New California Laws Going into Effect in 2026

Summary

More than 500 laws were passed in 2025 impacting the courts. Many of these laws will support the judicial branch to meet the needs of court users with diverse backgrounds and interests. Immigration California law offers some of the strongest protections for immigrants in the country. This year, as California was at the heart of the federal administration’s immigration activities, the courts have worked to ensure that court proceedings remain fair and accessible to all court users. One law that supports this effort is SB 281, which requires the court to give a verbatim immigration advisement before a plea of guilty or no contest can be made. This means that the court must advise a defendant that if they are not a citizen, pleading guilty or no contest may result in immigration consequences like deportation. Pleading no contest means the defendant does not admit guilt but does concede the charge. AB 1261 requires the state to provide legal counsel to immigrant youth in federal or related state immigration proceedings. The law would define immigrant youth as unaccompanied undocumented minors. The state can contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations or an office of the public defender to provide this counsel. Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice In 2026, new laws will help counties and state departments further strengthen their child welfare services. AB 779 authorizes counties to establish a three-year pilot program. In this program, domestic violence consultants will offer guidance to county social workers on how to best support families potentially experiencing both domestic violence and child maltreatment. Counties will also be required to adopt a placement transition plan for foster youth (AB 896). This plan would be adopted before foster youth transition either between placement settings or from foster care to reunification. Additionally, the state’s Office of Child Abuse Prevention will develop a standardized curriculum for mandated reporters, a...