SB-700 • 2026

Bank on California Program.

Labor

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Grayson
Last action: 2026-01-26
Official status: In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the funding or specific requirements of the firefighter cancer research program beyond prohibiting local governments from preventing participation.

Bank on California Program

This law removes a program that helped Californians open bank accounts, but it also stops cities and counties from preventing firefighters or fire departments from joining cancer research studies.

What This Bill Does

Removes the Bank on California Program which assisted Californians in opening bank or credit union accounts.
Prohibits local governments (cities, counties) from stopping firefighters or fire departments from participating in firefighter cancer research studies.

Who It Names or Affects

Californians who might have used the Bank on California Program
Firefighters in California
Local government officials (cities, counties)

Terms To Know

Biomarkers of exposure: Chemicals or substances found in a person's body that show they have been exposed to something harmful.
Community-based participatory research model: A way of doing research where the community members are involved in planning and carrying out studies about their own health issues.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what will happen to people who used the Bank on California Program after it is removed.
It's unclear how much funding will be available for firefighter cancer research programs.

Bill History

2026-01-26 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2026-01-26 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 3286.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2026-01-21 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
2026-01-20 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
2026-01-09 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing January 20.
2026-01-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3187.) (January 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on B. & F.I.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
Withdrawn from committee.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2025-12-18 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing January 7 in B. & F.I. pending receipt.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and L., P.E. & R.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2025-03-12 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on RLS.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 700, as amended, Grayson.
California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program.
Bank on California Program.
Existing law establishes the Bank on California Program, which is a voluntary collaborative initiative that assists Californians in opening a bank or credit union account and saving for the future.
This bill would repeal those provisions.
Existing law establishes the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program, pursuant to which the Legislature requests the University of California, in consultation with the FIRESCOPE Program, to develop and administer a competitive grant program to award grants to eligible educational institutions to conduct research on the California fire service using a community-based participatory research model in collaboration with California firefighters. Existing law requires research conducted by program grantees to include, but not be limited to, understanding biomarkers of exposure that quantify chemical carcinogens absorbed and metabolized by firefighters and studying biomarkers of effect that quantify cancer-promoting cellular changes that ultimately lead to a cancer diagnosis.
This bill would prohibit a city, county, or city and county from preventing a firefighter or fire department from voluntarily participating in a study undertaken pursuant to the above-described provisions, including allowing access to facilities and the use of equipment for the purposes of the terms of the grant.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF