Employment: bias mitigation training: unlawful discrimination.

Housing Labor Taxes

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Smallwood-Cuevas
Last action: 2025-10-01
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 216, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of the law is unknown from the provided information.

Training for Fairness at Work

This law states that an employee's admission or acknowledgment of personal biases during required bias mitigation training cannot be considered unlawful discrimination.

What This Bill Does

Provides that an employee’s assessment, testing, admission, or acknowledgment of their own personal bias made in good faith and solicited or required as part of a bias mitigation training does not constitute unlawful discrimination.

Who It Names or Affects

Employees who participate in bias mitigation training programs.
Employers who provide such training to their employees.

Terms To Know

bias: A preference or prejudice for or against a person or group that is not fair or reasonable.
mitigation: The act of reducing the impact of unfair treatment at work, such as through training programs.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if an employee admits to bias outside of a training session.
Does not change other parts of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act that deal with discrimination.

Bill History

2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 216, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 2407.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2025-08-28 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-08-28 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 2769.) Ordered to the Senate.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 8).
2025-07-02 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-06-16 California Legislative Information
June 24 hearing postponed by committee.
2025-06-05 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 1306.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 944.) (April 29).
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 834.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-04-11 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 29 in PUB. S. pending receipt.
2025-04-03 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 22.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
April 8 hearing postponed by committee.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 8.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on JUD. and PUB. S.
2025-02-11 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 13.
2025-02-10 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 303, Smallwood-Cuevas.
Employment: bias mitigation training: unlawful discrimination.
Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, prohibits various forms of employment and housing discrimination, including various types of discrimination because of national origin. Existing law empowers the Civil Rights Department to investigate and prosecute complaints alleging unlawful practices.
This bill would provide that an employee’s assessment, testing, admission, or acknowledgment of their own personal bias that was made in good faith and solicited or required as part of a bias mitigation training does not constitute unlawful discrimination, as prescribed.

Current Bill Text

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