Gov. signed a package of laws on Sept. 30, 2026, that the governor’s office said will strengthen competition, cut permitting red tape and protect small businesses across California.
The governor’s office said the measures create new authority for the attorney general and district attorneys to combat monopolistic behavior; require cities to create a permit allowing pop-up businesses to operate in vacant storefronts for up to 120 days; streamline qualifying small business tenant‑improvement permits by requiring local governments to provide a plan‑check timeline and, when review is excessively delayed, allow specified small businesses to use approved third‑party plan checkers; allow businesses doing certain tenant improvements to hire qualified architects or engineers to review and certify that plans comply with life‑safety, health and building code requirements; permit restaurants and bars to continue offering cocktails to‑go; protect small businesses from abusive commercial financing practices; and support providers of free or low‑cost one‑on‑one technical assistance to small businesses.
The release lists the specific bills included: AB 1776 by Assemblymember (D‑Winters) updating Cartwright Act enforcement; AB 1679 by Assemblymember (D‑Los Angeles) creating a local pop‑up small business program; AB 1693 by Assemblymember (D‑Hollywood) on accelerated retailer building plan approval; AB 2418 by Assemblymember Mark González on nonresidential private permitting review; AB 2116 by Assemblymember (D‑Santa Clarita) on commercial financing; AB 685 by Assemblymember (D‑Lynwood) on small business development technical assistance; and AB 2663 by Assemblymember (D‑Santa Rosa) on off‑sale privileges for certain retail on‑sale licenses.
The governor’s office placed the new laws in an economic context: it said that since Newsom took office, California’s annual GDP has grown by more than $1.18 trillion, reaching $4.25 trillion in 2025, and that first‑quarter 2026 economic output reached an annualized $4.4 trillion.
For small business owners, local governments must provide plan‑check timelines, and businesses making qualifying tenant improvements can use approved third‑party plan checkers when review is excessively delayed, or hire qualified architects or engineers to certify that plans comply with code, which the release said will help them open their doors faster. Cities will have to create a permit allowing pop‑up businesses to operate in vacant stores for up to 120 days, which the release said will help drive up foot traffic.
Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar‑Curry (D‑Winters) is quoted in the release saying, "California now has stronger tools to protect our small businesses, workers, and consumers and to make sure our markets work for everyone."
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named 3 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named 2 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
Mark González
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named 2 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
Rick Chavez Zbur
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
Pilar Schiavo
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
José Luis Solache Jr.
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
State
Chris Rogers
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Sources & methodology
This report was written from the primary materials below. Links open at the original publisher.
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