SACRAMENTO, CA—Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) announced the conclusion of the 2023-2024 Legislative Session with Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law twelve Zbur-authored bills. These bills reflect the priorities Zbur set upon taking office, including addressing housing and homelessness, enhancing public safety, combating gun violence, and protecting workers' rights, LGBTQ+ civil rights, and access to health care.
“These eight bills, in addition to four signed into law last year, advance the key priorities I set when I was elected to office," said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. "The role of state government should be to uplift and improve the lives of all Californians—and I believe these bills achieve that goal.
“We're enhancing public safety by addressing the crisis of retail theft. We’re addressing climate by helping California move to a clean energy economy. We're tackling homelessness with innovative solutions, like providing RV storage while helping unhoused individuals transition to stable housing, and giving physically disabled tenants in rent-controlled buildings the option to move to accessible units without increasing their rent. We're strengthening protections for vulnerable communities, including LGBTQ+ youth, victims of gun violence, and rare disease patients, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights and safety prioritized. And we’re putting workers first by addressing inequities faced by temporary employees and ensuring that Los Angeles workers have the same protections as others across the state.
“I’m proud to see these bills signed into law by Governor Newsom. Together, they will make a real and lasting difference in the lives of Californians, including our most vulnerable.”
Signed by the Governor
PUBLIC SAFETY
AB 2943 – California Retail Theft Reduction Act
Addresses the rise in organized retail theft by implementing new measures to combat retail crime while upholding criminal justice reforms that enhance community safety. The bill equips law enforcement with enhanced tools to tackle theft rings and ensure accountability, supports retailers in protecting their businesses, and is a crucial component of a comprehensive legislative package targeting retail crime.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS
AB 2525 – RV Lot Storage
(Sponsor: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass)
Designed to reduce homelessness by facilitating the storage of recreational vehicles (RVs) while their former inhabitants receive services aimed at transitioning them into stable housing. This bill streamlines the process for the City of Los Angeles to lease property from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and plays a crucial role in supporting initiatives like Mayor Karen Bass's Inside Safe program, which seeks to bring people experiencing homelessness into safer, more stable living conditions.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
AB 2477 – Foster Care Cash Savings
(Sponsors: Alliance for Children’s Rights, California Coalition for Youth)
Aims to prevent homelessness and empower youth in foster care by allowing them to build stronger financial safety nets as they transition into adulthood. This bill clarifies and codifies state law to align with recent Department of Social Services guidance, ensuring that youth in foster care can save more than $10,000 without risking the loss of their benefits. This legislation represents a significant step toward greater financial equity and security for youth in foster care, including LGBTQ+ youth and children of color, who are overrepresented in the foster care system.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
AB 1620 - Apartment Swaps for Tenants with Permanent Physical Disabilities
(Sponsors: City of West Hollywood, City of Santa Monica)
Reduces homelessness by authorizing local jurisdictions to require that tenants with permanent physical disabilities related to mobility who are living in rent-controlled apartments be allowed to relocate to an available accessible unit at the same rental rate and terms. People with disabilities disproportionately experience poverty, homelessness, and housing discrimination. This legislation promotes reasonable rental rates and increases housing security for Californians who frequently experience housing insecurities due to systemic and social inequities.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023; became effective January 1, 2024.
ENVIRONMENTAL & CLIMATE ACTION
AB 3 - California Offshore Wind & Jobs Advancement Act
(Sponsor: Environment California)
Requires the California Energy Commission – in consultation with relevant state agencies – to study and recommend strategies for maximizing job opportunities for the state and creating pathways for developing port infrastructure to achieve our climate change goals through offshore wind energy. Offshore wind energy will play a crucial role in meeting California's ambitious climate goal of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045, and has the potential to create a significant number of high-paying jobs in the state.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023; became effective January 1, 2024.
