Countdown to Prop 50, Key California Bills & Calls to Make Now

September Is Here—Let’s Get to Work!

We’ve done the homework, now it’s time to take action. Over the last few weeks, we’ve rounded up the most urgent issues facing California this fall, summarized critical bills up for Senate votes, and tracked how Prop 50 could shape the future of our state.

But this moment isn’t just about staying informed, it’s about mobilizing.

We need you—your voice, your time, your passion. Whether it’s phone banking, canvassing for Prop 50, or calling your senator to demand real progress on the bills that matter most, this is the time to show up.

California is watching. The legislature is in session. And what we do in the next few weeks will set the tone for 2026 and beyond.

🗳️ Prop 50: Protecting Fair Representation in California

The California Legislature reconvened in August and acted swiftly to protect our state’s representation in Congress. Lawmakers passed a measure—now known as Proposition 50—that will appear on the November 4, 2025 special election ballot.

What Prop 50 does:

• Establishes new congressional maps drawn by the Legislature that will be in effect for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections.

• Ensures California cannot be undercut by mid-decade gerrymanders happening in other states—most notably Texas, where Republican leaders are redrawing maps to wipe out multiple Democratic-held districts.

• Protects the voices of California voters by giving us a fair chance to fight back against partisan power grabs designed to cheat in the 2026 midterms.

Governor Gavin Newsom put it clearly: this is about urgency and action. California voters will now have the opportunity to step up and defend democracy at the ballot box.

Key date: 🗓️ Tuesday, November 4, 2025Make sure you are registered, make your plan to vote, and spread the word—passing Prop 50 is how we stop partisan gerrymandering from silencing Californians.

👉 Learn more about Prop 50 and how to vote at registertovote.ca.gov.

805 Speakeasy will be organizing opportunities in the 805 to help get out the vote, so make sure you are signed up for our newsletter and following us on social media accounts @805speakeasy 

Updates on several key bills we featured last month.

AB84- This is the bill that holds charter schools that receive your tax dollars to similar financial transparency as public schools. Read HERE for details on AB84

PASSED Senate Appropiations, now headed to the senate floor for a full vote. We must call our state senators and urge them to vote yes.

AB495- protects children in immigrant and mixed-status families by ensuring emergency contact information and plans for family safety are up-to-date in the event immigration enforcement impacts children at schools and licensed childcare facilities. 

PASSED Senate Appropiations,now headed to the senate floor for a full vote. We must call our state senators and urge them to vote yes.

AB665- aligns standards of mental health care consent in California for all youth ages 12 and older. PASSED!!

AB727- Mandates that all 7-12 schools—both public and private—as well as public and private universities print the contact information of an LGBTQ advocacy organization, the Trevor Project, on every student identification card. 

PASSED Senate Appropiations,now headed to the senate floor for a full vote. We must call our state senators and urge them to vote yes.

FIND YOUR SENATOR AND CALL TODAY! VOTE YES ON AB84, AB495, and AB727. https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Spotlight on September 2025 bills on the horizon watchlist:

AB 82: strengthens protections for providers, staff, and patients of gender-affirming health care by expanding California’s address confidentiality and anti-doxxing laws to include them, just as they currently apply to reproductive health care. It ensures personal data like home addresses and images cannot be posted or sold online with harmful intent, and prohibits law enforcement cooperation with out-of-state investigations targeting legal gender-affirming care. The bill also exempts prescriptions like testosterone from being tracked in state drug monitoring systems and ensures zero bail for those arrested in connection with legally protected health care. This bill is a vital step in safeguarding access to essential, life-saving care and shielding Californians from political persecution.

SB 497: This bill strengthens privacy protections for individuals seeking or providing gender-affirming health care by prohibiting California health care providers, employers, and agencies from cooperating with out-of-state efforts to criminalize or penalize such care—including responding to foreign subpoenas or sharing medical data from the CURES prescription database. It bans unauthorized access or misuse of CURES data and imposes criminal penalties for violations, helping shield legally protected health care activities from hostile state laws. Urgently enacted, this law positions California as a national safe haven for gender-affirming care and reinforces its commitment to medical privacy and human rights.

SB 418 expands access to gender-affirming care by requiring health plans, including Medi-Cal, to cover a full 12-month supply of FDA-approved hormone therapy without restrictive refill or utilization barriers. It also strengthens anti-discrimination protections, making it illegal for insurers to deny or limit coverage based on gender identity, sex characteristics, race, age, or disability. This bill ensures trans, intersex, and gender-diverse Californians can access essential care with dignity, continuity, and legal protection.

SB 59 protects the privacy of people who change their gender or sex identifier by requiring courts to keep those petitions and related records confidential—regardless of the petitioner’s age. The bill ensures this protection applies retroactively and empowers individuals to take legal action if their information is unlawfully disclosed. This urgent legislation is a powerful step toward safeguarding the dignity, safety, and autonomy of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex Californians.

AB 1084 streamlines and strengthens privacy protections for people seeking to change their name or gender marker to align with their gender identity. It removes the outdated objection process for adult name changes and ensures that most changes—whether for adults or minors—can be granted quickly and confidentially without a court hearing. This bill reduces delays, protects trans and nonbinary people from unnecessary scrutiny, and affirms their right to live safely and authentically.

AB82, SB497, SB418, SB59, AB1084 have all PASSED Senate Appropiations, now headed to the senate floor for a full vote as of 8/29/25. Session starts the week of 9/1/25 and these bills can be heard at any time.

 FIND YOUR SENATOR AND CALL TODAY to urge a YES VOTE on all 5. https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Other Upcoming Bills

AB1142: seeks to amend the regulations for public equine events and horse sales. The bill increases the entry fee threshold for one-day events from $4.99 to $50 and modifies the secondary fee threshold from $19.99 to $60. What’s most important about this bill is that it seeks to monitor the administration of enhancement medications to horses for public events like shows and races.

AB 559: seeks to protect homeowners from fraud by limiting the amount that contractors constructing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) can request in advance or as progress payments. Importantly, AB 559 will toughen penalties for contractors who violate these crucial consumer protections. This bill is sponsored by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) in response to a high-profile case involving a contractor who defrauded homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and abandoned homeowners with unfinished ADUs.

Make sure you subscribe on our contacts page to be updated on important legislation happening in California, and follow us on social media @805speakeasy 

IN THE 805? here are your senators:

Senator Monique Limón (21st District)

Capitol Office (Sacramento): (916) 651‑4021

Senator Henry Stern (27th District)

Capitol Office (Sacramento): (916) 651‑4027