California Senate Bill 261
Session 20252026
Division of Labor Standards Enforcement: orders, decisions, and awards.
Became Law
Became Law on Oct 13, 2025
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
261
State
California
Session
20252026
Motion Text
Unfinished Business SB261 Wahab et al. Concurrence
Senate Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Other
Other
Yes
Yes
Summary
Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, under the direction of the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the enforcement of labor laws. Existing law authorizes the commissioner to investigate employee complaints and to provide for a hearing in any action to recover wages, penalties, and other demands for compensation, as specified.
Existing law provides that the judgment creditor, or the commissioner, as assignee of the judgment creditor, is entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney's fees for enforcing the judgment, as specified.
This bill would instead require that the judgment creditor, or the Labor Commissioner or public prosecutor as assignee of the judgment creditor, be awarded the above-described court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
Existing law provides for enforcement if a final judgment against an employer arising from the employer's nonpayment of wages for work performed in this state remains unsatisfied after specified periods of time, including prohibiting the employer from conducting business in the state, as specified, if a final judgment against the employer remains unsatisfied for 30 days.
This bill would additionally require the judgment debtor to be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed 3 times the outstanding judgment amount if a final judgment arising from the nonpayment of work performed in this state remains unsatisfied after a period of 180 days, as provided. The bill would require a court to award a prevailing plaintiff all reasonable attorney's fees and costs in any action brought by a judgment creditor, the commissioner, or a public prosecutor to enforce a final judgment arising from the nonpayment of wages, penalties, or other amounts owed arising from work performed in this state, as provided.
This bill would also make findings and declarations related to its provisions.
02/03/25 - Introduced
February 3, 2025
03/17/25 - Amended Senate
March 17, 2025
03/27/25 - Amended Senate
March 27, 2025
04/10/25 - Amended Senate
April 10, 2025
05/23/25 - Amended Senate
May 23, 2025
09/02/25 - Amended Assembly
September 2, 2025
09/12/25 - Enrolled
September 12, 2025
10/13/25 - Chaptered
October 13, 2025
03/25/25- Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
March 25, 2025
04/04/25- Senate Judiciary
April 4, 2025
04/25/25- Senate Appropriations
April 25, 2025
05/23/25- Senate Appropriations
May 23, 2025
05/27/25- Sen. Floor Analyses
May 27, 2025
07/07/25- Assembly Labor and Employment
July 7, 2025
07/11/25- Assembly Judiciary
July 11, 2025
08/18/25- Assembly Appropriations
August 18, 2025
09/03/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
September 3, 2025
09/08/25- Sen. Floor Analyses
September 8, 2025
Sort by most recent
10/13/2025
California State Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 747, Statutes of 2025.
10/13/2025
California State Legislature
Approved by the Governor.
09/16/2025
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
09/09/2025
Senate
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 6.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
09/08/2025
Senate
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
09/08/2025
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 71. Noes 1. Page 2997.) Ordered to the Senate.
09/03/2025
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
09/02/2025
Assembly
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
08/29/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).
08/20/2025
Assembly
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
07/16/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
07/16/2025
Assembly
Coauthors revised.
07/10/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 9). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
06/16/2025
Assembly
Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and JUD.
06/05/2025
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
06/04/2025
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 6. Page 1514.) Ordered to the Assembly.
05/27/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/23/2025
Senate
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
05/23/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1193.) (May 23).
05/16/2025
Senate
Set for hearing May 23.
04/28/2025
Senate
April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
04/17/2025
Senate
Set for hearing April 28.
04/10/2025
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/09/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 705.) (April 8).
04/01/2025
Senate
Set for hearing April 8.
03/27/2025
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
03/26/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 4. Noes 1. Page 567.) (March 26).
03/18/2025
Senate
Set for hearing March 26.
03/17/2025
Senate
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
02/14/2025
Senate
Referred to Coms. on L., P.E. & R. and JUD.
02/04/2025
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.
02/03/2025
Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 4, 2025 5:55:00 AM
Record Updated
Oct 15, 2025 8:39:25 AM