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Legislative Report: California’s 2025 Bills and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This report analyzes key legislation approved by the California Legislature, awaiting decision by the Governor. The analysis focuses on the alignment of each bill with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning climate action, sustainable communities, economic equality, and institutional justice.

Climate Action, Sustainable Energy, and Infrastructure (SDG 7, 9, 11, 13)

Several bills address California’s environmental and energy framework, directly impacting climate and infrastructure goals.

• AB 1207 & SB 840 (Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization): These bills extend California’s primary mechanism for pricing carbon emissions, directly supporting SDG 13 (Climate Action). The program, renamed “cap and invest,” generates billions in revenue. The associated funding bill allocates resources for projects like high-speed rail, contributing to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). However, opposition from environmental justice advocates highlights a tension with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), arguing the program does not adequately protect vulnerable communities near polluting industries.
• SB 237 (Oil Production and Fuel Standards): This legislation aims to increase in-state oil production to address energy affordability, a component of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). However, by promoting fossil fuel extraction, it runs counter to the clean energy aspects of SDG 7 and the overarching goals of SDG 13 (Climate Action). The bill represents a policy compromise between economic stability and long-term climate targets.
• AB 825 (Western Regional Energy Market): This bill facilitates California’s entry into a regional electricity market, enhancing grid stability and the efficient use of renewable resources. It strongly supports SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by enabling the sale of surplus solar power and improving energy access. This modernization of energy infrastructure also aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
• SB 254 (Wildfire Liability and Clean Energy): By replenishing the state’s wildfire liability fund, this bill addresses a critical climate adaptation need, contributing to the resilience of communities as outlined in SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The bill also includes provisions to fast-track permitting for clean energy projects and regulate utility costs, furthering progress on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).

Sustainable Communities, Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 1, 8, 10, 11)

Legislation concerning housing, labor, and market fairness seeks to address economic disparities and promote sustainable urban development.

1. SB 79 (Housing Density Near Transit): This bill promotes the construction of dense housing near major public transit stations, a key strategy for achieving SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). By increasing the housing supply and including provisions for low-income units, it aims to address the affordability crisis, contributing to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Encouraging transit use also supports SDG 13 (Climate Action).
2. AB 1340 (Gig Worker Unionization): By granting ride-hailing drivers the right to unionize and bargain collectively, this bill directly advances SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). It seeks to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions for a significant segment of the workforce, thereby addressing SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
3. AB 325 (Algorithmic Price-Fixing): This legislation prohibits businesses from using algorithms to collude on prices for goods and services, including housing rentals. This measure promotes fair market competition in line with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and directly targets practices that exacerbate the affordability crisis, supporting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 1 (No Poverty).
4. SB 518 & SB 437 (Reparations): These bills establish state infrastructure to implement reparative policies for descendants of American slavery. SB 518 creates a new state bureau, and SB 437 develops a verification methodology. This legislative package is a direct attempt to address historical and systemic injustices, aligning with the core principles of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)

A significant portion of the legislative agenda focuses on accountability, transparency, and the protection of vulnerable populations, which are central to building just and effective institutions.

• SB 53 (AI Safety Regulation): This bill requires developers of powerful AI models to test for catastrophic risks and establish reporting mechanisms for safety incidents. It represents a critical step in building accountable governance for emerging technologies, aligning with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by creating guardrails to prevent widespread harm.
• SB 627 (Law Enforcement Transparency): By prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing face masks that conceal their identity, this bill aims to increase transparency and public trust. This measure directly supports the goal of accountable and transparent institutions as outlined in SDG 16.
• AB 1178 (Police Misconduct Records): In contrast to other transparency efforts, this bill would make it more difficult for the public to access police misconduct records related to undercover officers. This legislation presents a potential conflict with the objectives of SDG 16, which calls for public access to information and accountable institutions.
• Immigration Protection Bills (AB 495, SB 81, SB 98): This suite of bills aims to protect immigrant communities by allowing undocumented parents to designate caregivers for their children (AB 495) and limiting immigration enforcement activities at sensitive locations like healthcare facilities (SB 81) and schools (SB 98). These measures uphold principles of justice and protect vulnerable groups, contributing to SDG 16 and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Good Health, Well-being, and Quality Education (SDG 2, 3, 4)

Legislation was passed to protect the health and educational environments of California’s children.

1. AB 1264 (Ban on Ultraprocessed Foods in Schools): This bill phases out harmful ultraprocessed foods from school meals, directly targeting improved child nutrition. This aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), which includes a focus on ending malnutrition. By ensuring students have access to healthy food, the bill indirectly supports SDG 4 (Quality Education), as well-nourished children are better prepared to learn.
2. SB 243 & AB 1064 (AI Chatbot Safety for Minors): These bills seek to protect minors from harmful interactions with AI chatbots. The measures require clear disclosure that a bot is not human and institute safeguards against exposure to explicit material or encouragement of self-harm. This directly supports SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by addressing mental health risks associated with new technology.
3. AB 715 (Antisemitism Prevention in Schools): This legislation creates a state-level office and new processes to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination in school curricula. By fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment, the bill strongly supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Explanation: The article extensively discusses California’s climate policies. Bills like AB 1207 and SB 840, which reauthorize the state’s cap-and-trade program, directly aim to combat climate change by “putting a price tag on greenhouse gas emissions.” SB 254 addresses the consequences of climate change by replenishing the state’s wildfire liability fund. SB 79 promotes building housing near public transit to reduce reliance on cars, which is a key climate mitigation strategy.

2. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Explanation: Several bills focus on the state’s energy infrastructure and sources. Assembly Bill 825 aims to create a “Western regional energy market” to allow for more efficient use of renewable energy, such as selling “surplus solar to its neighbors.” SB 254 also contributes by financing new transmission lines and fast-tracking permits for “solar and other clean energy projects.” Conversely, SB 237 addresses energy affordability by potentially increasing oil production to protect consumers against gasoline price spikes.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Explanation: The article highlights efforts to improve urban living. Senate Bill 79 directly addresses the housing crisis by allowing developers to “build apartment buildings up to seven stories” near major public transit stations, aiming to create denser, more sustainable, and affordable communities. SB 254 makes communities more resilient by funding wildfire prevention and victim compensation. The funding from the cap-and-trade program for the high-speed rail project also supports sustainable transportation infrastructure.

4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Explanation: Labor rights and fair economic practices are central themes. Assembly Bill 1340 would allow California’s approximately 800,000 ride-hailing drivers to unionize, giving them a “seat at the table to fight for paid leave, to fight for higher pay, to fight for safety.” Assembly Bill 325 tackles unfair market practices by prohibiting tech platforms from using algorithms for price-fixing, which stifles “fair market competition.”

5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Explanation: The article discusses several legislative efforts to address systemic inequalities. The reparations bills (SB 518 and SB 437) are a direct response to historical injustices, aiming to provide “reparative justice for Black descendents of enslaved people.” Bills protecting immigrants (AB 495, SB 805, etc.) aim to safeguard a vulnerable population from discrimination and fear. AB 325 also reduces inequality by preventing algorithmic price discrimination that can disproportionately affect certain consumers. AB 715, which addresses antisemitism in schools, also aims to combat discrimination.

6. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Explanation: Multiple bills focus on creating more transparent, accountable, and just institutions. SB 627, the “No Secret Police Act,” aims to increase law enforcement transparency by prohibiting officers from wearing face masks. Conversely, AB 1178, which would make it harder to access some police misconduct records, also pertains to the rules governing institutional transparency. The bills on AI regulation (SB 53) and immigrant protections (SB 81, SB 98) seek to establish legal frameworks and safeguards to protect the public and ensure fundamental freedoms.

7. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Explanation: The health and safety of Californians, particularly children, are addressed. Assembly Bill 1264 aims to improve children’s health by banning “harmful ‘ultraprocessed foods’ to students” in schools, focusing on ingredients associated with “cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and behavioral issues.” Bills SB 243 and AB 1064 address the mental health risks of AI chatbots for minors, seeking to prevent harm such as the encouragement of “self-harm or drug use.”

8. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Explanation: The article touches on the governance of technological innovation. Senate Bill 53 addresses the risks of advanced artificial intelligence, requiring AI makers to test models for catastrophic risks like enabling “cybersecurity crimes or biological weapons attacks.” This represents an effort to build resilient infrastructure around new technology by balancing “innovation with guardrails.” The funding for the high-speed rail project also relates to developing sustainable infrastructure.

9. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Explanation: The article discusses legislation aimed at ensuring safe and inclusive learning environments. Assembly Bill 715 seeks to “extinguish antisemitism in classrooms” by creating an antisemitism prevention coordinator and processes to “root out discriminatory learning materials in schools.” This directly relates to creating an equitable and quality educational setting for all students.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action)

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
     • Explanation: The reauthorization of California’s cap-and-trade program (AB 1207, SB 840) is a clear example of integrating a major climate change mitigation tool directly into state policy and economic planning.

2. Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)

   • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
     • Explanation: AB 825, which would create a Western regional energy market, is designed to increase the use of renewables by allowing California to “sell surplus solar to its neighbors and tap renewable energy from other states,” thus preventing clean energy from being wasted.
   • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
     • Explanation: SB 254 supports this target by setting up a program for the state to “help publicly finance the cost of building new transmission lines” and “fast-track some permitting for solar and other clean energy projects.”

3. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

   • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
     • Explanation: SB 79 directly addresses this by making it easier to “build more homes to tackle the state’s dearth of affordable housing,” specifically by allowing denser apartment construction near transit.
   • Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all.
     • Explanation: The funding bill (SB 840) that guarantees “$1 billion a year for California’s troubled high-speed rail project” is a direct investment in sustainable public transport infrastructure.

4. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.
     • Explanation: AB 1340, which would “allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize,” directly targets the protection of labor rights for gig workers, who are often in precarious employment situations.

5. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
     • Explanation: The reparations bills (SB 518, SB 437) aim to address the historical exclusion and harm done to descendants of enslaved people by creating a state agency and verification process to implement reparative policies.
   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices.
     • Explanation: AB 325 aims to eliminate the discriminatory practice of algorithmic price-fixing, which can lead to unequal outcomes where some customers are charged “higher costs” for the same goods or services.

6. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
     • Explanation: SB 627, which would prohibit law enforcement from wearing face masks, is intended to create “more transparency and trust in law enforcement.” The debate around AB 1178 and access to police misconduct records also directly relates to the level of institutional transparency.
   • Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
     • Explanation: The AI regulation bill (SB 53) supports this by requiring companies to “publish details about how they evaluate models for catastrophic risk on their websites” and giving the public a way to report risks.

7. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
     • Explanation: AB 1264 promotes prevention of non-communicable diseases by banning school foods with ingredients linked to “cancer, cardiovascular disease, [and] obesity.” SB 243 promotes mental well-being by requiring AI chatbots to create a “protocol to help users experiencing suicidal ideation.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels

   • Explanation: The article states that the cap-and-trade program works by setting a “strict cap on those emissions.” Progress towards Target 13.2 can be measured by tracking the total volume of greenhouse gas emissions in California relative to this established cap.

2. Number of New Housing Units Near Transit

   • Explanation: For SB 79, a direct indicator of progress towards Target 11.1 is the number of new housing units constructed within the “walkable half-mile” of major transit stations as a result of the law. The density of these developments (up to “seven stories”) would also be a key metric.

3. Establishment of a Union for Gig Workers

   • Explanation: A primary indicator for AB 1340 and Target 8.8 would be the successful formation of a union representing ride-hailing drivers. Subsequent indicators would include the number of collective bargaining agreements negotiated and the improvements in wages and benefits secured through those agreements.

4. Reduction in Financial Harm from Algorithmic Pricing

   • Explanation: The article provides a baseline metric from a White House study, which “estimated that price-fixing algorithms cost apartment renters $3.8 billion in 2023.” An indicator of success for AB 325 would be a measurable reduction in this type of consumer financial harm in California’s rental, retail, and other markets.

5. Implementation of Reparations Infrastructure

   • Explanation: Progress on the reparations bills (SB 518, SB 437) can be measured by the successful establishment of the “Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery” and the development and implementation of a “methodology for verifying descendants of enslaved people” by the California State University system.

6. Compliance with School Food Regulations

   • Explanation: For AB 1264, a clear indicator is the percentage of California schools that have successfully phased out the banned “ultraprocessed foods” by the “July 2035” deadline. This would measure progress toward improving child nutrition and health under Target 3.4.

7. Public Access to Police Misconduct Records

   • Explanation: The debate around AB 1178 implies an important indicator for Target 16.6: the ratio of police misconduct records released to the public versus those that are redacted or withheld. Changes in this ratio following the bill’s implementation would measure its impact on transparency.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: calmatters.org