Assembly BillIntroducedInsurance
AB 1936: Insurance Commissioner qualifications.
What AB 1936 does, verified March 3, 2026
The proposed law aims to amend the insurance commissioner's qualifications. The commissioner must be competent and qualified to perform the duties of the office. To be eligible, the commissioner must not be an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer or directly/indirectly interested in one. Additionally, the commissioner must have had at least 5 years of senior, management, or supervisory insurance experience in the private sector or a state/federal agency within 10 years of their election.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Referred to Com. on INS. (2026-03-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Mar. 02, 2026 | Referred to Com. on INS. |
| Feb. 14, 2026 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 16. |
| Feb. 13, 2026 | Read first time. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 13, 2026 · 437 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1936
| Introduced by Assembly Member Sanchez (Coauthors: Assembly Members Davies and Ellis) (Coauthor: Senator Alvarado-Gil) |
February 13, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 12901 of the Insurance Code, relating to the Insurance Commissioner.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1936, as introduced, Sanchez. Insurance Commissioner qualifications.
Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the commissioner’s qualifications and duties. Existing law requires the commissioner to be a person competent and fully qualified to perform the duties of the office and prohibits the commissioner from being an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer or directly or indirectly interested in an insurer or licensee, except as specified.
This bill would additionally require the commissioner, within 10 years before election, to have had at least 5 years of senior, management, or supervisory insurance experience in the private sector or a state or federal agency, as specified.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 12901 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:12901.
(a) The commissioner shall be a person competent and fully qualified to perform the duties of the office.(b) The commissioner, a deputy, or an employee shall not, during the commissioner’s, deputy’s, or employee’s tenure of office office, be an officer, agent, or employee of an insurer or directly or indirectly interested in any an insurer or licensee under this code, except (a) as a policyholder or (b) by virtue of relationship by blood or marriage to any as either of the following:
(1) A policyholder.
(2) A spouse or blood relative of a
person interested in If
(c) If the commissioner or any deputy or commissioner, a deputy, or an employee holds any a license or permit issued under this code, that commissioner, deputy, or employee shall surrender it for cancellation within 10 days after appointment and qualification. Upon termination of the commissioner’s, deputy’s, or employee’s office or employment, that license or permit shall be reissued for the balance of the then current license or permit year without fee or penalty.
(d) Within 10 years before election, the commissioner shall have had at least 5 years of experience as either of the following:
(1) A manager or supervisor in the private sector working full time in areas within the department’s subject matter jurisdiction.
(2) A senior examiner or senior employee of a state or federal agency with regulatory responsibility over insurers or insurance agencies.
Text of AB 1936 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions