Bill Commons

CA SB 779

enacted

Contractors: civil penalties.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper

Quick answers

Did CA SB 779 pass?

Yes. CA SB 779 has been enacted into law as of 2025-10-01. Latest recorded action (2025-10-01): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 233, Statutes of 2025.

What is CA SB 779 about?

Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of contractors by the Contractors State License Board in the Department of Consumer Affairs. Under existing law, willful or deliberate disregard by a licensed contractor of various state building, labor, and safety laws constitutes a cause for disciplinary action by the board. Existing law provides for related disciplinary proceedings and requires the board to promulgate regulations covering the assessment of civil penalties under those disciplinary provisions, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes a civil penalty not less than $200 and not to exceed $15,000 for certain violations relating to unlicensed persons, as specified. Existing law authorizes a civil penalty not to exceed $8,000 or $30,000 for other violations of the Contractors State License Law, as provided. This bill, commencing July 1, 2026, would increase the minimum civil penalties for violations related to unlicensed persons to at least $1,500 and would impose minimum civil penalties of at least $500 or $1,500 for other specified violations, as provided. The bill would also authorize the Contractors State License Board to adjust the amounts of these minimum civil penalties for inflation every 5 years, as provided. Existing law authorizes the board to set specified fees according to a prescribed schedule. Existing law, notwithstanding this fee schedule, authorizes the board to set fees to maintain the amount of the reserve fund at a level not to exceed approximately 6 months of annual authorized board expenditures. This bill would increase the above-described limit on the reserve fund to a level not to exceed approximately 12 months of annual authorized board expenditures. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 7099.2 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 291 to be operative only if this bill and SB 291 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Who sponsors CA SB 779?

Archuleta is the primary sponsor of CA SB 779.

Description

Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of contractors by the Contractors State License Board in the Department of Consumer Affairs. Under existing law, willful or deliberate disregard by a licensed contractor of various state building, labor, and safety laws constitutes a cause for disciplinary action by the board. Existing law provides for related disciplinary proceedings and requires the board to promulgate regulations covering the assessment of civil penalties under those disciplinary provisions, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes a civil penalty not less than $200 and not to exceed $15,000 for certain violations relating to unlicensed persons, as specified. Existing law authorizes a civil penalty not to exceed $8,000 or $30,000 for other violations of the Contractors State License Law, as provided. This bill, commencing July 1, 2026, would increase the minimum civil penalties for violations related to unlicensed persons to at least $1,500 and would impose minimum civil penalties of at least $500 or $1,500 for other specified violations, as provided. The bill would also authorize the Contractors State License Board to adjust the amounts of these minimum civil penalties for inflation every 5 years, as provided. Existing law authorizes the board to set specified fees according to a prescribed schedule. Existing law, notwithstanding this fee schedule, authorizes the board to set fees to maintain the amount of the reserve fund at a level not to exceed approximately 6 months of annual authorized board expenditures. This bill would increase the above-described limit on the reserve fund to a level not to exceed approximately 12 months of annual authorized board expenditures. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 7099.2 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 291 to be operative only if this bill and SB 291 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Introduced
2025-02-21
Latest action
2025-10-01 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 233, Statutes of 2025.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Archuletaauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-02-21

    Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    introduction,referral-committee

  2. 2025-02-24

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

  3. 2025-02-24

    Read first time.

    reading-1

  4. 2025-03-12

    Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.

    referral-committee

  5. 2025-03-18

    Set for hearing April 7.

  6. 2025-04-01

    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

  7. 2025-04-04

    Set for hearing April 22 in JUD. pending receipt.

  8. 2025-04-07

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 680.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

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

  9. 2025-04-23

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 837.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

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

  10. 2025-04-25

    Set for hearing May 5.

  11. 2025-05-05

    From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

    committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  12. 2025-05-06

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  13. 2025-06-03

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1471.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  14. 2025-06-04

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    reading-1

  15. 2025-06-09

    Referred to Com. on B. & P.

    referral-committee

  16. 2025-06-17

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

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

  17. 2025-07-01

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (July 1).

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

  18. 2025-07-02

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

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

  19. 2025-07-16

    July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  20. 2025-08-29

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  21. 2025-09-02

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-2,reading-3

  22. 2025-09-04

    Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1,reading-3

  23. 2025-09-04

    Read third time and amended.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3

  24. 2025-09-09

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3079.) Ordered to the Senate.

    passage,reading-1,reading-3

  25. 2025-09-09

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  26. 2025-09-11

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2876.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

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

  27. 2025-09-22

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.

    executive-receipt

  28. 2025-10-01

    Approved by the Governor.

    executive-signature

  29. 2025-10-01

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 233, Statutes of 2025.

    became-law

Versions

  • 02/21/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-21Compare
  • 04/01/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-01Compare
  • 06/17/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-06-17Compare
  • 07/02/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-07-02Compare
  • 09/04/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-09-04Compare
  • 09/16/25 - Enrolled — 2025-09-16Compare
  • 10/01/25 - Chaptered — 2025-10-01Compare
  • SB779Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

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

    2025-04-07 · pass · 10-0

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

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

    2025-04-22 · pass · 13-0

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

  • 3rd Reading

    2025-06-03 · pass · 39-0

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

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

    2025-07-01 · pass · 17-0

    Member-level votes (18)
    • Alanis: yes
    • Chen: yes
    • Caloza: yes
    • Bains: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Hadwick: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Flora: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Krell: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Macedo: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Ahrens: other

  • Do pass.

    2025-08-29 · pass · 15-0

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

  • SB 779 Archuleta Senate Third Reading By Berman

    2025-09-09 · pass · 80-0

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

  • Unfinished Business SB779 Archuleta Concurrence

    2025-09-11 · pass · 40-0

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

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB779

Attribution

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

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

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