KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to California

AB-394 • 2026

Public transportation providers.

Public transportation providers.

Crime Education Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Wilson
Last action
2025-10-01
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 147, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about the costs of enforcing the bill or what happens if someone is injured by a violent act.

Expanding Protection for Public Transportation Workers

AB-394 expands legal protections against violence and battery to include employees, public transportation providers, and contractors working in public transit.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes it a crime if someone hurts an employee or contractor of a public transportation provider while they are doing their job.
  • Increases penalties for hurting anyone on public transport vehicles like buses or trains.
  • Allows employers to get court orders to protect employees who face violence at work.
  • Expands the definition of 'unlawful violence' and includes joint powers authorities as employers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public transportation workers, including drivers, conductors, and maintenance staff.
  • Employers in public transit systems.
  • People who commit violent acts against these workers.

Terms To Know

Battery
Using force or violence on someone else without their permission.
State-mandated local program
A program that the state requires local agencies to follow, which can sometimes cost them money.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone is injured by a violent act.
  • It doesn't explain the exact penalties for breaking this law, only that they can include jail time and fines.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-01 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 147, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-01 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-24 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-12 California Legislative Information

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 3423.).

  5. 2025-09-12 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-11 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2885.).

  7. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  9. 2025-08-18 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Referred to suspense file.

  10. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  11. 2025-07-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 15).

  12. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  13. 2025-06-11 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and JUD.

  14. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  15. 2025-06-02 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1824.)

  16. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  17. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

  18. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

  19. 2025-04-24 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  20. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  21. 2025-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 22).

  22. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  23. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

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

  24. 2025-04-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  25. 2025-03-28 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  26. 2025-03-27 California Legislative Information

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

  27. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  28. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

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

  29. 2025-03-19 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  30. 2025-03-11 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  31. 2025-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  32. 2025-02-04 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 6.

  33. 2025-02-03 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 394, Wilson.
Public transportation providers.
Existing law defines a battery as any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another.
Existing law provides that when a battery is committed against the person of an operator, driver, or passenger on a bus, taxicab, streetcar, cable car, trackless trolley, or other motor vehicle, as specified, and the person who commits the offense knows or reasonably should know that the victim is engaged in the performance of their duties, the penalty is imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both the fine and imprisonment. Existing law also provides that if the victim is injured, the offense would be punished by a fine not exceeding $10,000, by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or in the state prison for 16 months, 2, or 3
years, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
This bill would expand this crime to apply to an employee, public transportation provider, or contractor of a public transportation provider. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law authorizes any employer or collective bargaining representative whose employee has suffered harassment, unlawful violence, or a credible threat of violence from any individual, which can reasonably be construed to be carried out or to have been carried out at the workplace, to seek a temporary restraining order and an injunction on behalf of the employee and other employees of the employer.
This bill would clarify that “unlawful violence” includes battery committed against the person of an operator, driver, or passenger on a bus, taxicab, streetcar, cable car, trackless trolley, or other motor vehicle, as specified, or against an employee, public transportation provider, or contractor of a public transportation provider. The bill would also clarify that the definition of “employer” for the above-described provision includes a joint powers authority or a public transit operator.
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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF