Senator Pérez’s legislative priorities moving forward following Senate Appropriations Committee votes

SACRAMENTO – Eight bills authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) will move forward for a vote on the Senate Floor after being approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.

“Our legislation reflects the urgent needs of millions of Californians from wildfire survivors and students to immigrant communities and social media users,” said Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena). “I am proud to advance these eight pieces of legislation that will make a difference by holding insurance companies accountable and protecting the rights of everyday Californians in the face of unprecedented threats by this hostile federal administration.”

The Senate Appropriations Committee has passed the following bills that must pass the Senate by May 29:

SB 877, the Fair Claims Practices and Transparency Act, passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. This legislation responds to the insurance industry's impact on our community following the Eaton Fire by requiring insurers to disclose all loss estimate materials and any revisions to policyholders to ensure homeowners can understand how their policy payout was calculated. This bill is sponsored by Consumer Watchdog and Every Fire Survivor's Network.

SB 878, the Insurance Payment Accountability Act, would strengthen existing prompt-payment insurance laws by attaching financial penalties for missed claim decisions and payment deadlines, require insurers to identify disputed items in writing, and mandate timely payment on all undisputed amounts, even when other portions of a claim remain unresolved. This bill is sponsored by Consumer Watchdog, Every Fire Survivor's Network, and the State Insurance Commissioner.

SB 957, the SHIELD Act, would strengthen user data protections by requiring social media companies to notify users when the federal government seeks their personal information through an administrative subpoena. This bill ensures users have time to respond or challenge the subpoena, requires companies to disclose what information was shared, and establishes reporting requirements to the California Attorney General's office.

SB 995, the Masuma Khan Justice Act, passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. This bill would establish a statewide inspection and compliance framework for large involuntary residential facilities including privately operated detention facilities. People held in privately operated facilities are suffering and, in some cases, being treated inhumanely. An unprecedented number of people died in detention in 2025, and that number could be surpassed in 2026. This bill is sponsored by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Public Counsel, and the South Asian Network.

SB 1083, passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. This legislation builds on the Safe Learning Environments Act (SB 848) which was enacted into law last year and established a statewide data system to track egregious misconduct by school employees. This legislation strengthens investigation and reporting requirements, creates appropriate vetting standards for independent contractors who work with students, and establishes a review process for classified employees who are added to the statewide data system for investigations involving egregious misconduct.

SB 1098, the Protect Ratepayers from Utility Overspending Act, establishes safeguards for rate payers by setting guidelines for the use of memorandum and balancing accounts by investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and requires that any costs approved for recovery through rates be set below the IOU's current authorized rate of return. This bill is sponsored by The Utility Reform Network (TURN).

SB 1103, the Responsible Enterprise and Public Accounting of Immigration Raids (REPAIR) Act, would require large home improvement retailers to publicly report immigration enforcement activity occurring on their premises and to disclose their policies on surveillance data-sharing practices and employee interactions with federal immigration authorities. The bill also requires companies provide the State Attorney General with documentation related to such activity upon receipt of an administrative subpoena. This bill is sponsored by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).

SB 1105, the Protect California Rights Act, responds to actions by the current federal administration that have resulted in discriminatory and retaliatory measures targeting communities of color and immigrant communities. This bill prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal operations that violate state laws, including state protections against racial/identity profiling, and the criminalization of protected speech. This bill sponsored by the American Civil Liberites Union (ACLU) California Action and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).

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Senator Sasha Renée Pérez is Chair of the Senate Education Committee and represents the 25th Senate District that includes the communities of Glendale, Pasadena, Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Claremont, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Temple City, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, and San Antonio Heights.