Commentary: AB 931 is the wrong bill at the worst time

Across California, fear is rising among immigrant families — not just from federal raids and deportation threats, but from state policies that risk cutting off vital support. One of those policies is Assembly Bill 931, introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, which proposes new restrictions on how legal services are delivered. Its most controversial provision — Section 2 — would prohibit California attorneys from collaborating with certain legal providers, including out-of-state partners, even if they offer regulated, affordable, and effective support.

Framed as a consumer protection measure, Section 2 would ban these partnerships outright, limiting the ability of lawyers and justice advocates to work together across state lines or through innovative, lower-cost models. While the language may sound technical, the consequences would be immediate: fewer legal options for the very communities that need help most.

As the federal government ramps up immigration enforcement in cities like Los Angeles, the last thing California should do is make it harder for people to get legal help. But that’s exactly what Section 2 of AB 931 threatens.