California Assembly Bill 1261
Session 20252026
Immigration: immigrant youth: access to legal counsel.
Became Law
Became Law on Oct 12, 2025
Origin Chamber
Assembly
Type
Bill
Bill Number
1261
State
California
Session
20252026
Motion Text
AB 1261 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Assembly Roll Call Votes
Yes
Other
Yes
Ávila Farías
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Johnson
No
Yes
Other
Yes
Other
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Other
Summary
Existing law, subject to available funding, requires the State Department of Social Services to contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations to provide legal services to unaccompanied undocumented minors who are transferred to the care and custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and who are present in this state or are residing with a family member or other sponsor. Existing law requires contracts awarded pursuant to the above-described provision to be executed with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations that meet certain requirements, including having experience representing individuals in removal proceedings and asylum applications.
This bill would, subject to available funding, provide legal counsel to immigrant youth in the State of California. The bill would define immigrant youth. The bill would require the department to allocate funding for these purposes, and would require the department to consider whether federal funding has been made available and dispersed to organizations or relevant projects in the state in determining the amount and allocation of contracts awarded. The bill would require the department to contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations that meet the above-described requirements or an office of the public defender that meets certain requirements. The bill would also authorize the department to fund social work services contracted by qualified nonprofit legal services organizations to assist immigrant youth.
02/21/25 - Introduced
February 21, 2025
03/24/25 - Amended Assembly
March 24, 2025
04/23/25 - Amended Assembly
April 23, 2025
09/05/25 - Amended Senate
September 5, 2025
09/12/25 - Enrolled
September 12, 2025
10/12/25 - Chaptered
October 12, 2025
04/18/25- Assembly Judiciary
April 18, 2025
05/05/25- Assembly Appropriations
May 5, 2025
05/28/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
May 28, 2025
06/27/25- Senate Judiciary
June 27, 2025
07/03/25- Senate Human Services
July 3, 2025
08/15/25- Senate Appropriations
August 15, 2025
09/02/25- Sen. Floor Analyses
September 2, 2025
09/08/25- Sen. Floor Analyses
September 8, 2025
09/10/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
September 10, 2025
Sort by most recent
10/12/2025
California State Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 665, Statutes of 2025.
10/12/2025
California State Legislature
Approved by the Governor.
09/22/2025
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
09/10/2025
Assembly
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 63. Noes 10. Page 3203.).
09/09/2025
Assembly
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
09/09/2025
Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 8.).
09/08/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
09/05/2025
Senate
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
08/29/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
08/29/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
08/18/2025
Senate
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
07/08/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
07/02/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUMAN S. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
06/18/2025
Senate
Referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUMAN S.
06/04/2025
Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
06/03/2025
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 63. Noes 8. Page 1991.)
05/27/2025
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/23/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 23).
05/23/2025
Assembly
Coauthors revised.
05/07/2025
Assembly
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
04/24/2025
Assembly
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/23/2025
Assembly
Read second time and amended.
04/22/2025
Assembly
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (April 22).
04/01/2025
Assembly
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
03/25/2025
Assembly
Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
03/24/2025
Assembly
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.
03/24/2025
Assembly
Referred to Com. on JUD.
02/24/2025
Assembly
Read first time.
02/22/2025
Assembly
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
02/21/2025
Assembly
Introduced. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 22, 2025 5:56:23 AM
Record Updated
Oct 14, 2025 8:34:57 AM