Bill Commons

CA SB 342

enacted

Contractors: unlicensed work.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper

Follow this bill’s action updates (Atom)

Subscribe in a feed reader. The feed covers recorded actions from the last 30 days; Bill Commons may record an action after it happened at the legislature.

Quick answers

Did CA SB 342 pass?

Yes. CA SB 342 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-30): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 967, Statutes of 2026.

What is CA SB 342 about?

Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, establishes the Contractors State License Board in the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate contractors. Existing law prohibits a person engaging in the business or acting in the capacity of a contractor from recovering compensation for work performed that requires a contractor's license unless the person was a duly licensed contractor at all times during the performance of the act or contract, except as specified. This bill would further exempt from that prohibition an action for compensation arising from a contract for specified projects, including for a public work of improvement or a commercial or institutional construction project, and would, instead, authorize a person to maintain an action for compensation under one of those contracts if the person was a duly licensed contractor at the time the contract was executed and during the portion of the performance of the contract for which compensation is sought. Existing law authorizes a person who uses the services of an unlicensed contractor to bring an action to recover all compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for performance of any act or contract, except as provided. This bill would additionally exempt from that authorization an action for compensation arising from a contract for specified projects, including for a public work of improvement or a commercial or institutional construction project, and would, instead, authorize a person to bring an action under one of those contracts to recover the portion of compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for work performed during the time in which the contractor was unlicensed.

Who sponsors CA SB 342?

Umberg is the primary sponsor of CA SB 342, joined by 1 cosponsor.

Description

Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, establishes the Contractors State License Board in the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate contractors. Existing law prohibits a person engaging in the business or acting in the capacity of a contractor from recovering compensation for work performed that requires a contractor's license unless the person was a duly licensed contractor at all times during the performance of the act or contract, except as specified. This bill would further exempt from that prohibition an action for compensation arising from a contract for specified projects, including for a public work of improvement or a commercial or institutional construction project, and would, instead, authorize a person to maintain an action for compensation under one of those contracts if the person was a duly licensed contractor at the time the contract was executed and during the portion of the performance of the contract for which compensation is sought. Existing law authorizes a person who uses the services of an unlicensed contractor to bring an action to recover all compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for performance of any act or contract, except as provided. This bill would additionally exempt from that authorization an action for compensation arising from a contract for specified projects, including for a public work of improvement or a commercial or institutional construction project, and would, instead, authorize a person to bring an action under one of those contracts to recover the portion of compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for work performed during the time in which the contractor was unlicensed.

Introduced
2025-02-12
Latest action
2026-09-30 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 967, Statutes of 2026.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Umbergauthor
  • Wicksprincipal coauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-09-30

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 967, Statutes of 2026.

    became-law

  2. 2026-09-30

    Approved by the Governor.

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-09-08

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

    executive-receipt

  4. 2026-08-30

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  5. 2026-08-30

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. 2026-08-30

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

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

  7. 2026-08-30

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 6856.) Ordered to the Senate.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  8. 2026-08-27

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  9. 2026-08-26

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  10. 2026-08-25

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (August 25).

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

  11. 2026-08-24

    Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.

  12. 2026-08-20

    Re-referred to Com. on B. & P. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.

    referral-committee

  13. 2026-08-19

    Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-3

  14. 2026-08-19

    Read third time and amended.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3

  15. 2026-08-17

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  16. 2026-08-13

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).

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

  17. 2026-08-13

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  18. 2026-08-13

    Assembly Rule 63 suspended.

  19. 2026-08-05

    August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.

  20. 2026-07-01

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

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

  21. 2026-06-30

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (June 30).

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

  22. 2026-06-18

    Pursuant to Assembly Rule 51.

  23. 2026-06-18

    Referred to Com. on B. & P.

    referral-committee

  24. 2026-01-26

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    reading-1

  25. 2026-01-26

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 3283.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  26. 2026-01-22

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  27. 2026-01-22

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3268.) (January 22).

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  28. 2026-01-21

    Set for hearing January 22.

  29. 2026-01-20

    January 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  30. 2026-01-15

    Set for hearing January 20.

  31. 2026-01-14

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 3214.) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

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

  32. 2026-01-12

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 3203.) (January 12). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

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

  33. 2026-01-09

    Set for hearing January 13 in JUD. pending receipt.

  34. 2026-01-08

    Set for hearing January 12.

  35. 2026-01-05

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

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

  36. 2025-03-26

    Re-referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.

    referral-committee

  37. 2025-03-17

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

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

  38. 2025-02-19

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

    referral-committee

  39. 2025-02-13

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 15.

  40. 2025-02-12

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

    introduction,reading-1,referral-committee

Versions

  • 02/12/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-12Compare
  • 03/17/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-03-17Compare
  • 01/05/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-01-05Compare
  • 07/01/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-07-01Compare
  • 08/13/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-13Compare
  • 08/19/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-19Compare
  • 08/26/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-26Compare
  • 09/01/26 - Enrolled — 2026-09-01Compare
  • 09/30/26 - Chaptered — 2026-09-30Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare
  • SB342Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]

    2026-01-12 · pass · 9-0

    Member-level votes (11)
    • Grayson: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • Choi: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Niello: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Strickland: other
    • Menjivar: other

  • Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2026-01-13 · pass · 13-0

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

  • Placed on suspense file

    2026-01-20 · pass · 7-0

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

  • Do pass

    2026-01-22 · pass · 7-0

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

  • 3rd Reading

    2026-01-26 · pass · 39-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • Grayson: yes
    • Blakespear: yes
    • Reyes: yes
    • Cervantes: yes
    • Valladares: yes
    • Becker: yes
    • Jones: yes
    • Archuleta: yes
    • Cortese: yes
    • Cabaldon: yes
    • Umberg: yes
    • Seyarto: yes
    • Weber Pierson: yes
    • Ashby: yes
    • Hurtado: yes
    • Strickland: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Stern: yes
    • Durazo: yes
    • Wahab: yes
    • Laird: yes
    • Choi: yes
    • Alvarado-Gil: yes
    • Pérez: yes
    • McNerney: yes
    • Ochoa Bogh: yes
    • Dahle: yes
    • Padilla: yes
    • Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
    • Wiener: yes
    • Caballero: yes
    • Limón: yes
    • Allen: yes
    • Arreguín: yes
    • Richardson: yes
    • Rubio: yes
    • Menjivar: yes
    • Niello: yes
    • Grove: yes
    • Gonzalez: other

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

    2026-06-30 · pass · 17-0

    Member-level votes (19)
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Alanis: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Hadwick: yes
    • Macedo: yes
    • Chen: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Johnson: yes
    • Caloza: other
    • Bains: other

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB342

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-01T20:25:01.457668Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:

Bulk imports for this sessionSession dates and activity

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=CA&identifier=SB 342. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.
  • Some documents have no extracted text yet, so version comparison may be limited.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.