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SB-565 • 2026

Employee housing: H-2A agricultural workers: inspections.

Employee housing: H-2A agricultural workers: inspections.

Agriculture Education Housing Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Cervantes
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify what happens if a housing provider fails to post inspection results online, nor does it provide details on how inspections will be conducted in remote areas or the specific requirements for these inspections.

Housing Inspections for H-2A Workers

The bill requires housing providers who house H-2A agricultural workers to get inspected in person by an enforcement agency and post the results online, and it stops them from getting a permit without passing this inspection.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires inspections of employee housing that houses H-2A workers to be done in person.
  • Makes sure these inspections are posted on the internet for everyone to see.
  • Does not allow housing providers who house H-2A workers to get a permit without passing an inspection.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Housing providers who have H-2A agricultural workers living in their housing.
  • Enforcement agencies that check if the housing meets rules.
  • People looking for information about inspections online.

Terms To Know

H-2A worker
An immigrant who comes to work temporarily in agriculture jobs.
Enforcement agency
The group that makes sure rules are followed, like the Department of Housing and Community Development or local cities and counties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not say what happens if a housing provider does not post inspection results online.
  • Does not explain how inspections will be done in person for remote areas.
  • Does not provide details on the specific requirements of these inspections.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2025-04-03 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.

  3. 2025-04-02 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.

  4. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  5. 2025-03-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

  6. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.

  7. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 565, as amended, Cervantes.
Employee housing: H-2A agricultural workers: inspections.
Existing federal law governing immigration authorizes the importation of an alien as a nonimmigrant agricultural worker, known as an H-2A worker, if specified requirements are met, including that the employer furnish housing, as provided.
Existing state law, the Employee Housing Act, requires a person operating employee housing, as defined, to obtain a permit to operate that housing from the agency that enforces the act, which can either be the Department of Housing and Community Development or a city, county, or city and county that assumes responsibility for enforcing the act. The act requires the enforcement agency to annually enter and inspect all employee housing for compliance with the act, as provided.
This bill would require, for employee housing that houses an H-2A worker, the enforcement
agency to conduct the above-described inspection in
person
person, as defined,
and to post the results of that inspection on its internet website. The bill would prohibit a person operating employee housing that houses an H-2A worker from receiving a permit to operate employee housing without passing that inspection.
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