HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-05-13; City Council Legislative Subcommittee; 04; Legislative and Advocacy Update Meeting Date: May 13, 2025
To: Legislative Subcommittee
From: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director
Staff Contact: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director
jason.haber@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2958
Subject: Legislative and Advocacy Update
District: All
Recommended Action
Receive updates on federal and state legislative and budget activity and recent and ongoing
advocacy efforts; discuss and provide feedback to staff, including identifying high-priority bills,
advocacy positions, funding opportunities, and items for future City Council consideration.
Discussion
Staff and the city’s contract lobbyists – Federal: Carpi & Clay Government Relations / State:
California Public Policy Group – will present updates and overviews of federal and state legislative
activity (Exhibits 1 and 2) and the priority legislation (Exhibit 3) and intergovernmental matters
being tracked on behalf of the city.
The Subcommittee is requested to provide feedback to help city staff and the city’s lobbying
consultants focus the city’s advocacy efforts on high-priority bills and to identify bills for future City
Council consideration.
Next Steps
Staff and the city’s contract lobbyists will monitor, evaluate, and engage the Legislative
Subcommittee in a discussion of legislative activity and proposed measures that may impact city
operations and policy priorities throughout the legislative session.
If the Legislative Subcommittee decides to refer any matters to the City Council, staff will work with
the City Manager to place an item on a future City Council agenda for consideration.
Exhibits
1. Carpi & Clay Government Relations – Federal Update
2. California Public Policy Group – State Update
3. California Public Policy Group – Priority Legislation as of May 7, 2025
LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE
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Exhibit 1
1
April 30, 2025
City of Carlsbad
Federal Update
www.carpiclay.com
Appropriations and Budget Reconciliation Update
With the federal government now funded through September 30, Congress has turned its
attention to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations cycle. In April, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees released guidance to Members and Senators on submitting FY26 project funding requests as well as programmatic funding and language proposals. The President’s FY26 budget proposal has not yet been released, but it is expected in May and will help shape funding priorities.
In parallel, a budget resolution has passed both the House and Senate, setting the stage for the use of the budget reconciliation process to advance President Trump’s legislative priorities. This procedural tool allows certain measures to pass with a simple majority vote in the Senate, avoiding the filibuster. House committees have begun marking up their respective portions of
the forthcoming reconciliation bill, with further action anticipated in early May. This reconciliation bill is expected to focus on tax policy and modifications to entitlement and discretionary spending programs aligned with the Trump administration’s policy goals. Trump Administration Appointments
President Trump announced the following appointments to his administration in April:
Dept/Agency Position Appointee
Labor Solicitor Jonathan Berry
Labor Chief Financial Officer David Brian Castillo
Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito
Labor Administrator of the Wage and
Hour Division
Andrew Rogers
Transportation Security Administration Deputy Administrator (Acting Administrator) Ha Nguyen McNeill
Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Congressional and
Legislative Affairs)
Donald Bergin III
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FEMA Ends BRIC Program and Cancels Pending Grant Awards
On April 4, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the cancellation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, ending all current and future awards. Launched in 2020, BRIC awarded more than $5 billion to support state, local, tribal, and territorial projects designed to reduce risk from natural hazards such as
flooding, wildfires, and severe storms. According to FEMA, all BRIC applications from Fiscal Years 2020–2023 are canceled and pending funds—including approximately $882 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—will either be returned to the U.S. Treasury or repurposed by Congress. FEMA has indicated it is reviewing all of its grant programs to align with recent executive orders and new agency priorities. The agency is also evaluating whether
current grant structures may duplicate or replace local capital investments. Additional hazard mitigation programs, including the Flood Mitigation Assistance program, are also under review. The decision is expected to impact a wide range of in-progress and planned resilience projects nationwide. EPA Outlines New PFAS Actions
On April 28, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a set of actions to
address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination. These actions include the designation of an agency lead for PFAS, the development of new effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for certain industrial sectors, and engagement with Congress and industry to establish a liability framework that follows a polluter-pays approach while protecting passive receivers such as utilities.EPA notes that its efforts are organized under three primary objectives:
strengthening the science, fulfilling statutory obligations, and building partnerships. The agency also noted it is continuing to assess stakeholder input on passive receiver liability and intends to issue further actions in the months ahead. EPA’s announcement did not directly address existing drinking water standards finalized under the previous administration or the status of potential CERCLA (Superfund) designations.
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY
House Passes Bill to Require Voter ID for Federal Elections. On April 10, the House passed
the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 22), which would require individuals to present identification when voting in federal elections. Four Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, which sponsors said is intended to strengthen election integrity and prevent noncitizen voting. Opponents of the bill raised concerns that the identification
requirements could make it more difficult for certain eligible voters—such as low-income
individuals and those who have changed their names—to cast ballots. This bill now heads to the Senate, where it would be subject to the legislative filibuster and require 60 votes to advance.
Senate Passes Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act. On April 8, the Senate passed
bipartisan legislation (S. 160) led by Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM),
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Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) that would reauthorize the sale of excess military aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression efforts. The authority for these transfers originally expired in 2005, was reauthorized from 2012 to 2017, and has since lapsed. This bill is intended
to help expand and maintain the nation’s aerial wildfire suppression fleet, supporting year-
round fire response capacity through the acquisition and upkeep of specialized aircraft. It now awaits consideration in the House of Representatives. House Passes Bill to Establish E-Bike Battery Safety Standards. On April 28, the House
passed the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act (H.R. 973), bipartisan legislation that would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adopt existing voluntary industry safety standards for lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, e-scooters, and other micromobility devices. The bill, introduced by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), responds to a rise in battery-related fires, particularly in urban areas. It directs the Commission to formalize
safety rules within 180 days and submit a report to Congress within five years on battery-related hazards. A companion bill has been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee. Bipartisan Senate Bill Introduced to Establish FEMA as an Independent Cabinet-Level Agency. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced the FEMA
Independence Act of 2025 (S. 1246) to establish FEMA as an independent Cabinet-level
agency, removing it from its existing position as an agency under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The legislation was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for consideration. Companion legislation was introduced in the House in March.
House Bill Introduced to Establish Alternative FEMA Procedures for Small Disasters. Representatives David Rouzer (R-NC) and Troy Carter (D-LA) introduced the State-Managed
Disaster Relief Act (H.R. 2342), a bipartisan bill that would authorize alternative procedures for federal disaster assistance in smaller-scale events. This legislation would allow a state or tribal
government to request a single lump sum payment—equal to 80 percent of the estimated cost
of eligible damages—in lieu of assistance under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for qualifying small disasters. This legislation was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration.
House Bill Introduced to Establish Cybersecurity Standards for Water Systems.
Representatives Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) introduced a bill (H.R. 2594) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency to certify an independent, non-governmental organization responsible for developing cybersecurity risk and resilience requirements for water and wastewater systems serving 3,300 or more people. This bill outlines
a process for establishing and updating cybersecurity standards tailored to the operational
needs and capabilities of covered water systems, with EPA oversight. This legislation was referred to the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce for consideration.
House Bill Introduced to Support Transition to Unleaded Aviation Fuel. Representatives
Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the Cutting Lead Exposure and
Aviation Relief (CLEAR) Skies Act (H.R. 2932), a bipartisan bill aimed at reducing lead
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emissions from aviation fuel. This legislation would establish a federal production tax credit to lower the cost of unleaded aviation gasoline and support its adoption across the general aviation sector. The bill would build on provisions included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of
2024, which directed the FAA to facilitate the transition to unleaded aviation fuel by 2030
through coordination with fuel producers, airports, and aircraft operators. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bills to Expand Municipal Infrastructure Financing Tools. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced two bipartisan bills
aimed at enhancing state and local governments’ ability to finance infrastructure projects. The
LOCAL Infrastructure Act (S. 1481) would restore tax-exempt advance refunding for municipal bonds, a financing tool eliminated by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A similar House measure (H.R. 1255) was introduced in March. The senators also reintroduced the American Infrastructure Bonds Act (S. 1480), which would authorize a new class of taxable “direct-pay”
municipal bonds, modeled after the Build America Bonds program, with the U.S. Treasury reimbursing issuers for a portion of interest costs. Both bills are intended to expand affordable financing options for infrastructure projects at the state and local levels. Bill Reintroduced to Ban Offshore Drilling Along Southern California Coast.
Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) reintroduced the Southern California Coast and Ocean
Protection Act (H.R. 2862), which would prohibit new oil and gas leasing off the Southern California coast from San Diego to the northern border of San Luis Obispo County. Similar regional bills were introduced by Members representing coastal communities in California, Florida, New England, and the Mid-Atlantic. The legislation responds to concerns over
environmental risks, economic impacts from oil spills, and ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to expand offshore energy development. It has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources for further consideration. Bipartisan Bill Reintroduced to Support Estuaries and Coastal Resilience.
Representatives Mike Levin (D-CA), Brian Mast (R-FL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Jen Kiggans (R-VA) have reintroduced the Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act (H.R. 2786), bipartisan legislation aimed at revitalizing federal support for lagoons, estuaries, and coastal communities. The bill would reauthorize the long-lapsed Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) at $60 million annually, expand grant eligibility to include
NGOs, and prioritize funding for underserved and climate-vulnerable areas. It would also direct NOAA to designate five new National Estuarine Research Reserves and enhance the existing reserve system. These efforts support habitat conservation, scientific research, and community resilience to climate hazards.
Democratic Appropriators Highlight Scope of Frozen Federal Funds. Senator Patty
Murray (D-WA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), top Democrats on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, respectively, released a list identifying $437 billion in federal funding that the Trump administration has reportedly frozen or canceled across more than 100 programs. The largest amount of held-up funds includes $102 billion in FEMA grants.
The lawmakers criticized the freezes as contrary to congressional intent and launched a
webpage to track the actions. Republican appropriators have indicated a formal rescissions package is expected soon, with an initial proposal reportedly totaling $9.3 billion.
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CONGRESSIONAL LETTERS
Four Republican Senators Caution Against Full Repeal of Energy Tax Credits. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Curtis (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune urging caution against a full repeal of clean
energy tax credits established under the Inflation Reduction Act. The Senators emphasized
that many U.S. companies have already made significant investments based on the current tax framework and warned that a wholesale rollback could disrupt long-term planning, increase utility costs, and hinder domestic energy production.
Seven House Members Send Letter in Support of Tax Exemption of Municipal Bonds.
On April 11, seven House Republicans sent a letter to Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith in support of the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds. The Committee is expected to consider a tax package that may eliminate the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, a critical finance tool for local governments to fund infrastructure projects.
Ranking Member Waters Calls for Investigation into Proposed HUD Field Office Closures. Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General requesting
an investigation into whether HUD is complying with statutory requirements related to its field
office structure. Waters asked the agencies to examine whether HUD has fulfilled legal obligations to maintain at least one field office in each state and to publish a cost-benefit analysis prior to any closures, as required by federal law. The letter also raises concerns about how such closures could affect HUD’s ability to administer housing programs and provide
services.
Rep. Levin Raises Concerns Over VA Call Center Staffing and Privatization. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, sent a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary
Doug Collins expressing concern over reports that the VA is considering significant staffing
reductions and increased automation at its call centers. Rep. Levin warned that such changes could limit access to essential services for veterans, particularly elderly and disabled individuals who rely on live assistance to schedule appointments and access care.
House Democrats Urge Musk’s Removal from Government Role. More than 70 House
Democrats, led by Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX), sent a letter to President Trump urging the removal of Elon Musk from his government position by May 30. The lawmakers cited federal law limiting special government employees to 130 days of service per year and raised concerns about Musk’s influence over federal agencies and programs. Lawmakers called for a public
commitment from the administration to ensure Musk steps down by May 30.
House Democrats Urge Restoration of Emergency Food and Shelter Program Funding. Representative Greg Landsman (D-OH) led 47 House Democrats in sending a letter to FEMA
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Administrator Cameron Hamilton and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem calling for the immediate restoration of funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). The lawmakers expressed concern over the administration’s decision to freeze previously obligated
EFSP funds, warning that the ongoing review could jeopardize support for thousands of food
pantries, shelters, and local service organizations. Lawmakers Urge Reversal of Cuts to AmeriCorps. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) led a bicameral letter signed by 149 Members of Congress urging President Trump to reverse
staffing reductions and programmatic cuts at AmeriCorps. The letter followed actions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that placed most AmeriCorps staff on leave and recalled over 750 NCCC members. Lawmakers emphasized that the recently enacted FY25 funding law maintains AmeriCorps appropriations at prior-year levels, and they warned that further delays or reductions would prevent the effective implementation of the agency’s
mission. FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
DOJ Releases School Violence Prevention Program NOFO. The U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Office has opened the application period for the Fiscal Year 2025 School Violence Prevention Program. This competitive grant program provides funding to states, local governments, Indian tribes, and their public agencies to enhance security at schools and on
school grounds. Up to $73 million is available nationwide. Applications are due by June 26 at
4:59 p.m. ET. FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIONS AND PERSONNEL CHANGES
President Trump Signs Executive Order Aiming to Accelerate Federal Permitting Processes for Infrastructure Projects. On April 15, the President signed an executive order and accompanying action plan to modernize and accelerate the federal permitting
process for infrastructure projects. Central to the initiative is an expanded role for the Council
on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which will lead efforts to implement digital tools, enhance data transparency, and coordinate agency action. The plan introduces centralized permitting dashboards, improved interagency collaboration, and clearer project timelines—facilitated in part by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.
President Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Climate and Cap-and-Trade Programs. On April 8, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach,” directing federal action against state and local climate-related laws and lawsuits that the administration argues unlawfully restrict domestic
energy production. The order instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify state
policies—particularly those related to greenhouse gas emissions, climate accountability lawsuits, and ESG initiatives—that may be unconstitutional, preempted by federal law, or otherwise unenforceable. Within 60 days, DOJ must report back with recommendations to
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halt enforcement or litigation under those policies. The order singles out California’s cap-and-trade program and state-level climate funds that require fossil fuel companies to contribute to adaptation efforts as examples of “extortion” and overreach. The directive also targets civil
litigation that seeks to hold oil companies liable for climate damages—such as California’s
ongoing lawsuits—and accuses states of attempting to regulate global emissions through retroactive penalties. President Trump Issues Executive Order Aimed at Expanding Skilled Trades and
Consolidating Workforce Programs. On April 23, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future," which directs the Secretaries of Labor, Education, and Commerce to review and modernize federal workforce development programs. The order calls for a comprehensive report within 90 days identifying opportunities to integrate or restructure workforce programs, eliminate ineffective
spending, and better equip workers for high-demand sectors, including those involving
artificial intelligence. It also outlines plans to support alternative credentials beyond four-year degrees and expand registered apprenticeships, setting a goal of reaching one million new active apprentices. Some have expressed concern that program consolidation may lead to funding cuts. The order’s recommendations are expected to influence both the future of
workforce development legislation, including potential reauthorization of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the administration’s upcoming budget proposals. President Trump Issues Executive Order on Immigration Enforcement. On April 28, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting American Communities from
Criminal Aliens,” directing the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to identify states, counties, and cities deemed to be out of compliance with federal immigration enforcement. Within 30 days, those jurisdictions must be publicly listed and given an opportunity to “come into compliance.” Jurisdictions that do not comply may face suspension or termination of certain federal funds. The order also calls for new verification systems to
prevent undocumented immigrants from accessing federal public benefits in listed jurisdictions. President Trump Orders Agencies to Repeal Regulations Using Fast-Track Authority. On April 9, President Trump issued a memorandum directing federal agencies to repeal
regulations deemed unlawful, including those inconsistent with recent Supreme Court rulings. The memo instructs agencies to use the “good cause” exemption under the Administrative
Procedure Act to expedite repeals without the usual notice-and-comment process. The action prioritizes rules that exceed statutory authority or conflict with decisions such as West Virginia v. EPA and Loper Bright v. Raimondo. Agencies must justify each repeal and submit
summaries of any regulations retained despite initial identification as potentially unlawful. President Trump Appoints Members to FEMA Review Council. President Trump announced the appointment of 20 members to the newly established Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council, which is tasked with recommending reforms
to streamline FEMA’s emergency management and disaster response efforts. Homeland
Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will serve as co-chairs. The council, created by a January 2025 executive order, will advise the President on
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FEMA’s operational effectiveness and recommend changes to improve disaster response capabilities. Appointees include state and local officials, emergency management leaders, private sector representatives, and FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton.
