California’s latest workplace‑training mandate is drawing sharp criticism from Christian leaders across the state. Assembly Bill 1803, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last month, requires employers with five or more employees to add “anti‑hate‑speech” instruction to existing harassment‑training programs beginning Jan. 1, 2028. The law expands the definition of protected characteristics to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and obliges employers to teach workers how to recognize, report, and address speech that “vilifies, humiliates, or incites hatred” toward those groups.
Faith groups say the bill targets religious belief
The California Family Council (CFC) and pastors from several traditional churches argue the measure lacks an exemption for matters of conscience. “California has gotten excited about their ability to retrain the entire population regarding what they believe about gender and sexual orientation,” CFC Vice President Greg Burt told Fox News Digital. “The Civil Rights Department put together curriculum that explicitly condemns anyone who holds a conservative view.”
Pastor Paul Chappell of Lancaster Baptist Church echoed the sentiment, calling AB 1803 “poorly written” and a “stretch” by a liberal legislator seeking to bias policy against conservatives. Both Burt and Chappell warned that the law could entangle biblical teachings on marriage and sexuality in workplace disputes, forcing churches and faith‑based employers to police their own sermons.
Legal ambiguity fuels concern
Burt emphasized that the bill relies on the term “hate speech,” which has no clear legal definition in California statutes. He warned that government power to define “hate” could expand beyond obvious harassment, potentially targeting religious beliefs. The legislation also does not provide an explicit exemption for religious expression, leaving employers to decide whether disciplining an employee for expressing a faith‑based view could constitute unlawful retaliation.
Critics note that the new training requirements apply not only to private‑sector workers but also to public‑school teachers and employees in many state‑licensed industries. This broad reach could expose both employers and employees to lawsuits if they fail to act in accordance with the undefined standards.
Supporters cite workplace safety
Equality California, the state’s leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organization and a supporter of the bill, argues that existing harassment training leaves a gap that leaves employees vulnerable to hostile work environments. The organization declined to comment when contacted for this story.
State officials defend the mandate
In response, the California Civil Rights Department says the training is intended to close a “significant gap” in current harassment programs and to protect workers from speech that creates a hostile environment. The department’s posted training module defines “gender identity” as a person’s internal understanding of their gender, which may be male, female, a combination of both, neither, or nonbinary.
Governor Newsom’s office has not provided additional comment beyond the bill’s signing.
Local impact and next steps
Employers across California will need to integrate the new material into existing programs, a process that may require legal review and revisions to employee handbooks. Faith‑based organizations are reportedly consulting legal counsel to assess potential liability and to explore whether existing religious‑exemption statutes might apply.
As the Jan. 1, 2028 effective date approaches, both supporters and opponents say the debate will intensify, with many expecting litigation to test the law’s constitutionality and its impact on religious liberty.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
