Bipartisan Bill Aims to Preserve Telework for California State Workers

Lawmakers push back on Newsom's executive order mandating in-person work

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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As the deadline approaches for California Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order requiring state workers to return to the office four days a week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is introducing legislation to allow state agencies to set their own telework policies.

Why it matters

The proposed bill follows a state audit that found Newsom's office did not gather key data on space needs and costs before ordering the return to in-person work, which could cost the state $225 million annually. The legislation aims to give state agencies more flexibility to determine their own telework policies.

The details

Republican Assemblymember Josh Hoover and Democrat Assemblymember Alex Lee are co-sponsoring the bill, which would change state law to allow each agency to set its own telework policy. This comes as state worker Connor Anderson says employees are "stressed" about the impending return-to-office order. Newsom's office has disputed the findings of the 2025 state audit that was critical of the governor's blanket executive order.

  • The deadline for Newsom's return-to-office executive order is approaching.
  • The proposed legislation will likely reach a committee vote next month.

The players

Gavin Newsom

The governor of California who issued the executive order mandating state workers return to in-person work four days a week.

Josh Hoover

A Republican Assemblymember co-sponsoring the bipartisan bill to allow state agencies to set their own telework policies.

Alex Lee

A Democratic Assemblymember co-sponsoring the bipartisan bill to allow state agencies to set their own telework policies.

Connor Anderson

A California state worker who says employees are "stressed" about the impending return-to-office order.

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What they’re saying

“I mean, people are stressed. I feel that's what the governor wants, and I think the governor is going to get what he wants. But I don't think that's what everyone else might want.”

— Connor Anderson, State worker (cbsnews.com)

“I think that the governor's blanket executive order is not the direction that we want to go.”

— Josh Hoover, Assemblymember (cbsnews.com)

“What my bill is saying is every department should figure out their own telework policy.”

— Alex Lee, Assemblymember (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The proposed legislation to allow state agencies to set their own telework policies will likely reach a committee vote next month.

The takeaway

This bipartisan effort to preserve telework options for California state workers highlights the ongoing tensions between government mandates and employee preferences, as well as the need to consider cost savings and operational flexibility when determining remote work policies.