California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1288, the Retain and Train Act, into law, a key measure aimed at addressing workforce shortages in public health.
Sponsored by the California Association of Environmental Health Administrators and the County Health Executives Association of California, the bill focuses on creating pathways for training and certifying environmental health specialists vital professionals responsible for monitoring community safety during crises like wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay), who championed the bill, emphasized its importance: "This bill will help ensure our public health departments can employ the Registered Environmental Health Specialist they need to conduct the important water, air, and soil testing.”
The new law will take effect starting on January 1, 2026.