President Trump Directs CEQ to Launch Permitting Technology Action Plan. On April 15, President Trump issued a memorandum directing the Council on Environmental Quality to lead the creation of a Permitting Technology Action Plan aimed at modernizing and accelerating federal environmental review and permitting processes. The plan will guide
agencies in digitizing permit applications, streamlining interagency coordination, and
enhancing transparency and predictability for project sponsors. CEQ must release the plan within 45 days, including technology standards, software requirements, and a roadmap for interagency data systems. The memo also establishes a Permitting Innovation Center to design and test new digital permitting tools.
Federal Hiring Freeze Extended. On April 17, the White House announced that the current hiring freeze has been extended to July 15. The hiring freeze, initially set to expire on April 20, applies to all executive branch departments and agencies with few exceptions including military personnel, positions related to national security or public safety, and positions within
the Executive Office of the President. CEQ Rule Revoking Biden-Era NEPA Regulations Takes Effect. On April 11, the Council on Environmental Quality’s interim final rule revoking the Biden administration’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations officially went into effect. Federal agencies now
have until February 2026 to update and develop their own implementation procedures in line
with the revised framework. DOT Secretary Issues Letter Reaffirming Legal Obligations for Transportation Funding Recipients. On April 24, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a letter to all recipients
of federal transportation funding—including states and local governments—that compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations is a condition of receiving financial assistance, whether through grants, cooperative agreements, or loans. The letter outlines several key areas of compliance, beginning with non-discrimination requirements. Recipients must ensure that no discrimination occurs based on race, color, national origin, sex, or religion
across their policies, programs, or employment practices. The letter also stressed the importance of cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. Recipients must work with federal agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and refrain from activities that could obstruct immigration enforcement, such as issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants or interfering with investigations. Furthermore, entities receiving
federal funds must ensure that subrecipients are U.S. citizens, nationals, lawful permanent residents, or authorized legal entities that do not employ undocumented immigrants. Finally, the letter warns that failure to meet these requirements could lead to audits, demands for the repayment of funds, termination of financial assistance, or other enforcement actions.
EPA and Army to Host Listening Session on WOTUS Rulemaking. On May 6, the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army will host a listening session for local government stakeholders to gather input on forthcoming revisions to the
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definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). The session follows a March 2025 announcement by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin that the agencies intend to revise the WOTUS definition in line with the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision. The
agencies are seeking feedback on implementation challenges and key legal concepts such
as “continuous surface connection,” “relatively permanent” waters, and ditch classifications. Input will inform a forthcoming proposed rule. Advance registration is required by May 5 at noon ET.
EPA and HHS Announce New Review of Fluoride in Drinking Water, Drawing Public Health Criticism. On April 7, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new federal review of potential health risks from fluoride in drinking water. EPA will conduct a scientific reassessment of fluoride’s health effects under the Safe Drinking Water Act, while HHS has directed the CDC to reconvene an expert panel
to revisit federal fluoridation recommendations.
FAA Publishes AIP Grant Assurances Modifications. FAA has published a notice that proposes updates to Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant assurances to reflect the new legislative provisions in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and recent executive orders.
The FAA is implementing these modified grant assurances upon publication of this notice to expedite processing Fiscal Year 2025 grants. Comments are due by May 9. FHWA Publishes Final Rule Repealing GHG Emissions Measure. FHWA has published a final rule that repeals a requirement that State departments of transportation (State DOT)
and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) establish declining carbon dioxide (CO2) targets for the greenhouse gas (GHG) measure and report on progress toward the achievement of the target. The rule is effective on May 19. GAO Publishes Report on Railway-Highway Crossing Improvements. The Government
Accountability Office (GAO) has published a report examining the Federal Highway
Administration's (FHWA) Railway-Highway Crossings Program (RHCP), which provides funding to states for improving safety at public railway-highway grade crossings. Between 2019 and 2023, states utilized RHCP funds to enhance safety measures such as installing or upgrading bells, lights, and gates, with 77% of projects reporting zero crashes before and
after implementation. The report recommends that FHWA should review RHCP technical
assistance materials and update them to add information about the types of pedestrian projects related to trespassing that might be eligible for RHCP funding. NHTSA Publishes Early Estimates of Traffic Fatalities for 2024. NHTSA reported that
U.S. traffic fatalities declined by 3.8% in 2024 to an estimated 39,345 deaths, marking the first time since 2020 that fatalities dropped below 40,000 annually. This reduction continues an 11-quarter streak of declining fatalities since mid-2022. However, the fatality rate of 1.20 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled still exceeds the pre-pandemic average of 1.13.
NHTSA Announces New AV Framework. NHTSA and DOT have unveiled a new
Automated Vehicle (AV) Framework as a part of DOT’s broader transportation innovation agenda. The AV Framework has three principles (1) prioritize the safety of ongoing AV
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operations on public roads; (2) unleash innovation by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers; and (3) enable commercial deployment of AVs to enhance safety and mobility for the American public. As a part of this framework, NHTSA is maintaining its Standing General
Order on Crash Reporting but has amended it to reduce reporting burdens while focusing on severe incidents. Effective June 16, 2025, the revised order requires reporting of crashes involving Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) only if they result in fatalities, involve vulnerable road users, or meet specific injury criteria, whereas crashes involving higher-level Automated Driving Systems (ADS) continue to have broader reporting
obligations. Additionally, the amendment streamlines reporting processes by eliminating
duplicate reports from multiple entities and adjusting reporting timelines based on crash severity. Finally, NHTSA has announced that it has expanded its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program to include domestically produced vehicles. Previously, exemptions from certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) were primarily available to
imported vehicles for research and demonstration purposes. Now, U.S.-based manufacturers
can apply for similar exemptions, facilitating the development and testing of innovative vehicle designs, including those equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) with the aim to promote domestic innovation in advanced vehicle technologies while maintaining safety standards.
TSA REAL ID Enforcement Begins May 7. TSA has announced that the agency will no longer accept state-issued identifications that are not REAL ID compliant at TSA checkpoints starting on May 7. Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (e.g., passport) can expect to
face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint. USICH Staff Placed on Leave Following Executive Order Targeting Agency for Elimination. On April 15, all 13 staff members of the U.S. Interagency Council on
Homelessness (USICH) were placed on administrative leave, following a March 14 executive order issued by President Trump directing the agency’s functions be reduced to the minimum required by law. USICH, established under the McKinney-Vento Act, coordinates interagency efforts to address homelessness and provides annual reports to Congress.
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1127 11TH STREET, SUITE 300, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 • 916.974.9270 • PUBLICPOLICYGROUP.COM PAGE 1
Date: May 6, 2025
To: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
City of Carlsbad
From: Sharon Gonsalves
Managing Director
California Public Policy Group
Re: CPPG Legislative Summary – April 2025
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Policy Committees Accelerate After Spring Break
April has been a bustle of legislative activity, with stacked agendas, long hearings, and a flurry of bills
being amended as the more than 2,200 legislative proposals introduced between early January and
the middle of February make their way through the legislative process. May 2 marked the deadline
for all bills that have been keyed fiscal—which means they are determined to potentially have a state
fiscal impact—to be heard in a policy committee.
After fiscal bills have exited their policy committees, they will be sent to their respective
appropriations committees (either Senate or Assembly) for fiscal analysis. Those determined to have
no significant impact may be released from committee while those determined to have a fiscal
impact are placed on the Suspense File. Both appropriations committees will review all fiscal
measures placed on the Suspense File on May 23. From a timing and process perspective, fiscal
measures can be held (meaning that they will no longer advance), pass out of committee unchanged,
or pass out of committee with either technical or substantive amendments based on the
committee’s recommendation. If a measure passes its fiscal committee, it will then be sent to the
Floor of its house of origin, where it must advance to the second house by June 6.
Affordability
Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-Geyserville) announced in a press release his
support for a package of legislation, “Investing in Your California.” The legislation will “help tackle
the affordability crisis in our state—focusing on the critical areas of Energy, Housing, and
Workforce.” The package includes three bills:
•SB 254 (Becker) Electricity: wildfire mitigation: rate assistance: Policy-Oriented and Wildfire
Electric Reimbursement (POWER) Program
•SB 681 (Wahab) Housing
•SB 638 (Padilla) California Education and Workforce Development Coordinating Entity:
Career Technical Education and Career Pathways Grant Program
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) announced in a press release the formation of several
Assembly select committees focused on four areas of affordability: child care, transportation,
housing, and groceries. The press release stated that the new committees are “part of the California
State Assembly’s ongoing work to lower the cost of living in California.” Select committees are
Exhibit 2
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formed to hold informational hearings on a specific policy as a way for the Legislature to gather and
review input from various stakeholders in order to then introduce legislation. Select committees do
not take votes on legislation. The Assembly plans to hold a series of informational hearings
throughout the year to “examine real cost pressures facing Californians.”
The Speaker also announced in the press release his support for the following bills “that will facilitate
housing construction”:
• AB 353 (Boerner) Communications: broadband internet service providers: affordable home
internet
• AB 485 (Ortega) Labor Commissioner: unsatisfied judgments: nonpayment of wages
• AB 609 (Wicks) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: housing development
projects
• AB 782 (Quirk-Silva) Subdivision Map Act: security
• AB 1007 (Rubio) Land use: development project review
• AB 1234 (Ortega) Employment: nonpayment of wages: complaints
• AB 1248 (Haney) Hiring of real property: fees and charges
• AB 1294 (Haney) Planning and zoning: housing development: standardized application form
Governor’s Reorganization Plan
On May 5, legislation was introduced, GRP 1, to eliminate the Business, Consumer Services, and
Housing Agency and replace it with the Business and Consumer Services Agency and the California
Housing and Homelessness Agency.
The Little Hoover Commission reviews reorganization plans submitted by the Governor, offering
advisory recommendations within 30 days after conducting public hearings and gathering input from
various stakeholders. Although its conclusions are non-binding, the Commission evaluates the
plans based on their potential to enhance efficiency and public service. The Governor's plan
automatically takes effect 61 days after submission to the Legislature unless rejected by either
legislative house.
GRP 1 would take effect on July 1, 2026. The Governor’s transmittal letter can be found here, and the
proposal can be found here.
BUDGET UPDATE
Preliminary tax agency data shows that California’s personal and corporate income taxes,
combined, generated $23.4 billion of revenue in April, net of refunds. This exceeds the forecast for
the month—included as part of the Governor’s January 10 budget proposal—by $488 million (2.1%).
2024 final return payments were $1.6 billion (29%) above projections for the month. By contrast,
most other income tax categories were weaker than projections, including the first quarterly
estimated personal income tax payments of 2025, which were $245 million (8%) under target. For
the 2024-25 fiscal year to date, California’s income taxes are $3.8 billion (3.0%) above projections
as of the end of April. As of the end of March, income tax gains were offset by sales taxes running
more than $300 million below projections.
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CPPG ACTIVITY
CPPG continues to review priority bills—keeping City staff apprised of developments on legislation
during our standing meetings and throughout the month as needed. CPPG continues to work hand
in hand with City staff to gather City-specific information while actively engaging with lawmakers and
agency officials on legislation of interest to the City. CPPG has marked 125 bills as “priority” for the
City and will continue to bring bills of potential interest to staff for review in the coming weeks.
Positioned Legislation
• AB 87 (Boerner) Housing development: density bonuses: mixed-use developments.
o Location: 04/24/2025 - Assembly Local Government
o Position: Watch
• AB 237 (Patel) Crimes: threats.
o Location: 04/09/2025 - Assembly APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
o Position: Watch
• AB 253 (Ward) California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building
permits.
o Location: 04/23/2025 - Senate Local Government
o Position: Oppose
• AB 259 (Rubio, Blanca) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences.
o Location: 04/22/2025 - Assembly THIRD READING
o Position: Support
• AB 306 (Schultz) Building regulations: state building standards.
o Location: 04/23/2025 - Senate Housing
o Position: Oppose
• AB 424 (Davies) Alcohol and other drug programs: complaints.
o Location: 04/23/2025 - Assembly Appropriations
o Position: Support
• AB 492 (Valencia) Alcohol and drug programs: licensing.
o Location: 04/24/2025 - Assembly THIRD READING
o Position: Support
• AB 532 (Ransom) Water rate assistance program.
o Location: 05/01/2025 - Assembly Appropriations
o Position: Watch
• AB 610 (Alvarez) Housing element: governmental constraints: disclosure statement.
o Location: 05/01/2025 - Assembly Appropriations
o Position: Oppose
• AB 650 (Papan) Planning and zoning: housing element: regional housing needs allocation.
o Location: 05/01/2025 - Assembly Appropriations
o Position: Support
• AB 1055 (Boerner) Accessory dwelling units: proof of residential occupancy requirements.
o Location: 04/24/2025 - Assembly Local Government
o Position: Watch
• AB 1154 (Carrillo) Accessory dwelling units: junior accessory dwelling units.
o Location: 04/29/2025 - Senate Rules
o Position: Watch
• SB 9 (Arreguín) Accessory Dwelling Units: owner-occupant requirements.
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o Location: 01/29/2025 - Senate Local Government
o Position: Watch
• SB 16 (Blakespear) Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program: housing
element: unsheltered and chronic homelessness: assessment and financing plan.
o Location: 04/28/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Watch
• SB 35 (Umberg) Alcohol and drug programs.
o Location: 04/30/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Support
• SB 79 (Wiener) Local government land: public transit use: housing development: transit-
oriented development.
o Location: 04/30/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Oppose
• SB 92 (Blakespear) Housing development: density bonuses.
o Location: 04/30/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Watch
• SB 239 (Arreguín) Open meetings: teleconferencing: subsidiary body.
o Location: 04/03/2025 - Senate Judiciary
o Position: Support
• SB 315 (Grayson) Quimby Act.
o Location: 03/26/2025 - Senate Local Government
o Position: Oppose
• SB 329 (Blakespear) Alcohol and drug recovery or treatment facilities: investigations.
o Location: 04/21/2025 - Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
o Position: Support
• SB 346 (Durazo) Local agencies: transient occupancy taxes: short-term rental facilitator.
o Location: 03/19/2025 - Senate Judiciary
o Position: Support
• SB 350 (Durazo) Water Rate Assistance Program.
o Location: 04/21/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Watch
• SB 358 (Becker) Mitigation Fee Act: mitigating vehicular traffic impacts.
o Location: 04/30/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Oppose
• SB 496 (Hurtado) Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation: appeals advisory committee:
exemptions.
o Location: 04/22/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Support
• SB 569 (Blakespear) Department of Transportation: homeless encampments.
o Location: 04/22/2025 - Senate Appropriations
o Position: Support
• SB 677 (Wiener) Housing development: streamlined approvals.
o Location: 04/09/2025 - Senate Housing
o Position: Oppose
• SB 707 (Durazo) Open meetings: meeting and teleconference requirements.
o Location: 04/23/2025 - Senate Appropriations
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o Position: Watch
LOOKING FORWARD
• Mid-May: The Governor releases his May revision of the state budget
• June 6: Last day for the Legislature to pass bills out of their house of origin
• June 15: Legislature must pass the primary budget bill
• June 30: Governor must sign the primary budget bill
• July 21-August 15: Summer Recess
• September 12: Last day for the Legislature to pass bills
• October 12: Last day for the Governor to sign or veto bills
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City of Carlsbad: Priority Legislation as of May 7, 2025
Economic Development
SB 5 (Cabaldon) Enhanced infrastructure financing districts and community revitalization and
investment areas: allocation of taxes: agricultural land exclusion. (Amended 04/24/2025)
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965, otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a
landowner of specified agricultural land to petition the city or county to cancel a Williamson Act
contract in order to designate the land as a farmland security zone, whereby the land is eligible for
a specified property tax valuation and taxed at a reduced rate for specified special taxes. Current
law authorizes the legislative body of a city or a county to establish an enhanced infrastructure
financing district, with a governing body referred to as the public financing authority, to finance
public capital facilities or other specified projects of communitywide significance. Current law
requires the public financing authority to prepare and adopt a proposed infrastructure financing
plan, as specified. Current law authorizes the plan to require a certain portion of specified taxes
levied upon property within the district to be allocated to the district each year, as specified.
Current law authorizes certain local agencies to form a Community Revitalization and Investment
Authority within a community revitalization and investment area to carry out a community
revitalization plan in that area for specified purposes. Current law authorizes the plan to require a
certain portion of specified taxes levied upon property within the area to be allocated to the
authority to finance improvements, as specified. This bill would exclude the taxes levied upon a
parcel of land enrolled in or subject to a Williamson Act contract or a farmland security zone
contract, as specified, from the above-described allocations to the district or authority, as
applicable. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 04/24/2025 - Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #58 S-SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Location: 04/24/2025 - THIRD READING
SB 74 (Seyarto) Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation: Infrastructure Gap-Fund Program.
(Amended 04/07/2025)
Exhibit 3
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Current law establishes the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation in the Governor’s office for
the purpose of serving the Governor and the Governor’s cabinet as staff for long-range planning
and research and constituting the comprehensive state planning agency. Current law authorizes a
local agency to finance infrastructure projects through various means, including by authorizing a
city or county to establish an enhanced infrastructure financing district to finance public capital
facilities or other specified projects of communitywide significance that provide significant benefits
to the district or the surrounding community. This bill would require the office, upon appropriation
by the Legislature, to establish the Infrastructure Gap-Fund Program to provide grants to local
agencies for the development and construction of infrastructure projects, as defined, facing
unforeseen costs after starting construction. The bill would authorize the office to provide funding
for up to 20% of a project’s additional projected cost, as defined, after the project has started
construction, subject to specified conditions, including, among other things, that the local agency
has allocated existing local tax revenue for at least 45% of the initially budgeted total cost of the
infrastructure project. When applying to the program, the bill would require the local agency to
demonstrate challenges with completing the project on time and on budget and how the
infrastructure project helps meet state and local goals, as specified. (Based on 04/07/2025 text)
Status: 04/21/2025 - April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/21/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness
AB 66 (Tangipa) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire
safety. (Amended 02/24/2025)
Would, until January 1, 2032, exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) egress
route projects undertaken by a public agency to improve emergency access to and evacuation
from a subdivision without a secondary egress route if the State Board of Forestry and Fire
Protection has recommended the creation of a secondary access to the subdivision and certain
conditions are met. The bill would require the lead agency to hold a noticed public meeting to hear
and respond to public comments before determining that a project is exempt. The bill would
require the lead agency, if it determines that a project is not subject to CEQA and approves or
carries out that project, to file a notice of exemption with the Office of Land Use and Climate
Innovation and with the clerk of the county in which the project will be located. (Based
on 02/24/2025 text)
Status: 04/09/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/09/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 262 (Caloza) California Individual Assistance Act. (Amended 04/03/2025)
The California Disaster Assistance Act requires the Director of Emergency Services to provide
financial assistance to local agencies for their personnel costs, equipment costs, and the cost of
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supplies and materials used during disaster response activities, incurred as a result of a state of
emergency proclaimed by the Governor, subject to specified criteria. The act continuously
appropriates moneys in the Disaster Assistance Fund and its subsidiary account, the Earthquake
Emergency Investigations Account, without regard to fiscal year, for purposes of the act. This bill
would require the director, in administering that act, to prioritize local agencies that are not eligible
for federal funding, pursuant to specified federal regulation, due to the agency’s inability to meet
minimum damage thresholds. This bill would also enact the California Individual Assistance Act to
establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to local agencies, community-based
organizations, and individuals for specified costs related to a disaster, as prescribed. (Based
on 04/03/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 846 (Connolly) Endangered species: incidental take: wildfire preparedness activities.
(Amended 03/27/2025)
The California Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking of an endangered, threatened, or
candidate species, except as specified. Under the act, the Department of Fish and Wildlife
(department) may authorize the take of listed species by certain entities through permits or
memorandums of understanding for specified purposes. Current law requires the State Fire
Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones
based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to
prevail in those areas. Existing law requires a local agency to designate, by ordinance, moderate,
high, and very high fire hazard severity zones in its jurisdiction within 120 days of receiving
recommendations from the State Fire Marshal, as provided. This bill would authorize a city, county,
city and county, special district, or other local agency to submit to the department a wildfire
preparedness plan to conduct wildfire preparedness activities on land designated as a fire hazard
severity zone, as defined, that minimizes impacts to wildlife and habitat for candidate, threatened,
and endangered species. The bill would require the wildfire preparedness plan to include, among
other things, a brief description of the planned wildfire preparedness activities, the approximate
dates for the activities, and a description of the candidate, endangered, and threatened species
within the plan area. The bill would authorize the department to impose a fee on a local agency for
the cost of reviewing a wildfire preparedness plan submitted by that local agency, as specified. The
bill would require the department, if sufficient information is included in the wildfire preparedness
plan for the department to determine if an incidental take permit is required, to notify the local
agency within 90 days of receipt of the wildfire preparedness plan if an incidental take permit or
other permit is needed, or if there are other considerations, exemptions, or streamlined pathways
that the wildfire preparedness activities qualify for, including, but not limited to, the State Board of
Forestry and Fire Protection’s California Vegetation Treatment Program. The bill would require the
department to provide the local agency, in its notification, with guidance that includes, among
other things, a description of the candidate, endangered, and threatened species within the plan
area and measures to avoid, minimize, and fully mitigate the take of the candidate, threatened, and
endangered species, as provided. (Based on 03/27/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
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Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
SB 499 (Stern) Residential projects: fees and charges: emergency services. (Amended
04/30/2025)
Under the Mitigation Fee Act, if a local agency imposes any fees or charges on designated
residential developments for the construction of public improvements or facilities, current law
imposes various conditions on the fees and charges. Among these conditions, current law
prohibits the local agency from requiring the payment of those fees or charges until the date the
first certificate of occupancy or first temporary certificate of occupancy is issued, whichever
occurs first, except as specified. Current law authorizes a local agency to require the payment of
those fees or charges earlier if the local agency determines, among other things, that the fees or
charges will be collected for, among other types of public improvements or facilities, public
improvements or facilities related to providing fire, public safety, and emergency services to the
residential development. This bill would specify that the public improvements or facilities related
to providing fire, public safety, and emergency services for which a local agency may require the
earlier payment of fees and charges under the above-described provisions include parkland and
recreational facilities when identified in the local agency’s hazard mitigation plan or related general
plan element for use in fire, public safety, and emergency services. (Based on 04/30/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and
amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Calendar: 05/07/25 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO,
MARÍA ELENA, Chair
Location: 04/02/2025 - L. GOV.
Energy and Utilities
AB 942 (Calderon) Net energy metering: eligible customer-generators: tariffs. (Amended
05/05/2025)
Current law requires each electrical utility, including each electrical corporation, local publicly
owned electric utility, electrical cooperative, or other entity that offers electrical service, except as
specified, to develop a standard contract or tariff that provides for net energy metering (NEM),
which, among other things, compensates each eligible customer-generator, as defined, for the
electricity it generated during a preceding 12-month period that exceeds the electricity supplied by
the electrical utility through the electrical grid to the eligible customer-generator during that same
period, as provided. Current law requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop an additional
standard contract or tariff, which may include NEM, for eligible customer-generators that are
customers of large electrical corporations, as defined. Current law requires each large electrical
corporation to offer this standard contract or tariff to its eligible customer-generators beginning
July 1, 2017, or before that date if ordered to do so by the commission because it has reached the
5% NEM 1.0 program limit, and prohibits limiting the amount of generating capacity or the number
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of new eligible customer-generators entitled to receive service pursuant to this standard contract
or tariff, as specified. This contract or tariff is commonly known as NEM 2.0. Current law authorizes
the commission to revise the standard contract or tariff as appropriate to achieve specified
objectives. Pursuant to its authority, the commission adopted Decision 22-12-056 (December 19,
2022), commonly known as the net billing tariff, that creates a successor tariff to the NEM 1.0 and
2.0 tariffs and includes specified elements, including, among other things, retail export
compensation rates based on hourly avoided cost calculator values averaged across days in a
month, as specified, and an avoided cost calculator plus adder, based on cents per kilowatt-hour
exported, available during the first 5 years of the successor tariff, as specified, known as the
avoided cost calculator plus glide path. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2026, for a customer
that becomes a new eligible customer-generator by purchasing real property that contains a
renewable electrical generation facility upon which a prior eligible customer-generator took
service, require the new eligible customer-generator to take service under the then-current
applicable tariff adopted by the commission after December 1, 2022, would disqualify the new
eligible customer-generator from eligibility for the avoided cost calculator plus glide path, as
specified, and would require the new eligible customer-generator to pay all nonbypassable charges
that are applicable to customers that are not eligible customer-generators. (Based
on 05/05/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
Notes 1:
4/30/25 CP marked as priority per city
Environment and Climate
AB 436 (Ransom) Composting facilities: zoning. (Amended 03/10/2025)
The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 establishes the Department of
Resources Recycling and Recovery to administer an integrated waste management program.
Current law establishes a goal that statewide landfill disposal of organic waste be reduced from
the 2014 level by 75% by 2025. This bill, on or before June 1, 2027, would require the Office of Land
Use and Climate Innovation, in consultation with the Department of Resources Recycling and
Recovery, to develop and post on the office’s internet website, a technical advisory, as provided,
reflecting best practices to facilitate the siting of composting facilities to meet the organic waste
reduction goals. The bill would require the office to consult with specified entities throughout the
development of the technical advisory. (Based on 03/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
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Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 1207 (Irwin) Climate change: market-based compliance mechanism: price ceiling.
(Amended 03/17/2025)
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, until January 1, 2031, authorizes the State Air
Resources Board to adopt a regulation establishing a system of market-based declining aggregate
emissions limits for sources or categories of sources that emit greenhouse gases (market-based
compliance mechanism) that meets certain requirements. Current law requires the state board, in
adopting the regulation to, among other things, establish a price ceiling for emission allowances
sold by the state board. Current law requires the state board, in establishing the price ceiling, to
consider specified factors, including the full social cost associated with emitting a metric ton of
greenhouse gases. This bill would require the state board to instead consider the full social cost
associated with emitting a metric ton of greenhouse gases, as determined by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency in November 2023. (Based on 03/17/2025 text)
Status: 04/29/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.)
(April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/07/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY, Chair
Location: 04/28/2025 - APPR.
SB 427 (Blakespear) Habitat Conservation Fund. (Introduced 02/18/2025)
The California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 requires the Controller, until June 30, 2020, to
annually transfer $30,000,000 from the General Fund to the Habitat Conservation Fund, less any
amount transferred to the Habitat Conservation Fund from specified accounts and funds. The act,
until July 1, 2020, continuously appropriates specified amounts from the Habitat Conservation
Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation, the State Coastal Conservancy, the Santa Monica
Mountains Conservancy, and the California Tahoe Conservancy, and continuously appropriates
the balance of the fund to the Wildlife Conservation Board. Chapter 31 of the Statutes of 2019
requires the Controller to continue to annually transfer $30,000,000 from the General Fund, less
any amount transferred to the Habitat Conservation Fund from specified accounts and funds, to
the Habitat Conservation Fund until June 30, 2030, and continuously appropriates that amount on
an annual basis in the same proportions to the specified entities until July 1, 2030. This bill would
require the Controller to continue to annually transfer $30,000,000 from the General Fund, less any
amount transferred to the Habitat Conservation Fund from specified accounts and funds, to the
Habitat Conservation Fund indefinitely, and would continuously appropriate that amount on an
annual basis in the same proportions to the specified entities described above, indefinitely. (Based
on 02/18/2025 text)
Status: 04/21/2025 - April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/21/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
SB 454 (McNerney) State Water Resources Control Board: PFAS Mitigation Program. (Amended
04/08/2025)
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Current law designates the State Water Resources Control Board as the agency responsible for
administering specific programs related to drinking water, including, among others, the California
Safe Drinking Water Act and the Emerging Contaminants for Small or Disadvantaged Communities
Funding Program. This bill would create the PFAS Mitigation Fund in the State Treasury and would
authorize certain moneys in the fund to be expended by the state board, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, for specified purposes. The bill would authorize the state board to seek out and
deposit nonstate, federal, and private funds, require those funds to be deposited into the PFAS
Mitigation Fund, and continuously appropriate the nonstate, federal, and private funds in the fund
to the state board for specified purposes, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would
authorize the state board to establish accounts within the PFAS Mitigation Fund. The bill would
authorize the state board to expend moneys from the fund in the form of a grant, loan, or contract,
or to provide assistance services to water suppliers and sewer system providers, as those terms
are defined, for multiple purposes, including, among other things, to cover or reduce the costs for
water suppliers associated with treating drinking water to meet the applicable state and federal
maximum perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminant levels. (Based
on 04/08/2025 text)
Status: 04/21/2025 - April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/21/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Notes 1:
CalCities Sponsored
SB 496 (Hurtado) Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation: appeals advisory committee:
exemptions. (Amended 04/07/2025)
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as
the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases and
requires the state board to adopt rules and regulations to achieve the maximum technologically
feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions from those sources. Pursuant to
its authority, the state board has adopted the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation, which imposes
various requirements for transitioning local, state, and federal government fleets of medium- and
heavy-duty trucks, other high-priority fleets of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and drayage trucks
to zero-emission vehicles. The Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation authorizes entities subject to the
regulation to apply for exemptions from its requirements under certain circumstances. This bill
would require the state board to establish the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation Appeals Advisory
Committee by an unspecified date for purposes of reviewing appeals of denied requests for
exemptions from the requirements of the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. The bill would require
the committee to include representatives of specified governmental and nongovernmental entities.
The bill would require the committee to meet monthly and would require recordings of its meetings
to be made publicly available on the state board’s internet website. The bill would require the
committee to consider, and make a recommendation on, an appeal of an exemption request denial
no later than 60 days after the appeal is made. The bill would require specified information relating
to the committee’s consideration of an appeal to be made publicly available on the state board’s
internet website. (Based on 04/07/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
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Location: 05/05/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Position: Support
Notes 1:
4/9/25 CP Finished letter of support, sent to city with agenda for check in. 4.21.25 CP sent to the
city 5/5/25: CS testified in support in Senate Appropriations.
Governmental Operations
AB 339 (Ortega) Local public employee organizations: notice requirements. (Introduced
01/28/2025)
The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act contains various provisions that govern collective bargaining of local
represented employees and delegates jurisdiction to the Public Employment Relations Board to
resolve disputes and enforce the statutory duties and rights of local public agency employers and
employees. Current law requires the governing body of a public agency to meet and confer in good
faith regarding wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment with representatives
of recognized employee organizations. Current law requires the governing body of a public agency,
and boards and commissions designated by law or by the governing body, to give reasonable
written notice, except in cases of emergency, as specified, to each recognized employee
organization affected of any ordinance, rule, resolution, or regulation directly relating to matters
within the scope of representation proposed to be adopted by the governing body or the designated
boards and commissions. This bill would require the governing body of a public agency, and boards
and commissions designated by law or by the governing body of a public agency, to give the
recognized employee organization no less than 120 days’ written notice before issuing a request for
proposals, request for quotes, or renewing or extending an existing contract to perform services
that are within the scope of work of the job classifications represented by the recognized employee
organization. The bill would require the notice to include specified information, including the
anticipated duration of the contract. (Based on 01/28/2025 text)
Status: 04/09/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/09/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 370 (Carrillo) California Public Records Act: cyberattacks. (Amended 03/12/2025)
The California Public Records Act requires state and local agencies to make their records available
for public inspection, except as specified. Current law requires each agency, within 10 days of a
request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public
records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the
reasons therefor. Current law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days
under unusual circumstances, and defines “unusual circumstances” to include, among other
things, the need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine records during a state of
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emergency when the state of emergency currently affects the agency’s ability to timely respond to
requests due to staffing shortages or closure of facilities, as provided. This bill would also expand
the definition of unusual circumstances to include the inability of the agency, because of a
cyberattack, to access its electronic servers or systems in order to search for and obtain a record
that the agency believes is responsive to a request and is maintained on the servers or systems in
an electronic format. (Based on 03/12/2025 text)
Status: 04/24/2025 - Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0.) In Senate.
Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Location: 04/24/2025 - RLS.
AB 561 (Quirk-Silva) Restraining orders. (Amended 03/10/2025)
Current law authorizes a person who has suffered harassment, as defined, to seek a temporary
restraining order and an order prohibiting harassment. Current law prohibits a filing fee for, and a
fee for the service of process by a sheriff or marshal of, a protective or restraining order if the order
is based upon stalking, unlawful violence, or a credible threat of violence. This bill would authorize
a petitioner, at no cost, to file a petition for a protective or restraining order electronically and
remotely appear at the hearing if the order is based upon stalking, unlawful violence, or a credible
threat of violence. (Based on 03/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 569 (Stefani) California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013: exceptions:
supplemental defined benefit plans. (Amended 04/24/2025)
The California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) on and after January 1, 2013,
requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with PEPRA,
as specified. PEPRA prohibits a public employer from offering a defined benefit pension plan
exceeding specified retirement formulas, requires new members of public retirement systems to
contribute at least a specified amount of the normal cost, as defined, for their defined benefit
plans, and prohibits an enhancement of a public employee’s retirement formula or benefit adopted
after January 1, 2013, from applying to service performed prior to the operative date of the
enhancement. PEPRA prohibits a public employer from offering a supplemental defined benefit
plan if the public employer did not do so before January 1, 2013, or, if it did, from offering that plan
to an additional employee group after that date. This bill would authorize a public employer, as
defined, to bargain over contributions for supplemental retirement benefits administered by, or on
behalf of, an exclusive bargaining representative of one or more of the public employer’s bargaining
units, subject to the limitations specified above. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 97.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/05/2025 - APPR.
