Childcare: electronic signatures.

Children

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Grayson
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: Set for hearing April 27.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Childcare: Electronic Signatures

This law allows childcare providers to use electronic signatures for documents required by the Child Care and Development Services Act, in compliance with the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA).

What This Bill Does

Allows childcare providers to use electronic signatures on documents needed for the Child Care and Development Services Act.
Permits these documents with electronic signatures to be stored in an electronic format.
Authorizes the State Department of Social Services to create rules about how this new law works.

Who It Names or Affects

Childcare providers who need to sign documents for children up to age 13.
The State Department of Social Services, which oversees childcare programs.

Terms To Know

Electronic signature: A digital way to sign a document that is accepted as legal and valid.
Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA): A law that says electronic records and signatures are just as good as paper ones for legal purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify exactly how the new rules will be made by the State Department of Social Services.
It is unclear when this bill will become a law after it passes both chambers.

Bill History

2026-04-17 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 27.
2026-04-15 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 14.
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2026-03-17 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 6.
2026-03-03 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2026-02-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and JUD.
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 21.
2026-01-21 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 902, as amended, Grayson.
Childcare: electronic signatures.
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age, which includes various programs and services, including, among others, general childcare and development programs and migrant childcare and development programs.
Existing law, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), provides that a record or signature may not be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form.
This bill would specify that a signature required by the Child Care and Development Services Act may be satisfied by use of an electronic signature in compliance with the UETA. The bill would authorize documents with an electronic signature to be
created and stored in an electronic format in compliance with the UETA, and would authorize the department to adopt regulations to implement these provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF