Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, whose district includes Santa Monica, closed out the legislative year with a burst of new laws. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed nine of his bills, covering hotel ground leases, data center power costs, rare disease treatment, attorney misconduct and the right to reach a human customer service representative.
Zbur's office announced the signings in a string of releases. Most of the measures take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Zbur, D-Hollywood, chairs the Assembly Democratic Caucus. He represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica and other parts of Los Angeles.
Hotel leases
The most recent signing was Assembly Bill 2181. It bars appraisers from counting hypothetical density bonus housing projects when setting the value of operating hotels and motels.
Many California hotels sit on land held under long-term ground leases, and the rent resets periodically based on the appraised value of the land. Zbur's office said some of those appraisals have assumed residential redevelopment under the state's Density Bonus Law, even when no such project was ever pursued, approved or entitled. That drives up lease costs without adding any housing.
Under the new law, density bonuses may be considered in those valuations only if they have been entitled and vested as of the valuation date. The law does not limit a property's eligibility for a density bonus, block future redevelopment or change the state's underlying housing policy.
"Property valuations should be based on what can actually be built, not speculative development scenarios that exist only on paper," Zbur said.
UNITE HERE International and UNITE HERE Local 11 sponsored the bill. Maria Espinoza, a housekeeper at the Sandbourne Santa Monica, said hotel workers too often lack "a real voice in the decisions that affect our jobs and our workplaces. That's why AB 2181 matters."
Data centers
AB 2383, the Fair Share in Energy Act, requires data centers to cover the costs of serving their large electricity demand rather than shifting those costs to households and businesses. Zbur's office described the protections as the strongest in the nation.
Newsom signed it as part of a package that also included SB 886 by Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, and SB 1186 by Sen. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton. The Legislature sent the package to the governor Sept. 1.
The laws require data centers to pay for grid upgrades their operations trigger and for the electricity needed to meet their demand. They must also pay a share of wildfire mitigation and liability, electrification and environmental programs, and other societal costs. The package also gives data centers incentives to add onsite clean energy.
"AB 2383 puts ratepayers first by ensuring data centers pay their fair share," Zbur said.
Human customer service
AB 1609, the Right to Human Customer Service Act, requires large businesses serving California consumers to offer access to human customer service during normal business hours. They must make a good-faith effort to connect a customer with a person within 15 minutes of a request or schedule an appointment. Companies must also disclose when a customer is talking to a chatbot.
The law does not ban AI or automated customer service. Zbur recalled spending hours on hold during the pandemic trying to get medication for his elderly mother. He eventually drove to the pharmacy "just to show them that I was still sitting on hold." The Communications Workers of America, District 9, sponsored the bill.
Rare disease treatment
AB 1887 sets a 30-day backstop for prior authorization of rare disease treatments prescribed by an appropriate specialist based on medical necessity. If a health plan does not approve a qualifying request within 30 days, the request is automatically certified.
An estimated 4 million Californians live with rare diseases, and the average time to diagnosis is seven to eight years, according to Zbur's office. Zbur chairs the California Rare Disease Caucus and cited his sister Jackie's battle with ALS as a personal motivation. The California Chronic Care Coalition sponsored the bill.
Health care shield law
AB 1930 requires California entities to notify the state attorney general before producing records in response to subpoenas or other demands for information about legally protected reproductive or gender-affirming care. The attorney general can then review the request and intervene when appropriate.
Attorney General Rob Bonta and Equality California sponsored the bill. It was signed as part of a six-bill package of California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus priorities. Zbur's office said the need became clear after a federal subpoena was issued to Children's Hospital Los Angeles seeking information about gender-affirming care.
Retail renovations
AB 1693 creates a faster permitting option for retailers renovating the interiors of existing storefronts. Qualified architects or engineers can certify that plans meet building, health and safety standards, and local building departments then have 20 business days to approve or deny a complete application.
The California Retailers Association and the Westside Council of Chambers of Commerce sponsored the bill. George Francisco, president of the Westside council, cited the Third Street Promenade among the region's signature shopping destinations. The law extends a framework the state adopted for restaurants in 2025 through AB 671 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks.
Attorney misconduct
AB 2039 requires mandatory summary disbarment proceedings for attorneys convicted of felony illegal client solicitation, known as capping. It also applies to misdemeanor convictions involving knowing financial gain. The law protects whistleblowers who report attorney misconduct from retaliation and adds safeguards for loans and financial advances between attorneys and clients, including a cooling-off period before signing.
The release cited Los Angeles Times reporting on allegations that attorneys and recruiters solicited vulnerable people as clients. Consumer Attorneys of California sponsored the bill.
Part-time faculty retirement
AB 2417 requires community college districts to offer qualifying part-time faculty a choice of Social Security, the CalSTRS Defined Benefit Program or, where offered, the CalSTRS Cash Balance Benefit Program. CalSTRS, in consultation with CalPERS, must also produce materials comparing the options.
The law follows the federal Social Security Fairness Act, which repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. The California Federation of Teachers sponsored the bill. The new information requirements begin July 1, 2027.
Workforce training
AB 2634, the High-Road Jobs & Workforce Training Act, gives a scoring preference in the state's High Road Training Partnership grant program to bona fide labor-management cooperation committees and groups applying on their behalf. The program has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in workforce development since 2017.
Zbur tied the bill to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. "We need to make investments today that prepare Californians for the jobs ahead," he said.