New 2027 Rule for California Government Injury Claims: What the AB 2529 Declaration Means

If you are hurt because of a city sidewalk, a state highway, a public bus, or a school campus, you usually cannot go straight to court. California first requires a written claim to the public entity, and that claim has strict rules and short deadlines. Starting in 2027, one of those rules changes.

In short: Assembly Bill 2529, signed in September 2026, amends Government Code section 910.2. Today, a claim against a public entity or public employee only has to be signed by the claimant or someone acting for them. Under AB 2529, the person signing must also declare that, upon information and belief, the contents of the claim are true and correct. The six-month deadline to present most injury claims does not change. What changes is that accuracy now comes with a formal statement on every claim.

If you were hurt and a public agency may be involved, Win Attorneys handles government claims and related injury cases statewide. If you are injured, seek medical care first.

Talk to us at (562) 296-5380 or reach out through our contact page to discuss your situation. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.

What AB 2529 Is

AB 2529 is Chapter 618, Statutes of 2026. According to the chaptered bill, it was approved by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State on September 27, 2026. It is a short bill with one operative section: it amends Government Code section 910.2. It does not amend section 910, which lists what a claim must contain, and it does not amend any Penal Code section.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s analysis lists the bill as a non-urgency measure. Under California’s usual rule, a non-urgency statute enacted in a regular session takes effect on January 1 of the following year, which here means January 1, 2027. The bill itself does not include special language about claims already in progress, so anyone presenting a claim near the turn of the year should follow the new rule to be safe.

What Changes on the Claim

Here is the change, in plain terms.

Current law. Section 910.2 says the claim shall be signed by the claimant or by some person on the claimant’s behalf. Nothing more is required in the signature itself.

Starting January 1, 2027. The claim must be signed by the claimant or by some person on the claimant’s behalf declaring that, upon information and belief, the contents of the claim are true and correct. The Legislative Counsel’s Digest describes this as requiring a claim against a public entity or public employee to include that declaration.

The existing exception for local public entity claims for supplies, materials, equipment, or services presented on a regular business invoice remains in the statute. That exception rarely matters for injury claims.

Why the Legislature made the change

The Assembly Judiciary Committee’s analysis explains the background. Public entities provide claim forms, but courts have allowed people to present a written claim without using the agency form, as long as it contains the required information. The analysis notes that the standard state form from the Department of General Services already asks the claimant to sign under penalty of perjury, and that many agency forms include some kind of truth statement. A claimant who wrote their own claim, however, did not have to include any declaration. AB 2529 closes that gap, so a declaration is required whether the claimant uses an agency form or drafts their own.

What it does not say

The bill does not tell agencies how to redesign their claim forms, and we are not aware of any official source describing new form language. The bill’s wording is “upon information and belief” and does not use the phrase “under penalty of perjury.” An earlier version of the bill, as introduced, would have required a penalty of perjury declaration for certain employee claims; that language did not survive into the final bill.

What Stays the Same: The Six-Month Deadline

AB 2529 does not change the claim deadlines.

Six months for injury and death claims. Under Government Code section 911.2, a claim relating to a cause of action for death or for injury to a person or to personal property must be presented no later than six months after the cause of action accrues. Most other claims have one year.
What a claim must show. Section 910 still requires the claimant’s name and address, the address for notices, the date, place, and circumstances of the event, a general description of the injury or loss, the names of any public employees who caused it if known, and the amount claimed if it is under $10,000. If the amount is more than $10,000, no dollar figure is included, but the claim must say whether it would be a limited civil case.
After the agency acts. The Senate Judiciary analysis notes that the agency generally has 45 days to act on a claim. Under Government Code section 945.6, if the agency gives written notice rejecting the claim, a lawsuit generally must be filed within six months after the notice is delivered or mailed. If no written notice is given, the time is generally two years from accrual.
Private parties. Claims against private parties are not covered by the claim statute. The general deadline for a personal injury lawsuit against a private party is two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.

Our guide to the six-month transit claim deadline walks through timing in more detail.

Why Accuracy Matters More Than Ever

A government claim has always needed to be accurate. Getting the date, place, or description wrong can lead to disputes about whether the agency had fair notice. AB 2529 adds a formal statement that the contents are true and correct to the best of the signer’s information and belief.

The Legislative Counsel’s Digest states that by expanding the definition of a crime, the bill imposes a state-mandated local program. Neither the bill nor the digest names the specific crime. California law already makes it a crime under Penal Code section 72 to present a false or fraudulent claim to a state or local board or officer with intent to defraud. We do not want to overstate this: honest mistakes are not fraud, and “information and belief” means the signer is stating what they reasonably understand to be true. But the change is a reminder to be careful.

