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AB-1936 • 2026

Insurance Commissioner qualifications.

Insurance Commissioner qualifications.

Elections Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Sanchez
Last action
2026-03-02
Official status
Referred to Com. on INS.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on what constitutes 'senior-level' experience, leaving this as a limitation.

Qualifications for Insurance Commissioner

This law adds new requirements for becoming an Insurance Commissioner by mandating at least five years of senior-level insurance experience within the last ten years.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a requirement that someone must have had at least five years of senior, management, or supervisory insurance experience in the private sector or state/federal government agencies within the past ten years to be eligible for election as Insurance Commissioner.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to become Insurance Commissioner

Terms To Know

Insurance Commissioner
A person in charge of the California Department of Insurance, which oversees insurance companies and protects consumers.
Private sector
Businesses or organizations that are not run by the government.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what exactly counts as 'senior-level' experience.
  • The bill does not change other existing rules about who can be an Insurance Commissioner, only adds new ones.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on INS.

  2. 2026-02-14 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

  3. 2026-02-13 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1936, as introduced, Sanchez.
Insurance Commissioner qualifications.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioner’s qualifications and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to be a person competent and fully qualified to perform the duties of the office and prohibits the commissioner from being an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer or directly or indirectly interested in an insurer or licensee, except as specified.
This bill would additionally require the commissioner, within 10 years before election, to have had at least 5 years of senior, management, or supervisory insurance experience in the private sector or a state or federal agency, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF