08/03/2026
Here's What Happened in July
Welcome to your monthly State Legislative Advocate Report — your monthly source for insider updates. As a CalRTA member, you'll receive exclusive insights into the legislation, budget decisions, and advocacy efforts that impact retired educators and public education. CalRTA works year-round to protect your pension and retirement security, long before issues reach the headlines. This monthly update is one more way your CalRTA membership keeps you informed, connected, and ahead of the issues that matter most.
July 2026 Legislative Advocate Report
By Jennifer Baker, CalRTA Legislative Advocate
👉 Download a PDF file of the July Report
Or keep scrolling to read the report below.
Duties Shift for the SPI
Under California's new education governance law, signed in July 2026, the role of the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) shifts away from managing the day-to-day operations of the California Department of Education and toward serving as California's chief advocate for public education. Rather than acting as the executive administrator of the department, the SPI’s duties will now focus on representing the interests of students, families, educators, and local school districts; promoting educational equity and student achievement; communicating with the public and the Legislature; and serving as an independent statewide voice on education policy from transitional kindergarten through higher education. The SPI also becomes a voting member of the State Board of Education under the new governance structure.
Significant administrative responsibilities previously carried out by the Superintendent are now transferred to the State Board of Education and the newly created Education Commissioner, who will be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The State Board of Education will now oversee the California Department of Education through a newly created Education Commissioner. The Board will continue to adopt academic standards, curriculum frameworks, instructional materials, and statewide regulations, while the Education Commissioner assumes responsibility for implementing Board policies, managing department staff and operations, administering programs, approving grants and contracts, and carrying out the executive and administrative functions that were formerly performed by the SPI.
Current SPI Tony Thurmond has been a vocal critic of the new governance structure, which is also being challenged in court by SPI candidate Sonia Shaw.
Teachers’ Retirement Board Holds Offsite Meeting
During their annual offsite meeting held in Burlingame, the Teachers’ Retirement Board (TRB) met to review the implementation of their strategic plan and future budget requests and to discuss emerging trends in business and investments. The proposed budget increases include significant adjustments to expand the investment staff and Maintenance and Operations staff, which would include additional staff to provide customer service. I provided public comment stressing the importance of efficiency and ensuring that any staffing increases would lead to improved member services and cost efficiency.
The TRB had a robust discussion on creating governance language to integrate AI into operations and investment decisions. While this discussion is theoretical, it could lead to new ways to expand the use of technology in operations. Significant discussion took place around serving and protecting members while chewing through ways AI could be integrated. While the TRB held small group discussions, all stakeholder groups present held a productive discussion regarding how AI could impact stakeholders, member trust, and service delivery. I provided public comment to the TRB regarding the need to maintain stakeholder trust, ensure adequate protections for members, and create systemic guardrails. This discussion is not final and will be ongoing. I will provide additional information as this conversation solidifies.
CalRTA Bill Position Updates
The Legislature returns to Sacramento on August 3rd and will finish the legislative session on August 31st. All bills must pass the legislative process by the 31st or they will need to be reintroduced during a future legislative session. The following are CalRTA-supported bills moving forward and their status:
Health Care/Healthy Aging
AB 539 (Schiavo): Health Care Coverage: Prior Authorizations: Requires an approved prior authorization for a health care service requested by an in-network provider to remain valid for the period required by the treating provider for the prescribed course of treatment, generally for up to one year or for the duration of the treatment if it lasts less than one year. The bill will remove unnecessary bureaucratic delays and reduce the burden on physicians and patients, especially those with chronic illnesses. The measure is a two-year bill and is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1906 (Aguiar-Curry): Cervical Cancer Screening: Requires health care plans or insurance policies, by 2027, to provide full coverage for cervical cancer screening, including FDA-authorized or cleared self-collected cervical screening kits, when ordered or provided by an in-network provider and consistent with nationally recognized clinical guidelines. The measure is in the Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File.
AB 2135 (Kalra): Long-term health care facilities: Requires long-term health care facilities to provide a 30-day notice of transfer or discharge, unless there is an exception. The notice would need to be signed by the resident or their representative, as well as a facility representative, or the facility would face penalties. The notice would additionally be required to be sent to the long-term care ombudsman, but no later than 24 hours after the transfer. Should a facility fail to timely comply, the State Department of Public Health would prohibit the admission of new residents until compliance has been established. The measure is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 2161 (Bonta): Medi-Cal work or community engagement: Creates legislative intent that the Department of Health Care Services implement work or community engagement requirements in compliance with recent federal changes to ensure eligible Medi-Cal applicants and beneficiaries can maintain coverage. The bill would require the department to create a system with minimal data requests to make the process as simple as possible for beneficiaries. This would include the creation of regulations by 2028. The measure is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 2348 (Bonta): Medi-Cal community supports: Would allow Medi-Cal managed care plans to continue to cover community supports approved by the Department of Health Care Services, which would begin in 2027 under the condition of federal participation. The department would additionally be required to publish a quarterly report and provide ongoing technical assistance to managed care plans and providers. The measure is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 964 (Smallwood-Cuevas): Prescription drug dose adjustments: Allows a licensed health care professional to adjust the dose or frequency of a drug for medical needs without prior authorization under certain conditions, such as if the patient was prescribed the same medication under a previous health care plan. The measure is in the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File.
SB 1025 (Hurtado): Office of food security and affordability: Would create the Office of Food Security and Affordability, which would be administered by a Director of Food Security and Affordability, who would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The office would be required to collaborate with existing agencies to coordinate statewide outreach to address food insecurity and create best practices for food banks and emergency food providers. A funding mechanism would be created with money from federal, state, local, or private sources. This measure is in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Retirement
AB 65 (Aguiar-Curry): School and community college employees: paid disability and parental leave. Would increase paid leave for school employees due to pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or the recovery from these conditions. It would also prohibit a leave of absence for these conditions from being deducted from other leaves of absence available to her. This measure is in the Senate Appropriations Committee and was funded in the budget.
AB 871 (Stefani): Mandated reporters of suspected financial abuse of an elder or dependent adult: Requires financial institutions to provide annual training on financial elder abuse that includes making reports to both local Adult Protective Services or law enforcement and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission. This bill would also expand the reports to federal authorities to improve the coordination of resources, aid local law enforcement in their investigation, and improve the chance of recovering stolen funds. The measure is a two-year bill and is currently on the Senate Third Reading File.
Legislative Calendar
August 3 – Legislature reconvenes from Summer Recess.
August 14 – Last day for fiscal committees to meet.
August 17-31 – Floor Session only.
August 31 – Last day for each house to pass bills. Final recess begins upon adjournment.
September 30 – Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills.
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