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California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill

AB 373: Dependency proceedings: counsel.

Enacted Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

AB 373 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 3, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Dependency proceedings: counsel. Primary sponsor: Blanca Rubio (D). Most recent recorded action (October 1, 2025): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 146, Statutes of 2025.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

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

Existing law requires the juvenile court to appoint counsel for a child or nonminor dependent in dependency proceedings if they are not represented by counsel, unless the court determines that there would be no benefit from the appointment of counsel. Existing law authorizes counsel to be a district attorney, public defender, or other member of the State Bar, who satisfies certain conditions. Existing law specifies that a primary responsibility of counsel appointed to represent a child or nonminor dependent is to advocate for the protection, safety, and physical and emotional well-being of the child or nonminor dependent. Under existing law, counsel in general is charged with representation of the child’s best interests. Existing law requires, when counsel is appointed for a nonminor dependent, counsel to represent the wishes of the nonminor dependent except when advocating for those wishes conflicts with the protection or safety of the nonminor dependent.

This bill would remove the requirement that a primary responsibility of appointed counsel is to advocate for the protection, safety, and physical and emotional well-being of a nonminor dependent. The bill would also remove the above-described exception to representing the wishes of the nonminor dependent when those wishes conflict with the protection or safety of the nonminor dependent.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Blanca RubioPrimary sponsorDemocraticAssembly48

“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. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 146, Statutes of 2025.
  2. Approved by the Governor.
  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
  4. In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
  5. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 8. Page 2445.).
  6. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
  7. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (July 7).
  8. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUMAN S. (Ayes 10. Noes 1.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
  9. Referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUMAN S.
  10. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
  11. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 0. Page 1031.)
  12. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page