California 20252026 Regular Session Status: Passed Assembly 1 D cosponsors

AB 597 — Public insurance adjusters.

Last action — In committee: Held under submission.

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

This bill has passed the Assembly. Introduced February 13, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

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

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 48% · moderate confidence

  • Passed Assembly

    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 5 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Existing law, the Public Insurance Adjusters Act, governs the regulation, licensing, and registration of public insurance adjusters and requires the Insurance Commissioner to administer the act. The act prohibits a licensee from acting as a public insurance adjuster without having first entered into a written contract and governs the form and content of the contract, including setting forth required and prohibited contract terms, including requiring a description of the services to be provided to the insured. Existing law prohibits a public adjuster from receiving a fee or other consideration in excess of the amount or percentage provided in the contract. A person who violates these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would require the contract between the public adjuster and the insured to include a description of the services to be provided, including the specific claim and coverages to which the services apply. The bill would prohibit a public adjuster contract from allowing a licensee's fee, commission, or other valuable consideration to be for, or based upon, (1) any amount paid to the insured prior to the date of the written contract with the public adjuster if the claim pertains to a catastrophic disaster or a state of emergency, or, (2) on an insurer's payment for specific claims or coverages to which the services do not apply. Existing law prohibits licensees from soliciting or attempting to solicit employment from a client during a loss-producing occurrence, or from soliciting a policyholder or initiating contact with a policyholder during specified hours. This bill would instead prohibit licensees from soliciting or attempting to solicit employment from a policyholder or their representative during a loss-producing occurrence and would prohibit a licensee from also soliciting or contacting a policyholder's representative during those specified hours. Existing law entitles an insured to rescind a contract without any time limit if the licensee misrepresents or conceals a material fact from the insured before the execution of the contract. Existing law authorizes an insured to cancel a contract with a public adjuster within 5 calendar days of signing it and being provided a copy of the signed contract if the loss is included in an area subject to catastrophic disaster. This bill would expand those provisions to entitle an insured to void or rescind the contract if the licensee misrepresents or conceals a material fact before the execution of the contract or solicits employment in violation of the provisions described above. The bill would also extend the ability to cancel a contract within 5 calendar days if a property loss is included in an area subject to a state of emergency. The bill would make conforming changes to a "Notice of Cancellation" form required to be included with each contract and other related disclosures. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. In committee: Held under submission.

  2. In committee: Referred to suspense file.

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

  4. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 9).

  5. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on INS.

  6. Referred to Com. on INS.

  7. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  8. Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.).

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  11. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (March 19).

  12. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (March 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  13. (Pending re-refer to Com. on APPR.)

  14. Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 616.)

  15. Re-referred to Com. on INS.

  16. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on INS. Read second time and amended.

  17. Referred to Com. on INS.

  18. From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

  19. Read first time. 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

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 6 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 4001
Republican 2000
Total 6001
% of votes cast 86%0%0%14%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Not Voting
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

AB 597 Harabedian Third Reading Urgency

Passed 77 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 57002
Republican 18001
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 77003
% of votes cast 96%0%0%4%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Ávila Farías — Yea
Essayli — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Not Voting
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
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
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Garcia, Robert Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy 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
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Ransom, Rhodesia Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Celeste Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Michelle Democratic Yea
Rogers, Chris Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Schultz, Nick Democratic Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Solache, Jr., José Luis Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Not Voting
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Castillo, Leticia Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Not Voting
DeMaio, Carl Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Ellis, Stan Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Gonzalez, Jeff Republican Yea
Hadwick, Heather Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea
Ta, Tri Republican Yea
Tangipa, David J. Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended.

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 11000
Republican 4000
Total 15000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Solache, Jr., José Luis Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Hadwick, Heather Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea
Ta, Tri Republican Yea

Official roll call →

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

Passed 17 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 12000
Republican 4000
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 17000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (17)
Member Party Vote
Ávila Farías — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Michelle Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Hadwick, Heather Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety finance
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 AB 597 do?
Existing law, the Public Insurance Adjusters Act, governs the regulation, licensing, and registration of public insurance adjusters and requires the Insurance Commissioner to administer the act. The act prohibits a licensee from acting as a public insurance adjuster without having first entered into a written contract and governs the form and content of the contract, including setting forth required and prohibited contract terms, including requiring a description of the services to be provided to the insured. Existing law prohibits a public adjuster from receiving a fee or other consideration in excess of the amount or percentage provided in the contract. A person who violates these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would require the contract between the public adjuster and the insured to include a description of the services to be provided, including the specific claim and coverages to which the services apply. The bill would prohibit a public adjuster contract from allowing a licensee's fee, commission, or other valuable consideration to be for, or based upon, (1) any amount paid to the insured prior to the date of the written contract with the public adjuster if the claim pertains to a catastrophic disaster or a state of emergency, or, (2) on an insurer's payment for specific claims or coverages to which the services do not apply. Existing law prohibits licensees from soliciting or attempting to solicit employment from a client during a loss-producing occurrence, or from soliciting a policyholder or initiating contact with a policyholder during specified hours. This bill would instead prohibit licensees from soliciting or attempting to solicit employment from a policyholder or their representative during a loss-producing occurrence and would prohibit a licensee from also soliciting or contacting a policyholder's representative during those specified hours. Existing law entitles an insured to rescind a contract without any time limit if the licensee misrepresents or conceals a material fact from the insured before the execution of the contract. Existing law authorizes an insured to cancel a contract with a public adjuster within 5 calendar days of signing it and being provided a copy of the signed contract if the loss is included in an area subject to catastrophic disaster. This bill would expand those provisions to entitle an insured to void or rescind the contract if the licensee misrepresents or conceals a material fact before the execution of the contract or solicits employment in violation of the provisions described above. The bill would also extend the ability to cancel a contract within 5 calendar days if a property loss is included in an area subject to a state of emergency. The bill would make conforming changes to a "Notice of Cancellation" form required to be included with each contract and other related disclosures. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Who sponsors AB 597?
AB 597 is sponsored by Harabedian, John (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 597?
This bill has passed the Assembly. Introduced February 13, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track AB 597?
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