Overview
- Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1729 on Saturday, September 19, 2026, blocking a measure that would have made telework the default and required agencies to justify in-person mandates.
- AB 1729 would have forced state departments to provide written explanations for why employees must work in-office and directed the Department of General Services to build a public dashboard showing telework costs and benefits.
- In his veto message Newsom said he believes in-person collaboration is essential to a productive workplace and argued the bill would limit departmental flexibility and push policy in the wrong direction.
- The decision intensifies a dispute with Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents about 100,000 state workers and is asking members to authorize a strike over pay and remote-work rules.
- Supporters point to a 2025 state audit that estimated roughly $225 million in annual savings from more telework while opponents have warned that more remote work can increase isolation and harm morale, making this a live policy fight over costs, productivity and worker retention.