Practical habits that help:

Describe the event in plain, factual terms. Avoid guessing about things you do not know.
Use “approximately” for times and distances you are unsure of.
Keep a copy of everything you present, and a record of how and when you presented it.
If someone signs for you, make sure they have reviewed the facts with you.

How AB 2529 Fits With SB 577

AB 2529 is not the only 2026 change to public entity claims. SB 577 (Chapter 971, Statutes of 2026) amends Civil Code section 1431.2. For lawsuits filed on or after January 1, 2027, a public entity found 15 percent or less at fault will generally pay only its own share of economic damages, rather than the full amount jointly with other defendants. Our article on what SB 577 changes for public entity injury claims explains it.

The two laws work at different stages. AB 2529 affects the claim you present to the agency. SB 577 affects how damages may be divided later if the case goes to trial with more than one defendant. Together they make early, accurate investigation more valuable: a clear claim protects the right to sue, and solid evidence about each party’s share of fault can affect what is recoverable.

Hypothetical Examples

The examples below are hypothetical. They are not based on any real person or case, and they are simplified to illustrate the rules.

A city sidewalk

A pedestrian trips on a raised sidewalk slab in a city and breaks a wrist in February 2027. Within six months, the pedestrian presents a written claim to the city. Whether using the city’s form or a letter, the signature must include the declaration that, upon information and belief, the contents are true and correct. If the pedestrian is unsure of the exact time, the claim can say “approximately.”

Caltrans

A driver is injured in 2027 when a car swerves around debris on a state highway. A claim against the State, including one involving Caltrans, is presented to the Department of General Services, and section 911.2 describes how the presentation date is set. The six-month deadline applies, and the claim must carry the new declaration. If the other driver may also be at fault, SB 577 could later affect how economic damages are divided if a lawsuit is filed.

A transit agency

A rider is hurt when a public bus brakes suddenly. The transit agency is a public entity, so the rider presents a claim within six months, signed with the declaration. Our mass transit page explains how transit claims work.

A school district

A parent presents a claim on behalf of a child hurt on a school playground. The parent signs on the child’s behalf, so the parent is the one declaring that the contents are true and correct on information and belief. The parent should review the facts carefully, including witness accounts from staff, before signing.

Talk With Win Attorneys

Win Attorneys helps injured people and families across Orange County, Los Angeles, and the rest of California from our Tustin office. Government claims move on a short clock, and the new declaration makes careful preparation even more important. Our office is fluent in Spanish and Vietnamese; say so when you call. For more examples of public entity claims, see our articles on a Caltrans lane closure and eroding road crash and a city tree falling on a car in Anaheim.

Talk to us at (562) 296-5380, write through our contact page, or visit 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.

AB 2529 Government Claim FAQs

What does AB 2529 change for California government claims?

AB 2529 amends Government Code section 910.2 so that a claim against a public entity or public employee must be signed by the claimant or someone on the claimant’s behalf declaring that, upon information and belief, the contents of the claim are true and correct.

When does AB 2529 take effect?

AB 2529 was approved and chaptered on September 27, 2026 as Chapter 618. As a non-urgency statute, it takes effect January 1, 2027 under California’s usual rule.

Does AB 2529 change the six-month deadline to file a claim?

No. Under Government Code section 911.2, a claim for death or personal injury must still be presented within six months after the cause of action accrues.

Do I have to sign under penalty of perjury?

The bill’s wording is a declaration “upon information and belief” that the contents are true and correct. It does not use the phrase “under penalty of perjury,” although some agency forms already include that language.

Can someone else sign the claim for me?

Yes. The claim may be signed by the claimant or by some person on the claimant’s behalf, and under AB 2529 that person makes the declaration. They should review the facts with you first.

How does AB 2529 relate to SB 577?

They work at different stages. AB 2529 changes the claim presented to the agency. SB 577 changes how economic damages may be divided in lawsuits filed on or after January 1, 2027 when a public entity is found 15 percent or less at fault.

How long do I have to sue after a claim is rejected?

Under Government Code section 945.6, if written notice of rejection is given, a lawsuit generally must be filed within six months after the notice is delivered or mailed. Without written notice, the time is generally two years from accrual.

Disclaimer

This page is general information for educational purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It summarizes the chaptered text of AB 2529 and legislative committee analyses as of October 15, 2026. Courts have not yet applied the new language. Examples are hypothetical. Outcomes depend on the facts of each matter. Seek medical care for injuries. Consult a licensed California attorney about your situation.