Spot Bills, Big Ideas: Bill Introduction Deadline Passes, 1,800 Bills Set the Stage for California’s 2026 Policy Priorities
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As the dust settles following the race ahead of the bill introduction deadline last Friday, the landscape of issues that will shape the 2026 legislative year is beginning to take shape. To date, state lawmakers have introduced 1,798 bills in the interest of governing California. As predicted by CSAC earlier this year, lawmakers’ collective focus does not differ substantially from 2025, including policy areas that address quality of life and the cost of living for California residents, like affordable housing, childcare, access to healthcare, and energy costs. The CSAC Legislative Affairs team is reading all introduced bills and carefully analyzing hundreds of them to assess their potential impacts on county governments.
Please contact the CSAC legislative affairs staff with questions about specific policy areas, CSAC’s position on specific legislation, and other informational resources about the legislative process.
CSAC-Sponsored Legislation
AB 1549 (Krell) Alternative domestic violence program.
This measure proposes extending the alternative domestic violence batterer’s intervention pilot program, established by AB 372 (Chapter 290, Statue of 2018), from the current sunset date of July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2030. It also proposes adding Sacramento County to the list of participating pilot counties. Read CSAC’s co-sponsor letter here.
Questions? Contact Ryan Morimune, Senior Legislative Advocate at rmorimune@counties.org
AB 2462 (Pellerin) Unsafe products: disposal: penalties.
This measure amends the Product Recall Safety and Protection Act to clarify the definition of a manufacturer, and establishes that it is the responsibility of manufacturers to provide free safe return or disposal of unsafe products not only to consumers or retailers but also to recycling centers, municipal facilities, and other specified locations. Read more about AB 2462 and download a template support letter here.
Questions? Contact Jordan Wells, Legislative Advocate, at jwells@counties.org
SB 922 (Laird) Vehicles: local agency charges: use of streets or highways.
This measure clarifies longstanding local authority to recover the street maintenance and repair costs associated with providing essential public services, such as garbage, recycling, and green waste collection that rely on heavy service vehicles regularly using local streets. Read CSAC’s co-sponsor letter here.
Questions? Contact Emma Jungwirth, Senior Legislative Advocate, at ejungwirth@counties.org
- What is a “spot bill”?
Of the 1,798 bills introduced in 2026, nearly 600 are currently “spot bills.” The nickname “spot bill” refers to bills introduced including only a few scant words or seemingly semantic changes. To meet the bill introduction deadline, legislators will often introduce a bill that proposes non-substantive amendments to a code section concerning a particular subject. This bill acts as a generic placeholder—holding a “spot”—and will later be amended to include the full text and specific issues that the author wishes to address related to that topic. CSAC legislative affairs staff closely monitor spot bills and their amendments for matters that affect county governments.
Legislative Tracking Available on CSAC’s Website!
Don’t have time to read the thousands of bills that are moving through the legislative process in 2026? Want to say up-to-date in real time about what bills have implications for county governments? No worries, the CSAC legislative affairs staff has your back!
CSAC’s Member Legislative Resources webpage is a comprehensive legislative-tracking tool that includes:
- Real-time reports of CSAC’s legislative advocacy by policy area,
- A “hot bills” report of some of the most high-profile legislation,
- A “bill search” function,
- Links to CSAC letters sent to the Legislature about issues other than individual bills.
To access the Member Legislative Resources webpage, you will be asked to create an account or login to an existing account for the CSAC Portal. In 2025, CSAC transitioned to a new software platform with enhanced features designed to elevate communication and interaction with CSAC. If you have questions about the CSAC Portal, please contact CSAC staff at portal@counties.org.