AB 1936
Insurance Commissioner qualifications.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Insurance
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill changes the qualifications for California’s Insurance Commissioner. Currently, the commissioner must be competent and cannot be affiliated with an insurance company. This legislation adds a requirement that the commissioner must have at least five years of senior management or supervisory experience in the insurance industry – either in the private sector or a state/federal agency – before running for office. The bill also requires the commissioner to surrender any existing insurance licenses upon appointment.
Key provisions
- Requires the Insurance Commissioner to have at least 5 years of senior management or supervisory insurance experience.
- Experience must be gained in the private sector or a state/federal agency.
- The commissioner must surrender existing insurance licenses upon appointment.
- The commissioner cannot be an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer.
- The commissioner cannot be directly or indirectly interested in an insurer or licensee.
- Existing qualifications regarding commissioner competence remain.
- Allows for license reissuance upon termination of office.
Who is affected
- California residents
- The Insurance Commissioner
- Insurance companies
- Insurance licensees
- State government
Notable changes
- Adds a new requirement for prior insurance experience before running for commissioner.
- Specifies acceptable experience types (private sector or state/federal agency).
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Arguments in favor
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AB1936:v99#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1936
| Introduced by Assembly Member Sanchez (Coauthors: Assembly Members Davies and Ellis) (Coauthor: Senator Alvarado-Gil) |
| February 13, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 12901 of the Insurance Code, relating to the Insurance Commissioner.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1936, as introduced, Sanchez. Insurance Commissioner qualifications.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioner’s qualifications and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to be a person competent and fully qualified to perform the duties of the office and prohibits the commissioner from being an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer or directly or indirectly interested in an insurer or licensee, except as specified.
This bill would additionally require the commissioner, within 10 years before election, to have had at least 5 years of senior, management, or supervisory insurance experience in the private sector or a state or federal agency, as specified.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 12901 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
12901.
(a) The commissioner shall be a person competent and fully qualified to perform the duties of the office. Neither the commissioner nor any deputy or employee shall
(b) The commissioner, a deputy, or an employee shall not, during the commissioner’s, deputy’s, or employee’s tenure of office office, be an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer or directly or indirectly interested in any an insurer or licensee under this code, except (a) as a policyholder or (b) by virtue of relationship by blood or marriage to any as either of the following:
(1) A policyholder.
(2) A spouse or blood relative of a person interested in any an insurer or licensee.
If
(c) If the commissioner or any deputy or commissioner, a deputy, or an employee holds any a license or permit issued under this code, that commissioner, deputy, or employee shall surrender it for cancellation within 10 days after appointment and qualification. Upon termination of the commissioner’s, deputy’s, or employee’s office or employment, that license or permit shall be reissued for the balance of the then current license or permit year without fee or penalty.
(d) Within 10 years before election, the commissioner shall have had at least 5 years of experience as either of the following:(1) A manager or supervisor in the private sector working full time in areas within the department’s subject matter jurisdiction.(2) A senior examiner or senior employee of a state or federal agency with regulatory responsibility over insurers or insurance agencies.