Workplace safety Verified

California expands criminal liability for willful Cal/OSHA violations (AB 2321)

Jurisdiction
California
Effective date
2027-01-01
Who it covers
All employers
Status
Verified against an official source

The law, summarized

  • Approved by the Governor September 30, 2026; no urgency clause, so it takes effect January 1, 2027 under California's default rule.
  • Cal/OSHA's Bureau of Investigations must investigate serious injury/illness/exposure cases cited as willful and notify prosecutors faster.
StateHR Take · AI-generated analysis, not legal advice

Who should act: All employers with workers in California, especially in construction, warehousing and manufacturing. Before 2027-01-01, review how supervisors escalate known hazards and document fixes, since the people who direct work face more personal exposure. Confirm the details in the official source before acting.

Generated 2026-11-01T12:00-06:00

Official sources

  • leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
    https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2321
  • www.gov.ca.gov
    https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/30/governor-newsom-issues-legislative-update-9-30-2026/