AB 1823
State government: State Government Strategic Planning and Performance and Review Act: strategic plans: equity.
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Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Appropriations
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Bill overview
This bill requires California state agencies to incorporate racial equity into their strategic planning processes. Specifically, agencies must conduct racial equity analyses before implementing budgets or regulations and engage with historically disadvantaged communities during strategic plan development. The bill also aims to establish a statewide definition of equity to ensure fair resource allocation and address systemic inequities, and mandates the use of data analysis and inclusive practices to advance racial equity within the agency’s mission, vision, goals, data tools, policies, programs, operations, community engagement, tribal consultation policies and practices.
Key provisions
- Requires state agencies to conduct racial equity analyses before implementing budgets or regulations.
- Mandates engagement with historically disadvantaged communities during strategic planning.
- Requires agencies to update strategic plans to reflect data analysis and inclusive practices to advance racial equity.
- Establishes a process for agencies to identify and utilize individuals with expertise in racial equity analysis.
- Directs agencies to consider changes to mission, vision, goals, data tools, policies, programs, operations, community engagement, tribal consultation policies and practices.
- Includes a legislative intent to establish a statewide definition of equity.
- Requires agencies to use data analysis and inclusive practices to respond to identified disparities.
- Specifies that the analysis must be performed by a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer or a comparable position, or an individual with demonstrated expertise.
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AB1823:v98#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
| Revised April 09, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1823
| Introduced by Assembly Member Jackson (Coauthor: Assembly Member Soria) |
| February 11, 2026 |
An act to add Section 11818 to the Government Code, relating to state government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1823, as amended, Jackson. State government: California Equity Act. State Government Strategic Planning and Performance and Review Act: strategic plans: equity.
Existing law creates, within the Government Operations Agency, a Chief Equity Officer, who is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the Governor. Existing law requires the Chief Equity Officer to improve equity and inclusion throughout state government operations and authorizes the Chief Equity Officer to engage with state entities for these purposes.
The State Government Strategic Planning and Performance and Review Act requires each agency, department, office, or commission for which strategic planning efforts are recommended, as specified, to develop a strategic plan and to report to the Governor and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by April 1 each year on the steps being taken to develop and adopt a strategic plan. The act requires the report to include a description of the elements to be included in the strategic plan, the process for developing and adopting the strategic plan, and the timetable for the plan’s completion.This bill would additionally require every state agency or department subject to the Governor’s authority to take specified actions in regard to any strategic plan to more effectively advance racial equity, as specified, and to undertake a racial equity analysis before implementing any budget or before any regulation takes effect, by the agency’s or department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion officer or comparable position. If that position does not exist within the agency or department, the bill would require the analysis to be performed by an individual who has demonstrated expertise, and demonstrated satisfaction of appropriate criteria, in specified areas including analyzing, implementing, or developing public policies that impact racial equity.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a statewide definition of equity so that legislation, policies, resource allocations, and systemic practices empower and meet the unique needs of diverse and underserved populations, and so that communities facing the greatest inequities are not negatively affected or left behind in the allocation of resources in a fair and just way.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 11818 is added to the Government Code, immediately following Section 11817, to read:
11818. (a) Every agency or department subject to the Governor’s authority shall, for any strategic plan, do both of the following:(1) Develop or update the strategic plan to reflect the use of data analysis and inclusive practices to more effectively advance racial equity and to respond to identified disparities with changes to the organization’s mission, vision, goals, data tools, policies, programs, operations, community engagement, tribal consultation policies and practices, and any other actions as necessary to serve all Californians.(2) As part of the development or updating of strategic plans, engage and gather input from California communities that have been historically disadvantaged and underserved within the scope of policies or programs administered or implemented by the agency or department and make the plans publicly available.(b) Every agency or department subject to the Governor’s authority shall undertake a racial equity analysis before implementing any budget or before any regulation takes effect, by the agency’s or department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion officer or comparable position. If that position does not exist, the racial equity analysis shall be performed by an individual who has demonstrated expertise, and has demonstrated satisfaction of appropriate criteria, in at least one of the following areas:(1) Analyzing, implementing, or developing public policies that impact racial equity.(2) Providing technical assistance in developing and implementing strategies for racial equity, including, but not limited to, guidance on employee training and support, developing racial equity programming, and assisting organizations and departments on changing policies and practices to improve racial equity outcomes.(3) Being a member of or representing a racial equity-focused organization that works with an impacted community.
SECTION 1.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a statewide definition of equity to ensure that legislation, policies, resource allocations, and systemic practices empower and meet the unique needs of diverse and underserved populations, and to ensure that communities facing the greatest inequities are not negatively affected or left behind in the allocation of resources in a fair and just way.
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REVISIONS: Heading—Line 2.
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