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AB 1803

Employment: sexual harassment training and education: anti-hate speech training.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Corey Jackson and 4 co-sponsors

California AB 1803 requires employers to provide combined training on sexual harassment prevention and anti-hate speech, with compliance and recordkeeping.

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.
#employment #anti-hatespeechtraining #sexualharassmenttrainingandeducation
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 1803

Overview

AB 1803 is a California bill addressing employment-related training on sexual harassment and expanding education to include anti-hate speech components. The bill has advanced through multiple committees and floor votes in 2026, with sponsorship from lawmakers including Rick Zbur, Josh Lowenthal, and Corey Jackson.

Purpose and Intent

  • Expand employer-provided training requirements related to sexual harassment to also encompass anti-hate speech education.
  • Promote a more comprehensive workplace civility and anti-discrimination framework by pairing harassment training with education about hate speech and related harassment, discrimination, or threats.

Key Provisions (as introduced and advanced through amendments)

  • Require employers to deliver training on:
    • Sexual harassment acknowledgment, prevention, and reporting procedures.
    • Anti-hate speech education, including examples of prohibited conduct and its impact in the workplace.
  • Training applicable to employees (and potentially supervisors) with specified frequency and delivery methods (e.g., in-person or online modules).
  • Clear definitions:
    • Sexual harassment: consistent with existing California law (unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile work environment or affects employment conditions).
    • Anti-hate speech: conduct or communications that demean, intimidate, or discriminate against individuals or protected classes based on characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected status, or other attributes defined by law.
  • Compliance standards:
    • Employers must ensure completion of the training within defined timeframes (e.g., annually or on initial hire) and maintain records of participation.
    • Provisions for updating training materials to reflect current law and societal standards.
  • Enforcement and reporting:
    • Potential penalties or corrective actions for failure to provide required training or to maintain records.
    • Procedures for audits or reviews by relevant state agencies to verify compliance.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Employers operating in California with employees in the state, including private-sector businesses and public or quasi-public entities, depending on existing applicability to sexual harassment training mandates.
  • Employees and supervisors who would participate in the mandated training and be subject to the anti-hate speech education components.
  • Human resources, compliance, and training departments responsible for implementing and recording the training.

Timeline and Procedural Notes

  • 2026-02-10: Introduced and read first time; placed on print.
  • 2026-02-23 to 2026-04-13: Sequential referrals and committee hearings, with amendments:
    • Referred to committees on L. & E. (Labor and Employment) and JUD (Judiciary); later amendments and re-references.
    • APPR (Appropriations) involvement, indicating consideration of fiscal impact.
    • JUD committee actions with approvals and re-references as amendments were incorporated.
  • 2026-04-22: Committee “Do pass” with amendments (9-2).
  • 2026-04-23: Read second time; ordered to third reading.
  • 2026-04-29 to 2026-05-04: Passed the Senate floor in third reading (ayes 57, noes 10); ordered to the Assembly.
  • 2026-05-05: Read first time in the Senate; assigned to the Rules, Labor, and Rulings Committee (RLS) for assignment.
  • 2026-05-13: Referred to Assembly Committees on Labor and Employment (L., P.E. & R.) and Judiciary (JUD).

Note: The bill’s current status is that it has passed the Senate and is progressing through Assembly committees for potential concurrence or further action.

Potential Impact

  • Compliance Burden: Increased expectations on employers to provide combined sexual harassment prevention and anti-hate speech education, with recordkeeping requirements.
  • Workplace Climate: Aims to reduce harassment and bias in the workplace by clarifying unacceptable conduct and reinforcing reporting mechanisms.
  • Enforcement and Oversight: Possible state-level enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance, contingent on final legislative language.
  • Training Quality: Focus on updating curricula to reflect evolving standards and legal requirements, potentially driving the use of standardized modules and external training resources.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a specific audience (e.g., employers, employees, legal counsel) or compare AB 1803 to existing California sexual harassment training requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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