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AB 875 (Muratsuchi) Vehicle removal. (Amended 04/21/2025)
Current law authorizes a peace officer or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is
engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations to remove a vehicle when,
among other things, the officer arrests a person driving or in control of a vehicle for an alleged
offense, and the officer is, by the Vehicle Code or other law, required or permitted to take, and does
take, the person into custody. This bill would additionally authorize a peace officer to remove a
vehicle that (1) has fewer than 4 wheels, but that does not meet the definition of an electric bicycle,
if that vehicle is powered by an electric motor capable of exclusively propelling the vehicle in
excess of 20 miles per hour on a highway and is being operated without a current vehicle
registration or by an operator without a current license to operate the vehicle, or (2) is a class 3
electric bicycle being operated by a person under 16 years of age. The bill would authorize a city,
county, or city and county to adopt a regulation, ordinance, or resolution imposing charges equal
to its administrative costs relating to the removal, seizure, and storage costs of the vehicle, as
provided. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 04/29/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with
recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/29/2025 - APPR.
AB 1109 (Kalra) Evidentiary privileges: union agent-represented worker privilege. (Introduced
02/20/2025)
Current law governs the admissibility of evidence in court proceedings and generally provides a
privilege as to communications made in the course of certain relations, including the attorney-
client, physician-patient, and psychotherapist-patient relationship, as specified. Under current
law, the right of any person to claim those evidentiary privileges is waived with respect to a
communication protected by the privilege if any holder of the privilege, without coercion, has
disclosed a significant part of the communication or has consented to a disclosure. This bill would
establish a privilege between a union agent, as defined, and a represented employee or
represented former employee to refuse to disclose any confidential communication between the
employee or former employee and the union agent made while the union agent was acting in the
union agent’s representative capacity, except as specified. The bill would permit a represented
employee or represented former employee to prevent another person from disclosing a privileged
communication, except as specified. (Based on 02/20/2025 text)
Status: 04/09/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #33 A-THIRD READING FILE - ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 04/09/2025 - THIRD READING
AB 1337 (Ward) Information Practices Act of 1977. (Amended 04/08/2025)
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The Information Practices Act of 1977 prescribes a set of requirements, prohibitions, and remedies
applicable to agencies, as defined, with regard to their collection, storage, and disclosure of
personal information, as defined. Current law exempts from the provisions of the act counties,
cities, any city and county, school districts, municipal corporations, districts, political
subdivisions, and other local public agencies, as specified. This bill would recast those provisions
to, among other things, remove that exemption for local agencies, and would revise and expand the
definition of “personal information.” The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive, and
conforming changes. (Based on 04/08/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 1383 (McKinnor) Public employees’ retirement benefits. (Amended 04/11/2025)
Current law creates the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund, which is continuously appropriated
for purposes of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), including depositing employer
and employee contributions. Under the California Constitution, assets of a public pension or
retirement system are trust funds. The California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013
(PEPRA) establishes a variety of requirements and restrictions on public employers offering defined
benefit pension plans. In this regard, PEPRA restricts the amount of compensation that may be
applied for purposes of calculating a defined pension benefit for a new member, as defined, by
restricting it to specified percentages of the contribution and benefit base under a specified federal
law with respect to old age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits. This bill, on and after
January 1, 2026, would require a retirement system to adjust pensionable compensation limits to
be consistent with a defined benefit limitation established and annually adjusted under federal law
with respect to tax exempt qualified trusts. (Based on 04/11/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR.
AB 1388 (Bryan) Law enforcement: settlement agreements. (Amended 04/10/2025)
Current law establishes the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, and requires the
commission to, among other things, establish a certification program for peace officers, as
defined. Current law requires the commission to establish procedures for accepting complaints
from members of the public regarding peace officers or law enforcement agencies that may be
investigated. Current law establishes, within the commission, the Peace Officer Standards
Accountability Division and requires the division, among other things, to bring proceedings seeking
the suspension or revocation of certification of a peace officer. Current law, the California Public
Records Act, generally requires public records to be open for inspection by the public. Current law
provides numerous exceptions to this requirement. Under current law, the personnel records of
peace officers and custodial officers are confidential and not subject to public inspection. Current
law provides certain exemptions to this confidentiality, including the reports, investigations, and
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findings of certain incidents involving the use of force by a peace officer. This bill would additionally
exempt agreements between an employing agency and a peace officer that, among other things,
require the agency to destroy, remove, or conceal a record of a misconduct investigation. The bill
would also require any agency employing a peace officer to report certain events to the
commission, that occurred after January 1, 2020, and resulted in the peace officer’s separation
from employment or appointment after January 1, 2023, and include the reason for the separation
and whether the separation was part of the resolution or a settlement. The bill would declare that
its provisions are severable. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 1.)
(April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
AB 1494 (Ta) General plans. (Introduced 02/21/2025)
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires each county and city to adopt a
comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city and of
any land outside its boundaries that bears relation to its planning. That law further requires the
planning agency having jurisdiction over a general plan to render a report as to conformity with the
adopted general plan before, among other things, the acquisition or disposition of real property or
the construction or authorization of a public building or structure impacting the general plan,
except as specified. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. (Based
on 02/21/2025 text)
Status: 02/24/2025 - Read first time.
Location: 02/21/2025 - PRINT
ACA 1 (Valencia) Public finance. (Introduced 12/02/2024)
The California Constitution prohibits the total annual appropriations subject to limitation of the
State and of each local government from exceeding the appropriations limit of the entity of
government for the prior year adjusted for the change in the cost of living and the change in
population. The California Constitution defines “appropriations subject to limitation” of the State
for these purposes. This measure would change the 1.5% required transfer to an undetermined
percentage of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. The measure
would change the 10% limit on the balance in the Budget Stabilization Account to 20% of the
amount of the General Fund proceeds of taxes for the fiscal year estimate, as specified. The
measure would specify that funds transferred under these provisions to the Budget Stabilization
Account do not constitute appropriations subject to the above-described annual appropriations
limit. (Based on 12/02/2024 text)
Status: 01/29/2025 - Introduced measure version corrected.
Location: 12/02/2024 - PRINT
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SB 456 (Ashby) Contractors: exemptions: muralists. (Amended 04/02/2025)
Current law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to engage in the business, or act in the capacity,
of a contractor without a license, unless exempted. Current law exempts from the Contractors
State License Law, among other things, a nonprofit corporation providing assistance to an owner,
as specified. This bill would exempt from that law an artist who draws, paints, applies, executes,
restores, or conserves a mural, as defined, pursuant to an agreement with a person who could
legally authorize the work. (Based on 04/02/2025 text)
Status: 04/22/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #45 S-SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Location: 04/22/2025 - THIRD READING
SB 464 (Smallwood-Cuevas) Employer pay data. (Amended 05/01/2025)
Current law requires a private employer that has 100 or more employees to submit an annual pay
data report to the Civil Rights Department that includes the number of employees by race,
ethnicity, and sex in specified job categories, whose pay falls within federal pay bands, and within
each job category the median and mean hourly rate for each combination of those characteristics
as specified. This bill would require an employer to collect and store any demographic information
gathered by an employer or labor contractor for the purpose of submitting the pay data report
separately from employees’ personnel records. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 569 (Blakespear) Department of Transportation: homeless encampments. (Amended
04/21/2025)
Current law authorizes the Department of Transportation to establish maintenance programs
related to highway cleanup, as specified. This bill would require the department to establish a
dedicated liaison to, among other things, facilitate communication with local governments and
relevant state agencies with regard to addressing homeless encampments within the state highway
system and to oversee the development and implementation of delegated maintenance
agreements between local agencies and the department in which both work together to reduce and
remove homeless encampments within the department’s jurisdiction. The bill would authorize the
department to grant a single general entry permit for the duration of a delegated maintenance
agreement to conduct activities authorized by the bill. The bill would require the department to
submit an annual report to the Legislature summarizing specified information and
recommendations regarding homeless encampments. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 05/05/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
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Position: Support
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged as support, drafting letter 4/21/25: DC tagged as support. 4.21.25 CP sent to the
city 5/5/25: CS testified in support in Senate Appropriations.
SB 827 (Gonzalez) Local agency officials: training. (Amended 05/01/2025)
Current law imposes ethics training on specified local agency officials. Current law requires each
training to be 2 hours and requires the officials to receive each training every 2 years, and as
described otherwise, with the first training within one year of commencing service. Current law
requires the local agency to maintain records of the trainings, as prescribed. This bill would expand
which local agency officials are required to complete the above-described ethics training to
include department heads, or other similar administrative officers, and would instead require
officials who commence service on or after January 1, 2026, to receive their initial training within 6
months of commencing service. The bill would require the local agency to publish the training
records on its internet website, as specified. This bill would additionally require all local agency
officials, as defined, to receive at least 2 hours of fiscal and financial training, as described. (Based
on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
Health and Human Services
AB 424 (Davies) Alcohol and other drug programs: complaints. (Amended 03/19/2025)
Would, when the Department of Health Care Services receives a complaint against a licensed
alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility, or a complaint alleging that a facility is
unlawfully operating without a license, from a member of the public, require the department to
provide, within 30 10 days of the date of the complaint, notice to the person filing the complaint
that the complaint has been received and to provide, upon closing the complaint, notice to the
person filing the complaint that the complaint has been closed and whether the department found
the facility to be in violation of the provisions governing facility licensure and regulation. (Based
on 03/19/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with
recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR.
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Position: Support
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged as support. 4.21.25 CP sent letter to the City for review. 4/22/25: Bill was on
consent.
AB 492 (Valencia) Alcohol and drug programs: licensing. (Introduced 02/10/2025)
Would require the State Department of Health Care Services, whenever it issues a license to
operate an alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility, to concurrently provide written
notification of the issuance of the license to the city or county in which the facility is located. The
bill would require the notice to include the name and mailing address of the licensee and the
location of the facility. (Based on 02/10/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Location: 05/06/2025 - RLS.
Position: Support
Notes 1:
2/24/25: Jason requested in an email that the bill be tagged priority. 3/18/25: DC tagged as support.
3/21/25: SG sent to the City. 4/1/25: SG testified in support in Assembly Health. 4/4/25: EN
received final letter, submitted to Assembly Health and Assembly Appropriations, and sent to
delegation.
SB 35 (Umberg) Alcohol and drug programs. (Amended 05/01/2025)
Current law provides for the licensure and regulation of adult alcohol or other drug recovery or
treatment facilities by the State Department of Public Health and prohibits the operation of one of
those facilities without a current valid license. Current law requires the department, if a facility is
alleged to be in violation of that prohibition, to conduct a site visit to investigate the allegation.
Current law requires, if the department’s employee or agent finds evidence that the facility is
providing services without a license, the employee or agent to take specified actions, including,
among others, submitting the findings of the investigation to the department and issuing a written
notice to the facility that includes the date by which the facility is required to cease providing
services. Current law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State
Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive
health care services, through fee-for-service or managed care delivery systems. Current law
establishes the Drug Medi-Cal Treatment Program (Drug Medi-Cal) and authorizes the department
to enter into a Drug Medi-Cal contract with each county for the provision of alcohol and drug use
services within the county service area. This bill would require the department, if it determines it
has jurisdiction over the allegation, to initiate that investigation within 10 days of receiving the
allegation and, except as specified, complete the investigation within 60 days of initiating the
investigation. The bill would require the department, if it receives a complaint that does not fall
under its jurisdiction, to notify the complainant that it does not investigate that type of complaint.
The bill would require the employee or agent to provide the notice described above within 10 days
of the employee or agency submitting their findings to the department and to conduct a followup
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site visit to determine whether the facility has ceased providing services by the date specified in the
notice. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO,
ANNA, Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
Position: Support
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged support working on letter. 4.21.25 CP sent letter to the City. 4/23/25: DC
testified in support in Sen Health. 4/29/25: EN testified in support in Senate Judiciary.
Homelessness
AB 750 (Quirk-Silva) Homeless shelters: safety regulations. (Amended 04/09/2025)
The State Housing Law, among other things, requires the Department of Housing and Community
Development to adopt, amend, or repeal rules and regulations for the protection of the health,
safety, and general welfare of the occupant and the public relating to specified residential
structures, as provided, which apply throughout the state. Current law requires a city or county that
receives a complaint from an occupant of a homeless shelter, as defined, or an agent of an
occupant, alleging that a homeless shelter is substandard to inspect the homeless shelter, as
specified. Current law requires a city or county that determines a homeless shelter is substandard
to issue a notice to correct the violation to the owner or operator of the homeless shelter, as
specified. Current law makes the owner or operator of a homeless shelter responsible for
correcting any violation cited pursuant to these provisions. This bill would require a city or county
to additionally perform an annual inspection of every homeless shelter located in its jurisdiction.
The bill would authorize the above-described inspection or annual inspection to be announced or
unannounced. The bill would require homeless shelters to prominently display notice of an
occupant’s rights, the process for reporting a complaint alleging a homeless shelter is
substandard, and prescribed information, including specified contact information. The bill would
require the homeless shelter to provide the same notice in writing to new occupants upon
intake. (Based on 04/09/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #76 A-THIRD READING FILE - ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 05/01/2025 - THIRD READING
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SB 16 (Blakespear) Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program: housing
element: unsheltered and chronic homelessness: assessment and financing plan. (Amended
04/24/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a housing element to consist of an identification and
analysis of existing and projected housing needs and a statement of goals, policies, quantified
objectives, financial resources, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and
development of housing. Current law requires the housing element to include, among other things,
an assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints that are relevant to
meeting these needs. Current law establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention
program (HHAP) for the purpose of providing jurisdictions with grant funds to support regional
coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address their immediate homelessness
challenges, as specified.(3)The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill
address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all
cities, including charter cities. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/28/2025 - APPR.
Position: Watch
Notes 1:
4/16/25: CP tagged as watch.
SB 329 (Blakespear) Alcohol and drug recovery or treatment facilities: investigations.
(Amended 03/28/2025)
Current law provides for the licensure and regulation of alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment
facilities by the State Department of Health Care Services. Current law prohibits operating an
alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility to provide recovery, treatment, or detoxification
services within this state without first obtaining a current valid license. If a facility is alleged to be
providing those services without a license, existing law requires the department to conduct a site
visit to investigate the allegation. Current law also authorizes the department to conduct
announced or unannounced site visits to licensed facilities for the purpose of reviewing them for
compliance, as specified. This bill would require the department to assign a complaint under its
jurisdiction regarding an alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility to an analyst for
investigation within 10 days of receiving the complaint. If the department receives a complaint that
does not fall under its jurisdiction, the bill would require the department to notify the complainant,
in writing, that it does not investigate that type of complaint. (Based on 03/28/2025 text)
Status: 04/21/2025 - April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/21/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Position: Support
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Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged as support working on letter. 4/21/25: EN me too'd in support in Senate
Appropriations. 4.21.25 CP sent letter to the city
SB 634 (Pérez) Local government: homelessness. (Amended 04/28/2025)
The California Constitution authorizes a county or city to make and enforce within its limits all
local, police, sanitary, and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws. This
bill would prohibit a local jurisdiction from adopting a local ordinance, or enforcing an existing
ordinance, that prohibits a person or organization from providing support services, as specified, to
a person who is homeless or assisting a person who is homeless with any act related to basic
survival. The bill would define various terms for these purposes. (Based on 04/28/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #62 S-SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Location: 04/30/2025 - THIRD READING
SB 692 (Arreguín) Vehicles: homelessness. (Amended 04/09/2025)
Current law makes it unlawful for a peace officer or an unauthorized person to remove an
unattended vehicle from a highway, except as provided. Under current law, the removal of a vehicle
is a seizure, subject to the limits set forth in jurisprudence for the Fourth Amendment of the United
States Constitution. Current law authorizes a city, county, or city and county to adopt an ordinance
establishing procedures for the abatement and removal, as public nuisances, of abandoned,
wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts of vehicles from private or public property.
