Our Rise and Resist Policy Impact Report offers a snapshot of the work we carried forward this year, across housing justice, immigrant rights, education, LGBTQ+ equity, language access, and data privacy.
Inside the report, you’ll find:
- The bills we sponsored, supported, and helped move across the finish line
- Highlights from policy work sessions, LGBTQ+ organizing, and community convenings
- A look ahead at what we’re focusing on in 2026
2025 Legislative Priorities
AB 49 (Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi)
The Supreme Court’s decision in Plyler v. Doe (1982) ensures that all children in the U.S., regardless of immigration status, have the right to access a free public education. States cannot deny students a free, public education based on their immigration status or their parents’ or guardians’ immigration status. Schools have long been safe havens for immigrant students.
The California Safe Haven Schools protects undocumented students and their families by prohibiting ICE officers from entering a school site for any purpose without providing valid identification, a written statement of purpose, a valid judicial warrant, and approval from the school district’s superintendent.
We at AJSOCAL thank Governor Newsom for his support of AB49. With the passage of this bill, California takes a crucial step towards protecting students and their families, especially in the AAPI community, many of whom face fear of enforcement at K-12 schools. As recent ICE raids in Los Angeles have shown, where thousands of families are feeling the consequences of sweeping federal enforcement, it is crucial that schools remain safe havens.
AB 49 is a victory for all communities, but this is only the beginning. We must ensure that implementation is strong, that families know their rights, and that no child loses access to education or peace of mind because of their or their loved ones’ immigration status.
AB 863 (Assemblymember Ash Kalra)
AB 863 requires basic language access protections for tenants facing an eviction by requiring notices, complaints, and summons to be translated if the tenant’s primary language is Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean.
As California continues to address our housing crisis, we must not leave behind renters who are limited English proficient (LEP). According to 2021 American Community Survey data, about 3.2 million (or about 18%) of the 16 million renters are limited English proficient (LEP).
Read about AB 863 here and read the factsheet here. Send a support letter!
AB 865 (Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez)
Teachers in Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs often struggle with a shortage of instructional materials that align with California state standards in partner languages. Most teachers that teach DLI programs must either create their own instructional materials and get them approved by the school district and CDE or forgo any instructional materials.
This bill establishes a one-time $5 million grant to be administered over 3 years by the California Department of Education, focused on increasing the amount of instructional materials in Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs including developing materials or purchasing them.
Read about AB 865 here, and read the fact sheet here. Submit a support letter using this template!
AB 1351 (Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens)
Nationwide, child labor violations have skyrocketed by 88% since 2019, and injury rates among working minors nearly doubled from 2011 to 2020. Immigrant children and unaccompanied migrant youths are especially vulnerable to labor exploitation due to inadequate legal protections for them, along with language and cultural barriers.
Increasing immigration enforcement will result in the separation of mixed-status families, compelling teenagers to become the primary breadwinners.
AB 1351 modernizes the work permit system by creating an online registry called the Youth Employment System (YES) to register employees who are minors under the CA Department of Education.
Read about AB 1351 here, and read the fact sheet here. Submit a support letter using this template!
AB 322
AB 322, the California Location Privacy Act, modernizes the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) to close dangerous loopholes in how precise location data is collected, retained, sold and disclosed. It ensures that Californians’ movements—especially in sensitive spaces like protests, clinics, houses of worship, and legal service centers—are not quietly tracked or weaponized against them.
Precise location data can reveal deeply personal and constitutionally protected behaviors. This data is quietly collected by apps and devices, traded by data brokers and accessed by government agencies without a court order or consumer knowledge. For vulnerable communities across California, this pervasive tracking and collecting undermines not only the right to privacy, but the fundamental expectation of safety in their daily lives.
Past Policy Work
2024 Legislative Priorities
In 2024, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California began its policy campaign of combatting Asian invisibility.
- AB 2155, Biliguial Oriented Social Equity Services (BOSES) Grant, would have provided funding to community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide bilingual pay to their direct services staff assisting Limited English Proficient (LEP) speakers. The grants will be equitably allocated with 60% of the funding going toward underserved languages and 40% to more commonly spoken languages. AJSOCAL requested the state to allocate $2 million to fund the program. Read about AB 2155 here and see the fact sheet here.
- AB 2444, Labor Law Education for the Salon Industry, would have implemented two requirements for the California Department of Industrial Relations. First, the board would have developed informational materials on basic labor laws which will be included into the licensing and renewal applications and posted twice/year on social media, newsletters, and more. Second, the board would have notified (in English, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Korean) manicurists and establishments about a recent change in California law (eff. Jan 2025) which will classify most licensed manicurists as “employees”, entitling them to workplace rights including a minimum wage, sick pay, and workers’ compensation. Read AB 2444’s language here.
- AB 1780 bans legacy and donor preference admissions in California private higher education institutions. For over 40 years, AJSOCAL has worked with multiracial coalitions to expand college accessibility and improve education attainment for disadvantaged students. This bill would ensure students who are first generation college students, recent immigrants, and those who come from underserved communities could attend a university of their choosing. Read AB 1780’s language here and the fact sheet here.
- Trafficking Research and Analysis to Counter Exploitation (TRACE) advocated for $3.25 million to fund the first prevalence study in California that looks at both sex trafficking and labor trafficking. The study took place in Los Angeles and Alameda Counties, produced recommendations for consistent data collection moving forward, and provided opportunities to engage with survivors to inform better policymaking. Read the proposal’s fact sheet here.
Check Out Our 2024 Policy Report Here
2023 Legislative Priorities
In 2023, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California began its policy campaign to combat asian invisibility, passing legislation and securing budget allocations that re-invest in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Our wins include:
- Securing language in the 2023-24 budget to strengthen the bilingual workforce, where recipients of the API Equity Budget can request up to $1,000 for differential pay per bilingual employee;
- Passing AB 943 (Kalra), Breaking Down the “Other” Act, requiring California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations to recognize the API community needs and publish disaggregate data of its population.
- Introduced HR 41, with Assemblymember Mike Fong unwavering support that proclaims May 17, 2023 as Combating Asian Invisibility day, highlighting the diverse needs of the API community. HR 41 was co-authored by 72 Assemblymembers and passed unanimously.
- Recognized community leaders and Legislators in LA and OC who are leading the charge on language justice, protecting LGBTQ+ communities and more.
Policies and Issue Priorities
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California defends civil rights through legislation or other advocacy that has the potential to result in systemic changes in government, business or society.