AB 1326: Health masks: right to wear.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law sets forth various provisions on the wearing of a mask for health purposes. These circumstances include, among others, a statewide stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the event of a pandemic, wildfire smoke event, or other health emergency; employer-supplied PPE to employees who provide direct patient care in a general acute care hospital; employees of commercial cannabis businesses wearing a mask for respiration; and providing peace officers with an appropriate portable manual mask and airway assembly for use when applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation to prevent the spread of communicable disease.

Under this bill, an individual would have the right to wear a health mask on their face in a public place for the purpose of protecting their individual health or the public health, with regard to communicable disease, air quality, or other health factors. The bill would define a health mask and a public place for purposes of this provision.

Under the bill, the above-described right would not be construed as limiting or otherwise modifying the application or implementation of certain requirements for the removal of a health mask relating to, among other contexts, security protocols to identify an individual, essential functions in the workplace, or emergency health care protocols, as specified, without limiting certain nondiscrimination protections on the basis of disability or medical condition.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. January 22, 2026Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
2. October 11, 2025Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
3. October 11, 2025Vetoed by Governor.
4. September 16, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
5. September 9, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 66. Noes 3. Page 3125.).
6. September 8, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
7. September 8, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 28. Noes 1. Page 2590.).
8. September 3, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
9. September 2, 2025Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
10. August 20, 2025Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
11. August 19, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 15).
12. June 19, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.