LGBTQ+ CIVIL RIGHTS AND HEALTH CARE
AB 5 - Safe & Supportive Schools Act
(Sponsors: California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Equality California, CFT, California Teachers Association)
This bill ensures public school teachers and staff, who are on the front lines of supporting California students, receive the training they want and need to better support LGBTQ+ and all students. Despite progress, LGBTQ+ students still face harassment and violence, affecting their academic success and mental health. The bill requires annual one-hour training for teachers in grades 7-12, allows in-person training if it meets standards, and includes reporting and accountability measures.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023; became effective January 1, 2024.
AB 2258 – Enhanced Consumer Protections for Preventive Care
(Sponsors: Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, APLA Health, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Equality California)
Strengthens consumer protections by ensuring that all Californians, particularly low-income individuals, have access to comprehensive and affordable preventive health care. AB 2258 ensures that health plans and insurers are required to cover essential services that are integral to the delivery of recommended preventive care without cost-sharing. These integral services relate to critical health interventions such as reversible contraceptives, HIV prevention medications like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and screenings for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
AB 2613 – Jacqueline Marie Zbur Rare Disease Advisory Council
(Sponsors: National Organization for Rare Disorders)
Establishes the Jacqueline Marie Zbur Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) in California, named in memory of Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur’s sister, Jacqueline “Jackie” Marie Zbur, who bravely battled ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). This landmark bill creates a platform for addressing the unique challenges faced by Californians with rare diseases, ensuring their voices are heard. The RDAC will consist of diverse stakeholders who will identify gaps in care, suggest improvements to programs like Medi-Cal, and promote research and innovation. By joining 28 other states with similar councils, California is better serving the 1 in 10 residents affected by over 10,000 rare diseases.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
GUN SAFETY
AB 2907 – Enhanced Protections for Stalking, Gun Violence & Abuse Victims
(Sponsors: Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office)
Enhances gun safety protections for people who have survived domestic violence, stalking, and elder abuse by imposing enhanced enforcement. The bill conforms the firearm surrender deadlines for criminal protective orders to the shorter firearm surrender periods for civil protective orders. Additionally, AB 2907 requires the arresting officer in domestic violence cases to question the arrestee, victim, and other household members (if applicable) about any firearms owned or possessed by the arrestee and to check the Automated Firearm System (AFS) to determine whether the arrestee owns or possesses any firearms prior to presenting the case to the prosecuting attorney for filing.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
AB 2917 – Hate-Based Gun Violence Prevention Act
(Sponsors: Everytown for Gun Safety, San Francisco City Attorney’s Office)
Strengthens California’s Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) system by guiding the civil court to consider threats of violence, specifically focusing on hate-based threats made against groups protected by hate crime laws and threats of violence to advance political objectives. Hate crimes involving racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender bias all increased between 2021 and 2022. The alarming rise in violence, particularly against LGBTQ+ communities—especially transgender women—religious minorities, and racial and ethnic minorities, underscores the need for stronger preventive measures. AB 2917 is a critical step in enhancing public safety and preventing tragedies before they occur.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
WORKERS’ RIGHTS
AB 2889 – Local Public Employee Relations
(Sponsors: SEIU California, AFSCME California, Union of American Physicians & Dentists)
Extends the same protections enjoyed by most public workers in California to employees of the County and City of Los Angeles by transferring initial jurisdiction over requests for injunctive relief to the California Public Employees Relations Board (PERB). This change ensures more efficient resolution of labor disputes and prevents local alternatives to PERB from awarding damages resulting from strikes, safeguarding against union-busting tactics.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024; becomes effective January 1, 2025.
AB 1484 - Bargaining Rights for Temporary Employees
(Sponsors: SEIU California, California Labor Federation, AFSCME California)
Provides temporary employees of cities and counties the option to join existing bargaining units, providing them with basic workers' rights without significantly increasing costs or limiting the employer's ability to hire temporary workers as needed. Temporary employees are a vital part of the public workforce who do not receive retirement, health insurance, disability, or union benefits, and are often employed for long periods of time. This bill addresses inequities exacerbated by this two-class system of employment.
**Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023; became effective January 1, 2024.
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Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.