AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 13, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 14, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 12, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Senator Archuleta

January 28, 2026

An act to add Section 19841.5 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to gaming.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law, the Gambling Control Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of various legalized gambling activities and establishments by the California Gambling Control Commission and the investigation and enforcement of those activities and establishments by the Department of Justice. Existing law establishes the Gambling Control Fund within the State Treasury for the receipt and deposit of fees and revenue collected pursuant to the act. Under the act, specified licensing fees are required to be paid for the issuance or renewal of a state gambling license, as specified. Existing law requires that all fees and revenue collected pursuant to the act, except all fines and penalties, be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for expenditure exclusively for the support of the department and the commission in carrying out their duties and responsibilities under the act.

This bill would require the commission or the department, upon the adoption or adjustment amendment of a fee that is deposited into the Gambling Control Fund, to maintain a regulation that states the authorized purpose and use of the fee, including the program activities funded and the categories of costs covered, among other things. The bill would prohibit a fee or adjustment to a fee from taking effect until the required regulation is adopted or amended. post on its public internet website a detailed statement of the need for, purpose of, and authorized use of the fee, including the general activities the fee is intended to support, along with reference to publicly available rulemaking materials. The bill would state that these provisions do not apply to any a fee adopted or amended prior to the bill’s enactment. January 1, 2027.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 19841.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19841.5.

(a) Upon the adoption or adjustment amendment of a fee that is deposited into the Gambling Control Fund, the commission or the department shall do both of the following: post on its public internet website a detailed statement of the need for, purpose of, and authorized use of the fee, including the general activities the fee is intended to support, along with reference to publicly available rulemaking materials.

(b) This section does not apply to any a fee adopted or amended prior to the effective date of the act that added this section. January 1, 2027.