An act to amend Section 1021.5 of, and to add Section 1021.6 to, the Government Code, relating to public employment.
Summary
SB 521 expands California’s public-employment disqualification rules for certain felony convictions. Under existing law, a public employee convicted of specified corruption-related felonies—such as bribery, embezzlement or theft of public money, extortion, perjury, or conspiracy to commit those offenses—is barred from public employment for five years. This bill adds any felony involving a conflict of interest to that list, and it clarifies that the five-year bar begins on the later of final conviction or release from incarceration.
The bill also creates a new rule for city managers and city attorneys, including individuals serving under contract with a city in those roles. If convicted of any of the covered felonies, they are disqualified from future public employment in an equivalent role. The bill defines city manager and city attorney by reference to existing Government Code provisions and applies the new restrictions to those employed on or after January 1, 2026.
Impact
SB 521 amends Government Code Section 1021.5 and adds Section 1021.6, broadening the categories of felony convictions that trigger a five-year public-employment ban and creating a role-specific lifetime-equivalent disqualification for city managers and city attorneys. It applies to public employment across the state, including city, county, district, and other public agencies, and the Legislature expressly declared the measure a matter of statewide concern so it applies to charter cities as well.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the legislative process. It advanced through committee and floor votes with unanimous or near-unanimous support, including several 0-0 or 36-0 style votes and placement on the consent calendar, indicating strong agreement on the need to strengthen integrity standards for public officials and employees.
Contention
No significant opposition is reflected in the available voting history or transcripts. The main policy issue embedded in the bill is the expansion of disqualifying offenses to include conflicts of interest and the special treatment of city managers and city attorneys, including contract personnel. The statewide-concern finding also suggests the bill was designed to avoid local-control challenges from charter cities, but no recorded dispute appears in the provided materials.