California 20252026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 D cosponsors

SB 249 — County boards of education: elections: consolidation.

Last action — August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 30, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Assembly.

Prognosis

Advancing 48% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    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 7 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 California Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for the appointment or election of the State Board of Education and a board of education in each county or for the election of a joint county board of education for 2 or more counties. Existing law requires the regular election to select governing board members in any school district, community college district, or county board of education to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered year. Notwithstanding that requirement, after the initial election, any subsequent election of governing board members in any school district, community college district, or county board of education may be established, upon the adoption of an appropriate resolution by the governing board or the county board of education, to regularly occur on the same day as the statewide direct primary election, the statewide general election, or the general municipal election, as specified. This bill, notwithstanding any other law, and commencing January 1, 2026, would require any election for the elected members of a county board of education to instead be consolidated with the statewide general election. The bill would require the term of office of all incumbent elected members of a county board of education to be extended accordingly, and would require the county committee on school district organization to determine the manner in which the county board of education elected shall effect a staggering of terms, if necessary. By imposing additional duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill also would make conforming changes. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  3. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  5. Referred to Coms. on ELECTIONS and ED.

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

  7. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 27. Noes 10. Page 1391.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1193.) (May 23).

  10. Set for hearing May 23.

  11. May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  12. Set for hearing May 12.

  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. (Ayes 3. Noes 1. Page 933.) (April 29).

  15. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E. & C.A. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 735.) (April 9). Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

  16. Set for hearing April 29 in E. & C.A. pending receipt.

  17. Set for hearing April 9.

  18. Re-referred to Coms. on ED. and E. & C.A.

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

  20. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  21. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 2.

  22. 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 · 14 voted No

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

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 7 Yea · 2 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7000
Republican 0200
Total 7200
% of votes cast 78%22%0%0%
How each member voted (9)
Member Party Vote
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Garcia, Robert Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Castillo, Leticia Republican Nay
Hoover, Josh Republican Nay

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 27 Yea · 10 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 27003
Republican 01000
Total 271003
% of votes cast 68%25%0%8%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Not Voting
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Arreguín, Jesse Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Cabaldon, Christopher Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Not Voting
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
McNerney, Jerry Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Not Voting
Richardson, Laura 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
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Nay
Choi, Steven S. Republican Nay
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Grove, Shannon Republican Nay
Jones, Brian W. Republican Nay
Niello, Roger W. Republican Nay
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Nay
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Nay
Strickland, Tony Republican Nay
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Elections and Constitutional Amendments]

Passed 5 Yea · 2 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 5000
Republican 0200
Total 5200
% of votes cast 71%29%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Cabaldon, Christopher Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Nay
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 249 do?
The California Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for the appointment or election of the State Board of Education and a board of education in each county or for the election of a joint county board of education for 2 or more counties. Existing law requires the regular election to select governing board members in any school district, community college district, or county board of education to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered year. Notwithstanding that requirement, after the initial election, any subsequent election of governing board members in any school district, community college district, or county board of education may be established, upon the adoption of an appropriate resolution by the governing board or the county board of education, to regularly occur on the same day as the statewide direct primary election, the statewide general election, or the general municipal election, as specified. This bill, notwithstanding any other law, and commencing January 1, 2026, would require any election for the elected members of a county board of education to instead be consolidated with the statewide general election. The bill would require the term of office of all incumbent elected members of a county board of education to be extended accordingly, and would require the county committee on school district organization to determine the manner in which the county board of education elected shall effect a staggering of terms, if necessary. By imposing additional duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill also would make conforming changes. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Who sponsors SB 249?
SB 249 is sponsored by Umberg, Thomas J. (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 249?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 30, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 249?
Track SB 249 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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