Campaigns / 2026 Policy Campaign Agenda
2026 Policy Campaign Agenda
About the California Coalition for Worker Power 2026 Agenda
California is home to millions of workers with the 4th largest economy in the world. We advance policies to protect workers, prevent harm from law-breaking employers, and build a world that achieves workplace democracy.
Our 2026 policy priorities reflect our values that focus on collective workplace action to push the state to take bold action to protect workers and immigration from dangerous federal policies.
Funding the California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP):
Budget Request
Full Funding for the California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) for outreach and education to workers
Our budget request seeks $30 million per year for five years to fund the California Workplace Outreach Program (CWOP) through 2031. CWOP, originally named the Covid-19 Workplace Outreach Project, launched as part of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s (LWDA) campaign to educate workers on paid leave, COVID mitigation health standards, and anti-retaliation protections. In 2023, the Legislature renamed CWOP the California Workplace Outreach Project and expanded its scope to cover all Labor Code protections. In 2025, CWOP was codified into law (SB 578, Smallwood-Cuevas). CWOP has been successful in conducting outreach to workers in hard-to-reach and at-risk communities and providing them know-your-rights training, supporting them to vindicate their rights, and connecting them with services. This budget allocation will have no impact on the general fund and will instead come from the Labor and Workforce Development Fund.
Assemblymember Connolly
This bill will end the corporate tax loophole known as Water’s Edge, that allows multinational corporations to avoid paying California taxes on approximately $3-4 billion in profits every year while working women and families struggle to pay their bills.
CA Sensitive Data Privacy Act
Assemblymember Ward
Assembly Bill 1542 would close a dangerous loophole in the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) by banning businesses from selling or sharing sensitive personal information to a third party. Focused on large corporations.
Increase workplace protections against AI
Senator Smallwood-Cuevas
Senate Bill 247 would increase transparency and accountability in the use of workplace surveillance and artificial intelligence (AI) tools in California by establishing a basic disclosure framework so that workers, policymakers, and regulators know which technologies are being used, what data is collected, and who controls it.
Prohibit Employers from Coercing Workers
Assemblymember Kalra
This bill amends Labor Code §1019 to make clear that immigration-related coercion itself is unlawful, even when workers have not yet engaged in any protected activity. The bill would: 1) Prohibit employers and others from coercing workers through unfair immigration-related practices to preemptively induce silence, inaction, or compliance; 2) Clarify that actions designed to dissuade a worker from exercising their rights are unlawful. 3) Preserve existing retaliation protections while closing the loophole that allows coercion that is not tethered to an employee’s protected activity.
Immigration Enforcement Relief Fund
Assemblymember Garcia
Assembly Bill 2271 would create the Immigration Enforcement Emergency Relief Fund to provide temporary financial assistance to individuals and families who have lost income due to immigration enforcement activities
SEED Microgrant budget
This budget request would fund community-based organizations to provide micro-grants, technical assistance, and entrepreneurial training to individuals with barriers to employment (like LEP and undocumented immigrants) to support them in starting a small business.
Masuma Khan Act
Senator Perez
Senate Bill 995 would establish a statewide inspection and compliance framework for large involuntary residential facilities including detention facilities to allow for state inspection authority and enforcement tools. Allows fines, license revocations when health and safety standards are not met
Protect California Rights Act
Senator Perez
Senate bill 1105 would require interagency agreements with the federal government and out-of-state law enforcement to expressly state that California law enforcement will not engage in racial profiling, criminalization of speech, or use of unauthorized weapons of war. The bill would also ensure that our state does not give federal law enforcement officers acting beyond their federal jurisdiction broad power to stop and arrest Californians.
Fair Chance Act
Assemblymember Lee
Assembly Bill 2095 would amend the Fair Chance Act by improving enforceability and closing loopholes and expanding what jobs and workers are covered.
Truth in Disclosure Act
Assemblymember Bryan
Assembly Bill 2599 would increase corporate transparency and public trust by requiring companies in specific industries to disclose their historical ties to slavery. Creates a public digital platform to house these disclosures and associated data.
Stand for Security Act
Senator Smallwood-Cuevas
Senate Bill 1203 would strengthen the safety, accountability and workforce standards by increasing training requirements and establishing reporting requirements to ensure trainings are conducted.
