CA SB 694
enactedDeceptive practices: service members and veterans.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did CA SB 694 pass?
Yes. CA SB 694 has been enacted into law as of 2026-02-10. Latest recorded action (2026-02-10): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 1, Statutes of 2026.
What is CA SB 694 about?
The Consumers Legal Remedies Act makes unlawful certain unfair methods of competition and certain unfair or deceptive acts or practices undertaken by a person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to a consumer, including charging or receiving an unreasonable fee, as defined, to prepare, aid, or advise any prospective applicant, applicant, or recipient in the procurement, maintenance, or securing of public social services, as defined to include, among other things, veterans pensions. This bill would expand the definition of public social services to also include other veterans benefits. The bill would also expand the definition of an unreasonable fee to include a fee charged with respect to federal veterans benefits that exceeds the amount that could be charged for those services by an attorney or claims agent accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Existing law prohibits a person from, in connection with any transaction or any sale of goods or services, electronically accessing a Common Access Card (CAC) issued to a service member, placing or requiring the placement of such a CAC in a smart card reader, requesting or requesting entry of the personal identification number (PIN) associated with such a CAC, or requiring a service member to log in to any United States Department of Defense or, in the case of a member of the United States Coast Guard, United States Department of Homeland Security computer system. Existing law makes void a transaction or sale entered into in violation of these provisions. This bill would extend the above-described restrictions to prohibit requiring a former or current service member to log in or share their credentials for accessing, or accessing with another person's credentials, any United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or United States Department of Homeland Security computer system. Except as provided, the bill would prohibit a person from, in connection with any transaction or any sale of goods or services, directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving, or attempting to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for benefits under the laws administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would also make void a contract performed in violation of these provisions. The bill would make violations of these provisions a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors CA SB 694?
Archuleta is the primary sponsor of CA SB 694, joined by 4 cosponsors.
Description
The Consumers Legal Remedies Act makes unlawful certain unfair methods of competition and certain unfair or deceptive acts or practices undertaken by a person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to a consumer, including charging or receiving an unreasonable fee, as defined, to prepare, aid, or advise any prospective applicant, applicant, or recipient in the procurement, maintenance, or securing of public social services, as defined to include, among other things, veterans pensions. This bill would expand the definition of public social services to also include other veterans benefits. The bill would also expand the definition of an unreasonable fee to include a fee charged with respect to federal veterans benefits that exceeds the amount that could be charged for those services by an attorney or claims agent accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Existing law prohibits a person from, in connection with any transaction or any sale of goods or services, electronically accessing a Common Access Card (CAC) issued to a service member, placing or requiring the placement of such a CAC in a smart card reader, requesting or requesting entry of the personal identification number (PIN) associated with such a CAC, or requiring a service member to log in to any United States Department of Defense or, in the case of a member of the United States Coast Guard, United States Department of Homeland Security computer system. Existing law makes void a transaction or sale entered into in violation of these provisions. This bill would extend the above-described restrictions to prohibit requiring a former or current service member to log in or share their credentials for accessing, or accessing with another person's credentials, any United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or United States Department of Homeland Security computer system. Except as provided, the bill would prohibit a person from, in connection with any transaction or any sale of goods or services, directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving, or attempting to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for benefits under the laws administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would also make void a contract performed in violation of these provisions. The bill would make violations of these provisions a misdemeanor. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
- Introduced
- 2025-02-21
- Latest action
- 2026-02-10 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 1, Statutes of 2026.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Archuletaauthor
- Cervantesauthor
- Schiavoprincipal coauthor
- Jeff Gonzalezcoauthor
- Stefanicoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2025-02-21
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,referral-committee
2025-02-24
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.
2025-02-24
Read first time.
reading-1
2025-03-05
Referred to Com. on M. & V.A.
referral-committee
2025-03-28
Set for hearing April 28.
2025-04-29
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 919.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-05-02
Set for hearing May 12.
2025-05-08
May 12 hearing postponed by committee.
2025-05-09
Set for hearing May 19.
2025-05-19
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2025-05-20
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
reading-1,reading-2
2025-05-23
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1137.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-05-23
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2025-05-29
Referred to Com. on M. & V.A.
referral-committee
2025-06-23
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-07-02
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-07-09
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-07-09
Coauthors revised.
2025-08-20
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-08-29
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 29).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-02
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-09-04
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 2927.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-04
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-08
From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on JUD. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 2570.) Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
committee-passage,referral-committee
2025-09-08
Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).
referral-committee
2025-09-09
From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 12. Noes 0. Page 2753.) (September 9). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
committee-passage,referral-committee
2026-01-26
Consent granted to take up without reference to file.
2026-01-26
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 25. Noes 6. Page 3280.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-01-26
Withdrawn from committee. (Ayes 29. Noes 9. Page 3280.)
withdrawal
2026-01-26
Ordered to unfinished business.
2026-01-30
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-02-10
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-02-10
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 1, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
Versions
Documents
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- text/html
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
Votes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
2025-04-28 · pass · 4-0
Member-level votes (5)
- McNerney: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Grove: other
Consent Calendar 2nd
2025-05-23 · pass · 36-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Becker: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Jones: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Stern: yes
- Limón: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Laird: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Niello: yes
- Strickland: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Umberg: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Grove: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Choi: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Dahle: other
- Alvarado-Gil: other
- Allen: other
- Reyes: other
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
2025-07-01 · pass · 6-0
Member-level votes (8)
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Davies: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Sharp-Collins: other
- Michelle Rodriguez: other
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-07-08 · pass · 11-0
Member-level votes (12)
- Bryan: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Papan: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Hart: yes
- Pacheco: other
Do pass.
2025-08-29 · pass · 14-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Ta: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Solache: yes
- Tangipa: other
SB 694 Archuleta Senate Third Reading By Schiavo
2025-09-04 · pass · 68-0
Member-level votes (79)
- Mark González: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Bains: yes
- Krell: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Berman: yes
- Ward: yes
- Hart: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Ellis: yes
- Lee: yes
- Ta: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Lackey: yes
- Soria: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Haney: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Fong: yes
- Patel: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Chen: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Gallagher: yes
- Solache: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Papan: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Addis: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- DeMaio: yes
- Davies: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Sharp-Collins: other
- Alanis: other
- Michelle Rodriguez: other
- Tangipa: other
- Blanca Rubio: other
- Hoover: other
- Wallis: other
- McKinnor: other
- Gipson: other
- Flora: other
- Ahrens: other
Be re-referred to the Committee on [Rules]
2025-09-09 · pass · 12-0
Member-level votes (13)
- Niello: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Allen: yes
- Stern: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Laird: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Durazo: other
W/O REF. TO FILE
2026-01-26 · pass · 25-6
Member-level votes (40)
- Blakespear: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Becker: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Stern: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Laird: yes
- Choi: yes
- Pérez: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Limón: yes
- Allen: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Umberg: no
- Seyarto: no
- Jones: no
- Menjivar: no
- Niello: no
- Grove: no
- Caballero: other
- Grayson: other
- Ochoa Bogh: other
- Dahle: other
- Weber Pierson: other
- Gonzalez: other
- Rubio: other
- Strickland: other
- Alvarado-Gil: other
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
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 694. 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.