The 2025–26 session is the current session of the California State Legislature, composed of 40 members of the State Senate and 80 members of the State Assembly. The session first convened in Sacramento, California, on December 2, 2024, and will end on November 30, 2026, concurrent with the final two years of governor Gavin Newsom's second term.
Following the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, in which former president Donald Trump was elected to a second non-consecutive term, governor Newsom called for a special legislative session to "protect California values" and safeguard against Trump's policies.
The 2025–26 session is made up of a record 49% women, with 37 in the Assembly and 21 in the Senate. With women making up 50% of Assembly Democrats, 50% of Senate Republicans and 52% of Senate Democrats.
Major events
June 6, 2025: Crossover deadline for bills to pass one house.
Vacancies and special elections November 30, 2024: Republican senator Janet Nguyen (36th–Huntington Beach) resigns before the session begins to join the Orange County Board of Supervisors. March 3, 2025: Republican businessman Stan Ellis (Bakersfield) is sworn into office after winning the February 25 special election to the 32nd State Assembly district to replace Fong. March 11, 2025: Republican mayor Tony Strickland (Huntington Beach) is sworn into office after winning the February 25 special election to replace Nguyen. April 1, 2025: Republican assemblymember Bill Essayli (63rd–Corona) resigns to become interim U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. September 8, 2025: Republican mayor Natasha Johnson (Lake Elsinore) is sworn into office after winning the August 26 special election to replace Essayli. June 9, 2026: Republican assemblymember James Gallagher (3rd–East Nicolaus) resigns after winning the June 2 special election to the 1st congressional district to fill the vacant seat left by the death of congressman Doug LaMalfa on January 6.
Leadership changes September 16, 2025: Republican assemblymember Heath Flora (9th–Ripon) replaces assemblymember James Gallagher (3rd–Yuba City) as minority leader, as Gallagher was termed out at the end of the session. November 17, 2025: Democratic senator Monique Limón (21st–Santa Barbara) replaces senator Mike McGuire (2nd–Healdsburg) as president pro tempore of the Senate. August 3, 2026: Republican assemblymember Alexandra Macedo (33rd–Tulare) replaces assemblymemberHeath Flora (9th–Ripon) after Flora was ousted as minority leader.
Legislation The following bills were signed or vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2025 or 2026, were referred to the ballot by the legislature, or are awaiting gubernatorial action.
Particularly notable legislation includes:
in September 2025, a package of energy legislation including: AB 825 (amended SB 540) which pushes forward California joining a western grid, allowing for a regional transmission organization (RTO) instead of the California-only CAISO
Signed AB 130 – exempts most infill housing development from review under the California Environmental Quality Act. SB 131 – exempts certain other projects from CEQA review, including advanced manufacturing in industrial districts, high-speed rail, and wildfire mitigation. No Secret Police Act (SB 627) – prohibits certain federal and local law enforcement agencies from wearing masks while carrying out most operations AB 49 – requires that families be notified when immigration enforcement comes on school campuses, and requires a judicial warrant or court order for ICE to request student information SB 81 – requires a judicial warrant or court order for ICE to access emergency rooms and other non-public hospital areas SB 53 – requires large AI developers to publicly disclose protocols for development of frontier artificial intelligence models and develop safety policies, and holds such companies civilly liable for violations. AB 288 – allowing California workers covered under the National Labor Relations Act as of January 1, 2025 to petition the California Public Employee Relations Board when the federal National Labor Relations Board does not respond to unfair labor practice challenges, issue bargaining orders or respond to certification petitions within six months; creating the PERB Enforcement Fund sustained by civil penalties from employers found in violation of labor laws. SB 398 – criminalizes offering payments, other valuable items and chance to win a lottery or prize-drawing contest to incentivize voting or voter registration. AB 30 – allowing E15 fuel to be sold in California while the state studies its environmental impact. AB 8 – regulate intoxicating hemp products. SB 9 (Arreguín), which would authorize the HCD to void any local ADU ordinances which violate state law and apply state ADU standards until the local government passes remedial measures; AB 1154 (Carrillo), which aligns standards for all ADUs under 500 square feet; AB 413 (Fong) would require the HCD to translate key state housing guidelines and handbooks into the non-English languages commonly spoken in California SB 79 (Wiener), which would allow upzoning and rezoning near rail stations, rapid bus lines and other transit-oriented development zones within a half-mile of public transit stops, including in areas currently zoned only for single-family homes; AB 1061 (Quirk-Silva), allowing the HOME Act to be used in designated historic districts as long as an existing historic structure is not altered or demolished; AB 1308 (Hoover), establishing a 10-day period for inspecting small residential projects; AB 253 (Ward), allowing home builders to hire a licensed and certified third-party reviewer.; SB 543 (McNerney) codifies existing HCD guidance regarding ADUs and Junior ADUs (JADUs) AB 715 (Zbur) establishing a new Office of Civil Rights and an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator who would help track and report antisemitism in schools
Referred to ballot measure
2025 California Proposition 50 – Amend the California Constitution to allow the state to use a new congressional district map for 2026 through 2030 (Passed on November 4, 2025 statewide ballot) SB 42 – repeals the ban on public financing of elections in California, extending to all cities and counties the ability to create programs for publicly financed elections (sent to November 2026 statewide ballot).
