Newsom vetoes state telework bill, preserves return-to-office push

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 1729, a bill that would have encouraged telework and required agencies to justify in-person mandates and added a cost-tracking dashboard; the veto preserves the governor’s four-day-in-office mandate, with a potential legislative override by a two-thirds vote. Supporters argued telework can save money and boost morale, while the governor contends the bill would reduce departmental flexibility and normalize telework. The bill’s net cost was modest (about $10 million annually) against potential $225 million in real estate savings, and unions are in contract talks as authorities negotiate around the RTO policy.