17. 2025-06-04

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 6. Page 1514.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  18. 2025-06-05

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    reading-1

  19. 2025-06-16

    Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and JUD.

    referral-committee

  20. 2025-07-10

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 9). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

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

  21. 2025-07-16

    Coauthors revised.

  22. 2025-07-16

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

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

  23. 2025-08-20

    August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  24. 2025-08-29

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).

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

  25. 2025-09-02

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  26. 2025-09-03

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  27. 2025-09-08

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 71. Noes 1. Page 2997.) Ordered to the Senate.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  28. 2025-09-08

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  29. 2025-09-09

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 6. Page 2710.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

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

  30. 2025-09-16

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

    executive-receipt

  31. 2025-10-13

    Approved by the Governor.

    executive-signature

  32. 2025-10-13

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 747, Statutes of 2025.

    became-law

Versions

  • 02/03/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-03Compare
  • 03/17/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-03-17Compare
  • 03/27/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-03-27Compare
  • 04/10/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-10Compare
  • 05/23/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-05-23Compare
  • 09/02/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-09-02Compare
  • 09/12/25 - Enrolled — 2025-09-12Compare
  • 10/13/25 - Chaptered — 2025-10-13Compare
  • SB261Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Judiciary]

    2025-03-26 · pass · 4-1

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Laird: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Strickland: no

  • Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2025-04-08 · pass · 11-0

    Member-level votes (13)
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Niello: other
    • Valladares: other

  • Placed on suspense file

    2025-04-28 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Dahle: yes

  • Do pass as amended

    2025-05-23 · pass · 5-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Caballero: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Dahle: other
    • Seyarto: other

  • 3rd Reading SB261 Wahab et al.

    2025-06-04 · pass · 29-6

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Durazo: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Limón: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • McNerney: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Becker: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Jones: no
    • Strickland: no
    • Seyarto: no
    • Alvarado-Gil: no
    • Dahle: no
    • Grove: no
    • Reyes: other
    • Valladares: other
    • Ochoa Bogh: other
    • Choi: other
    • Niello: other

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

    2025-07-09 · pass · 7-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Kalra: yes
    • Ortega: yes
    • Ward: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Flora: yes
    • Chen: yes

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

    2025-07-15 · pass · 11-0

    Member-level votes (12)
    • Stefani: yes
    • Dixon: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Sanchez: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Zbur: yes
    • Macedo: other

  • Do pass as amended.

    2025-08-29 · pass · 11-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Arambula: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Sanchez: other
    • Ta: other
    • Tangipa: other
    • Dixon: other

  • SB 261 Wahab Senate Third Reading By Kalra

    2025-09-08 · pass · 71-1

    Member-level votes (80)
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Mark González: yes
    • Dixon: yes
    • Quirk-Silva: yes
    • Gipson: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Ward: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Fong: yes
    • Calderon: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Wilson: yes
    • Carrillo: yes
    • Bains: yes
    • Ransom: yes
    • Soria: yes
    • Michelle Rodriguez: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Valencia: yes
    • Wicks: yes
    • Celeste Rodriguez: yes
    • Arambula: yes
    • Connolly: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Bennett: yes
    • Papan: yes
    • Schiavo: yes
    • Bonta: yes
    • Ávila Farías: yes
    • Aguiar-Curry: yes
    • Jeff Gonzalez: yes
    • Pacheco: yes
    • Boerner: yes
    • Alvarez: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • Alanis: yes
    • Wallis: yes
    • Patterson: yes
    • Stefani: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Hoover: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Ortega: yes
    • Solache: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Blanca Rubio: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Bryan: yes
    • Gallagher: yes
    • Petrie-Norris: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Gabriel: yes
    • Zbur: yes
    • Davies: yes
    • McKinnor: yes
    • DeMaio: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Muratsuchi: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Ramos: yes
    • Patel: yes
    • Kalra: yes
    • Sanchez: yes
    • Rivas: yes
    • Chen: yes
    • Flora: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Johnson: no
    • Nguyen: other
    • Hadwick: other
    • Tangipa: other
    • Lackey: other
    • Macedo: other
    • Castillo: other
    • Ellis: other
    • Ta: other

  • Unfinished Business SB261 Wahab et al. Concurrence

    2025-09-09 · pass · 30-6

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Richardson: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • McNerney: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Becker: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Limón: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • Reyes: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Grayson: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Gonzalez: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Dahle: no
    • Grove: no
    • Jones: no
    • Seyarto: no
    • Strickland: no
    • Alvarado-Gil: no
    • Choi: other
    • Niello: other
    • Ochoa Bogh: other
    • Valladares: other

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z

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