SB-854 • 2026

Unemployment insurance.

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement (S) - (Senators Smallwood-Cuevas (Chair), Cortese, Durazo, Laird, and Strickland)
Last action: 2025-10-01
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 240, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is not specified in the provided official source material.

Unemployment Insurance Changes

This law updates the definition of 'mail' in California's Unemployment Insurance Code to include electronic transmissions.

What This Bill Does

Updates the definition of 'mail,' 'mailing,' and 'mailed' to include electronic transmission for unemployment insurance purposes.

Who It Names or Affects

People who receive or apply for unemployment benefits in California.
Government agencies that handle unemployment insurance claims.

Terms To Know

Unemployment Insurance Code: The set of laws and rules about unemployment insurance in California.
Electronic transmission: Sending information through the internet or other digital means, like email.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify which types of electronic transmissions are allowed.
The exact date this law will start working is not clear from the source.

Bill History

2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 240, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
2025-08-28 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2025-08-28 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 2777.) Ordered to the Senate.
2025-08-21 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 20).
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-19 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on INS.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 984.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-04-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
2025-04-17 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 28.
2025-04-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 740.) (April 9).
2025-03-26 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 9.
2025-03-12 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
2025-03-05 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after April 4.
2025-03-04 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 854, Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement.
Unemployment insurance.
Existing law, the Unemployment Insurance Code, governs unemployment insurance in the state, including, among other things, the administration of unemployment and disability compensation. Existing law defines various terms for purposes of the code.
This bill would define “mail,” “mailing,” or “mailed” to include a writing transmitted by the United States Postal Service or other common mail carrier or by electronic transmission, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF