AB 1896: Public employment: disqualifications.

Official summary

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

Existing law contains numerous provisions governing the qualifications, standards, and training of peace officers. Existing law specifies circumstances that disqualify a person from holding office or being employed as a peace officer, including, among other things, having been convicted of a felony.

This bill, the GTFO Act, would, commencing January 1, 2028, disqualify from being a peace officer a person previously employed as a sworn law enforcement officer or individual contractor and personally engaged in immigration enforcement, as defined, except as specified.

Existing law requires each class of public officers or employees declared by law to be peace officers to meet specified minimum standards, including that they be 18 years of age or older, be fingerprinted for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose a criminal record, and be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation.

This bill would, for purposes of those background investigations, authorize a hiring agency to consider news articles, verified social media posts, filings of civil complaints, and other verified sources.

This bill, for purposes of an applicant who was previously employed as a sworn law enforcement officer or individual contractor and personally engaged in immigration enforcement, would require the hiring agency to complete the background investigation before the candidate participates in a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) basic course. The bill would require the hiring agency to review the background investigation and determine if the individual is suitable to enter the POST basic course subject to certain suitability standards adopted by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

This bill would require every applicant seeking appointment as a peace officer or enrollment in a POST basic course to submit to the hiring agency a declaration submitted under penalty of perjury that states whether the applicant has, at any time been employed as a sworn law enforcement officer or individual contractor that personally engaged in immigration enforcement, as specified. By requiring this statement to be made under penalty of perjury, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 15

“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. September 30, 2026Vetoed by Governor.
2. September 14, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.
3. August 31, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 52. Noes 19. Page 7070.).
4. August 31, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 7070.)
5. August 31, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 30, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 10.).
7. August 28, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 27, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9. August 24, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 21, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
11. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
12. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.