Existing law requires that any ordinance for the removal of abandoned vehicles contain certain
provisions, including a provision exempting vehicles under certain circumstances, and a provision
providing no less than a 10-day notice of intention to abate and remove the vehicle or part thereof
as a public nuisance, unless the property owner and the owner of the vehicle sign releases. Current
law also exempts from the 10-day notice prior to removal provision, a vehicle meeting specified
requirements, including being valued at less than $200 and being determined to be a public
nuisance, if the property owner has signed a release. This bill would additionally authorize a city,
county, or city and county to adopt an ordinance for the abatement and removal of vehicles
formerly used as shelter by a person. The bill would require an ordinance establishing procedures
for the removal of abandoned vehicles to contain a provision making the ordinance applicable to
public agencies operating certain vehicle buyback programs, as specified. (Based
on 04/09/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 05/05/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Housing and Land Use
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AB 39 (Zbur) General plans: Local Electrification Planning Act. (Amended 04/24/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a comprehensive general plan for
the city’s or county’s physical development that includes various elements, including, among
others, a land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location
and extent of the uses of the land in specified categories, and a circulation element that identifies
the location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes,
terminals, any military airports and ports, and other local public utilities and facilities, as specified.
This bill, the Local Electrification Planning Act, would require each city, county, or city and county,
on or after January 1, 2027, but no later than January 1, 2030, to prepare and adopt a specified plan,
or integrate a plan in the next adoption or revision of the general plan, that includes locally based
goals, objectives, policies, and feasible implementation measures that include, among other
things, the identification of opportunities to expand electric vehicle charging and other zero-
emission vehicle fueling infrastructure, as specified, and includes policies and implementation
measures that address the needs of disadvantaged communities, low-income households, and
small businesses for equitable and prioritized investments in zero-emission technologies that
directly benefit these groups. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.)
(April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
AB 87 (Boerner) Housing development: density bonuses: mixed-use developments. (Amended
04/24/2025)
The Density Bonus Law requires a city or county to provide a developer that proposes a housing
development within the city or county with a density bonus and other incentives or concessions, as
specified, if the developer agrees to construct, among other options, specified percentages of units
for lower income households or very low income households, and meets other requirements.
Current law requires the number of incentives or concessions a qualifying developer receives to be
pursuant to a certain formula based on the total number of units in the housing development, as
specified. Current law defines “housing development,” for these purposes, to mean a development
project for 5 or more residential units, including mixed-use developments. This bill would prohibit
an incentive or concession granted for a mixed-use development containing a hotel, motel, bed
and breakfast inn, or other visitor-serving purpose from applying to the portion of the proposed
development containing hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn, or other visitor-serving purpose
use. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #87 A-THIRD READING FILE - ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 05/05/2025 - THIRD READING
Position: Watch
May 13, 2025 Item #4 Page 35 of 71
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AB 249 (Ramos) Housing: Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program: youth-
specific processes and coordinated entry systems. (Amended 03/27/2025)
Current law requires the Governor to create the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council,
renamed the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, to, among other things, identify
mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end
homelessness in California and to serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy
development resource on ending homelessness in California. Current law establishes the
Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program, administered by the Interagency Council
on Homelessness, with respect to rounds 1 through 5, inclusive, of the program, and Department
of Housing and Community Development (department), with respect to round 6 of the program, for
the purpose of providing jurisdictions, as defined, with one-time grant funds to support regional
coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address their immediate homelessness
challenges, as specified. Current law requires the department, upon appropriation, to distribute
certain amounts, as specified, for purposes of round 6 of the program. Current law requires an
applicant to submit an application containing specified information in order to apply for a program
allocation. Current law requires an applicant to use at least 10% of specified funds allocated for
services for homeless youth populations. This bill would require a continuum of care, upon
appropriation and beginning with the 2026–27 fiscal year, to annually certify that they create or
maintain a youth-specific process with their respective coordinated entry system, as specified,
implement a youth-specific assessment tool, create a body or identify an existing body composed
of youth with lived experience of homelessness that the continuum of care and other Homeless
Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program grantees must consult with regularly, and identify an
array of youth-specific housing inventory. (Based on 03/27/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 253 (Ward) California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building
permits. (Amended 03/13/2025)
Current law authorizes a county’s or city’s governing body to prescribe fees for permits,
certificates, or other forms or documents required or authorized under the State Housing Law. This
bill, the California Residential Private Permitting Review Act, would require a county’s or city’s
building department to prepare a residential building permit fee schedule and post the schedule on
the county’s or city’s internet website, if the county or city prescribes residential building permit
fees. (Based on 03/13/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - Re-referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and HOUSING.
Location: 04/23/2025 - L. GOV.
Position: Oppose
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged as oppose, working on letter 4.18.25 CP finished letter ready to send to the city
4.21.25 CP sent letter to the city
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AB 301 (Schiavo) Planning and zoning: housing development projects: postentitlement phase
permits: state departments. (Amended 03/04/2025)
Current law relating to housing development approval requires a local agency to compile a list of
information needed to approve or deny a postentitlement phase permit, to post an example of a
complete, approved application and an example of a complete set of postentitlement phase
permits for at least 5 types of housing development projects in the jurisdiction, as specified, and to
make those items available to all applicants for these permits no later than January 1, 2024.
Current law establishes time limits for completing reviews regarding whether an application for a
postentitlement phase permit is complete and compliant and consequences for a local agency
that fails to meet that timeline, as provided. Existing law defines “postentitlement phase permit” to
include a range of permits issued by a local agency. This bill would require a state department to
comply with the above-described provisions relating to postentitlement phase permits applicable
to a local agency. The bill would require a state department to make the information list, as
described above, and the above-described examples of a complete, approved application and a
complete set of postentitlement phase permits available on the department’s internet website by
January 1, 2026. The bill would deem a postentitlement phase permit approved, and all related
reviews complete, if a state department fails to meet the time limits for review of an application for
that permit. (Based on 03/04/2025 text)
Status: 04/02/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Location: 04/02/2025 - RLS.
AB 306 (Schultz) Building regulations: state building standards. (Amended 03/12/2025)
Current law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) in
the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. The California Building Standards Law
establishes the California Building Standards Commission (commission) within the Department of
General Services. Current law requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards
and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code (code). The State Housing
Law establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human
habitation. Current law requires, among other things, the building standards adopted and
submitted by the department for approval by the commission, as specified, to be adopted by
reference, with certain exceptions. Current law authorizes any city or county to make changes in
those building standards that are published in the code, including to green building standards.
Current law requires the governing body of a city or county, before making modifications or
changes to those green building standards, to make an express finding that those modifications or
changes are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical
conditions. This bill would, from June 1, 2025, until June 1, 2031, inclusive, prohibit a city or county
from making changes that are applicable to residential units to the above-described building
standards unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes
or modifications necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety. (Based
on 03/12/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - Re-referred to Coms. on HOUSING and L. GOV.
Location: 04/23/2025 - HOUSING
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Position: Oppose
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged as oppose, working on letter 4.18.25 CP Finished Letter ready to send 4.21.25
CP sent letter to the city
AB 462 (Lowenthal) Land use: coastal development permits: accessory dwelling units.
(Amended 02/27/2025)
Current law provides for the creation by local ordinance, or by ministerial approval if a local agency
has not adopted an ordinance, of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned for single-family or
multifamily dwelling residential use in accordance with specified standards and conditions. The
California Coastal Act of 1976, which is administered by the California Coastal Commission,
requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as
defined, to obtain a coastal development permit from a local government or the commission,
except as provided. Current law specifies that the above-described provisions governing accessory
dwelling units do not supersede or in any way alter or lessen the effect or application of the
California Coastal Act of 1976, except as specified. This bill would exempt the construction of an
accessory dwelling unit located within the County of Los Angeles, and in any county that is subject
to a proclamation of a state of emergency made by the Governor on or after February 1, 2025, as
provided, from the need to obtain a coastal development permit, as specified. (Based
on 02/27/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - Re-referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and HOUSING.
Location: 04/23/2025 - N.R. & W.
AB 507 (Haney) Adaptive reuse: streamlining: incentives. (Introduced 02/10/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term
general plan for its physical development, and the development of certain lands outside its
boundaries, that includes, among other mandatory elements, a housing element. That law allows a
development proponent to submit an application for a development that is subject to a specified
streamlined, ministerial approval process not subject to a conditional use permit, if the
development satisfies certain objective planning standards, including that the development is a
multifamily housing development that contains two or more residential units. This bill would deem
an adaptive reuse project a use by right in all zones, regardless of the zoning of the site, and subject
to a streamlined, ministerial review process if the project meets specified requirements, subject to
specified exceptions. In this regard, an adaptive reuse project, in order to qualify for the
streamlined, ministerial review process, would be required to be proposed for an existing building
that is less than 50 years old or meets certain requirements regarding the preservation of historic
resources, including the signing of an affidavit declaring that the project will comply with the United
States Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation for, among other things, the
preservation of exterior facades of a building that face a street, or receive federal or state historic
rehabilitation tax credits, as specified. The bill would require an adaptive reuse project to meet
specified affordability criteria. In this regard, the bill would require an adaptive reuse project for
rental housing to include either 8% of the unit for very low income households and 5% of the units
for extremely low income households or 15% of the units for lower income households. (Based
on 02/10/2025 text)
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Status: 05/01/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
AB 590 (Lee) Social Housing Bond Act of 2026. (Introduced 02/12/2025)
Under current law, there are programs providing assistance for, among other things, emergency
housing, multifamily housing, farmworker housing, home ownership, and downpayment
assistance for first-time home buyers. Current law also authorizes the issuance of bonds in
specified amounts pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law and requires that proceeds
from the sale of these bonds be used to finance various existing housing programs, capital outlay
related to infill development, brownfield cleanup that promotes infill development, and housing-
related parks. This bill would enact the Social Housing Bond Act of 2026 which, if approved by the
voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $950,000,000 pursuant to the State
General Obligation Bond Law, to fund social housing programs, as specified. The bill would create
the California Housing Authority, which would be governed by the California Housing Authority
Board, to ensure that social housing developments that are produced and acquired align with
specified goals and would authorize the authority to issue the bonds and, upon appropriation of the
Legislature, utilize funds from other sources to build more low, very low, and extremely low income
housing. The bill would create the Social Housing Revolving Loan Fund to be used, upon
appropriation of the Legislature, to provide zero-interest loan for the purpose of constructing
housing to accommodate a mix of household incomes. (Based on 02/12/2025 text)
Status: 03/03/2025 - Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
Location: 03/03/2025 - H. & C.D.
AB 609 (Wicks) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: housing development
projects. (Amended 05/05/2025)
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated
negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions
in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the
project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA exempts from its
requirements various projects, including, but not limited to, housing projects that meet certain
requirements. This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a housing development
project, as defined, that meets certain conditions relating to, for example, size, density, and
location, including specific requirements for any housing on the project site located within 500 feet
of a freeway. The bill would require a local government, as a condition of approval for the
development, to require the development proponent to complete a specified environmental
assessment regarding hazardous substance releases. If a recognized environmental condition is
found, the bill would require the development proponent to complete a preliminary endangerment
assessment and specified mitigation based on that assessment. Because a lead agency would be
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required to determine whether a housing development project qualifies for this exemption, the bill
would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 05/05/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
AB 610 (Alvarez) Housing element: governmental constraints: disclosure statement.
(Amended 04/10/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use
development that includes, among other things, a housing element. Current law, commonly
referred to as the Housing Element Law, prescribes requirements for a city’s or county’s
preparation of, and compliance with, its housing element, and requires the Department of Housing
and Community Development to review and determine whether the housing element substantially
complies with the Housing Element Law, as specified. Current law provides that a housing element
or amendment is considered substantially compliant with the Housing Element Law when the local
agency has adopted a housing element or amendment, the department or a court of competent
jurisdiction determines the adopted housing element or amendment to be in substantial
compliance with the Housing Element Law, and the department’s compliance findings have not
been superseded by subsequent contrary findings by the department or by a decision of a court of
competent jurisdiction or the court’s decision has not been overturned or superseded by a
subsequent court decision or by statute. Current law requires the housing element to include an
analysis of potential and actual governmental constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or
development of housing for all income levels, including, among others, locally adopted ordinances
that directly impact the cost and supply of residential development. Current law also requires the
analysis to demonstrate local efforts to remove governmental constraints that hinder the locality
from meeting its share of the regional housing need. This bill would require the housing element to
include, in addition to the above-described analysis, a governmental constraints disclosure
statement, as specified. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.)
(April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
Position: Oppose
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as oppose. 3/23/25: SG sent draft letter to the City. 4/4/25: EN received final
letter, submitted to Assembly Housing and Assembly Local Government, and sent to delegation.
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4/24/25: EN testified in opposition in Assembly Housing. 4/30/25: CP testified in opposition in Asm
LG.
AB 650 (Papan) Planning and zoning: housing element: regional housing needs allocation.
(Amended 04/24/2025)
Current law, under the Planning and Zoning Law, requires a public agency to administer its
programs and activities relating to housing and community development in a manner to
affirmatively further fair housing, and take no action that is materially inconsistent with its
obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. Current law defines “affirmatively furthering fair
housing,” as provided. The Planning and Zoning Law requires that a housing element include,
among other things, a program that sets forth a schedule of actions during the planning period.
Current law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a
standardized reporting format for programs and actions taken pursuant to the requirement to
affirmatively further fair housing. This bill would require the department to develop the above-
described standardized reporting format on or before December 31, 2026. (Based
on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
Position: Support
Notes 1:
CalCities sponsored. 4.16.25 CP Tagged as support working on letter. 4.21.25 CP sent to the city
4/24/25: EN testified in support in Assembly Housing. 4/30/25 CP testified in support in ASM Local
Gov
AB 671 (Wicks) Accelerated restaurant building plan approval. (Amended 04/24/2025)
The California Building Standards Law establishes the California Building Standards Commission
within the Department of General Services. Existing law requires the commission to approve and
adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code.
Current law authorizes local governments to enact ordinances or regulations that make building
standards amendments to the California Building Standards Code, as specified. This bill would
establish a streamlined approval process for a local permit for a tenant improvement, as defined,
relating to a restaurant. In this regard, the bill would require a local building or permitting
department, upon the request and at the expense of the permit applicant, to allow a qualified
professional certifier, defined as a licensed architect or engineer who meets certain requirements,
to certify that the plans and specifications of the tenant improvement comply with applicable
building, health, and safety codes, as specified. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would
impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
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Status: 04/29/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.)
(April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/29/2025 - APPR.
AB 712 (Wicks) Housing reform laws: enforcement actions: fines and penalties. (Amended
05/05/2025)
Current law within the Planning and Zoning Law describes various reforms and incentives enacted
by the Legislature to facilitate and expedite the construction of affordable housing. Current law
within the Planning and Zoning Law, in certain civil actions or proceedings against a public entity
that has issued specified approvals for a housing development, authorizes a court to award all
reasonably incurred costs of suit to a prevailing public entity or nonprofit housing corporation that
is a real party in interest and the permit applicant of the low- or moderate-income housing if the
court makes specified findings. This bill, where the applicant for a housing development is a
prevailing party in an action brought by the applicant to enforce the public agency’s compliance
with a housing reform law as applied to the applicant’s housing development project, would entitle
an applicant for a housing development project to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs and would
require a court to impose fines on a local agency, as specified. The bill would prohibit a public
agency from requiring the applicant to indemnify, defend, or hold harmless the public agency in
any action alleging the public agency violated the applicant’s rights or deprived the applicant of the
benefits or protection provide by a housing reform law. (Based on 05/05/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #75 A-THIRD READING FILE - ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 05/01/2025 - THIRD READING
AB 736 (Wicks) The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026. (Amended 04/10/2025)
Would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would authorize the
issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation
Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund
affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily
Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant
Program. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 818 (Ávila Farías) Permit Streamlining Act: local emergencies. (Amended 04/24/2025)
The Permit Streamlining Act requires a public agency to determine whether an application for a
development project is complete within specified time periods, as specified. The act requires a
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public agency that is the lead agency for a development project to approve or disapprove that
project within specified time periods. Current law, the California Emergency Services Act, among
other things, authorizes a local emergency to be proclaimed by the governing body of a city, county,
or city and county, as specified, and grants political subdivisions various powers and authorities in
periods of local emergency. This bill would require a local agency to approve or disapprove an
application for a permit necessary to rebuild or repair an affected property, as defined and
specified. The bill would require a local agency to approve an application, within 14 days of receipt
of the application, for a construction permit for any of the specified structures intended to be used
by a person until the rebuilding or repair of an affected property is complete. (Based
on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on
APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
AB 906 (González, Mark) Planning and zoning: housing elements: affirmatively furthering fair
housing. (Amended 04/21/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use
development that includes, among other things, a housing element. Current law requires the
housing element to include, among other things, an inventory of land suitable and available for
residential development, including specified sites, an analysis of the relationship of zoning and
public facilities and services to these sites (first analysis), and an analysis of the relationship of the
sites identified in the land inventory to the jurisdiction’s duty to affirmatively further fair housing
(2nd analysis). This bill would remove the requirement on cities and counties to include the 2nd
analysis in their housing elements. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.)
