Parents of young football players in Camarillo and Moorpark can now require their leagues to allow soft-shell helmet covers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 708 on Monday, Sept. 28, guaranteeing California parents the right to add soft-shell attachments to their children's football helmets. The law applies to every youth tackle football league and coach in the state, according to the bill text.
The Camarillo Stingers and Moorpark Musketeers, both chapters of the Gold Coast Youth Football League, are midseason in the 2026 fall tackle schedule. Both programs fall under the new mandate.
Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, a former player and coach, authored the bill. "Parents should have the ability to choose this technology for their children, regardless of where they play, especially during these critical years of cognitive development," Valencia said in a statement released by the governor's office on Sept. 28.
No lawmaker voted against it.
Helmet manufacturer Riddell opposed the bill. EdSource reported that Riddell argued the measure would promote safety equipment not supported by scientific research. No direct statement from Riddell was located in public records.
Soft-shell helmet covers, most prominently the Guardian Cap brand, have gained traction at higher levels of football. The NFL introduced Guardian Caps during practices in 2022 and reported a more than 50 percent reduction in concussions among position groups required to wear them during preseason, compared with a three-year average, according to USA Today. For the 2026 NFL season, the caps are mandatory in all contact practices for every position except quarterbacks, kickers and punters, NBC New York reported.
That NFL data comes from professional practices, not youth football studies. The bill text does not cite a specific peer-reviewed study on youth players.
AB 708 also protects helmet warranties. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, a manufacturer cannot void a helmet's warranty or safety certification solely because a parent added a soft-shell cover. The only exception: cases where the add-on substantially damages the helmet and the helmet carried a current certification before the damage occurred.
The law builds on the California Youth Football Act, which Newsom signed in August 2019 to set minimum safety standards for youth tackle leagues, including limits on full-contact practices.
Newsom said in a signing video that not every league in California had been allowing the covers. "Well that's no longer the case," he said.
The Camarillo Stingers and Moorpark Musketeers continue GCYFL fall play. The Stingers' senior squad beat the Ventura Packers 22-8 on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Musketeers' junior squad defeated the Camarillo Gray team 28-0 on Saturday, Sept. 19.
