California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1354, creating new restrictions on military personnel from other states entering the state without the governor's explicit permission. The law prohibits military personnel from other states, territories, or the District of Columbia from entering California to perform military duty or law-enforcement functions without gubernatorial approval.
The bill preserves an exception for forces lawfully called into active federal service under Title 10 and acting under the authority of the President or Secretary of Defense. The new law closes a legal loophole where other states could have deployed their military under Title 32—state-controlled National Guard funding—even at the President's suggestion.
The legislation follows California's 2025 experience when the federal government deployed California National Guard personnel to Los Angeles. Governor Newsom challenged that action in court, arguing the President exceeded his authority. Federal records showed the deployment cost taxpayers an estimated $111.2 million while diverting Guard personnel from critical missions including wildfire response and counterdrug operations. California won the legal challenge.
"SB 1354 secures the rule of law by affirming our right to defend ourselves against military intrusions against our state," the governor said in a statement.