Assembly BillChaptered/SignedHealth and Safety
AB 708: California Youth Football Act: safety equipment.
What AB 708 does, verified September 30, 2026
The bill requires youth tackle football leagues, sports organizations, and coaches to allow participants to use safety equipment, including soft-shelled add-ons on football helmets. This measure aims to enhance player safety by providing an additional layer of protection against head injuries. The law would also enable courts to grant injunctive relief in cases where the required safety equipment is not used, and the court-ordered costs and fees would be awarded to the prevailing party.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 732, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-28)Alert me
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| Sep. 28, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 732, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 28, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 03, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6558.). |
| Aug. 24, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 28, 2026 · 533 words
Assembly Bill No. 708
CHAPTER 732
An act to add Section 124241.2 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to youth athletics.
[ Approved by Governor September 28, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 28, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 708, Valencia. California Youth Football Act: safety equipment.
Existing law, the California Youth Football Act, requires a youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program to comply with certain requirements, including, among other things, not conducting more than 2 full-contact practices per week during the preseason and regular season, not holding a full-contact practice during the off-season, and having each football helmet reconditioned and recertified every other year, as specified.
This bill would require a youth tackle football league, youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program, or coach of a youth sports organization to allow youth tackle football participants to use safety equipment, including soft-shell add-ons on football helmets. The bill would authorize a court to grant injunctive relief to remedy a violation or threatened violation of this requirement, and would entitle a prevailing plaintiff who obtains injunctive relief to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
This bill would prohibit the warranty or safety certification of a football helmet put into play on or after January 1, 2027, with a soft-shell add-on from being voided because of the use of the soft-shell add-on with the football helmet unless certain conditions are met.
The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to ensure that youth football organizations continue to have access to commercially available football helmets, including reconditioned football helmets, and that the attachment of a soft-shell helmet add-on does not, by itself, result in the loss of an otherwise applicable manufacturer warranty or certification designation.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that youth football organizations continue to have access to commercially available football helmets, including reconditioned football helmets, and that the attachment of a soft-shell helmet add-on does not, by itself, result in the loss of an otherwise applicable manufacturer warranty or certification designation.SEC. 2.
Section 124241.2 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:124241.2.
(a) (1) A youth tackle football league, youth sports organization that conducts a tackle football program, or coach of a youth sports organization shall allow youth tackle football participants to use safety equipment, including soft-shell add-ons on football helmets.(2) A court may grant a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction to remedy a violation or threatened violation of this subdivision.
(3) A prevailing plaintiff who obtains any remedy specified in paragraph (2) shall be entitled to an award of reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
(b) A warranty or safety certification of a football helmet put into play on or after January 1, 2027, with a soft-shell add-on shall not be voided because of the use of the soft-shell add-on unless both of the following conditions are met:
(1) The soft-shell add-on substantially damages the football helmet.
(2) The football helmet had a current manufacturer certification at the time immediately preceding the substantial damage to the football helmet.
Text of AB 708 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions