AB 2321: Interfering With Cal/OSHA Becomes a Crime in 2027
What changed
AB 2321 (Chapter 936, Statutes of 2026) makes it a misdemeanor to willfully resist, impede or interfere with Cal/OSHA investigators, or to willfully violate a related court order. It also makes a willful safety violation by an employer or a supervising employee a crime when it causes serious injury, illness or exposure, not only death or prolonged impairment. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
Who it applies to
California employers, and employees who direct or control other employees or a place of employment.
Key dates
- Effective date:
- January 1, 2027
New criminal penalties for interfering with Cal/OSHA investigations or willfully violating safety standards causing serious injury take effect.
What employers may need to do
- Make sure managers cooperate with Cal/OSHA inspections and investigations; willful interference becomes a misdemeanor on January 1, 2027.
Official source
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2321Detected by RegWatch monitoring on October 1, 2026. Always confirm details against the official source above — this page is a summary, not legal advice.
Related updates
- CA LegislatureAB 1331: California Bans Workplace Surveillance in Bathrooms From January 1, 2027
- CA LegislatureAB 1883: Employers Can't Use AI to Read Employees' Emotions or Collect Neural Data From 2027
- CA LegislatureAB 1697: California's Stay-or-Pay Contract Ban Now Starts With Contracts Signed in 2027
- CA LegislatureAB 1803: Harassment Training Must Include Anti-Hate Speech Training From January 1, 2028
More CA Legislature updates · All California employer updates
Check how this affects your business
Professional compares updates like this with one saved business profile. Consultant evaluates the same update separately across as many as five client businesses.