State Senate 3010 Democratic Republican
Officers Position Name Party District Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis Democratic President pro tempore Mike McGuire Democratic 2nd–Healdsburg Majority leader Lena Gonzalez Democratic 33rd-Long Beach Assistant majority leader Angelique Ashby Democratic 8th-Sacramento Aisha Wahab Democratic 10th-Hayward Democratic Caucus Chair Monique Limón Democratic 21st–Santa Barbara Majority whip Dave Cortese Democratic 15th–Los Gatos Assistant majority whips Maria Elena Durazo Democratic 26th–Los Angeles Steve Padilla Democratic 18th–Chula Vista Minority leader Brian Jones Republican 40th–Santee Secretary Erika Contreras Sergeant-at-Arms Katrina Rodriguez Chaplain Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM
The Secretary, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the chaplain are not members of the Legislature.
Members District Name Party Residence Term-limited? Notes 1 Megan Dahle Republican Bieber 2 Mike McGuire Democratic Healdsburg Yes President pro tempore until November 17, 2025 3 Christopher Cabaldon Democratic West Sacramento 4 Marie Alvarado-Gil Republican Jackson 5 Jerry McNerney Democratic Stockton 6 Roger Niello Republican Fair Oaks 7 Jesse Arreguín Democratic Berkeley 8 Angelique Ashby Democratic Sacramento 9 Tim Grayson Democratic Concord 10 Aisha Wahab Democratic Hayward 11 Scott Wiener Democratic San Francisco 12 Shannon Grove Republican Bakersfield Yes 13 Josh Becker Democratic Menlo Park 14 Anna Caballero Democratic Merced Yes 15 Dave Cortese Democratic San Jose 16 Melissa Hurtado Democratic Bakersfield 17 John Laird Democratic Santa Cruz 18 Steve Padilla Democratic Chula Vista 19 Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh Republican Yucaipa 20 Caroline Menjivar Democratic Los Angeles 21 Monique Limón Democratic Santa Barbara President pro tempore from November 17, 2025 22 Susan Rubio Democratic Baldwin Park 23 Suzette Martinez Valladares Republican Santa Clarita 24 Ben Allen Democratic Santa Monica Yes 25 Sasha Renée Pérez Democratic Alhambra 26 María Elena Durazo Democratic Los Angeles 27 Henry Stern Democratic Malibu 28 Lola Smallwood-Cuevas Democratic Los Angeles 29 Eloise Reyes Democratic Grand Terrace 30 Bob Archuleta Democratic Pico Rivera 31 Sabrina Cervantes Democratic Corona 32 Kelly Seyarto Republican Murrieta 33 Lena Gonzalez Democratic Long Beach Majority leader 34 Tom Umberg Democratic Santa Ana Yes 35 Laura Richardson Democratic Long Beach 36 Tony Strickland Republican Huntington Beach 37 Steven Choi Republican Irvine 38 Catherine Blakespear Democratic Encinitas 39 Akilah Weber Democratic San Diego 40 Brian Jones Republican Santee Yes Minority leader
State Assembly 60119 Democratic Republican
Officers Position Name Party District Speaker Robert A. Rivas Democratic 29th–Hollister Speaker pro tempore Josh Lowenthal Democratic 69th–Long Beach Assistant speaker pro tempore Celeste Rodriguez Democratic 43rd-San Fernando Majority leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry Democratic 4th–Winters Assistant majority leader Robert Garcia Democratic 50th-Rancho Cucamonga Assistant majority leader for policy and research LaShae Sharp-Collins Democratic 79th–San Diego Majority whip Mark Gonzalez Democratic 54th–Los Angeles Assistant majority whip Michelle Rodriguez Democratic 53rd–Pomona Jessica Caloza Democratic 52nd–Los Angeles Democratic caucus chair Rick Zbur Democratic 51st–Los Angeles Republican leader James Gallagher (until September 16, 2025) Republican 3rd–East Nicolaus Heath Flora (until August 3, 2026)9th–Lodi Alexandra Macedo (after August 3, 2026)33rd–Tulare Republican floor leader Heath Flora (until September 16, 2025) Republican 9th–Lodi Kate Sanchez (until August 3, 2026)71st–Trabuco Canyon Josh Hoover (after August 3, 2026)7th–Palmdale Republican caucus chair Tom Lackey (until September 24, 2025) Republican 34th–Palmdale Juan Alanis (until August 3, 2026)22nd–Modesto Natasha Johnson (after August 3, 2026)63rd–Lake Elsinore Republican deputy floor leader Kate Sanchez (until September 24, 2025) Republican 71st–Rancho Santa Margarita Heather Hadwick (until August 3, 2026)1st–Alturas Joe Patterson (after August 3, 2026)Republican5th–Rocklin Republican deputy leader (fiscal) Diane Dixon Republican 72nd–Newport Beach Republican deputy leader (policy) Joe Patterson Republican 5th–Rocklin Republican deputy leader (operations) Juan Alanis Republican 22nd–Modesto Republican deputy leader (external relations) Laurie Davies Republican 74th–Laguna Niguel Republican chief whip Tri Ta (until September 15, 2025) Republican 70th–Westminster Alexandra Macedo (until August 3, 2026)33rd–Tulare David Tangipa (after August 3, 2026)8th–Fresno Republican deputy whip Alexandra Macedo (until September 16, 2025) Republican 33rd–Tulare Heather Hadwick (until September 16, 2025) Republican 1st–Alturas Chief Clerk Sue Parker Chief Sergeant-at-Arms Cheryl Craft Chaplain Vacant
Members