Assembly BillFailedGovernment
AB 949: Small Business Retail Theft Solutions Grant Program.
What AB 949 does, verified February 3, 2026
The bill establishes a grant program within the office of the small business advocate to assist small businesses in preventing and recovering from retail theft. The program will be implemented in consultation with local, regional, federal, and other state public and private entities. Upon appropriation of funds, the office will make grants to small businesses to expand their capacity to prevent and recover from retail theft.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions8 total · showing 5
| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| May. 14, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr. 22, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 20, 2025 · 463 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 949
| Introduced by Assembly Member Schiavo |
February 20, 2025 |
An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 12100.70) to Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to small business.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 949, as introduced, Schiavo. Small Business Retail Theft Solutions Grant Program.
Existing law establishes the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, and prescribes the duties and functions of the Small Business Advocate, who is also the Director of the Office of Small Business Advocate. Existing law requires the Small Business Advocate to, among other things, serve as the principal advocate on behalf of small businesses and to represent the views and interests of small businesses, among other duties. Existing law establishes the California Small Business Technical Assistance Program within the Office of the Small Business Advocate, under the direct authority of the Small Business Advocate, for the purpose of assisting small businesses through free or low-cost one-on-one consulting and low-cost training by entering into grant agreements with one or more small business technical assistance centers.
This bill would establish the Small Business Retail Theft Solutions Grant Program, within the Office of the Small Business Advocate, for the purpose of assisting small businesses prevent and recover from retail theft. The bill would require the office, in implementing the program, to consult with local, regional, federal, and other state public and private entities that share a mission to support the needs of small businesses in California. Upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature for implementing these provisions, the bill would require the office to make grants to small businesses to expand the capacity of small business to prevent and recover from retail theft.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Article 8 (commencing with Section 12100.70) is added to Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:Article 8. Small Business Retail Theft Solutions Grant Program
12100.70.
(a) The Small Business Retail Theft Solutions Grant Program is hereby created within the Office of the Small Business Advocate.(b) The purpose of the program is to assist small businesses prevent and recover from retail theft.
(c) In implementing the program, the office shall consult with local, regional, federal, and other state public and private entities that share a similar mission to support the needs of small businesses in California.
(d) Upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature for the purpose of implementing this article, the office shall make grants to small businesses to expand the capacity of small business to prevent and recover from retail theft.
Text of AB 949 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions