California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills Friday aimed at expanding security protections for places of worship and nonprofit organizations vulnerable to attacks and hate crimes.
Assembly Bill 1836 extends security funding to offsite religious and cultural events, including Pride celebrations, marches, and festivals. Assembly Bill 2664 creates security buffer zones around houses of worship.
Newsom signed the bills at Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, which was vandalized in 2025 when protesters entered the building to disrupt a gathering and damage the interior.
Both measures build on California's Nonprofit Security Grant Program, established in 2015. The program has provided funding to protect 1,614 nonprofits and places of worship from violent attacks and hate crimes. According to Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, sponsor of AB 1836, "California has built the most robust state-level Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the nation, providing critical security funding to more than 1,600 houses of worship, LGBTQ+ community centers, reproductive health clinics, and other nonprofits at risk of hate-motivated violence."
This year, the state legislature secured $80 million in ongoing annual funding to permanently sustain the program. Program-supported security measures include reinforced doors and gates, high-intensity lighting, alarm systems, surveillance and access controls, and emergency preparedness improvements.