AB 2649: Youth service organizations: parent volunteers.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified April 15, 2026

What AB 2649 does, verified April 15, 2026

The bill aims to amend existing laws related to youth service organizations. It requires a parent volunteer to undergo a background check, similar to regular volunteers. However, unlike regular volunteers, parent volunteers would not be required to complete child abuse prevention training. This change is intended to provide a more streamlined process for parent volunteers while still ensuring their safety and the safety of the children they work with.

Bill journey

1IntroducedCurrent

2In CommitteePending

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. (2026-04-14)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Buffy WicksAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions4 total · showing 4

Apr. 14, 2026	In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Mar. 16, 2026	Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and PUB. S.
Feb. 21, 2026	From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
Feb. 20, 2026	Read first time. To print.

Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 20, 2026 · 659 words

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2649

Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks

February 20, 2026

An act to amend Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to youth service organizations.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2649, as introduced, Wicks. Youth service organizations: parent volunteers.

Existing law requires a youth service organization to develop and implement child abuse prevention policies to, among other requirements, ensure reporting of suspected incidents of child abuse to persons or entities outside of the organization, including reporting required by mandated reporters, as prescribed. Existing law requires an administrator, employee, or regular volunteer of a youth service organization to complete training in child abuse and neglect notification and training in child abuse and neglect reporting, as specified.

Existing law requires an administrator, employee, or regular volunteer of a youth service organization to undergo a background check, as prescribed.

This bill would specify that a parent volunteer, as defined, is not a regular volunteer, would exclude a parent volunteer from the above-described training requirements, and would require a parent volunteer to undergo a background check.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

18975.

(a) An administrator, employee, or regular volunteer of a youth service organization shall complete training in child abuse and neglect identification and training in child abuse and neglect reporting. The training requirements may be met by completing the online mandated reporter training provided by the Office of Child Abuse Prevention in the State Department of Social Services. The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to a parent volunteer.

(b) (1) An administrator, employee, parent volunteer, or regular volunteer of a youth service organization shall undergo a background check pursuant to Section 11105.3 of the Penal Code to identify and exclude any persons with a history of child abuse.

(2) Until January 1, 2024, paragraph (1) shall not apply to a youth service organization that, prior to January 1, 2022, did not require administrators, employees, or regular volunteers to undergo background checks pursuant to Section 11105.3 of the Penal Code.

(c) A youth service organization shall develop and implement child abuse prevention policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, both of the following:

(1) Policies to ensure reporting of suspected incidents of child abuse to persons or entities outside of the organization, including the reporting required pursuant to Section 11165.9 of the Penal Code.

(2) (A) Policies requiring, to the greatest extent possible, the presence of at least two mandated reporters whenever administrators, employees, or volunteers are in contact with, or supervising, children.

(B) This paragraph shall not apply to an organization that provides one-to-one mentoring to youth that has adopted and implemented the policies described in paragraph (1) and has adopted and implemented policies to ensure comprehensive screening of volunteers, training of volunteers and parents or guardians, and regular contact with volunteers and parents or guardians.

(d) Before writing liability insurance for a youth service organization in this state, an insurer may request information demonstrating compliance with this section from the youth service organization as a part of the insurer’s loss control program.

(e) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Parent volunteer” means an individual who is the parent or legal guardian of a child who is enrolled in the school in which the parent will volunteer.
~~(1)~~

(2)
“Regular volunteer” means a ~~volunteer~~ volunteer, other than a parent volunteer, with the youth service organization who is 18 years of age or older and who has direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year.

~~(2)~~
(3)
“Youth service organization” means an organization that employs or utilizes the services of persons who, due to their relationship with the organization, are mandated reporters pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 11165.7 of the Penal Code.

Text of AB 2649 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions