NextGen California Bill Priorities Pass Off of Assembly and Senate Appropriations’ “Suspense Files”

NextGen California Bill Priorities Pass Off of Assembly and Senate Appropriations’ “Suspense Files”

For Immediate Release: August 14, 2026
Contact: Tyler Bushnell, tyler.bushnell@nextgenpolicy.org

Key NextGen California policy priorities will continue to move through the legislative process

SACRAMENTO – With the conclusion of the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees' Suspense hearings, NextGen California is highlighting several of its priority bills that were passed off of the Committee's respective “Suspense files” and are now on to a full Floor vote. The Suspense files are a key fiscal hurdle for bills to pass, as bills on the Suspense files are considered as a whole for their fiscal impact to the state.

“The NextGen California team and I are pleased to see that several of our bills continue to move forward in the legislative process,” said Arnold Sowell Jr., Executive Director for NextGen California. “These bills represent policy priorities in climate, food insecurity, higher education, immigration, inclusive democracy, and workforce development that will benefit millions of Californians across the state. Over the next two weeks, we will fight to ensure that these bills, which will make lasting and positive impacts in some of California’s most underserved communities, receive the support they need from state legislators to get to the Governor to become law. We thank Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committee Chairs Senator Sabrina Cervantes and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, and the rest of the Committee members, for their leadership.”

Specific bills supported by NextGen California which are moving forward off of Suspense include:

Climate: SB 327 (McNerney) – Protecting Ratepayers from Utility Abuses: Protects Californians from spiking electric and gas utility costs by prohibiting for-profit utilities from charging ratepayers to lobby against local efforts to municipalize energy utility service.

Food Insecurity: AB 1857 (Aguiar-Curry) – Grocery Store Access Act: Prohibits restrictive covenants that limit grocery stores and supermarkets from locating in otherwise suitable commercial properties.

Higher Education: AB 1896 (González & Rivas) – Get the Feds Out (GTFO) Act: Disqualifies anyone who has engaged in immigration enforcement activity between January 20, 2025, and January 20, 2029, from being employed as a state, county, or local public agency employee or peace officer in the State of California.

Immigration:

    • AB 1537 (Bryan, Carrillo, Ortega) – Peace Officers and Secondary Employment: Prohibits certain peace officers from engaging in any form of secondary employment, including contract based or individual contractor work, that involves the arrest, detainment, transportation, or deportation of individuals pursuant to federal immigration laws.
    • AB 1807 (Gabriel & Carrillo) – Immigration Enforcement: Use of State-Owned Property: Protects immigrant Californians by prohibiting the use of State-owned properties for the purposes of certain federal immigration enforcement activities.

Inclusive Democracy:

    • AB 1116 (Berman) – Expanded Online Voter Registration: Allows all eligible Californians to register to vote online.
    • SB 1164 (Cervantes) – The California Voting Rights Act of 2026: Prohibits election policies and practices that result in voter suppression.

Workforce:

  • AB 2301 (Soria) – Community College Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program: Establishes Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees at 10 California community college districts to address California’s growing nursing shortage, expand affordable access to bachelor’s degrees, and strengthen healthcare workforce capacity in underserved regions.
  • SB 845 (Pérez) – High School Youth Apprenticeship: Expands youth apprenticeship in the state by implementing key components of the Master Plan for Career Education and California Youth Apprenticeship Committee recommendations.
  • SB 1012 (Smallwood-Cuevas) – The Fire Camp to Career Act: Creates a more accessible process for individuals who have completed the California Conservation Camp Program to access stable career pathways after their release.

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NextGen California is a nonprofit advocacy organization that breaks down barriers and rebalances power in the State Capitol on behalf of all Californians.