Question: I am a business owner and heard there are new anti-hate speech training requirements. Is this true, and if so, when would this training take effect?
Answer: Additional training for anti-hate speech might be required if a new proposed bill (AB 1803) becomes law. Existing law requires employers with five or more employees to provide at least two hours of classroom or other effective interactive training and education regarding sexual harassment to supervisors and one hour to nonsupervisory employees every two years. Those trainings cover topics including sexual harassment, abusive conduct, and discrimination based on protected characteristics, including gender identity and sexual orientation.
AB 1803 is a proposed law that would require employers to add anti-hate speech training as a component to their existing sexual harassment prevention training. In other words, the anti-hate speech training would be part of the regular training, not a separate course. If passed, the new requirements would begin January 1, 2028.
The stated purpose of the bill is to reduce the prevalence of hate speech/crimes in California. According to its proponents, it would provide practical guidance on recognizing, reporting, and confronting workplace speech that vilifies, humiliates, or incites hatred against people based on protected characteristics, including age, national origin, disability, gender, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. AB 1803 would identifies speech and conduct based on protected characteristics as something employees should learn to recognize, rather than leaving employees to infer it from general harassment standards. The bill does not define hate speech. Instead, it describes the training that should be provided to address hate speech. The proposed instruction would be added to, rather than replace, the subjects already required as part of harassment prevention training.
If enacted, employees would not automatically need to undergo a new training if they start a new job. The current proposed law states that an employee would have a six month grace period to complete the training if they received compliant training within the prior two years from a current, prior, alternate, or joint employer. The employee would then be placed on a two-year tracking schedule based on the employee’s last training. The current employer has the burden of establishing that the prior training was legally compliant.
There is some opposition to the proposed new law. The bill has been criticized as overly broad potentially unconstitutional. Opponents also point out that California already has strong anti-hate speech mechanics in place and that any rise in hate speech is a result of successful policies, greater transparency, and increased reporting. Because the bill has not yet become law and there is no implementing guidance, employers should not treat it as a current, separate legal requirement.
AB 1803 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 30, 2026, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for further consideration. Although AB 1803 is not yet in effect, it is a good practice to make sure employees are current on harassment prevention training to ensure compliance with California law. Employers may also want to review their training materials and tracking systems so they can add the new content if the bill becomes law. Reviewing these materials now may help employers identify what would need to be revised while they continue providing the training currently required by law. Employers with questions regarding harassment-related training compliance are encouraged to consult with their employment counsel.