(April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
AB 956 (Quirk-Silva) Accessory dwelling units: ministerial approval: single-family dwellings.
(Amended 03/17/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law provided for the creation by local ordinance, or by ministerial
approval if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned
for single-family or multifamily dwelling residential use in accordance with specified standards and
conditions. Current law requires a local agency to ministerially approve building permit
applications within a residential or mixed-use zone to create, among others, one detached, new
construction, accessory dwelling unit that does not exceed 4-foot side and rear yard setbacks for a
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lot with a proposed or existing single-family dwelling, as specified. This bill would increase the
number of detached, new construction, accessory dwelling units that a local agency is required to
ministerially approve on lots with a proposed or existing single-family dwelling, as described above,
to 2. (Based on 03/17/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
AB 996 (Pellerin) Public Resources: California Coastal Act of 1976: California Coastal Planning
Fund: sea level rise plans. (Amended 04/30/2025)
Would establish the California Coastal Planning Fund in the State Treasury to help local
governments adequately plan for the protection of coastal resources and public accessibility to the
coastline. The bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, make moneys in the fund available
to the California Coastal Commission for various state and local costs relating to local coastal
program development and sea level rise plans and to administer the fund, as provided. The bill
would authorize the commission to expend moneys in the fund to assist specified eligible
recipients, including, among others, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, and to take specified action to administer the fund. The bill would authorize the San
Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to set appropriate requirements as a
condition of funding for moneys provided to it from the fund. (Based on 04/30/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/28/2025 - APPR.
AB 1007 (Rubio, Blanca) Land use: development project review. (Amended 03/24/2025)
The Permit Streamlining Act requires a public agency that is the lead agency for a development
project to approve or disapprove a development project within specified time periods. The act
requires a public agency, other than the California Coastal Commission, that is a responsible
agency for specified development projects to approve or disapprove the project within 90 days of
the date on which the lead agency has approved the project or within 90 days of the date on which
the completed application has been received and accepted as complete by the lead agency,
whichever is longer. This bill would reduce the time period that a responsible agency is required to
approve or disapprove a project, as described above, from 90 days to 45 days. By increasing the
duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based
on 03/24/2025 text)
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Status: 04/30/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on
APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
AB 1026 (Wilson) Planning and zoning: housing development projects: postentitlement phase
permits: electrical corporations. (Amended 04/10/2025)
Current law relating to housing development approval requires a local agency to compile a list of
information needed to approve or deny a postentitlement phase permit, to post an example of a
complete, approved application and an example of a complete set of postentitlement phase
permits for at least 5 types of housing development projects in the jurisdiction, as specified, and to
make those items available to all applicants for these permits no later than January 1, 2024. This
bill would require an electrical corporation, as defined, to compile a list of information needed to
approve or deny a postentitlement phase permit, to post an example of a complete, approved
application and an example of a complete set of postentitlement phase permits for a housing
development project, and to make those items available to all applicants for these permits no later
than July 1, 2026. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/21/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
Calendar: 05/07/25 A-UTILITIES AND ENERGY Upon adjournment of Governmental Organization
Committee - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 PETRIE-NORRIS, COTTIE, Chair
Location: 04/09/2025 - U. & E.
AB 1055 (Boerner) Accessory dwelling units: proof of residential occupancy requirements.
(Amended 04/10/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law provides for the creation of an accessory dwelling unit by local
ordinance or, if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, by ministerial approval, in
accordance with specified standards. Current law similarly provides for the creation of junior
accessory dwelling units by local ordinance or, if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, by
ministerial approval, in single-family residential zones in accordance with specified standards and
conditions. Current law generally prohibits a local agency from imposing additional standards, as
specified, when evaluating a proposed accessory dwelling unit on a lot that includes a proposed or
existing single-family dwelling. However, existing law authorizes a local agency to require that the
property be used for rentals of terms 30 days or longer. This bill would additionally authorize a local
agency to require the property owner to certify, as specified, that the accessory dwelling unit will be
occupied as a residential dwelling unit for at least 6 months out of each calendar year. The bill
would authorize the local agency to annually recertify, as specified, that the accessory dwelling
unit is occupied as a residential dwelling unit for at least 6 months out of each calendar
year. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
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Status: 04/24/2025 - Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Pending re-refer to Com. on L. GOV.) In
committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Location: 04/24/2025 - L. GOV.
Position: Watch
AB 1154 (Carrillo) Accessory dwelling units: junior accessory dwelling units. (Introduced
02/20/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, provides for the creation of accessory dwelling
units by local ordinance, or, if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, by ministerial
approval, in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Existing law prohibits a local
agency from imposing parking standards for an accessory dwelling unit under certain
circumstances, whether or not the local agency has adopted a local ordinance pursuant to the
above provisions. Under existing law, those circumstances include, among others, if the accessory
dwelling unit is located within 1/2 of one mile walking distance of public transit or there is a car
share vehicle located within one block of the accessory dwelling unit. This bill would additionally
prohibit a local agency from imposing any parking standards if the accessory dwelling unit is 500
square feet or smaller. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based
on 02/20/2025 text)
Status: 04/29/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Location: 04/29/2025 - RLS.
Position: Watch
AB 1206 (Harabedian) Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans.
(Amended 03/27/2025)
Would require each local agency, as defined and by July 1, 2026, to develop a program for the
preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency
accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies
the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee
to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as
specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily
residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agency’s
internet website. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a
single-family or multifamily residential housing unit, both as defined, within 30 days if the lot meets
certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential
housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code
rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or
multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial
California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. The bill would also provide that its provisions
do not prevent a local agency from voluntarily accepting or admitting additional plans at higher
densities in additional zoning districts into the preapproved housing plan program, at the local
agency’s discretion. (Based on 03/27/2025 text)
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Status: 04/24/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #59 A-THIRD READING FILE - ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 04/24/2025 - THIRD READING
AB 1276 (Carrillo) Housing developments: ordinances, policies, and standards. (Amended
03/24/2025)
The Housing Accountability Act, which is part of the Planning and Zoning Law, prohibits a local
agency from disapproving, or conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing
development project, as defined for purposes of the act, for very low, low-, or moderate-income
households or an emergency shelter unless the local agency makes specified written findings
based on a preponderance of the evidence in the record. That act states that it shall not be
construed to prohibit a local agency from requiring a housing development project to comply with
objective, quantifiable, written development standards, conditions, and policies appropriate to,
and consistent with, meeting the jurisdiction’s share of the regional housing need, except as
provided. The act further provides that for its purposes, a housing development project or
emergency shelter shall be deemed consistent, compliant, and in conformity with an applicable
plan, program, policy, ordinance, standard, requirement, or other similar provision if there is
substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the housing
development project or emergency shelter is consistent, compliant, or in conformity. The act
requires a housing development project to be subject only to the ordinances, policies, and
standards adopted and in effect when a preliminary application, as specified, was submitted,
except as otherwise provided. The act defines “ordinances, policies, and standards” to include
general plan, community plan, specific plan, zoning, design review standards and criteria,
subdivision standards and criteria, and any other rules, regulations, requirements, and policies of a
local agency, as defined, including those relating to development impact fees, capacity or
connection fees or charges, permit or processing fees, and other exactions. This bill would include
in the definition of “ordinances, policies, and standards” materials requirements, postentitlement
permit standards, and any rules, regulations, determinations, and other requirements adopted or
implemented by other public agencies, as defined. (Based on 03/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with
recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
AB 1294 (Haney) Planning and zoning: housing development: standardized application form.
(Amended 04/22/2025)
The Permit Streamlining Act, among other things, requires each public agency to provide a
development project applicant with a list that specifies the information that will be required from
any applicant for a development project. The act requires a public agency that has received an
application for a development project to determine in writing whether the application is complete
within 30 calendar days and to immediately transmit the determination to the applicant of the
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development project. This bill would require that an application for a housing entitlement, as
defined, be deemed complete upon payment of the permit processing fees and upon providing
specified information, including, among other things, a description of the proposed housing
development project and a list of the approvals requested by the applicant. The bill would require,
on or before July 1, 2026, the Department of Housing and Community Development to adopt a
standardized application form that applicants for a housing entitlement may use for the purpose of
satisfying these requirements and would require, on or after October 1, 2026, a city, county, or city
and county to accept an application submitted on the standardized application form. The bill
would prohibit the city, county, or city and county from requiring submission of any other forms,
beside the standardized application form, except as specified. (Based on 04/22/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.)
(April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
AB 1308 (Hoover) Residential building permits: fees: inspections. (Amended 04/24/2025)
The State Housing Law establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings
used for human habitation. Current law authorizes a county’s or city’s governing body to prescribe
fees for permits, certificates, or other forms or documents required or authorized under the State
Housing Law. Current law entitles a permittee to reimbursement of the permit fees if the county or
city fails to conduct an inspection of the permitted work for which the permit fees have been
charged within 60 days of receiving notice of completion of the permitted work. This bill would
require a county’s or city’s building department to prepare a residential building permit fee
schedule and post the schedule on the county’s or city’s internet website, if the county or city
prescribes residential building permit fees. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on
APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
AB 1359 (Ahrens) Planning and zoning: development conditions: housing-forward
jurisdictions. (Amended 03/28/2025)
Current law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to determine
whether the housing element is in substantial compliance with specified provisions of the Planning
and Zoning Law, and requires HCD to designate jurisdictions as prohousing, as prescribed. The
Planning and Zoning Law also provides for the creation of an accessory dwelling unit by local
ordinance, or, if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, by ministerial approval, in
accordance with specified standards. The law prohibits a local agency from imposing certain
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standards, except as specified, when evaluating a proposed accessory dwelling unit. Current law,
commonly referred to as the Density Bonus Law, requires a city or county to provide a developer
that proposes a housing development, as defined, within the city or county with a density bonus,
waivers or reductions of development standards and parking ratios, and other incentives or
concessions, as specified, if the developer agrees to construct, among other options, specified
percentages of units for lower income households or very low income households, and meets
other requirements. This bill would authorize a housing-forward jurisdiction, defined to mean a city,
county, or city and county that is designated as a prohousing jurisdiction by HCD and has met or
exceeded its share of the regional housing need allocation, as provided, to impose certain
conditions on a development project, including prohibiting a developer from using a density bonus
benefit, as defined, to reduce the number of bicycle parking or storage spaces, and requiring an
impact fee for specified accessory dwelling units. (Based on 03/28/2025 text)
Status: 04/01/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
Location: 03/28/2025 - H. & C.D.
AB 1456 (Bryan) California Environmental Quality Act: California Vegetation Treatment
Program. (Amended 04/10/2025)
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) authorizes the preparation and certification of an
EIR for a program, plan, policy, or ordinance, commonly known as a “program EIR,” and requires a
lead agency to examine later activities in the program in light of the program EIR to determine
whether an additional environmental document is required to be prepared. This bill would require,
on or before January 1, 2027, the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to update the
California Vegetation Treatment Program Final Program Environmental Impact Report (FPEIR) to,
among other things, expand the area that is treatable landscape under the FPEIR to portions of the
state suitable for vegetation treatment consistent with the FPEIR, regardless of fire suppression
responsibility designation, and recognize cultural burning conducted pursuant to a specified law as
a covered treatment activity. The bill would authorize a public agency to partner with a federally
recognized California Native American tribe to conduct a project under the FPEIR in the agency’s
jurisdiction. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/29/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with
recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/28/2025 - APPR.
SB 9 (Arreguín) Accessory Dwelling Units: owner-occupant requirements. (Amended
04/28/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law prohibits a local agency from imposing an owner-occupant
requirement or any additional standards, except as specified, when evaluating a proposed
accessory dwelling unit on a lot that includes a proposed or existing single-family dwelling. The law
also prohibits a local agency from imposing parking standards for an accessory dwelling unit, as
specified, whether or not the local agency has adopted a local ordinance pursuant to these
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provisions. This bill would additionally prohibit a local agency from imposing an owner-occupant
requirement for a proposed or existing accessory dwelling unit whether or not the local agency has
adopted a local ordinance pursuant to these provisions. (Based on 04/28/2025 text)
Status: 04/28/2025 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and
amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Calendar: 05/07/25 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO,
MARÍA ELENA, Chair
Location: 01/29/2025 - L. GOV.
Position: Watch
SB 79 (Wiener) Local government land: public transit use: housing development: transit-
oriented development. (Amended 04/23/2025)
Current law prescribes requirements for the disposal of surplus land by a local agency. Current law
defines “surplus land” for these purposes to mean land owned in fee simple by any local agency for
which the local agency’s governing body takes formal action declaring that the land is surplus and
is not necessary for the agency’s use. Current law defines “agency’s use” for these purposes to
include land that is being used for agency work or operations, as provided. Current law exempts
from this definition of “agency’s use” certain commercial or industrial uses, except that in the case
of a local agency that is a district, except a local agency whose primary purpose or mission is to
supply the public with a transportation system, “agency’s use” may include commercial or
industrial uses or activities, as specified. This bill would additionally include land leased to support
public transit operations in the definition of “agency’s use,” as described above. (Based
on 04/23/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - May 12 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
Position: Oppose
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as oppose. 3/23/25: CP sent draft letter to the City. 4/4/25: EN received final
letter, submitted to Senate Housing and Senate Local Government, and sent to delegation.
4/24/25: DC submitted letter to Sen LG.
SB 92 (Blakespear) Housing development: density bonuses. (Amended 05/05/2025)
Would specify that certain provisions of the Density Bonus Law do not require a city, county, or city
and county to approve, grant a concession or incentive requiring approval of, or waive or reduce
development standards otherwise applicable to, transient lodging as part of a housing
development, except as specified. The bill would also specify that a city, county, or city and county
is authorized, but not required, to provide concessions or incentives or waivers or reductions of
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development standards allowing for an increase in floor area to apply to the nonresidential portion,
or specified parking, of a housing development. (Based on 05/05/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
Position: Watch
SB 262 (Wahab) Housing element: prohousing designations: prohousing local policies.
(Amended 03/19/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term
general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its
boundaries, that includes, among other specified mandatory elements, a housing element. The
Department of Housing and Community Development is required to determine whether the
housing element is in substantial compliance with those provisions. Current law requires the
department to designate jurisdictions as prohousing pursuant to emergency regulations adopted
by the department, as prescribed. Current law requires that jurisdictions that are prohousing and
that are in substantial compliance with specified provisions be awarded additional points or
preference in the scoring of applications for specified state programs. Current law defines
“prohousing local policies” for these purposes and specifies a nonexhaustive list of examples of
those policies, including local financial incentives for housing and adoption of zoning allowing for
use by right for residential and mixed-use development. This bill would include in the definition of
“prohousing local policies” policies that keep people housed, and would specify additional
examples of prohousing local policies under the above-described provisions. (Based
on 03/19/2025 text)
Status: 04/08/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #24 S-SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Location: 04/08/2025 - THIRD READING
SB 282 (Wiener) Residential heat pump systems: water heaters and HVAC: installations.
(Amended 04/29/2025)
Current law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, on
or before January 1, 2019, in consultation with the Contractors State License Board, local building
officials, and other stakeholders, to approve a plan that promotes compliance with specified
regulations relating to building energy efficiency standards in the installation of central air-
conditioning and heat pumps, as specified. Current law authorizes the commission to adopt
regulations to increase compliance with permitting and inspection requirements for central air-
conditioning and heat pumps, and associated sales and installations, consistent with the above-
described plan. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county to adopt and offer
asynchronous inspections for installations of residential heat pump water heater or heat pump
HVAC systems, as defined, that do not require a licensed contractor and building inspector to be
simultaneously present during the inspection. The bill would authorize a building inspector to
contact the licensed contractor who performed the installation by telephone call or real-time video
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conferencing during their inspection, and, if the building inspector determines during an
asynchronous inspection that there is an issue with an installation of the heat pump water heater
or heat pump HVAC system and that the licensed contractor who performed the installation must
be present to perform tests or cure the installation, to require the licensed contractor who
performed the installation to schedule an additional inspection in which the building inspector and
the licensed contractor who performed the installation are required to be simultaneously present
during the additional inspection. (Based on 04/29/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR.
