Statewide — Lawmakers representing the Inland Empire have introduced a wide-ranging slate of bills in the 2025–2026 legislative session, addressing issues from affordable housing and tribal sovereignty to public transit, youth sports and wildfire safety.
With more than 40 pieces of state legislation and several dozen local ordinances in play, the Inland Valley region’s lawmakers are seeking to assert their influence in Sacramento and address persistent challenges across Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D-Perris), one of the region’s most active legislators, has introduced or co-authored several key bills.
His proposals include Assembly Bill (AB) 1801, which would streamline California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements to ease the development of supportive housing, and AB 1838, a measure aimed at protecting the San Jacinto Wildlife Area from being sold to private developers.
In coordination with Senator Lena Gonzalez and other state lawmakers, Jackson is also backing AB 1857, requiring the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to strengthen air quality enforcement in Inland Valley communities.
The move comes as pollution levels in the region continue to exceed state standards.
Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland), the first Native American elected to the California Legislature, is also spearheading efforts to strengthen tribal sovereignty.
AB 31 would grant state peace officer status to tribal police under Department of Justice oversight, while AB 221 seeks to streamline the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to better support tribal governments.
Ramos is also behind AB 1260, a bill to fund urban tree-planting programs in Inland communities, and AB 1688, which would establish a legal aid fund for veterans in the region.
In the Senate, Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) is advancing Senate Bill (SB) 360, which would allow approved funds to be used for park improvements in San Bernardino County.
Rubio is also championing SB 415, authorizing regional bond measures to fund affordable housing, and SB 523, aimed at expanding public transit in underserved parts of the Inland Empire.
Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) is pushing SB 4, which would establish a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) unit within the Department of Justice. In tandem, SB 91, already passed by the Senate and awaiting Assembly review, would create a new UC law school in Riverside County to increase local access to legal education.
Meanwhile, AB 1100, authored by Jackson, enhances legal protections for tribal cultural heritage sites, a measure receiving bipartisan support.
Also in the spotlight is AB 739, a two-year bill that would require homeowner association (HOA) managers to hold real estate licenses, part of a broader accountability effort in community housing governance.
California’s two-year legislative session began in December 2024 and will continue through August 2026.
Bills introduced this year must pass their house of origin by the end of August 2025 to remain active in the current cycle, unless designated as two-year bills.
The Legislature is currently in its summer committee phase, where many Inland Empire lawmakers are presenting and amending bills.
Appropriations and budget-related proposals must advance out of committee by late July to meet fiscal deadlines.
At the municipal level, Inland Empire cities have introduced a slew of ordinances aligned with public safety, zoning and quality-of-life issues.
In Riverside, recently adopted laws include an ethics and campaign finance reform package (Jan 2025), a fire hazard vegetation ordinance (April 2025) and an update to commercial cannabis regulations (May 2025). Public hearings are scheduled for July 15 to finalize street lighting and landscape maintenance district assessments for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
Ontario, meanwhile, has introduced ordinances tackling short-term rentals, noise complaints and catalytic converter theft.
The city has also adopted the latest California Fire Code and launched new enforcement measures targeting trash collection violations and oversized vehicle parking in residential areas.
In San Bernardino, residents are bracing for a July 2 public hearing on a proposed solid waste rate increase, one of the more contentious local issues this summer.
Several of these bills tackle long-standing equity gaps. SB 300, authored by Rubio, proposes clean energy tax incentives specifically for projects in the Inland Empire.
AB 1777, introduced by Jackson, allocates funds to expand broadband access in rural Inland Valley communities.
AB 1550 would offer rebates for water-saving retrofits in Inland Empire, households as part of the state’s broader water conservation push.
Another critical equity measure is SB 480, which would provide grants for Safe Routes to School projects, supporting pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure near schools in underserved areas.
Additionally, AB 1822, also by Jackson, proposes grant funding for youth sports and recreational facilities.
As the Legislature advances into the summer months, Inland Empire residents and civic leaders will be watching closely to see which proposals make it to the governor’s desk and which could reshape their cities, neighborhoods and futures in the years to come.
