AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 19, 2025

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 9, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

CHAPTER 628

Statutes of 2025

[ Approved by Governor October 11, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 11, 2025. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Dixon, Harabedian, Kalra, McKinnor, Pacheco, Stefani, and Zbur)

February 19, 2025

An act to amend Section 53080 of the Government Code, relating to discrimination.

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law prohibits public funds from being used in connection with any athletic program conducted under the auspices of a school district governing board or any student organization within the district, which does not provide equal opportunity to both sexes for participation and for use of facilities.

Existing law prohibits a city, county, city and county, or special district from discriminating against any person on the basis of gender in the operation, conduct, or administration of community youth athletics programs, as defined, or in the allocation of parks and recreation facilities and resources, as defined, that support or enable these programs. Existing law creates an independent right to bring a civil action for a violation of this prohibition for equitable and monetary relief, as specified.

This bill would instead prohibit a city, county, city and county, special district, school district, county office of education, or charter school from discriminating against a person on the basis of sex or gender in the operation, conduct, or administration of community youth athletics programs, or in the allocation of parks and recreation facilities and resources or school and recreation facilities and resources that support or enable these programs. The bill would define various terms for these purposes and make related conforming changes. By imposing a new duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

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

SECTION 1.

Section 53080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

53080.

(a) No city, county, city and county, or special district, including, but not limited to, a community services district, recreation and park district, regional park district, regional park and open-space district, regional open-space park district, or resort improvement district, or local educational agency shall discriminate against any person on the basis of sex or gender in the operation, conduct, or administration of community youth athletics programs, or in the allocation of parks and recreation facilities and resources, or school and recreation facilities and resources, that support or enable these programs.

(b) The Unruh Civil Rights Act (Section 51 of the Civil Code) has been held to prohibit local governmental agencies from discriminating on the bases proscribed by the act, and Section 11135 also prohibits local governmental agencies that receive financial assistance from the state from discriminating on the basis of gender, among other bases.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section that girls shall be accorded opportunities for participation in community youth athletics programs equal, both in quality and scope, to those accorded to boys.

(d) In civil actions brought under this section or under other applicable antidiscrimination laws alleging discrimination in community youth athletics programs, courts shall consider the following factors, among others, in determining whether discrimination exists:

(1) Whether the selection of community youth athletics programs offered effectively accommodate the athletic interests and abilities of members of both genders.

(2) The provision of moneys, equipment, and supplies.

(3) Scheduling of games and practice times.

(4) Opportunity to receive coaching.

(5) Assignment and compensation of coaches.

(6) Access to lands and areas accessed through permitting, leasing, or other land use arrangements, or otherwise accessed through a city, a county, a city and county, or a special district.

(7) Selection of the season for a sport.

(8) Location of the games and practices.

(9) Locker rooms.

(10) Practice and competitive facilities.

(11) Publicity.

(12) Officiation by umpires, referees, or judges who have met training and certification standards.

(e) In making the determination under paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), a court shall assess whether the city, county, city and county, special district, or local educational agency has effectively accommodated the athletic interests and abilities of both genders in any one of the following ways:

(1) The community youth athletics program opportunities for boys and girls are provided in numbers substantially proportionate to their respective numbers in the community.

(2) Where the members of one gender are underrepresented in community youth athletics programs, the city, county, city and county, special district, or local educational agency can demonstrate that the interests and abilities of the members of that gender have been fully and effectively accommodated by the present program and allocation of resources.

(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate any existing consent decree or any other settlement agreement entered into by a city, county, city and county, special district, or local educational agency to address gender equity in athletic programs.

(g) This section and any ordinances, regulations, or resolutions adopted pursuant to this section by a city, county, city and county, special district, or local educational agency may be enforced against a city, county, city and county, special district, or local educational agency by a civil action for injunctive relief or damages or both, which shall be independent of any other rights and remedies.

(h) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Community youth athletics program” means any athletic program in which youth solely or predominantly participate, that is organized for the purposes of training for and engaging in athletic activity and competition, and that is in any way operated, conducted, administered, supported, or enabled by a city, county, city and county, or special district.

(2) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.

(3) “Parks and recreation facilities and resources” include, but are not limited to, park facilities, including, but not limited to, athletic fields, athletic courts, gymnasiums, recreational rooms, restrooms, concession stands and storage spaces; lands and areas accessed through permitting, leasing, or other land use arrangements, or otherwise accessed through cities, counties, cities and counties, or special districts; sports and recreation equipment; devices used to promote athletics such as scoreboards, banners, and advertising; and all moneys used in conjunction with youth athletics.

(4) “School and recreation facilities and resources” include, but are not limited to, school facilities, including, but not limited to, athletic fields, athletic courts, gymnasiums, recreational rooms, restrooms, concession stands, and storage spaces; lands and areas accessed through permitting, renting, leasing, or other land use arrangements, or otherwise accessed through local educational agencies; sports and recreation equipment; devices used to promote athletics such as scoreboards, banners, and advertising; and all moneys used in conjunction with youth athletics.

SEC. 2.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.