Commission-sponsored bill
By Yating Campbell, Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – The Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG)’s co-sponsored legislation, SB 642 (Limόn) Pay Equity Enforcement Act, has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. CCSWG co-sponsored SB 642 along with the California Employment Lawyers Association and Equal Rights Advocates.
“SB 642 signifies an important victory in advancing gender equity in the workplace on the 10-year anniversary of the California Fair Pay Act, while also recognizing that there is still much to be done to achieve true progress,” said Chair of CCSWG Dr. Rita Gallardo Good. “We thank Governor Newsom and Commissioner Limόn for their leadership and continued commitment to California’s women and girls.”
SB 642 revises outdated gender binary language, allows workers to recover for up to six years of lost pay, harmonizes the statute of limitations with other wage and anti-discrimination statutes, and limits how wide pay ranges may be in public job postings
“With many families continuing to stretch to make ends meet, we reinforce our commitment to equal pay laws that strengthen the economic security of California families and communities,” said Senator Monique Limón. “On Latina Equal Pay Day, I am incredibly proud that Governor Newsom is building upon our pay equity legacy here in California. The Pay Equity Enforcement Act will help narrow the wage gap by providing workers with more negotiation power at the start of their career, while also strengthening workers’ rights to recover lost wages – this is a win for workers and an even bigger win for California families.”
“As a proud co-sponsor of SB 642, we thank Governor Newsom for his signature of SB 642, which will advance pay and gender equity in the state of California for millions of women and girls,” said CCSWG Executive Director Darcy Totten, “SB 642 addresses several critical pay transparency gaps and revising references to gender to be more inclusive and reflective of California’s values. We also thank the author, Senator and Commissioner Limón, for her relentless support of women’s rights and protections in the workplace.”
Research demonstrates that women continue to make 79 cents for every dollar made by their male counterparts. Women of color are shown to be even more severely and disproportionately impacted. Studies also show that, on average, women nationwide lose a combined total of almost $1.7 trillion every year due to the wage gap, impacting the ability to afford basic needs like housing, food, childcare, and preventing women from building long-term financial security. SB 642 remedies these obstacles by enabling women to build long-term economic security and wealth. The provisions of the bill will go into effect January 1, 2026.
“The gender wage gap costs California women billions in lost wages each year—money that could otherwise go toward rent, groceries, childcare, and other essentials that families depend on,” said Jessica Ramey Stender, Policy Director & Deputy Legal Director of Equal Rights Advocates. “SB 642 ensures California remains at the forefront of advancing pay equity. Ensuring women and all workers are paid fairly is not only critical for their financial stability, but also for the economic security and well-being of families across the state.”
“One of the biggest barriers to advancing pay equity is that workers often don’t know that they are being paid unfairly until it is too late,” said Mariko Yoshihara, Policy Director for the California Employment Lawyers Association. “We applaud Governor Newsom for signing SB 642, which will comprehensively strengthen our equal pay laws and extend the ability to recover lost wages due to pay discrimination.”
For more than 50 years, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls has identified and worked to eliminate inequities in state laws, practices, and conditions that affect California’s women and girls. Established as a state agency with 17 appointed commissioners in 1965, the Commission regularly assesses gender equity in health, safety, employment, education, and equal representation in the military, and the media. The Commission provides leadership through research, policy and program development, education, outreach and collaboration, advocacy, and strategic partnerships. Learn more at www.women.ca.gov.