California school and family immigrant-protection laws (AB 49, SB 98, AB 419, AB 495)

Status: In effect now — California AB 49, SB 98, AB 419 & AB 495 (2025 school and family immigrant-protection laws) (AB 49 (Ch. 122); SB 98 (Ch. 124); AB 419 (Ch. 663); AB 495 (Ch. 664), Stats. 2025)

All four laws are enacted and operative. AB 49 (Ch. 122) and SB 98 (Ch. 124) took effect immediately as urgency statutes on September 20, 2025; AB 419 (Ch. 663) and AB 495 (Ch. 664) took effect January 1, 2026. No court has blocked any of them, and no federal challenge had been filed as of June 30, 2026.

Next step: No further legislative action is scheduled. As of June 30, 2026, no federal court had challenged these laws; SB 98's notification requirements are set to expire on January 1, 2031 unless the Legislature extends them. Watch for any federal challenge and for further California Attorney General model-policy updates.

Verified against the primary source as of 2026-07-25 — status can change with a single court ruling. Official source.

What’s happening

All four laws are enacted and operative. AB 49 (Ch. 122) and SB 98 (Ch. 124) took effect immediately as urgency statutes on September 20, 2025; AB 419 (Ch. 663) and AB 495 (Ch. 664) took effect January 1, 2026. No court has blocked any of them, and no federal challenge had been filed as of June 30, 2026.

Who it affects

AB 49 bars school officials from letting immigration-enforcement officers into nonpublic areas of a K-12 schoolsite without a valid judicial warrant, judicial subpoena, or court order, and limits disclosure of student and family records. SB 98 requires schools to notify the campus community when immigration enforcement is confirmed on site, but the requirements differ by level. For K-12 local educational agencies (LEAs) and charter schools, the LEA has sole discretion over the content and timing of the notice (it must prioritize student safety and may not include personally identifiable information), and the law does NOT require the notice to state the date, time, or location of the enforcement. Only postsecondary campuses (community college districts, the California State University, and qualifying independent institutions) must include the date and time the enforcement was confirmed, its location, and a link to support resources. AB 419 requires schools to post information about students’ rights regarding immigration enforcement in administrative offices and on school websites. AB 495 (Family Preparedness Act) makes it easier for parents to plan for their children’s care if they are detained or deported (expanded caregiver’s authorization affidavits and joint guardianship for a temporarily unavailable parent), keeps related guardianship records confidential, and bars licensed child care and state preschool programs from collecting immigration-status information except as required by law.

How it got here

  1. Sep 20, 2025 Governor signed AB 49 (Ch. 122) and SB 98 (Ch. 124) as urgency statutes; both took effect immediately.
  2. Dec 1, 2025 California Attorney General released updated model policies and guidance to help schools respond to immigration enforcement.
  3. Jan 1, 2026 AB 419 (Ch. 663, posting of students' rights) and AB 495 (Ch. 664, Family Preparedness Act) took effect.
  4. Mar 1, 2026 Deadline for local educational agencies to adopt updated policies and revise comprehensive school safety plans to comply with AB 49 and SB 98.

What to watch next

No further legislative action is scheduled. As of June 30, 2026, no federal court had challenged these laws; SB 98’s notification requirements are set to expire on January 1, 2031 unless the Legislature extends them. Watch for any federal challenge and for further California Attorney General model-policy updates.

Official sources

This page is general information about ongoing litigation, not legal advice. A case’s status can change with a single ruling, and outcomes can turn on facts specific to each person. For advice on a specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.