CJAC Statement on Governor Signing Major Tort Reform Bill

Media Contact:
Nick Mirman
nick@cmpublicaffairs.com

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 30, 2026) — Jaime Huff, President and CEO of the Civil Justice Association of California, today released the following statement after Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 690, a bill that addresses lawsuit abuse against small businesses:

“Californians pay the price when businesses are forced to spend money fighting abusive lawsuits instead of serving their customers. SB 690 represents meaningful progress toward protecting small businesses from CIPA lawsuits over common website technologies.

“As the Governor stated in his signing message, this bill must be a starting point towards a broader conversation on tort reform. Small businesses still face broader CIPA litigation abuse and other costly lawsuits that drive up the cost of doing business in California. If lawmakers are serious about affordability, they must build on this progress and make tackling lawsuit abuse a priority.”

SB 690 updates California’s nearly 60-year-old wiretapping law to protect small businesses from abusive lawsuits over common website features. In his signing message, Governor Newsom acknowledged that other outdated provisions remain vulnerable to abuse and urged lawmakers to pursue additional reforms next year.