New California Laws 2026
SB 567, Limón. Gravity-Based Energy Storage Well Pilot Program. This bill establishes the Grav- ity-Based Energy Storage Well Pilot Program until January 1, 2035 and authorizes the State Oil and Gas Supervisor to authorize the conversion of 250 oil and gas wells for use as gravity-based energy storage wells, as defined, in order to evaluate their use to safely generate energy, among other provisions. An act to add and repeal Section 3403.6 of, and to add and repeal Article 3.6 (commencing with Sec- tion 3190) of Chapter 1 of Division 3 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to oil and gas wells. SB 593, Hurtado. Electrical corporations: signif- icant voltage-related incidents: studies. This bill requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), by July 1, 2027, to require large electric corporations to commence a study to evaluate signif- icant voltage-related incidents that resulted in dam- age to customer-owned equipment, appliances, or property totaling $5,000 or more. An act to add and repeal Section 913.14 of the Pub- lic Utilities Code, relating to electricity. SB 767, Richardson. Energy: transportation fuels: supply: reportable pipelines. This bill requires oil pipeline operators to report specified information about pipeline flows to the California Energy Com- mission (CEC), starting on March 30, 2027. An act to amend Section 25354 of the Public Re- sources Code, relating to energy. 2025 Assembly Family and Probate Laws AB 495, Celeste Rodriguez. Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025. Establishes the Family Prepared- ness Plan Act of 2025. Requires local educational agencies to provide information to parents and guardians regarding their children’s right to a free public education including information relating mod- el policies developed by the Attorney General. Re- quires all local educational agencies to revise their model policies as necessary to be consistent with any revisions or updates to the model policies developed by the Attorney General. Modifies the definition of “relative” for purposes of the caregivers authoriza- tion affidavit to mean an adult who is related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship, including all stepparents, stepsib- lings, and all relatives whose status is preceded by the words “great,” “great-great,” or “grand,” or the spouse of any of the persons specified in this defini- tion, even after the marriage has been terminated by death or dissolution. An act to amend Section 234.7 of the Education Code, to amend Sections 6550 and 6552 of the Fami- ly Code, to add Chapter 3.62 (commencing with Sec- tion 1597.640) to Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Sections 1502 and 2105 of the Probate Code, relating to immigration. AB 565, Dixon. Representation of trust beneficia- ries. This bill (1) revises notice requirements to trust beneficiaries for various actions relating to modifi- cations or establishment of trusts by providing that notice given to a person authorized to represent and
bind another person is sufficient to comply with no- tice requirements for actions regarding a trust. This bill (2) provides that if a person consents for a person to represent and bind them, that consent must be in writing and that the consent binds the represented person unless they object to the representation be- fore consent becomes effective. This bill (3) prohibits specified persons from representing and binding an- other person for these purposes and authorizes cer- tain representative relationships and representation of successive interests. An act to repeal and add Section 15804 of the Pro- bate Code, relating to trusts. AB 1134, Bains. Coerced marriage. This bill per- mits, beginning January 1, 2027, a court to extend, upon a showing of good cause, the time in which a party who was forced into a marriage can commence a proceeding to nullify the marriage; and updates the crime of forced marriage to make it applicable to per- sons of all genders. An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 2211 of the Family Code, and to amend Section 265 of the Penal Code, relating to marriage. AB 1297, Stefani. Automatic temporary restrain- ing orders. This bill adds, to the temporary restrain- ing order entered in a proceeding for nullification or dissolution of a marriage, or legal separation, a pro- hibition on allowing insurance coverage to lapse for nonpayment of premiums or failure to renew, when the policy is for the benefit of parties to the marriage or minor children for whom support may be ordered. An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 2040 of the Family Code, relating to restraining orders. AB 1363, Stefani. Protective orders: Wyland’s Law. Authorizes, subject to an appropriation, the Califor- nia Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop and im- plement a new system for the public to electronically request a record demonstrating that information about a protective order was transmitted to, and re- ceived by, DOJ. An act to add Section 6380.5 to the Family Code, relating to protective orders. AB 1375, Hoover. Consideration when determin- ing child custody: human trafficking. Requires fam- ily court judges to consider allegations that a parent has caused human trafficking of the child or other parent when specific evidence is presented. An act to add Section 3040.5 to the Family Code, relating to child custody. 2025 Senate Family and Probate Laws SB 450, Menjivar. Adoption. This bill adds clarity to California adoption laws, including (1) the neces- sary contents of an adoption order; (2) the petition- ers’ obligation to provide information needed to com- plete an investigation into a proposed independent adoption; and (3) in what circumstances a state court has jurisdiction over adoption proceedings. An act to amend Sections 8807 and 9210 of, and to add Section 8626 to, the Family Code, relating to adoption. Continued on page 39
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