Assembly BillIntroducedCivil
AB 1998: Discrimination: sex and gender: intimate spaces.
What AB 1998 does, verified February 22, 2026
This bill aims to amend the civil code to provide full and equal accommodations in business establishments, regardless of sex, race, or other characteristics. It would define sex as an individual's immutable biological sex, and prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression in intimate spaces such as bathrooms, showers, and changing rooms. The bill would require separate facilities for male and female individuals in these areas, with the exception of single-occupancy bathrooms that can be used by either sex. This amendment would ensure that all individuals have equal access to these facilities and can expect a reasonable level of privacy.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From printer. May be heard in committee March 20. (2026-02-18)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Feb. 18, 2026 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 20. |
| Feb. 17, 2026 | Read first time. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 17, 2026 · 1,239 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1998
| Introduced by Assembly Member Castillo |
February 17, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 51 of the Civil Code, relating to discrimination.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1998, as introduced, Castillo. Discrimination: sex and gender: intimate spaces.
Existing law, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, provides that all persons within the jurisdiction of this state are entitled to full and equal accommodations in all business establishments regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status. Existing law, for purposes of this provision, defines “sex” to include, but does not limit it to, a person’s gender. Existing law further defines “gender” to mean sex, and includes a person’s gender identity and gender expression, as the latter is defined. Existing law prohibits the act from being construed to require any construction, alteration, repair, structural or otherwise, or modification of any sort whatsoever, beyond that construction, alteration, repair, or modification that is otherwise required by other provisions of law, to any new or existing establishment, facility, building, improvement, or any other structure, or to augment, restrict, or alter in any way the authority of the State Architect to require construction, alteration, repair, or modifications that the State Architect otherwise possesses pursuant to other laws.
This bill would include in the provision regarding full and equal business accommodations the characteristics of gender identity and gender expression, as defined, and make corresponding changes in existing law. The bill would delete the above definitions of “sex” and “gender” and, instead, define “sex” to mean an individual’s immutable biological sex, including either female or male, as further defined. The bill would require that accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments related to intimate spaces be separated on the basis on sex, irrespective of gender identity or gender expression. The bill would define “intimate spaces” to include bathrooms, showers, changing rooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and any other area in which an individual would have a reasonable expectation of privacy from the opposite sex. The bill would authorize single-occupancy intimate bathrooms to be gender neutral. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(1) California has a continuing interest in preventing discrimination. In keeping with that history, California recognizes the balancing of rights that must occur when protecting against discrimination based upon sex, on the one hand, and gender identity on the other. At times, providing equal protections collide.
(2) Sex is immutable and cannot be changed. Gender identity is fluid, and there is no ability for a commercial enterprise to determine if an individual’s claim of a gender identity is sincere or is a pretext to obtain access to the opposite sex’s intimate spaces.
(3) In recent years, male individuals who have adopted nonbinary or transgender identities have been in women’s intimate spaces where female individuals of all ages are in various states of undress. Some male individuals have also been naked with their male genitals exposed. Some of these male individuals are convicted sex offenders, such as the individual who used the women’s only spa at the Korean Wi Spa in Los Angeles, and other individuals are convicted female abusers, such as the individual who used the women’s changing facilities at Gold’s Gym in Los Angeles. Exposed naked male bodies in women’s changing rooms in which children are present have been reported at Bay Area YMCA facilities.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to require sex-separated intimate spaces, except where a gender neutral facility is a single occupancy.
SEC. 2.
Section 51 of the Civil Code is amended to read:51.
(a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Unruh Civil Rights Act.(b) All persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal, and no matter what their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.
(c) This section shall not be construed to confer any right or privilege on a person that is conditioned or limited by law or that is applicable alike to persons of every sex, color, race, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status, or to persons regardless of their genetic information.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any construction, alteration, repair, structural or otherwise, or modification of any sort whatsoever, beyond that construction, alteration, repair, or modification that is otherwise required by other provisions of law, to any new or existing establishment, facility, building, improvement, or any other structure, nor shall anything in this section be construed to augment, restrict, or alter in any way the authority of the State Architect to require construction, alteration, repair, or modifications that the State Architect otherwise possesses pursuant to other laws.
(e) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Disability” means any mental or physical disability as defined in Sections 12926 and 12926.1 of the Government Code.
(2) “Gender expression” means an individual’s appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the individual’s sex.
(2)
(3)
(A) “Genetic information” means, with respect to any individual, information about any of the following:(i) The individual’s genetic tests.
(ii) The genetic tests of family members of the individual.
(iii) The manifestation of a disease or disorder in family members of the individual.
(B) “Genetic information” includes any request for, or receipt of, genetic services, or participation in clinical research that includes genetic services, by an individual or any family member of the individual.
(C) “Genetic information” does not include information about the sex or age of any individual.
(3)
(4)
“Medical condition” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 12926 of the Government Code.(4)
(5)
“Race” is inclusive of traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. “Protective hairstyles” includes, but is not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locs, and twists.(5)
(6)
“Religion” includes all aspects of religious belief, observance, and practice.(6)
(7) (A)
“Sex”(i) “Female” means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly or intentional or unintentional disruption, a reproductive system that produces, transports, and utilizes the large gamete, or ova, for fertilization.
(ii) “Male” means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly or intentional or unintentional disruption, a reproductive system that produces, transports, and utilizes the small gamete, or sperm, for fertilization.
(B) “Sex” also includes,
but is not limited to, pregnancy, childbirth, or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth.Text of AB 1998 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions