California AB1331: Workplace surveillance.

What the bill says

An act to add Part 5.8 (commencing with Section 1560) to Division 2 of the Labor Code, relating to employment. employment Workplace surveillance. Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law authorizes the division, which is headed by the Labor Commissioner, to enforce the Labor Code and all labor laws of the state the enforcement of which is not specifically vested in any other officer, board, or commission…

From the chaptered text, September 30, 2026:

An act to add Part 5.8 (commencing with Section 1560) to Division 2 of the Labor Code, relating to employment. employment Workplace surveillance. Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law authorizes the division, which is headed by the Labor Commissioner, to enforce the Labor Code and all labor laws of the state the enforcement of which is not specifically vested in any other officer, board, or commission. This bill would limit the use of workplace surveillance tools, as defined, by employers, including by prohibiting an employer from monitoring or surveilling employees in a bathroom located in the workplace, except as specified. The bill would provide an employee with the right to leave behind workplace surveillance tools that are on their person or in their possession when entering a bathroom, except as specified. This bill would authorize the commissioner to enforce the bill’s provisions, as prescribed, and would authorize a public prosecutor to bring specified enforcement actions. The bill would subject an employer who violates the bill to a civil penalty of up to $500 for each violation. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. MAJORITY NO …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Sade Elhawary (D, AD57) · primary sponsor
• Isaac Bryan (D, AD55)
• Mark González (D, AD54)
• Ward, Christopher (D, AD78)
• Dave Cortese (D, SD15)
• Jerry McNerney (D, SD05)
• Josh Becker (D, SD13)

Latest actions

1. September 30, 2026: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 851, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026: Approved by the Governor.
3. September 14, 2026: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.
4. August 31, 2026: Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 61. Noes 7. Page 7001.).
5. August 31, 2026: Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 61. Noes 7.).
6. August 31, 2026: Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
7. August 31, 2026: In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
8. August 31, 2026: Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 28. Noes 5.).
9. August 30, 2026: Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 28, 2026: Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

Votes

• Assembly 3rd Reading AB1331 Elhawary et al. By Durazo (August 31, 2026): 29 yea, 5 nay, passed
• AB 1331 Elhawary Concurrence in Senate Amendments (August 31, 2026): 61 yea, 7 nay, passed
• Do pass as amended (August 29, 2025): 5 yea, 2 nay, passed
• Placed on suspense file (August 18, 2025): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] (July 15, 2025): 9 yea, 2 nay, passed
• Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] (June 25, 2025): 4 yea, 1 nay, passed

Common questions

What is AB1331?

AB1331 is a bill in the California Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Workplace surveillance.

What does AB1331 do?

In its own words: An act to add Part 5.8 (commencing with Section 1560) to Division 2 of the Labor Code, relating to employment. employment Workplace surveillance. Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law authorizes the division, which is headed by the Labor Commissioner, to enforce the Labor Code and all labor laws of the state the enforcement of which is not specifically vested in any other officer, board, or commission…

What is the status of AB1331?

Chaptered as of September 30, 2026. Latest action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 851, Statutes of 2026. (September 30, 2026).

Who sponsored AB1331?

Sade Elhawary (D, AD57), with 6 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for AB1331?

On the California Legislature website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1331