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AB-2134 • 2026

City council members: absences without permission.

City council members: absences without permission.

Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Addis
Last action
Official status
Assembly - Passed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of this law is not provided in the source material.

City Council Members Taking Parental Leave

This law requires cities to let council members take parental leave without it counting as an unexcused absence that could cause them to lose their seat.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires cities to create a way for council members to write and tell the city clerk or another official they are taking parental leave.
  • Excludes time taken for parental leave from the count of allowed absences for each council member.
  • Stops cities from requiring council members to announce their parental leave at a public hearing.
  • States that this rule applies to all cities, including those with special charters.
  • Includes official findings explaining why state law can set these rules instead of local city laws.

Who It Names or Affects

  • City council members who need time off for parental leave.
  • Cities and their clerks or designated officials who manage meeting records.
  • Charter cities that usually make their own local government rules.

Terms To Know

Parental Leave
Time off for a new parent, defined as at least 12 workweeks or longer if the city provides more time to its employees.
Charter City
A city that has its own special constitution instead of following all standard state rules.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The text does not say when this law will officially start.
  • The specific number of days a council member can be absent before losing their seat is set by other laws and not changed here.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Assembly - Passed

Official Summary Text

City council members: absences without permission.