California 20252026 Regular Session Status: To Executive

SB 236 — Cosmetics: chemical hair relaxers.

Last action — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 598, Statutes of 2025.

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

This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced January 29, 2025. It awaits signature.

Next likely step: the executive signs it into law or issues a veto.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 62% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • To Executive

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 10 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

Existing law prohibits a person or entity from manufacturing, selling, delivering, holding, or offering for sale in commerce any cosmetic product that contains any of several specified intentionally added ingredients except under specified circumstances. This bill, the Combating Unsafe ReLaxers (C.U.R.L.) Act, would prohibit any person from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or offering for sale in the state any hair relaxer product, as defined, that contains any of a specified list of intentionally added ingredients. The bill would require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2030, as specified, for the purposes of implementing, interpreting, enforcing, or making specific these provisions. The bill would require the department to identify and publish on its internet website, on or before January 1, 2028, appropriate third-party accreditations for laboratories for the testing of the ingredients described above, and would authorize the department to publish on its internet website a list of accepted testing methods for the testing of hair relaxer products for the presence of those ingredients. The bill would authorize the department to request, and would require a manufacturer of a hair relaxer product to provide upon request, documentation, including test results, to demonstrate compliance with the provisions described above. The bill would authorize the department to test hair relaxer products in order to support enforcement of the provisions described above. The bill would require the department to issue a notice of violation of the provisions described above under specified circumstances and would require the notice to specify the nature of the violation and would authorize the department to either assess a specified penalty, require compliance with specified law, or both. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by administrative or civil penalties, as specified, and would authorize the Attorney General, on behalf of the department or on behalf of the people of the state at the request of the department, to bring an action to enforce these provisions. The bill would create, and would require all moneys collected from penalties to be deposited in, the C.U.R.L. Act Fund. The bill would make the department's duties to initiate, implement, or enforce any of these requirements contingent upon sufficient funds in the Toxic Substances Control Account, as determined by the Department of Finance, and an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of implementing and enforcing the requirements. The bill would, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, authorize the Department of Finance, if it determines there are sufficient funds in the Toxic Substances Control Account to finance the development of the regulations and the startup costs of the Department of Toxic Substances Control's activities required by the bill, to loan funds to the department from the account to carry out the activities required by the bill until the C.U.R.L. Act Fund contains revenues sufficient to fund the department's reasonable costs of implementing the bill and to reimburse any outstanding loans made from the account used to finance the development of the regulations and the startup costs of the department's activities.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 598, Statutes of 2025.

  2. Approved by the Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.

  4. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2901.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 2997.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. Read third time and amended.

  8. Ordered to third reading.

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

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

  11. From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).

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

  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 12. Noes 0.) (July 15).

  15. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  16. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.

  17. Referred to Coms. on E.S & T.M. and JUD.

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

  19. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1323.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  20. Ordered to special consent calendar.

  21. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  22. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1192.) (May 23).

  23. Set for hearing May 23.

  24. May 19 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  25. Set for hearing May 19.

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

  27. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 938.) (April 29).

  28. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 866.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  29. Set for hearing April 29 in JUD. pending receipt.

  30. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

  31. Set for hearing April 23.

  32. Re-referred to Coms. on E.Q. and JUD.

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

  34. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  35. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 1.

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

Sponsors

  • Weber Pierson · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

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

Sponsors (1)

  • Weber Pierson

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

Passed 40 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 10000
Democratic 30000
Total 40000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
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 Yea
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 Yea
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 Yea
Choi, Steven S. 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
Strickland, Tony Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 78 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 58001
Republican 19001
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 78002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Ávila Farías — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
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 Not Voting
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 Yea
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 Yea
DeMaio, Carl Republican Not Voting
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
Johnson, Natasha 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 11 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 11000
Republican 0004
Total 11004
% of votes cast 73%0%0%27%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Caloza, Jessica Democratic Yea
Elhawary, Sade Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Solache, Jr., José Luis Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Not Voting
Tangipa, David J. Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Passed 12 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9000
Republican 3000
Total 12000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (12)
Member Party Vote
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 5000
Republican 2000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Castillo, Leticia Republican Yea
Ellis, Stan Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 38 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 28002
Republican 10000
Total 38002
% of votes cast 95%0%0%5%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
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 Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Not Voting
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 Yea
Choi, Steven S. 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
Strickland, Tony Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 13 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 11000
Republican 2000
Total 13000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Arreguín, Jesse Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Laird, John 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
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 8 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 6000
Republican 2000
Total 8000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (8)
Member Party Vote
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Pérez, Sasha Renée Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 236 do?
Existing law prohibits a person or entity from manufacturing, selling, delivering, holding, or offering for sale in commerce any cosmetic product that contains any of several specified intentionally added ingredients except under specified circumstances. This bill, the Combating Unsafe ReLaxers (C.U.R.L.) Act, would prohibit any person from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or offering for sale in the state any hair relaxer product, as defined, that contains any of a specified list of intentionally added ingredients. The bill would require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2030, as specified, for the purposes of implementing, interpreting, enforcing, or making specific these provisions. The bill would require the department to identify and publish on its internet website, on or before January 1, 2028, appropriate third-party accreditations for laboratories for the testing of the ingredients described above, and would authorize the department to publish on its internet website a list of accepted testing methods for the testing of hair relaxer products for the presence of those ingredients. The bill would authorize the department to request, and would require a manufacturer of a hair relaxer product to provide upon request, documentation, including test results, to demonstrate compliance with the provisions described above. The bill would authorize the department to test hair relaxer products in order to support enforcement of the provisions described above. The bill would require the department to issue a notice of violation of the provisions described above under specified circumstances and would require the notice to specify the nature of the violation and would authorize the department to either assess a specified penalty, require compliance with specified law, or both. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by administrative or civil penalties, as specified, and would authorize the Attorney General, on behalf of the department or on behalf of the people of the state at the request of the department, to bring an action to enforce these provisions. The bill would create, and would require all moneys collected from penalties to be deposited in, the C.U.R.L. Act Fund. The bill would make the department's duties to initiate, implement, or enforce any of these requirements contingent upon sufficient funds in the Toxic Substances Control Account, as determined by the Department of Finance, and an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of implementing and enforcing the requirements. The bill would, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, authorize the Department of Finance, if it determines there are sufficient funds in the Toxic Substances Control Account to finance the development of the regulations and the startup costs of the Department of Toxic Substances Control's activities required by the bill, to loan funds to the department from the account to carry out the activities required by the bill until the C.U.R.L. Act Fund contains revenues sufficient to fund the department's reasonable costs of implementing the bill and to reimburse any outstanding loans made from the account used to finance the development of the regulations and the startup costs of the department's activities.
Who sponsors SB 236?
SB 236 is sponsored by Weber Pierson.
What is the current status of SB 236?
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced January 29, 2025. It awaits signature.
Where can I track SB 236?
Track SB 236 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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