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California Legislature Amends Multiple Housing Laws in Budget Trailer Bill

On June 30, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 130, one of the “budget trailer bills” implementing the State’s 2025-26 budget, into law.

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California Expands School District Obligations to Protect Students, Families, and Employees from Immigration Enforcement

In response to the rescission of federal agency policies limiting immigration enforcement on school grounds (see Lozano Smith’s 2025 Client News Brief Number 9), Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 49 and Senate Bill (SB) 98, both of which to

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Ninth Circuit Upholds LAUSD COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Employees During Pandemic

In Health Freedom Defense Fund, Inc. v. Alberto Carvalho, et al. (9th Cir. July 31, 2025), Case No. 22-55908, __ F.4th __ , the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) now-rescinded COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees did not violate constitutional law because it was rationally related to protecting the health and s

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Ninth Circuit Affirms: Racist Images Circulated Via Personal Text Not a “Matter of Public Concern” Entitled to First Amendment Protection

The Ninth Circuit recently issued an amended opinion in Adams v. County of Sacramento (9th Cir. 2005) 143 F.4th 1027, a case involving a former Sacramento County sheriff’s captain, and former Assistant Chief of Police for the City of Rancho Cordova, Kate Adams (Adams) who alleged she was forced to resign after allegations surfaced that she forwarded racist images via text message.

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California Courts Provide Important Clarifications Regarding Public Employee Whistleblower Claims

In two separate back-to-back recent decisions, California courts have given important wins to public employers in defending against employee whistleblower lawsuits under Labor Code section 1102.5.

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Legislature Clarifies Timing of School Impact Fee Collection

On June 27, 2025, Assembly Bill (AB) 121 went into effect, amending Government Code section 66007.  The same statute was amended earlier this year by Senate Bill (SB) 937, requiring collection of developer fees at the final inspection stage of development (i.e., at the time a certificate occupancy is issued) for certain residential development projects.

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School District Granted Immunity from Liability After Denying Remote Work as a Reasonable Accommodation

In a recent decision by the California Fourth District Court of Appeal, a public school district successfully asserted immunity from liability from an employee’s discrimination claims based on being denied permission to work exclusively from home after the COVID-19 pandemic as a reasonable workplace accommodation.

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Supreme Court Stays Order Requiring Reinstatement of Department of Education Employees

On July 14, 2025, in State of New York, et al. v. McMahon, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a temporary stay of a preliminary injunction issued by a federal district court which had halted the United States Department of Education (U.S. DOE) from moving forward with the reduction of staff.

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New Federal Tax Credit May Result in Greater Funding for Private Schools

In a victory for school choice advocates, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, introduces a new tax credit available to individual taxpayers who make “qualified contributions” to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs).

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