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AB 1578

State and local officials: sexual harassment training and education: anti-hate speech training.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Corey Jackson

AB 1578 requires state and local officials to complete at least 1 hour of antihate speech training every 4 years, starting 2028, with records public and kept 5 years.

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
#stateandlocalofficials #anti-hatespeechtraining #sexualharassmenttrainingandeducation
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Bill Summary · AB 1578

Summary of AB 1578 (2025-2026) – California

Purpose and intent

AB 1578, introduced by Assembly Member Jackson, adds anti-hate speech training to the existing sexual harassment prevention and ethics training requirements for state and local officials. The bill directs that, beginning January 1, 2028, elected and certain appointed officials receive integrated antihate speech training as part of their ongoing official training. It also expands recordkeeping and cross-agency training requirements, and codifies public access to training records.

Key aims:
- Promote awareness and prevention of hate speech alongside sexual harassment.
- Ensure state and local officials understand and apply both harassment and hate-speech protections in the workplace.
- Improve transparency through public recordkeeping of training completion.

Main provisions and changes

State officials

  • Beginning January 1, 2028, require each state official to complete at least 1 hour of antihate speech training within 6 months of taking office and then every 4 years thereafter.
  • State agencies must maintain records of when each state official completed the antihate speech training for at least 5 years.
  • For state officials serving multiple agencies, training must be completed only once every 2 years, regardless of the number of agencies served.

Local officials

  • Local officials who receive compensation or stipends must satisfy antihate speech and sexual harassment prevention training requirements.
  • Local antihate speech training: at least 1 hour within the first 6 months of taking office and every 4 years thereafter.
  • Local agencies must maintain records of antihate speech and sexual harassment training for at least 5 years.
  • Beginning January 1, 2028, for elected local officials, antihate speech training must be included as a component of the overall training.

Training scope and content

  • Existing sexual harassment training requirements remain in place, including:
    • At least 2 hours of supervisory training and at least 1 hour for nonsupervisory employees, with ongoing renewal every 2 years.
    • Inclusion of prevention of abusive conduct and harassment based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.
  • From 2028 onward, anti-hate speech training must be included for all elected officials (state and local) as part of the required training.
  • Curricula developers must consult with city attorney or county counsel for content sufficiency and accuracy.

Records and transparency

  • Local agencies must maintain public records of training dates and training providers, available under the California Public Records Act, for at least 5 years.
  • Agencies are required to publish recommendations on training options to officials at least once when assuming a new position and then every two years (for sexual harassment) or every four years (for antihate speech).

Mandates and funding

  • The bill imposes a state-mandated-local-program impact by adding antihate speech training requirements at the local level.
  • If the Commission on State Mandates determines new costs are mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies may be provided under existing mandate reimbursement statutes.

Who is affected

  • State officials (all who take office in state agencies) and the agencies that employ them.
  • Local agency officials (city, county, and local government officials who receive compensation, salary, or stipend).
  • Local agencies and associated entities that develop or deliver training curricula.
  • Training providers and apprenticeship programs that may be used to deliver mandated training.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • January 1, 2028: Start date for including antihate speech training as part of the mandatory training for elected officials at both state and local levels.
  • Training cadence:
    • State officials: at least 1 hour within 6 months of taking office, then every 4 years.
    • Local officials: same 6-month first requirement and 4-year cadence thereafter.
    • For officials serving multiple agencies: training required once every 2 years, regardless of number of agencies (state provision; local counterpart exists as well).
  • Recordkeeping: 5-year maintenance period for antihate speech training records at both state and local levels.
  • Public records: Training completion data become public records, subject to the Public Records Act.

Notable notes

  • The bill explicitly adds antihate speech training as a component of the broader harassment prevention framework for both state and local officials.
  • It aligns antihate speech training with existing sexual harassment prevention requirements, expanding the scope of training and accountability.
  • It relies on existing enforcement and administrative structures (e.g., Civil Rights Department administration of harassment provisions, mandate reimbursement processes) to implement and fund the changes if applicable.

Overall, AB 1578 aims to formalize antihate speech education within the ethics and workplace conduct training regime for California’s public officials, with structured timelines, recordkeeping, and public accessibility.

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

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