Judiciary omnibus.

Children Land

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Committee on Judiciary (A) - (Assembly Members Kalra (Chair), Bauer-Kahan, Bryan, Connolly, Harabedian, Macedo, Pacheco, Papan, Stefani, and Zbur)
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Judiciary Omnibus

AB-2782 changes rules for divorce and legal separation disclosures, child custody decisions, and trust management.

What This Bill Does

It says that people who are getting divorced or legally separated don't have to exchange information about their assets if they already have an enforceable judgment of legal separation that covers property division.
It tells courts to consider what a child wants when deciding on custody or visitation, as long as the child is old enough and smart enough to make a choice.
It fixes a mistake in the law about how trust managers should handle money from natural resources like minerals and water.

Who It Names or Affects

People getting divorced or legally separated
Courts deciding on custody and visitation for children
Trust managers handling money from natural resources

Terms To Know

declaration of disclosure: A document that lists all the assets a person has in a divorce or legal separation case.
fiduciary: Someone who manages money or property for another person, like a trust manager.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact age at which a child's wishes should be considered in custody decisions.
It is unclear what constitutes an 'enforceable judgment of legal separation' mentioned in the bill.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0.)
2026-04-16 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2026-04-15 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 14).
2026-04-09 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on JUD.
2026-03-12 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee April 11.
2026-03-11 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2782, as amended, Committee on Judiciary.
Judiciary omnibus.
(1) Existing law requires each party to a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation to serve on the other party a preliminary declaration of disclosure of assets, as specified, and a final declaration of disclosure, as specified.
Existing law provides, in the case of a default judgment, that a petitioner shall not be required to serve or receive a final declaration of disclosure, but that a preliminary declaration of disclosure by the petitioner is
still required.
In the case of a default judgment, existing law prohibits a petitioner from being required to serve or receive a final declaration of disclosure, but still requires a preliminary declaration of disclosure, except as specified.
This bill would provide that both parties are not required to exchange declarations of disclosure in a dissolution of marriage or registered domestic partnership if the parties have an existing enforceable judgment of legal separation that adjudicates or reserves jurisdiction over the division of property.
(2) Existing law governs the determination of child custody and visitation in contested proceedings. Existing law requires that custody should be
granted according to the best interest of the child in a specified order of preference. Existing law requires the court to consider, and give due weight to, the wishes of the child in making an order granting or modifying custody or visitation if the child is of sufficient age and capacity to reason so as to form an intelligent preference as to custody or visitation.
This bill would instead require the court to consider, and give due weight to, the wishes of the child in making an order granting or modifying custody or visitation if the child is of sufficient age and capacity to reason.
(2)
(3)
Existing law,
the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act, generally sets forth the powers and duties of a fiduciary of a trust. These powers and duties are related to, among other matters, the allocation of receipts and disbursements between principal and income, making adjustments between principal and income, and converting a trust to a unitrust.
Existing law requires, to the extent a fiduciary does not account for a receipt from an interest in minerals, water, or other natural resources as a business, as specified, the fiduciary to allocate the receipt in a specified manner.
In the case of a default judgment, existing law prohibits a petitioner from being required to serve or receive a final declaration of disclosure, but still requires a preliminary declaration of disclosure, except as specified.
This bill would correct a cross-reference in this provision.

Current Bill Text

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