Statement: Center for Employment Opportunities Responds to Blockage of Fair Chance Improvement Act in CA Assembly

Contact:

Claire Gross, Sr. Manager of Public Relations 

cgross@ceoworks.org | (646) 370-8292

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Sacramento, CA –May 30, 2026– The California State Assembly did not advance the Fair Chance Improvement Act (AB 2095) to a floor vote before the legislative deadline. The following is a statement from Simone Price, Director of Organizing for the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO).

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“CEO is deeply disappointed that the Fair Chance Improvement Act was not brought to a floor vote in the California State Assembly. This legislation is a critical mechanism to dismantle both overt and covert tactics that keep returning Californians from achieving gainful, stable employment. Our resolve remains unshaken, and we fully intend to reintroduce this vital legislation next year.

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We extend our profound gratitude to our legislative champions, Assemblymember Lee and Assembly Member Kalra, for their steadfast leadership, advocacy, and partnership throughout this session.  

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As the largest reentry services organization in the nation with 30 years of experience strengthening economic stability for justice-impacted people, CEO knows firsthand the power of comprehensive fair chance legislation. It remains imperative that we close loopholes and end punitive, discriminatory policies that lock justice-impacted job seekers out of quality employment.  

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Economic opportunity and public safety go hand in hand—neither can flourish without the other. Expanding the impact of fair chance legislation is one of our best tools to end the epidemic of mass incarceration and decrease recidivism. Too many individuals continue to fall through the cracks because they face a constant stream of rejection based on their background, rather than being evaluated on their skills, qualifications, or potential.  

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We will continue to organize, advocate, and build momentum over the coming months to ensure that when we return to Sacramento next year, California lawmakers will finally pass the Fair Chance Improvement Act and send it through the legislature to the Governor's desk." 

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Background

While the 2017 "ban the box" law was a historic step forward, nearly a decade later, tens of thousands of qualified job seekers remain locked out of the state workforce, undermining the very promise of a fair chance. Inconsistencies in implementation have created uncertainty for both applicants and hiring managers. Further, current ambiguities in the law can lead to premature background checks and a lack of clarity regarding how records disclosed by the applicant throughout the hiring process are handled, often resulting in the unintended exclusion of qualified talent.  

The Fair Chance Improvement Act (AB 2095) is a necessary fix that ensures job seekers are evaluated on their current skills and experience rather than their past. 

The Fair Chance Improvement Act would have:

• Preventing the "Candor Trap": It prevents employers from pressuring applicants to disclose conviction history during interviews before a conditional offer is even made through phrases like "Before we run a background check, is there anything you'd like to disclose." 
• Ensuring Clarity, Consistency, and Compliance: Employers must send, in writing, a letter demonstrating that a conviction has a direct and adverse relationship to the specific job duties before taking adverse action. 
• Removing Financial Barriers: It prohibits employers from forcing applicants to pay for their own background checks—a "poverty tax" that prevents many from even applying.
• Promoting Career Growth: It extends fair chance protections to current employees seeking promotions or transfers.
• Expanding the Talent Pipeline: With 1 in 3 California adults holding a record, a significant portion of our skilled workforce is often prematurely screened out

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About the Center for Employment Opportunities

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration. CEO currently operates in 30 cities in 12 states and is dedicated to ensuring justice-impacted people have opportunities to achieve socioeconomic mobility. For more information, visit ceoworks.org.

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