Assembly’s New Outcomes Review Oversight Project Launches First Hearing

On Tuesday, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin focused on AB 488, examining whether the new law strengthens transparency and accountability for online charitable fundraising.

• Nick Miller
• Communications Director
• 916-319-2029
• [email protected]

SACRAMENTO - On Tuesday, Speaker Robert Rivas' first-of-its-kind Outcomes Reviewoversight project kicked-off its inaugural committee hearing, led by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and focused on the implementation of AB 488 (2021), a law enacted to strengthen transparency and oversight in online charitable fundraising.

Earlier this year, Speaker Rivas announced more than a dozen laws to go through the Outcomes Review oversight process, empowering lawmakers to systematically evaluate laws they've authored or championed and make sure they are being implemented effectively and delivering real results for Californians - marking a new chapter in legislative accountability.

Assemblymember Irwin's first hearing continues to set the tone for a more results-driven Legislature.

"Today's hearing is accountability in action - and I'm grateful for Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin's steadfast leadership on oversight and transparency," Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas said.

"It's a breath of fresh air to spend time in the Legislature ensuring that our bills are meeting the outcomes that we have promised. I look forward to more oversight review hearings that will inform future legislation and result in better public policy for all Californians," Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin said.

Online fundraising has rapidly changed how people support nonprofits, especially during emergencies and natural disasters. AB 488 modernized California's charitable fundraising laws to strengthen transparency and accountability, helping ensure donations raised on platforms reach the charitable organizations and causes Californians intend to support. This Outcomes Review hearing is a chance to evaluate how the law is working in the real world and identify what is needed to strengthen implementation.

First Hearing in a Series

This is the first in a series of Outcomes Review hearings that will continue throughout the legislative year, covering issues such as affordability, housing, energy, health care, worker protections, wildfire recovery, and foster care.

Since day one of Speaker Rivas' leadership, the Assembly has prioritized impact, oversight and accountability, including the formation of new committeesto make sure taxpayer dollars are implemented effectively and efficiently, special affordability-focused hearings on energy pricesand the top cost drivers for working families.

In 2025, Speaker Rivas also lowered the number of bills legislators can introducefrom 50 to 35, so that every leader in the Assembly has the greatest possible bandwidth to focus on making sure California's laws uplift prosperity.

Now in 2026, the Speaker is empowering members to emphasize collaborative review of enacted legislation by introducing an "Outcomes Review" oversight tool, which government policy author Jennifer Pahlka described as a "bold" and "intentional, structured processfor evaluating whether the laws lawmakers pass actually do what they're supposed to do" on her Eating PolicySubstack.

This Year's Outcomes Review Projects

Expanding Telehealth Access for Families: Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Currywill continue her work on health care access for California families by reviewing implementation of AB 744 (2019) and AB 32 (2021), which expanded telehealth services to improve access to care statewide.

Strengthening California's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahanwill review implementation of AB 988 (2022), which established the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in California, to assess statewide implementation, staffing and funding capacity, and coordination with 911 to ensure Californians experiencing a mental health crisis receive timely and appropriate care.

Accelerating Affordable Housing: Assemblymember Buffy Wickswill review implementation of AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, enacted to streamline the approval of affordable and mixed-income housing along resource-rich commercial corridors.

Reducing Costs and Delays in Affordable Housing Finance: Assemblymember Pilar Schiavowill review implementation of AB 519 (2023), which established a multi-agency workgroup to streamline and coordinate affordable housing finance by moving multiple state funding programs into a single, consolidated application. The review will assess progress toward meeting statutory deadlines, reducing duplicative paperwork, lowering development costs, and eliminating administrative barriers that delay affordable housing construction.

Supporting Affordable Farmworker Housing in the Central Valley: Assemblymember Esmeralda Soriawill review outcomes related to AB 457 (2025), which was enacted to support the development of affordable farmworker housing within close proximity to agricultural land in the Central Valley.

Protecting L.A. Wildfire Survivors from Post-Disaster Foreclosure: Assemblymember John Harabedianwill review outcomes related to AB 238 (2025), which provides post-disaster mortgage forbearance protections for homeowners, to assess compliance and identify opportunities to strengthen relief for disaster survivors.

Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in Charitable Giving: Assemblymember Jacqui Irwinwill review implementation of AB 488 (2021), which strengthened oversight of online charitable fundraising to ensure donations raised on platforms get to charitable organizations, especially when generosity soars in response to emergencies like wildfires.

Expanding Community Access to Clean Energy: Assemblymember Chris Wardwill review AB 2316 (2022), which empowered the California Public Utilities Commission to create a community solar program, to allow all California ratepayers to benefit from distributed generation.

Streamlining Groundwater Recharge to Strengthen Water Supply: Assemblymember Diane Papan, along with Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, will review AB 658 (2019), which streamlined groundwater recharge permitting, to assess whether the law is improving approval timelines and supporting groundwater sustainability efforts statewide.

Combating Wage Theft and Holding Bad Actors Accountable: Assemblymember Liz Ortega, co-leading with Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, will review outcomes related to SB 588 (2015), which expanded enforcement tools to combat wage theft and hold employers accountable for unpaid wages.

Stabilizing Foster Family Agencies: Assemblymember Gail Pellerinwill review the implementation of AB 2496 (2024), which was enacted to address liability and insurance challenges facing foster family agencies. The review will assess whether the law is providing stability to providers and ensuring continuity of care for children in the foster care system..

Reducing Disruptive Foster Care Placements: Assemblymember Mike Gipsonwill review implementation of AB 2247 (2018), which strengthened protections for foster youth by requiring placement preservation strategies and advance notice before placement changes, to assess whether the law is improving placement stability and reducing disruptive moves for children in foster care.

Streamlining Broadband Deployment: Assemblymember Juan Carrillowill review implementation of AB 965 (2023), which requires local agencies to process groups of substantially similar broadband permit applications together ("batched processing"), to assess whether the new process is working as intended, improving permitting timelines, and helping accelerate broadband buildout while preserving appropriate local control and safeguards.

Strengthening California's Property Insurance Market Through the FAIR Plan Clearinghouse Program: Assemblymember Lisa Calderonwill review implementation of AB 3012 (Wood/Daly, 2020), which directed the California FAIR Plan to establish a residential "clearinghouse" program to share information about FAIR Plan policies with private insurers. The review will assess whether the program is working as intended to help policyholders transition back into the private market and reduce pressure on the FAIR Plan amid continued challenges in California's homeowners insurance market.

Next Steps

Outcomes Review committee hearings will continue in the coming weeks and continue throughout the legislative year.