SB 328 (Grayson) Hazardous waste generation and handling fees: Department of Toxic
Substances Control oversight and postentitlement phase permit responses: housing
development, park, or open-space projects and nonprofit entity requests. (Amended
04/29/2025)
The hazardous waste control laws require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to regulate
the handling and management of hazardous waste and hazardous materials. Part of the Planning
and Zoning Law establishes time limits for a local agency, as defined, to complete reviews
regarding whether an application for a postentitlement phase permit, as defined, is complete and
compliant, and whether to approve or deny an application, as specified, and makes any failure to
meet these time limits a disapproval of the housing development project and a violation of
specified law. Upon the department receiving a request from a nonprofit entity or for a housing
development project, park project, or open-space project seeking oversight of investigation,
characterization, and remediation activities, or for a request from a housing development project,
nonprofit entity, or park or open-space project for a postentitlement phase permit that a local
agency deemed complete that requires a response from the department, this bill would require the
department to provide written notice to the requestor within specified timelines regarding
subsequent actions in the review process, as specified. The bill would require, for a housing
development with 25 units or fewer, nonprofit entity, or park or open-space project, the department
to provide the written notice within 30 business days of receiving the request. The bill would
require, for a housing development with 26 units or more, the department to provide the written
notice within 60 business days of receiving the request. (Based on 04/29/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR.
SB 346 (Durazo) Local agencies: transient occupancy taxes: short-term rental facilitator.
(Amended 03/20/2025)
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Current law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to regulate the occupancy of a
room or rooms, or other living space, in a hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, or other lodging
for a period of less than 30 days. This bill would authorize a local agency, defined to mean a city,
county, or city and county, to enact an ordinance to require a short-term rental facilitator, as
defined, to report, in the form and manner prescribed by the local agency, the assessor parcel
number of each short-term rental, as defined, during the reporting period, as well as any additional
information necessary to identify the property as may be required by the local agency. The bill
would authorize the local agency to impose an administrative fine or penalty for failure to file the
report, and would authorize the local agency to initiate an audit of a short-term rental facilitator, as
described. The bill would require a short-term rental facilitator, in a jurisdiction that has adopted
an ordinance, to include in the listing of a short-term rental any applicable local license number
associated with the short-term rental and any transient occupancy tax certification issued by a
local agency. (Based on 03/20/2025 text)
Status: 04/22/2025 - Set for hearing May 6.
Location: 03/19/2025 - JUD.
Position: Support
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP Tagged support, Dani drafting letter 4.21.25 CP sent to city 5/6/25: EN testified in
support in Senate Judiciary.
SB 358 (Becker) Mitigation Fee Act: mitigating vehicular traffic impacts. (Amended 05/01/2025)
Current law requires a local agency that imposes a fee on a housing development for the purpose
of mitigating vehicular traffic impacts to set the rate for that fee, if the housing development
satisfies all of certain prescribed characteristics, to reflect a lower rate of automobile trip
generation associated with such housing developments in comparison with housing developments
without the prescribed characteristics, unless the local agency adopts findings after a public
hearing establishing that the housing development, even with those characteristics, would not
generate fewer automobile trips than a housing development without those characteristics. This
bill would require those findings to be supported by substantial evidence in the record before or as
part of the housing development project approval process. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
Position: Oppose
Notes 1:
4.16.25 CP tagged as oppose, working on letter 4.18.25 CP finished letter and is ready to send to
City. 4.21.25 CP sent letter to the City. 4/30/25: EN testified in opposition Senate Local
Government.
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SB 417 (Cabaldon) The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026. (Introduced 02/18/2025)
Would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would authorize the
issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation
Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund
affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily
Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant
Program. (Based on 02/18/2025 text)
Status: 02/19/2025 - From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
Location: 02/18/2025 - RLS.
SB 448 (Umberg) Trespassing: removal of trespassers on residential property. (Amended
04/09/2025)
Current law prohibits the tenant of a property to remain on a property after the lawful termination of
a lease agreement, as specified. Current law prescribes a procedure for obtaining a judgment
against such a tenant and for effecting the eviction of that tenant. Current law prohibits entering or
occupying real property or structures without the consent of the owner. This bill would define a
squatter as somebody who unlawfully enters and remains in a residential property and, upon
request, refuses to leave or falsely claims a legal right of possession. This bill would prescribe a
procedure for the notice and removal of a squatter by a local law enforcement agency. The bill
would authorize a property owner or their agent to serve a demand to vacate, as specified, upon a
squatter. The bill would authorize the owner or agent, after service of the demand, to submit a
request, signed under penalty of perjury, to the local law enforcement agency with primary
jurisdiction where the property is located, as specified. (Based on 04/09/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 457 (Becker) Housing element compliance: Housing Accountability Act: housing
disapprovals. (Amended 04/21/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-
term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its
boundaries, that includes, among other specified mandatory elements, a housing element. Current
law, commonly referred to as the housing element law, prescribes requirements for a city’s or
county’s preparation of, and compliance with, its housing element, and requires the Department of
Housing and Community Development to review and determine whether the housing element
substantially complies with the housing element law, as specified. Current law within the Planning
and Zoning Law, the Housing Accountability Act, among other things, prohibits a local agency from
disapproving, or conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing development
project for very low, low-, or moderate-income households or an emergency shelter unless the
local agency makes written findings, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that one of 6
specified conditions exist. Among these conditions, the act allows a local agency to disapprove a
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housing development project that is inconsistent with the jurisdiction’s zoning ordinances and
general plan land use designation as it existed on the date the application was deemed complete, if
the jurisdiction has adopted a revised housing element that is in substantial compliance with the
housing element law, as specified. The act defines “deemed complete” for purposes of its
provisions, until January 1, 2030, to mean that the applicant has submitted a preliminary
application, as specified, or if the applicant has not submitted a preliminary application, the
submission of a completed application, as specified. This bill, for the purpose of allowing a local
agency to disapprove a housing development project that is inconsistent with the jurisdiction’s
zoning ordinances and general plan land use designation, as described above, would revise the
definition of “deemed complete” to mean that the applicant submitted a complete application, as
specified. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - April 29 set for first hearing. Failed passage in committee. (Ayes 1. Noes 2.)
Reconsideration granted.
Location: 02/26/2025 - HOUSING
SB 543 (McNerney) Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units. (Amended
04/23/2025)
The Planning and Zoning Law provides for the creation by ordinance, or by ministerial approval if
the local agency has not adopted an ordinance, of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or a junior
accessory dwelling unit (JADU) in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Current law
defines the term ”junior accessory dwelling unit” for these purposes to mean a unit that is no more
than 500 square feet in size and contained entirely within a single-family structure. This bill would
revise the definition of a “junior accessory dwelling unit” to require the size of a JADU to be no more
than 500 square feet of interior livable space. (Based on 04/23/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 607 (Wiener) California Environmental Quality Act: categorical exemptions: infill projects.
(Amended 05/01/2025)
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated
negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions
in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the
project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. Current law defines
“negative declaration” and “mitigated negative declaration” for these purposes. This bill would
revise the definition of negative declaration to mean a written statement briefly describing the
reasons the lead agency has determined, based upon substantial evidence in the record, that the
proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment, as specified. The bill would
require a negative declaration to be prepared for a proposed project if the lead agency determines,
based upon substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the agency, that the project
will not have a significant effect on the environment or when an initial study identifies potentially
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significant effects on the environment but revisions in the project plans would avoid the effects or
mitigate the effects, as provided, and the lead agency has determined, based upon substantial
evidence, in light of the whole record before the lead agency, that the project, as revised, will not
have a significant effect on the environment. The bill would also revise the definition of mitigated
negative declaration to mean that revisions would avoid or mitigate the effects on the environment,
as determined by the lead agency based upon substantial evidence in the record, as specified, and
that the lead agency has determined, based upon substantial evidence in the record, that the
project, as revised, will not have a significant effect on the environment, as provided. The bill would
require an EIR to be prepared if the lead agency determines, based upon substantial evidence, in
light of the whole record before the agency, that it is more likely than not that the project will have a
significant effect on the environment. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 681 (Wahab) Housing. (Amended 04/10/2025)
Current law authorizes a local agency to provide by ordinance for the creation of junior accessory
dwelling units, as defined, in single-family residential zones and requires the ordinance to include,
among other things, standards for the creation of a junior accessory dwelling unit, required deed
restrictions, and occupancy requirements. Current law makes void and unenforceable any
covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, contract, security instrument, or other
instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in real property that either effectively
prohibits or unreasonably restricts the construction or use of an accessory dwelling unit or junior
accessory dwelling unit on a lot zoned for single-family residential use that meets the above-
described minimum standards established for those units. However, existing law permits
reasonable restrictions that do not unreasonably increase the cost to construct, effectively prohibit
the construction of, or extinguish the ability to otherwise construct, an accessory dwelling unit or
junior accessory dwelling unit consistent with those aforementioned minimum standards
provisions. This bill would prohibit fees and other financial requirements from being included in the
above-described reasonable restrictions. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.)
(April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 741 (Blakespear) Coastal resources: coastal development permit: exemption: Los Angeles-
San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor. (Amended 04/21/2025)
The California Coastal Act of 1976, which is administered by the California Coastal Commission,
requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as
defined, to obtain a coastal development permit from a local government or the commission.
Current law exempts from that coastal development permitting process certain emergency
projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a public agency to maintain, repair, or restore
existing highways, as provided. This bill would expand that exemption to include certain emergency
projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a public agency to maintain, repair, or restore
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existing railroad track along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor, as
provided. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #82 S-SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Location: 05/06/2025 - THIRD READING
SB 838 (Durazo) Housing Accountability Act: housing development projects. (Amended
05/01/2025)
The Housing Accountability Act, among other things, prohibits a local agency from disapproving, or
conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing development project for very
low, low-, or moderate-income households unless the local agency makes written findings as to
one of certain sets of conditions, as specified. Current law defines, for its purposes, a housing
development project as a use consisting of, among other things, mixed-use developments
consisting of residential and nonresidential uses meeting one of several conditions, including that
at least 2/3 of the new or converted square footage is designated for residential use. This bill would
revise the definition of “housing development project” to, in the case of mixed-use developments
with at least 2/3 of the new or converted square footage designated for residential use, require that
no portion of the project be designated for use as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn, or other
transient lodging, except as specified. This bill contains other related provisions. (Based
on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and
amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Calendar: 05/07/25 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO,
MARÍA ELENA, Chair
Location: 04/02/2025 - L. GOV.
Notes 1:
4/11/25 CP tagged for the city.
Open Meetings and Transparency
AB 259 (Rubio, Blanca) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. (Amended
04/21/2025)
The Ralph M. Brown Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body,
as defined, of a local agency be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and
participate. Current law, until January 1, 2026, authorizes the legislative body of a local agency to
use alternative teleconferencing if, during the teleconference meeting, at least a quorum of the
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members of the legislative body participates in person from a singular physical location clearly
identified on the agenda that is open to the public and situated within the boundaries of the
territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, and the legislative body complies with
prescribed requirements. Current law requires a member to satisfy specified requirements to
participate in a meeting remotely pursuant to these alternative teleconferencing provisions,
including that specified circumstances apply. Current law establishes limits on the number of
meetings a member may participate in solely by teleconference from a remote location pursuant to
these alternative teleconferencing provisions, including prohibiting such participation for more
than 2 meetings per year if the legislative body regularly meets once per month or less. This bill
would extend the alternative teleconferencing procedures until January 1, 2030. (Based
on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Location: 05/06/2025 - RLS.
Position: Support
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as support. 3/21/25: CP sent draft letter to the City. 4/4/25: EN received final
letter, submitted to Assembly Local Government, and sent to delegation. 4/9/25: EN testified in
support in Assembly Local Government.
SB 239 (Arreguín) Open meetings: teleconferencing: subsidiary body. (Amended 04/07/2025)
The Ralph M. Brown Act requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body,
as defined, of a local agency be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and
participate. The act generally requires for teleconferencing that the legislative body of a local
agency that elects to use teleconferencing post agendas at all teleconference locations, identify
each teleconference location in the notice and agenda of the meeting or proceeding, and have
each teleconference location be accessible to the public. Current law also requires that, during the
teleconference, at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body participate from locations
within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, except as
specified. Current law, until January 1, 2026, authorizes specified neighborhood city councils to
use alternate teleconferencing provisions related to notice, agenda, and public participation, as
prescribed, if, among other requirements, the city council has adopted an authorizing resolution
and 2/3 of the neighborhood city council votes to use alternate teleconference provisions, as
specified This bill would authorize a subsidiary body, as defined, to use alternative
teleconferencing provisions and would impose requirements for notice, agenda, and public
participation, as prescribed. The bill would require the subsidiary body to post the agenda at each
physical meeting location designated by the subsidiary body, as specified. The bill would require
the members of the subsidiary body to visibly appear on camera during the open portion of a
meeting that is publicly accessible via the internet or other online platform, as specified. (Based
on 04/07/2025 text)
Status: 04/08/2025 - Set for hearing May 6.
Location: 04/03/2025 - JUD.
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Position: Support
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as support. 3/21/25: SG sent letter to the City for review. 4/4/25: EN received
final letter, submitted to Senate Local Government and Senate Judiciary, and sent to delegation.
5/6/25: EN testified in support in Senate Judiciary.
SB 707 (Durazo) Open meetings: meeting and teleconference requirements. (Amended
04/07/2025)
The Ralph M. Brown Act requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body,
as defined, of a local agency be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and
participate. This bill would, until January 1, 2030, require a city council or a county board of
supervisors to comply with additional meeting requirements, including that all open and public
meetings include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a 2-way telephonic service
or a 2-way audiovisual platform, as defined, that a system is in place for requesting and receiving
interpretation services for public meetings, as specified, and that the city council or county board
of supervisors encourage residents to participate in public meetings, as specified. (Based
on 04/07/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #81 S-SENATE BILLS -THIRD READING FILE
Location: 05/06/2025 - THIRD READING
Position: Watch
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as watch.
Public Safety and EMS
AB 237 (Patel) Crimes: threats. (Amended 03/05/2025)
Current law makes it a crime to willfully threaten to commit a crime that will result in death or great
bodily injury to another person, with the specific intent that the statement is to be taken as a threat
that, on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made, is so unequivocal, unconditional,
immediate, and specific as to convey to the person threatened a gravity of purpose and an
immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby reasonably causes the threatened
person to be in sustained fear for their own safety or the safety of their immediate family, as
defined. Under current law, this crime is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for no more
than one year for a misdemeanor, or by imprisonment in state prison for a felony. This bill would
make it a crime for a person to willfully threaten, by any means, including, but not limited to, an
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image or threat posted or published on an internet web page, to commit a crime at specified
locations, including a daycare and workplace, with specific intent that the statement is be taken as
a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out, if the threat, on its face and under the
circumstances in which it is made is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to
convey to the person or persons threatened a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of
execution of the threat, and if the threat causes a person or person to reasonably be in sustained
fear for their own safety or the safety of others at the specified locations. (Based
on 03/05/2025 text)
Status: 04/09/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/09/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Position: Watch
AB 438 (Hadwick) Authorized emergency vehicles. (Amended 04/07/2025)
Would authorize the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to issue an emergency vehicle
permit to any vehicle owned by a county, city, or city and county office of emergency services only
while that vehicle is being used by a public employee in responding to any disaster. (Based
on 04/07/2025 text)
Status: 04/22/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with
recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/07/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY, Chair
Location: 04/22/2025 - APPR.
