California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Enacted 1 D cosponsors

SB 235 — Civil discovery.

Last action — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 284, Statutes of 2023.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 24, 2023. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) on September 30, 2023.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 6 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

The Civil Discovery Act authorizes the court, with the stipulation of the parties to a civil action other than an unlawful detainer or small claims action, to order the parties to provide initial disclosures to the other parties to the action within 45 days of the court's order. Existing law requires a party providing initial disclosures to provide information regarding persons who have information, or records containing information, supporting the party's claims and defenses, and information regarding agreements which would make a person or an insurance company liable to satisfy a judgment in the action through reimbursement or indemnification. Existing law requires a party to supplement or correct such a disclosure or response, as specified. Existing law requires initial disclosures to be verified by the party under penalty of perjury. Under existing law, these provisions do not apply to unlawful detainer actions or actions brought in the small claims division of a court, as specified. This bill would instead require each party that has appeared in a civil action to provide initial disclosures, as specified, to the other parties to the action within 60 days of a demand by any party to the action unless modified by the stipulation of the parties. The bill would require a party making initial disclosures of persons or records to additionally disclose persons or records that are relevant to the subject matter of the action, except as specified, and to disclose information and records regarding insurance policies or contracts that would make a person or insurance company liable to satisfy a judgment. The bill would allow a party who has made, or responded to, a demand for initial disclosures to propound supplemental demands, as specified. The bill would instead require initial disclosures to be verified via the written declaration of the party or the party's authorized representative, or signed by the party's counsel. The bill would exempt any party not represented by counsel from these requirements. In addition to the exemptions described above, the bill would specify that its provisions do not apply to actions or proceedings commenced in whole or in part under the Family Code or Probate Code, or to an action in which a party has been granted preference, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2027. Existing law requires a court to impose a $250 sanction against a party, person, or attorney upon findings that the party, person, or attorney (1) failed to respond in good faith to a document request, (2) produced the requested documents within 7 days of a motion to compel that is filed by the requesting party as a result of the other party, person, or attorney's failure to respond in good faith, or (3) failed to meet and confer in person, by telephone, by letter, or other means of communication in writing, to resolve any dispute regarding the request. This bill would increase the amount of the sanction to $1,000.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 284, Statutes of 2023.

  2. Approved by the Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2598.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3007.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. Ordered to third reading.

  8. Read third time and amended.

  9. Ordered to third reading.

  10. From consent calendar on motion of Assembly Member Bryan.

  11. Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.

  12. From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 16).

  13. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 5).

  15. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  16. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  17. Referred to Com. on JUD.

  18. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  19. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1074.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  20. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  21. From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

  22. Set for hearing May 1.

  23. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 798.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  24. Set for hearing April 18.

  25. April 11 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  26. Set for hearing April 11.

  27. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  28. Referred to Com. on JUD.

  29. From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 24.

  30. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Unfinished Business SB235 Umberg Concurrence

Passed 39 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 21001
Republican 7000
Total 39001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Not Voting
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

SB 235 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Papan

Passed 78 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 46001
Republican 13000
Unaffiliated 19001
Total 78002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Villapudua — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Ting — Yea
Wood — Yea
Low — Yea
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Essayli — Not Voting
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Vince Fong — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Not Voting
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea
Ta, Tri Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass. To Consent Calendar.

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9001
Republican 3000
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 15001
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Not Voting
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 10 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7000
Republican 2000
Unaffiliated 1001
Total 10001
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Maienschein — Yea
Essayli — Not Voting
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 38 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 20002
Republican 7000
Total 38002
% of votes cast 95%0%0%5%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Not Voting
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Not Voting
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 2000
Democratic 8000
Republican 1000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 235 do?
The Civil Discovery Act authorizes the court, with the stipulation of the parties to a civil action other than an unlawful detainer or small claims action, to order the parties to provide initial disclosures to the other parties to the action within 45 days of the court's order. Existing law requires a party providing initial disclosures to provide information regarding persons who have information, or records containing information, supporting the party's claims and defenses, and information regarding agreements which would make a person or an insurance company liable to satisfy a judgment in the action through reimbursement or indemnification. Existing law requires a party to supplement or correct such a disclosure or response, as specified. Existing law requires initial disclosures to be verified by the party under penalty of perjury. Under existing law, these provisions do not apply to unlawful detainer actions or actions brought in the small claims division of a court, as specified. This bill would instead require each party that has appeared in a civil action to provide initial disclosures, as specified, to the other parties to the action within 60 days of a demand by any party to the action unless modified by the stipulation of the parties. The bill would require a party making initial disclosures of persons or records to additionally disclose persons or records that are relevant to the subject matter of the action, except as specified, and to disclose information and records regarding insurance policies or contracts that would make a person or insurance company liable to satisfy a judgment. The bill would allow a party who has made, or responded to, a demand for initial disclosures to propound supplemental demands, as specified. The bill would instead require initial disclosures to be verified via the written declaration of the party or the party's authorized representative, or signed by the party's counsel. The bill would exempt any party not represented by counsel from these requirements. In addition to the exemptions described above, the bill would specify that its provisions do not apply to actions or proceedings commenced in whole or in part under the Family Code or Probate Code, or to an action in which a party has been granted preference, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2027. Existing law requires a court to impose a $250 sanction against a party, person, or attorney upon findings that the party, person, or attorney (1) failed to respond in good faith to a document request, (2) produced the requested documents within 7 days of a motion to compel that is filed by the requesting party as a result of the other party, person, or attorney's failure to respond in good faith, or (3) failed to meet and confer in person, by telephone, by letter, or other means of communication in writing, to resolve any dispute regarding the request. This bill would increase the amount of the sanction to $1,000.
Who sponsors SB 235?
SB 235 is sponsored by Umberg, Thomas J. (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 235?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 24, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 235?
Track SB 235 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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