January 13, 2026
Number 3

Three recently enacted laws will significantly impact local agency employees and local government operations.  Assembly Bill (AB) 992 imposes new education requirements for peace officers starting in 2031; AB 339 requires cities, counties, and special districts to provide 45 days’ advance notice to labor representatives before contracting out represented work; and Senate Bill (SB) 590 expands paid family leave to care for “designated persons” beginning in 2028.  These changes require immediate planning and policy updates for hiring, contracting services, and leave administration. 

AB 992:  New Education Requirements for Peace Officers

Effective January 1, 2031, AB 992 requires POST-certified peace officers to obtain one of the following within 36 months of receiving their basic POST certificate:  (1) an associate degree from an accredited community college, (2) a bachelor’s degree or higher, (3) a “modern policing degree” (at least 60 semester units including communications, psychology, writing, ethics, and criminal justice), or (4) a “professional policing certificate” (at least 16 semester units in similar subjects).

AB 992 creates certain exceptions for peace officers from other states and those who served in the military.  For those officers with less than eight years of out-of-state experience as a peace officer who separated from prior employment in good standing, or those who served in the military less than eight years and were honorably discharged, if their service has concluded, the time to obtain the additional required education is extended to 48 months.  Officers with eight or more years of experience as an out-of-state peace officer or in the military are exempt, provided they separated or were discharged in good standing.  The law does not apply to any peace officer employed, or any person enrolled in the POST basic academy, prior to December 31, 2030, State Hospital employees, or Department of Corrections custodial staff.  POST–certified academy coursework and qualifying military or law enforcement training may count toward certain education requirements. 

AB 339:  Advance Notice Requirements for Service Contracts

Under AB 339, effective immediately, public agencies subject to the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, which is generally cities, counties, and special districts, must provide recognized employee organizations with at least 45 days’ written notice before issuing RFPs, RFQs, or renewing/extending contracts for services within the scope of represented job classifications.  The notice must include: (1) anticipated contract duration, (2) scope of work, (3) anticipated cost, and (4) draft solicitation or relevant information, and (5) the reason the contract is necessary. 

Exemptions apply to prevailing wage construction contracts and highly specialized construction-related services.  If emergencies prevent 45-day notice, agencies must provide as much advance notice as practicable. 

SB 590:  Expanded Paid Family Leave Eligibility

Beginning July 1, 2028, SB 590 expands the State’s family temporary disability insurance program, also known as the paid family leave program, to allow employees to take time off work, and receive wage replacement benefits under the program, to care for a seriously ill “designated person,” defined as anyone related by blood or whose association is equivalent to a family relationship.  This expands the paid family leave program beyond current covered family members, which includes a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the employee. 

Under SB 590, when submitting a request to the State for paid leave benefits for a designated person for the first time, employees must identify the person and attest under penalty of perjury to either the blood relationship or how their association is equivalent to family.  The expansion maintains the existing eight-week benefit period within any 12-month period for eligible employees. 

Takeaways

Public agencies should act now to review their applicable policies to ensure they align with these changes in the law.  For AB 992, police departments should review current officer educational qualifications, update recruitment materials, and establish tracking systems to monitor compliance deadlines for officers hired after December 31, 2030.

For AB 339, local agencies will need to ensure that all contracts for services, other than prevailing wage construction contracts and those for highly specialized construction-related services, are reviewed for compliance with the 45-day notice requirements.  Local agencies should develop protocols for identifying which contracts trigger notice requirements, create notice templates, and train staff on compliance requirements.  A key part of compliance will likely also be ensuring that the agency’s labor representatives are included in this compliance review process.

Finally, for SB 590, local agencies should start reviewing any employee benefits policies or notices that may be impacted. 

If you have any questions about AB 992, AB 339, or SB 590, please contact the authors of this Client News Brief or an attorney at one of our eight offices located statewide.  You can also subscribe to our podcast, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn, or download our mobile app.