AB 1729

AB1729:v98#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1729

An act to amend Sections 14200, 14200.1, 14201, 14202, and 14203 of, and to amend the heading of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 14200) of Part 5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, the Government Code, relating to state employment, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1729, as amended, Lee. State employment: telework programs.

Existing law requires every state agency to develop and implement a telecommuting plan as part of its telecommuting program in work areas where telecommuting is identified as being both practical and beneficial to the organization. Existing law requires the Department of General Services to establish a unit for purposes of overseeing telecommuting programs that is required to, among other things, develop and update policy, procedures, and guidelines to assist agencies in the planning and implementation of telecommuting programs. Existing law requires the department to establish criteria for evaluating the state’s telecommuting program. Existing law defines “telecommuting” for purposes of those provisions.

This bill would revise and recast those provisions. The bill would replace the term “telecommuting” with “telework,” as defined. The bill would also require the Department of General Services to establish a telework dashboard that displays the cost-effectiveness and efficiency benefits of state telework programs, including documenting annual savings to the state of reduced office space and operating costs. The bill would additionally require each state agency, every 10 years, to evaluate its telework program to ensure that it aligns with the state agency’s unique operational needs to carry out its programmatic missions and to help recruit and retain a qualified workforce.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Digest Key

Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

The heading of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 14200) of Part 5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code is amended to read:

CHAPTER 3. State Of of California Flexible Telework Policy to Ensure Cost-Effective and Efficient Government Act

SEC. 2.

Section 14200 of the Government Code is amended to read:

14200.

As used in this chapter, “telework” means the partial or total substitution of computers or teleworking technologies, or both, for the commute to work by employees residing in California.

SEC. 3.

Section 14200.1 of the Government Code is amended to read:

14200.1.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(1) Telework can be an important means to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion and to reduce the high costs of highway commuting.

(2) Telework stimulates employee productivity while giving workers more flexibility and control over their lives.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage state agencies to adopt policies that encourage teleworking by state employees to ensure the cost-effective and efficient delivery of services to taxpayers.

(c) Telework schedules could reduce state-owned and leased office space by approximately 30 percent according to the Department of General Services, which the California State Auditor estimates could generate annual cost savings of as much as two hundred twenty-five million dollars ($225,000,000).

SEC. 4.

Section 14201 of the Government Code is amended to read:

14201.

(a) Each state agency shall develop and implement a telework plan as part of its teleworking program in work areas where teleworking is identified as being both practical and beneficial to the organization.

(b) Where a state agency’s unique operational needs and programmatic mission require employees to report to a workplace, the agency shall provide a detailed, written justification to the department and to the agency’s employees.

(c)Subdivision (b) shall not apply to the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

SEC. 5.

Section 14202 of the Government Code is amended to read:

14202.

The Department of General Services shall establish a unit for the purpose of overseeing telework programs established pursuant to this chapter. This unit shall do all of the following:

(a) Coordinate and facilitate the interagency exchange of information regarding the state’s telework program, and establish and lead a multiagency telework advisory group for these purposes.

(b) Develop and update policy, procedures, and guidelines to assist agencies in the planning and implementation of telework programs.

(c) Assist state agencies in requesting the siting of satellite work stations and develop procedures to track the needs of agencies and identify potential office locations.

(d) Establish a telework dashboard that displays the cost-effectiveness and efficiency benefits of state telework programs, including documenting the annual savings to the state of reduced office space and operating costs, cuts in emissions and energy use, the decrease in vehicle miles traveled, and other benefits that save taxpayer dollars while delivering high quality high-quality services to taxpayers.

SEC. 6.

Section 14203 of the Government Code is amended to read:

14203.

Every 10 years, each state agency shall evaluate its telework program to ensure that it aligns with the state agency’s unique operational needs to carry out its programmatic missions and to help recruit and retain a qualified workforce. The Department of General Services shall establish criteria for evaluating the state’s teleworking program and recommend modifications, if necessary.

SEC. 7.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

The state faces projected budget deficits that will benefit from the existing and projected budget savings of reducing state agencies’ facility costs, while ensuring the long-term commitment to recruitment and retention advantages of a rational telework policy. Any delay in demonstrating the state’s commitment to a telework policy meeting these goals will cost the state budget and each agency’s effort to attract and keep expert employees.