California local agencies that provide compensation, salary, or a stipend to covered local agency officials are subject to AB 1661 sexual harassment prevention training requirements.
In general, covered local agency officials must receive at least two hours of sexual harassment prevention training and education within the first six months of taking office or beginning employment, and at least once every two years thereafter.
This requirement is separate from California’s broader sexual harassment training rules for supervisors and employees in the private sector. For cities, counties, boards, commissions, special districts, and other local agencies, AB 1661 creates a more specific compliance obligation focused on covered local officials.
This post explains what AB 1661 generally requires, who it applies to, and how Compliance Training Group can help California local agencies address sexual harassment prevention training needs.
Under AB 1661, covered local agency officials who receive compensation, salary, or a stipend must complete sexual harassment prevention training within the first six months of taking office or beginning employment, and at least every two years after that. The law allows training to be completed online, in a classroom setting, or through other approved formats, and it also requires a certificate or other record showing completion.
This training requirement is especially relevant for California cities, counties, charter cities, charter counties, special districts, and other local agencies that want to maintain clear compliance procedures for elected and appointed officials who fall within the law’s scope.
How AB 1661 Fits Within California Sexual Harassment Training Requirements
AB 1661 was enacted to make clear that covered California local agency officials are not outside the state’s sexual harassment prevention training framework simply because they may not fit the same role categories discussed in other workplace training laws. For local agencies, the key point is that AB 1661 creates a specific training obligation for covered officials who receive compensation, salary, or a stipend.
For cities, counties, charter cities, charter counties, special districts, boards, commissions, and similar local agencies, this means sexual harassment prevention training should be addressed as part of a clear, ongoing compliance process for covered officials rather than treated as an afterthought.
Key AB 1661 Training Requirements for California Local Agency Officials
AB 1661 helps clarify that covered local agency officials are expected to complete sexual harassment prevention training even when older California workplace training discussions focused more heavily on supervisors and employees. For local agencies, the practical issue is not legislative history but ongoing compliance: identifying which officials are covered, making training available within the required timeframe, and maintaining appropriate records of completion.
For California cities, counties, charter cities, charter counties, special districts, boards, commissions, and similar public entities, AB 1661 should be treated as a recurring compliance requirement for covered compensated officials, not as a one-time administrative task.
In general, AB 1661 requires covered local agency officials to:
- Complete sexual harassment prevention training within the first six months of taking office or commencing employment.
- Complete at least two hours of training.
- Renew the training at least once every two years thereafter.
- Receive training covering federal and state statutory provisions on sexual harassment, prevention and correction, remedies available to victims, and practical examples concerning prevention of sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
- Complete training through an allowed format, including courses or self-study materials with tests that may be taken at home, in person, or online.
- Receive proof of participation from the training provider.
- Retain records for at least five years showing the dates the training requirements were satisfied and the entity that provided the training, because those records are subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act.
AB 1661 is intended to help California local agencies create a clearer and more consistent sexual harassment prevention training process for covered local agency officials. Rather than treating training as optional or assuming older workplace training rules fully address these roles, local agencies should identify covered officials, provide training within the required timeframe, and maintain appropriate records of completion.
For California cities, counties, charter cities, charter counties, special districts, boards, commissions, and similar public entities, this requirement should be approached as part of an ongoing compliance process. Compliance Training Group can help local agencies address sexual harassment prevention training needs for covered officials under AB 1661.
