Press Release

Governor Newsom Signs Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D.’s Historic Legislative Bill Package

Sacramento, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D. (D- San Diego)’s landmark 2025 legislative bill package, a transformative collection of policies that stands as one of the most significant legislative accomplishments in recent history.

This visionary package addresses urgent needs across health, equity, and justice. It represents a generational step forward that will shape California’s future for decades to come. By championing bold solutions, Senator Weber Pierson has delivered lasting change that strengthens communities, empowers families, and ensures a healthier and more just state for all.

Senator Weber Pierson’s 2025 Bill Package Signed by the Governor:

  • SB 39 – Cosmetic Safety 
    Exempts boric acid vaginal suppositories (BAS) from a prohibition on boric acid, and requires BAS to include a product label commencing January 1, 2027, and bans BAS commencing January 1, 2035, unless the BAS product becomes regulated by the federal Food and Drug Administration. (Urgency Measure)
     
  • SB 236 – CURL Act 
    Bans toxic chemicals in hair relaxer products linked to cancer and reproductive harm—products disproportionately marketed to Black women and girls – and establishes compliance and enforcement mechanisms for the ban.
     
  • SB 437 – California State University: Genealogical Claim Eligibility
    Requires CSU to establish a process to verify genealogical eligibility for reparative claims, supporting access to reparations for descendants of enslaved people.
     
  • SB 439 – California Health Benefit Review Program Extension
    Extends the sunset date on the California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP) to July 1, 2033 and provides a funding increase to $3.2 million.
     
  • SB 482 (Weber Pierson) – CalRoster 
    Requires local governments to submit updated lists of their elected and appointed officials to the Secretary of State (SOS) within 120 after each local general election, for the purpose of updating the California Roster
     
  • SB 518 – Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery
    Establishes a dedicated state agency to oversee implementation of reparative justice policies and ensure follow-through on recommendations from the California Reparations Task Force.
     
  • SB 646 – Prenatal Vitamins: Heavy Metals Testing
    Requires public disclosure and testing of prenatal vitamins for heavy metals, ensuring safer prenatal health for expectant mothers and babies.

Alongside her own legislation, Senator Weber Pierson co-authored several other key bills that were signed into law this session. 

Co-Authored Legislation Signed by the Governor:

  • AB 56 – Social Media Warning Labels
    Mandates that social media platforms display clear, recurring health-risk warnings to users—especially minors—about prolonged or excessive use, giving the state authority to oversee warnings’ content and timing.
     
  • AB 260 – Sexual and Reproductive Health Care 
    Strengthens protections for California clinicians who provide medication abortion, ensuring they won’t face state discipline for standard, evidence-based reproductive care. (Urgency Measure)
     
  • AB 489 – AI Chatbots in Healthcare 
    Stops AI chatbots from presenting themselves as licensed doctors or other credentialed clinicians and holds AI operators to the same deceptive-title rules as humans. The law protects patients from being misled by AI in health care settings.
     
  • AB 1264 – Restricting Ultraprocessed Foods in Schools
    Initiates a phased removal of defined ultraprocessed “foods of concern” from public school meals, subject to state rulemaking and exemptions. It is designed to improve student nutrition and long-term health across the K–12 system.
     
  • SB 41 – Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Reform    
    Strengthens transparency and consumer protections by requiring passthrough pricing, restricting insurer steering to affiliated pharmacies, and increasing oversight of PBM operations. Its purpose is to reduce hidden costs and improve access to medicines.
     
  • SB 243 – Regulation of Companion Chatbots
    Regulates AI “companion” chatbots to eliminate manipulative engagement techniques, require periodic user reminders that bots are not human, and mandate reporting of user safety risks. The aim is to protect vulnerable users from emotional or psychological harm.
     
  • SB 258 – Removal of Spousal Exception for Rape
    Removes the marital exception in rape statutes so that the laws apply equally regardless of marital status, affirming that marriage does not imply automatic consent. The change strengthens legal protections for survivors.
     
  • SB 627 – No Secret Police Act
    Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while performing public duties, except in limited circumstances 

“These bills are not just policies on paper. They are promises to our children, to our communities, and to future generations,” said Senator Weber Pierson. “This legislative package reflects our shared determination to build a California that is fairer, healthier, and stronger than ever before.”

Senator Weber Pierson added, “I am proud that this work does not just meet the moment. It creates a new standard for what is possible when we put people first and lead with courage and compassion.”

The legislation signed by the Governor will officially go into effect on January 1, 2026 (unless it is an urgency measure which goes into effect immediately after being signed), ushering in a new chapter of progress for California.

For more information about these bills or to request an interview, please contact Albert Parnell at Albert.Parnell@sen.ca.gov or 916-651-4039.
 

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Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D. represents California's 39th Senate District, which includes portions of San Diego County, the cities of Coronado, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove, as well as portions of the City of San Diego.