AB-1002 • 2026

Contractors: failure to pay wages: discipline.

Labor

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Gabriel
Last action: 2025-10-10
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 567, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on when the law will start, how often the Attorney General will use these powers, and what happens in case of an appeal by a contractor. These points are speculative based on the provided candidate explanation.

Contractors: Punishment for Not Paying Wages

This law allows the Attorney General to take legal action against contractors who fail to pay their workers' wages as required by state laws, and it permits the Contractors State License Board to join in such actions.

What This Bill Does

Allows the Attorney General to sue a contractor for not paying workers what they are owed under state law.
Requires the Attorney General to notify the registrar before suing a contractor.
Lets the Contractors State License Board intervene in legal actions against contractors who don't pay their workers' wages.

Who It Names or Affects

Contractors who do not pay their workers as required by state law.
The Attorney General and the Contractors State License Board.

Terms To Know

Registrar: The person in charge of licensing contractors, also known as the registrar of contractors.
License: A permit that allows someone to work or operate a business legally.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify when this law will start.
Does not explain how often the Attorney General will use these powers.
Does not say what happens if a contractor appeals a decision.

Bill History

2025-10-10 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 567, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-10 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-15 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 73. Noes 2. Page 3035.).
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 34. Noes 2. Page 2503.).
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-16 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 1.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-06-26 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 1. Page 1911.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-07 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and JUD.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1002, Gabriel.
Contractors: failure to pay wages: discipline.
Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, establishes the Contractors State License Board to license and regulate contractors and establishes the registrar of contractors as the executive officer and secretary of the board. Existing law requires the registrar, upon receipt of the Labor Commissioner’s finding of a willful or deliberate violation of the Labor Code by a licensee or transmission to the board of citations or other actions taken by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, to initiate disciplinary action against the licensee within 18 months.
This bill would authorize the Attorney General to bring a civil action to impose discipline upon, to deny an application for, or to deny continued maintenance of, a contractor’s license for failing to pay its workers the full amount of wages the workers are
entitled to under state law or because the contractor has not fulfilled a wage judgment or is in violation of an injunction or court order regarding the payment of wages to its workers. The bill would require the Attorney General to notify the registrar before bringing a civil action and would authorize the board to intervene in a proceeding brought pursuant to the bill’s provisions. The bill would require a court to issue an order directing the registrar to suspend or revoke, to deny an application for, or to deny the continued maintenance of, a contractor’s license under terms specified by the court.

Current Bill Text

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