Gov. Newsom vetoes bill that would loosen California state telework rules

Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1729, preserving his blanket four-day-in-office requirement for California state workers that began in July. The legislation, supported by public-sector unions, would have permitted agencies to craft their own telework rules, mandated written reasons for mandatory office attendance, and required the Department of General Services to publish a dashboard measuring telework savings and benefits.

In his veto message, Newsom said he fundamentally believes that face-to-face collaboration is vital and that the bill would steer the state's telework policy the wrong way. Advocates, including Senator Angelique Ashby, highlighted a 2025 audit showing potential annual savings of $225 million from expanded remote work. The veto occurs amid growing tension with Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents roughly 100,000 state workers and is considering strike action over wages and remote-work flexibility.