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AB-244 • 2026

Quick-Service Restaurant Young Workforce Apprenticeship Program: tax credits.

Quick-Service Restaurant Young Workforce Apprenticeship Program: tax credits.

Budget Crime Education Labor Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Alanis
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify how the apprenticeship program will be funded or its exact start and end dates.

Tax Credits for Quick-Service Restaurant Apprenticeships

AB-244 allows businesses to receive tax credits of $1,000 per apprentice if they hire young apprentices in quick-service restaurants for at least six months.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows a tax credit of $1,000 per registered apprentice employed by a business for at least six months, up to a maximum of 100 apprentices per year.
  • Requires the Franchise Tax Board to share information with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to track the program's effectiveness.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Businesses that hire young workers in quick-service restaurants as apprentices
  • Young people who want to work and learn skills in quick-service restaurants

Terms To Know

Tax Credit
A reduction in the amount of tax a business or person has to pay.
Apprentice
Someone who learns a job by working with an experienced worker and taking classes.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The program is only available for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2031.
  • It is not clear how many businesses will participate in the apprenticeship program.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2026-01-31 California Legislative Information

    Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.

  4. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.

  5. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.

  6. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and Rev. & Tax.

  7. 2025-01-15 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee February 14.

  8. 2025-01-14 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 244, as amended, Alanis.
Fast Food Council.
Quick
-Service Restaurant Young Workforce Apprenticeship Program: tax credits.
Existing law provides for the establishment of apprenticeship programs in various trades, to be approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations in any trade in the state or in a city or trade area whenever the apprentice training needs justify the establishment.
This bill would require the division, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish and administer a Quick Service Restaurant Young Workforce Apprenticeship Program to provide grants, reimbursements, or other funding to apprenticeship programs for the support of quick-service restaurant youth apprenticeship
programs, as described.
The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law authorize various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws.
This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2031, would allow a credit against those taxes in the amount of $1,000 for each registered apprentice employed for at least 6 months by a qualified taxpayer, as defined, not to exceed 100 registered apprentices per taxable year per qualified taxpayer.
Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain,
among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements.
This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to provide information to the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to complete a report relating to the tax credit that would be established by the bill. The bill would make any information shared by the Franchise Tax Board subject to limitations relating to the sharing of taxpayer information, the violation of which is a crime. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law, until
January 1, 2029, establishes the Fast Food Council and prescribes the council’s purposes, duties, and limitations.
This bill would make nonsubstanive changes to those provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Download Bill PDF