2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games

The law streamlines delivery of Los Angeles 2028 facilities while creating limited, time-bound exceptions to building, athletic-event, firearm, ammunition, and film-tax-credit rules.

What the law does ​

• Applies the 2025 state building code, without local amendments, to Olympic-required temporary structures and sets approval, inspection, and maximum-installation periods.
• Requires the State Fire Marshal to convene a fire-and-panic-safety task group to review alternative safety measures for Olympic venues.
• Exempts Olympic and Paralympic contests from State Athletic Commission requirements through the Games' conclusion or December 31, 2028, whichever is later.
• Allows credentialed shooting-sport competitors, including accompanied minors, to possess event firearms and obtain ammunition under specified exemptions from July 2027 through the Games.
• Requires the Department of Justice to update exempt competitive-pistol lists by June 30, 2028, and provides $100,000 for that work.
• Preserves film tax-credit treatment for productions displaced when Olympic-related organizations sublease certified studio soundstages.

Who it affects ​

• LA28, Olympic and Paralympic competitors, event organizers, and venues using temporary structures.
• Local building and fire officials, ammunition vendors, and credentialed shooting-sport competitors.
• Film and television productions displaced from certified studio construction projects.

Breakdown ​

Olympic and Paralympic Contest Exemption ​

For a limited period, the bill exempts certain Olympic and Paralympic contests from the State Athletic Commission Act. The exemption applies to contests supervised or controlled by an entity authorized by the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee, including the usual requirement for prior commission approval.

Key takeaways

• The exemption applies only for the period specified in the bill.
• Covered contests must be supervised or controlled by an entity authorized by the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee.
• Covered contests are exempt from the State Athletic Commission Act’s requirements governing boxing, wrestling, and martial arts events.
• Covered contests do not need prior approval from the State Athletic Commission under the exempted provisions.

Temporary Olympic Venue Structures ​

Until January 1, 2029, temporary structures needed for 2028 Olympic and Paralympic venues must follow the 2025 California Building Standards Code rather than local changes to that code. Local building and fire officials may approve these structures for specified time periods if the required conditions are met. The bill also creates a State Fire Marshal task group to review proposed alternative fire and panic-safety protections.

Key takeaways

• Tents, membrane structures, and other covered temporary event structures needed by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee must use the 2025 California Building Standards Code until January 1, 2029.
• Local amendments to the California Building Standards Code do not apply to these temporary Olympic and Paralympic venue structures.
• Local building and fire officials may approve installation of the structures for specified periods when the applicable requirements are met.
• The State Fire Marshal must create a task group to review the organizing committee’s requests for alternative fire and panic-safety protections and provide written recommendations to the enforcing agency.
• Area and separation rules for these structures may be changed through an alternative protection method that the task group reviews and a local building or fire official approves.
• If a local enforcing agency departs from the task group’s recommendation, it must explain to the applicant and task group why the different approach provides equivalent fire and panic safety protection.

Minor Firearm Exception ​

For a limited period, the bill creates an additional exception to California’s ban on minors possessing firearms. A minor may possess a firearm while actively taking part in, traveling to, or traveling from an event supervised or controlled by certain international Olympic, Paralympic, or shooting-sport organizations.

Key takeaways

• The exception applies only for the specified period in the bill.
• It covers events supervised or controlled by an entity authorized by the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, International Shooting Sport Federation, or World Shooting Para Sport.
• A minor may qualify while participating in an eligible event or while traveling directly to or from it.
• The bill adds this exception to existing circumstances in which a minor may lawfully possess a firearm.

Ammunition for 2028 Games Competitors ​

For a limited period, the bill exempts certain 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games competitors from California’s ammunition-sale recordkeeping and buyer-authorization checks. The exemption applies when a competitor presents an accredited credential and will take part in an authorized firearms competition or training event.

Key takeaways

• Ammunition vendors may sell or transfer ammunition to qualifying 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games competitors without the usual sale-recording and Department of Justice authorization requirements.
• A competitor must present an accredited credential issued for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The competitor must be participating in a firearms-related competitive or training event.
• The event must be supervised or controlled by an entity authorized by the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, International Shooting Sport Federation, or World Shooting Para Sport.
• This exemption applies only for the period specified in the bill.

Ammunition Access for Games Competitors ​

For a limited period, the bill allows ammunition vendors to sell or transfer ammunition to accredited competitors in the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games who are participating in authorized firearm-related training or competition events. This exception applies despite the usual age-based ammunition sales restrictions, when the event is supervised or controlled by a listed international sports organization.

Key takeaways

• The bill creates a temporary exception to California's age-based restrictions on ammunition sales and transfers.
• The exception applies to competitors who present an accredited credential for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• A competitor must be participating in a firearm-related competitive or training event to use the exception.
• The event must be conducted under the supervision or control of an organization authorized by the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, International Shooting Sport Federation, or World Shooting Para Sport.
• The exception covers transactions, sales, and transfers between an ammunition vendor and an eligible competitor.

Paralympic Competition Pistol Exemption ​

Until January 1, 2029, the bill excludes certain pistols used in sanctioned 2028 Paralympic target shooting events from California’s assault weapon and unsafe handgun rules. It also requires the Department of Justice to update the list of exempt competitive pistols before the games and provides $100,000 for the department’s administrative costs.

Key takeaways

• The bill temporarily exempts pistols used in Paralympic target shooting events from the definitions of assault weapon and unsafe handgun.
• The exemption applies only to pistols sanctioned by both the Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee and the International Paralympic Committee.
• By June 30, 2028, the Department of Justice must work with the Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee to add anticipated Olympic and Paralympic competition pistols to the exempt list.
• The temporary Paralympic pistol exemption ends on January 1, 2029.
• The bill appropriates $100,000 to the Department of Justice to administer these provisions.

Film Tax Credit for Displaced Productions ​

The bill protects certain film tax credit eligibility when a production loses access to a leased certified soundstage because it is subleased for use by an organization directly associated with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. If the production moves to a qualifying alternative soundstage, it can still be treated as though it filmed at the certified studio construction project.

Key takeaways

• The change applies to qualified motion pictures that leased a certified-project soundstage on or before September 1, 2026, for filming.
• The original soundstage must become unavailable because it was subleased to an organization directly associated with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The California Film Commission determines whether the organization is directly associated with the Games.
• A production that films at a qualified alternative soundstage may still be deemed to have filmed at a certified studio construction project for the applicable motion picture tax credit.

Special Law for 2028 Games ​

The bill declares that a special state law is necessary for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These findings support treating the Games through legislation tailored to that event.

Key takeaways

• The bill makes formal legislative findings that a special statute is necessary for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The bill identifies the 2028 Games as requiring legislation specifically tailored to the event.
• This part does not describe any separate program, funding, or regulatory requirement.

Public Access Findings ​

The bill makes the required legislative findings for any limits it places on public access to government meetings or records. The findings state that the limits protect an identified interest and are necessary to protect that interest.

Key takeaways

• The bill includes findings required when a law limits public access to government meetings or records.
• These findings are intended to explain the interest protected by the bill's access limitations.
• The findings also state why protecting that interest requires the limitations.

State Reimbursement ​

The bill states that the state does not have to reimburse local agencies or school districts for costs caused by this act. It identifies a specified reason for not requiring reimbursement under California’s mandate-reimbursement rules.

Key takeaways

• The bill excludes its requirements from state reimbursement obligations for local agencies and school districts.
• Local agencies and school districts cannot claim reimbursement for costs imposed by this act under the stated reason.
• The change applies California’s existing mandate-reimbursement framework to deny reimbursement for this act.