AB 486 (Lackey) Vehicles: sideshows and street takeovers. (Amended 03/27/2025)
Current law prohibits a person from engaging in, aiding, or abetting a motor vehicle speed contest
on a highway or in an offstreet parking facility. Upon conviction, existing law punishes the person by
imprisonment in a county jail for between 24 hours and 90 days, inclusive, by a fine between $355
and $1,000, inclusive, or by both that fine and imprisonment, except as specified. If the vehicle
used in the violation was registered to the person who violated the prohibition, existing law also
authorizes the impounding of the person’s vehicle for between 1 and 30 days. Current law prohibits
a person from engaging in, aiding, or abetting a motor vehicle exhibition of speed on a highway or in
an offstreet parking facility. Upon conviction, current law punishes the person by imprisonment in a
county jail for not more than 90 days, by a fine of not more than $500, or by both that fine and
imprisonment. Current law, commencing July 1, 2025, authorizes the court to order the privilege to
operate a motor vehicle suspended for 90 days to 6 months and restrict the person’s operation of a
motor vehicle for the purposes of the person’s employment if the violation of the prohibition on
engaging in, aiding, or abetting a motor vehicle exhibition of speed on a highway or in an offstreet
parking facility occurred as part of a sideshow, as defined. This bill would clarify that, for purposes
of those prohibitions, a person who organizes, facilitates, encourages, promotes, or instigates a
sideshow may be charged with aiding or abetting a motor vehicle speed contest or a motor vehicle
exhibition of speed even if they are not physically present at the scene of the sideshow, as
specified. (Based on 03/27/2025 text)
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Status: 04/09/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/09/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 1013 (Garcia) Peace officer training: behavioral health. (Introduced 02/20/2025)
Current law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish and
keep updated a classroom-based continuing training course that includes instructor-led active
learning, such as scenario-based training, relating to behavioral health and law enforcement
interaction with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
Current law requires the commission to make available the course to each law enforcement officer
with a rank of supervisor or below and who is assigned to patrol duties or to supervise officers who
are assigned to patrol duties. This bill would authorize the commission to partner with local
departments of behavioral health, community-based organizations, or nonprofit organizations to
establish and keep updated this classroom-based continuing training course. The bill would
require a law enforcement officer with a rank of supervisor or below and who is assigned to patrol
duties or to supervise officers who are assigned to patrol duties to complete the course. (Based
on 02/20/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 1022 (Kalra) Authority to remove vehicles. (Introduced 02/20/2025)
Current law authorizes a peace officer, as defined, or a regularly employed and salaried employee,
who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations, of a city, county, or
jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located, to remove a vehicle located within the
territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under designated circumstances,
including, but not limited to, when a vehicle is found upon a highway or public land, or removed
pursuant to the Vehicle Code, and it is known that the vehicle has been issued 5 or more notices of
parking violations to which the owner or person in control of the vehicle has not responded within
designated time periods, or the registered owner of the vehicle is known to have been issued 5 or
more notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for traffic violations for which a
certificate has not been issued by the magistrate or clerk of the court hearing the case, as
specified. Under current law, a vehicle that has been removed and impounded under those
circumstances that is not released may be subject to a lien sale to compensate for the costs of
towage and for caring for and keeping safe the vehicle. This bill would remove the authority of a
peace officer or public employee, as appropriate, to remove a vehicle under the above-described
circumstances, and make conforming changes. (Based on 02/20/2025 text)
Status: 04/22/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 10. Noes 3.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/22/2025 - APPR.
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AB 1094 (Bains) Crimes: torture of a minor: parole. (Amended 04/03/2025)
Would prohibit a person imprisoned for committing the crime of torture from being eligible for
parole until they have served at least 20 years, if the defendant is an adult who had care or custody
of the victim and the victim was 14 years of age or younger at the time of the crime. By creating a
new sentencing enhancement, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based
on 04/03/2025 text)
Status: 04/09/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/09/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 1115 (Castillo) Peace officers: mental health liaisons. (Introduced 02/20/2025)
The California Constitution authorizes local governments to make and enforce all police and
sanitary ordinances and regulations within its limits that are not in conflict with general laws.
Existing law requires the board of supervisors of a county and the governing body of a city to take
measures necessary to preserve and protect the public health in its jurisdiction. This bill would
authorize a local government to designate one or more existing employees specializing in
counseling or mental health services as a law enforcement mental health liaison to facilitate
mental health support for peace officers who serve the local jurisdiction. This bill contains other
related provisions. (Based on 02/20/2025 text)
Status: 03/10/2025 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
Location: 03/10/2025 - PUB. S.
AB 1127 (Gabriel) Firearms: converter pistols. (Amended 04/10/2025)
Current law prohibits any person from selling, leasing, or transferring any firearm unless the person
is licensed as a firearms dealer, as specified. Current law prescribes certain requirements and
prohibitions for licensed firearms dealers. A violation of any of these requirements or prohibitions
is grounds for forfeiture of a firearms dealer’s license. For purposes of these provisions, existing
law defines “machinegun” to mean, among other definitions, any weapon that shoots or is
designed to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single
function of the trigger. This bill would prohibit a licensed firearms dealer to sell, offer for sale,
exchange, give, transfer, or deliver any semiautomatic machinegun-convertible pistol, except as
specified. For these purposes, the bill would define “machinegun-convertible pistol” as any
semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted by hand or with
common household tools into a machinegun by the installation or attachment of a pistol converter,
as specified, and “pistol converter” as any device or instrument that, when installed in or attached
to the rear of the slide of a semiautomatic pistol, replaces the backplate and interferes with the
trigger mechanism and thereby enables the pistol to shoot automatically more than one shot by a
single function of the trigger. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/22/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/07/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY, Chair
May 13, 2025 Item #4 Page 62 of 71
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Location: 04/22/2025 - APPR.
AB 1178 (Pacheco) Peace officers: confidentiality of records. (Amended 04/28/2025)
The California Public Records Act generally requires public records to be open for inspection by the
public. Under current law, the personnel records of peace officers and custodial officers are
confidential and not subject to public inspection. Current law provides certain exemptions to this
confidentiality, including the reports, investigations, and findings of certain incidents involving the
use of force by a peace officer. Current law authorizes an agency to redact the records disclosed
for specified purposes including, among others, to remove personal data or information, as
specified, and where there is a specific, articulable, and particularized reason to believe that
disclosure of the record would pose a significant danger to the physical safety of the peace officer,
custodial officer, or another person. This bill would require a court, in determining whether to
redact a record where there is a specific, articulable, and particularized reason to believe that
disclosure of the record would pose a significant danger to the physical safety of a person, to
consider whether a particular peace officer is currently operating undercover and their duties
demand anonymity. (Based on 04/28/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #86 A-THIRD READING FILE - ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 05/05/2025 - THIRD READING
AB 1489 (Bryan) Peace officers. (Amended 04/22/2025)
Would require a law enforcement agency that employs a peace officer to have a policy prohibiting
that officer from carrying any firearm when the officer has a blood alcohol concentration greater
than 0.00%, whether the officer is on duty or off duty, unless the officer is on duty and engaged in
an undercover assignment in the course of their employment as a peace officer. By imposing new
duties on local law enforcement, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based
on 04/22/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.)
(April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/07/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY, Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 28 (Umberg) Treatment court program standards. (Amended 03/10/2025)
The Drug Court Programs Act authorizes counties to implement a drug court program, that, if
implemented, requires a county alcohol and drug program administrator and the presiding judge in
the county to develop a plan that includes, among other things, drug courts for juvenile offenders
and drug courts for parents of children in certain family law cases. Current law requires counties
and courts that opt to have treatment court programs to design and operate the programs in
accordance with state and national guidelines. Current law requires the Judicial Council to, by no
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later than January 1, 2026, revise the standards of judicial administration to reflect state and
nationally recognized best practices and guidelines for collaborative programs including those
described in these provisions. The Treatment-Mandated Felony Act, an initiative measure enacted
by the voters as Proposition 36 at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, authorizes
certain defendants convicted of specified felonies or misdemeanors to participate in a treatment
program, upon court approval, in lieu of a jail or prison sentence, or grant of probation with jail as a
condition of probation, if specified criteria are met. The Legislature may amend this initiative by a
statute passed in each house by a rollcall vote entered in the journal, 2/3 of the membership
concurring, or by a statute that becomes effective only when approved by the voters. This bill would
instead require that treatment court programs be available to all eligible California defendants. The
bill would include a new standard that, as part of the treatment court program, a drug addiction
expert, as defined, conducts a substance abuse and mental health evaluation of the defendant,
and submits the report to the court and the parties. The bill would remove the requirement that the
Judicial Council revise the standards of judicial administration. (Based on 03/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/07/2025 - April 7 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/07/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
SB 680 (Rubio) Sex offender registration: unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
(Introduced 02/21/2025)
Existing law, the Sex Offender Registration Act (act), requires a person convicted of specified
crimes to register with law enforcement as a sex offender while residing in California or while
attending school or working in California, as specified. Existing law establishes 3 tiers of
registration based on specified criteria, for periods of at least 10 years, at least 20 years, and life,
respectively, for a conviction of specified sex offenses. Existing law exempts from mandatory
registration under the act a person convicted of certain offenses involving minors if the person is
not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the person
to register. A willful failure to register, as required by the act, is a misdemeanor or felony,
depending on the underlying offense. This bill would require offenders guilty of engaging in an act of
unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than 3 years younger than the offender or, if
the offender was 21 years of age or older, engaging in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a
minor who is under 16 years of age, to register for 10 years as a tier one offender under the act,
unless the offender was not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only
one requiring the offender to register. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing
laws. (Based on 02/21/2025 text)
Status: 04/21/2025 - April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/21/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Revenue and Taxation
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SB 549 (Allen) Second Neighborhood Infill Finance and Transit Improvements Act. (Introduced
02/20/2025)
Current law authorizes the infrastructure financing plan to provide for the division of taxes levied on
taxable property in the area included within the district, as specified, and authorizes the public
financing authority to issue bonds by adopting a resolution containing specified provisions,
including a determination of the amount of tax revenue available or estimated to be available for
the payment of the principal of, and interest on, the bonds. This bill would revise NIFTI-2 to instead
authorize, for resolutions adopted under that act’s provisions on or after January 1, 2026, a city,
county, or city and county to adopt a resolution, at any time before or after the adoption of the
infrastructure financing plan for an enhanced infrastructure financing district, to allocate property
tax revenues, and to remove the authorization for adoption of a resolution that allocates revenues
derived from local sales and use taxes imposed pursuant to the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales
and Use Tax Law or transactions and use taxes. The bill would also repeal the condition that the
boundaries of the enhanced infrastructure financing district are coterminous with the city or
county that established the district. (Based on 02/20/2025 text)
Status: 03/24/2025 - Set for hearing May 7.
Calendar: 05/07/25 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO,
MARÍA ELENA, Chair
Location: 03/05/2025 - L. GOV.
Transportation and Public Works
AB 382 (Berman) Pedestrian safety: school zones: speed limits. (Amended 04/07/2025)
Current law establishes a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour when approaching or passing
a school building or grounds contiguous to a highway or when the school grounds are not
separated from the highway, as specified. Current law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or
resolution, to reduce the prima facie speed limit based on an engineering and traffic survey, as
specified. This bill would, notwithstanding the above provision and until January 1, 2029, authorize
a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to determine and declare a prima facie speed limit of
20 miles per hour in a school zone. The bill would, beginning on January 1, 2029, establish a prima
facie speed limit of 20 miles per hour in a school zone, as defined, subject to specified conditions,
including, among others, when a school speed limit sign states “children are present” and children
are present, as defined, and when a school speed limit sign states specific hours, as
specified. (Based on 04/07/2025 text)
Status: 04/22/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.)
(April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/07/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY, Chair
May 13, 2025 Item #4 Page 65 of 71
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Location: 04/22/2025 - APPR.
AB 440 (Ramos) Suicide prevention. (Amended 04/10/2025)
Current law authorizes the State Department of Public Health to establish the Office of Suicide
Prevention. Current law authorizes the office, if established, to perform certain functions,
including, among others, conducting state-level assessment of regional and statewide suicide
prevention policies and practices and reporting on progress to reduce rates of suicide. This bill
would require the office to work with the Department of Transportation to identify cost-effective
strategies to reduce suicides and suicide attempts on the state’s bridges and roadways. (Based
on 04/10/2025 text)
Status: 04/23/2025 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
Location: 04/23/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
AB 545 (Davies) Vehicles: electric bicycles. (Amended 03/24/2025)
Current law defines an electric bicycle and classifies electric bicycles into 3 classes with different
restrictions. Under existing law, a “class 1 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that,
among other things, provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide
assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Under current law, a “class 2
electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the
bicycle and is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles
per hour. Under current law, a “class 3 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a speedometer
and a motor that, in pertinent part, provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that
ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour. Current law
prohibits a person from selling a product or device that can modify the speed capability of an
electric bicycle so that it no longer meets the definition of an electric bicycle. This bill would also
prohibit a person from selling an application that can modify the speed capability of an electric
bicycle. (Based on 03/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #106 A-CONSENT CALENDAR 2ND DAY-ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 04/30/2025 - CONSENT CALENDAR
AB 965 (Dixon) Vehicles: electric bicycles. (Amended 04/21/2025)
Current law defines an electric bicycle and classifies electric bicycles into 3 classes with different
restrictions. Under existing law, a “class 1 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that,
among other things, provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide
assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Under current law, a “class 2
electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the
bicycle and is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles
per hour. Under current law, a “class 3 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a speedometer
and a motor that, in pertinent part, provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that
ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour. Current law
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prohibits a person under 16 years of age from operating a class 3 electric bicycle. A violation of this
provision is punishable as an infraction. This bill would prohibit a person from selling a class 3
electric bicycle to a person under 16 years of age and would make a violation of that prohibition an
infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed $250. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 04/29/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with
recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/29/2025 - APPR.
AB 978 (Hoover) Department of Transportation and local agencies: streets and highways:
recycled materials. (Amended 04/01/2025)
Current law requires a local agency that has jurisdiction over a street or highway, to the extent
feasible and cost effective, to apply standard specifications that allow for the use of recycled
materials in streets and highways, except as provided. Current law requires, until January 1, 2027,
those standard specifications to allow recycled materials at or above the level allowed in the
department’s standard specifications that went into effect on October 22, 2018, for specified
materials. This bill would indefinitely require a local government’s standard specifications to allow
recycled materials at a level no less than the level allowed in the department’s specifications for
those specified materials. If a local agency’s standard specifications do not allow for the use of
recycled materials at a level that is equal to or greater than the level allowed in the department’s
standard specifications on the basis that the use of those recycled materials at those levels is not
feasible, the bill would require the local agency to provide the reason for that determination upon
request. By increasing the duties of local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local
program. (Based on 04/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/01/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
Calendar: 05/08/25 #116 A-CONSENT CALENDAR 2ND DAY-ASSEMBLY BILLS
Location: 04/30/2025 - CONSENT CALENDAR
SB 71 (Wiener) California Environmental Quality Act: exemptions: transit projects. (Amended
03/25/2025)
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) until January 1, 2030, exempts from its
requirements active transportation plans, pedestrian plans, or bicycle transportation plans for the
restriping of streets and highways, bicycle parking and storage, signal timing to improve street and
highway intersection operations, and the related signage for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles.
This bill would extend the operation of the above-mentioned exemption indefinitely. The bill would
also exempt a transit comprehensive operational analysis, as defined, a transit route
readjustment, or other transit agency route addition, elimination, or modification, from the
requirements of CEQA. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a plan
qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based
on 03/25/2025 text)
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Status: 04/28/2025 - April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 04/28/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
SB 274 (Cervantes) Automated license plate recognition systems. (Amended 05/01/2025)
Current law prohibits the state, a city, a county, a city and county, or any agency or political
subdivision of the state, a city, a county, or a city and county, including, but not limited to, a law
enforcement agency, from selling, sharing, or transferring automated license plate recognition
(ALPR) information, except to another public agency, and only as otherwise permitted by law.
Current law defines ALPR information as information or data collected through the use of an ALPR
system. This bill would prohibit a public agency from retaining ALPR information for more than 30
days after the date of collection if it does not match information on a hot list, as defined. (Based
on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO,
ANNA, Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
SB 455 (Blakespear) Electric bicycles. (Amended 04/21/2025)
Current law governs the operation of motor vehicles and other devices, including, among other
things, motor-driven cycles and motorized bicycles or mopeds. This bill would revise the definitions
of the above-described devices and refer to motorized bicycles as mopeds or low-power mopeds,
as specified. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2026, require manufacturers and distributors of
low-power mopeds to apply an etching, an engraving, or a label that is permanently affixed to each
low-power moped that contains, among other things, a statement that the device is a low-power
moped and not an electric bicycle. The bill would set forth provisions governing the operation of
low-power mopeds, including, among other things, licensing and helmet requirements. The bill
would exempt low-power mopeds from being classified as motor vehicles, thereby exempting
these devices from specified financial responsibility, registration, and license plate requirements.
The bill would authorize a local authority to regulate the parking and operation of low-power
mopeds on local streets and highways, as specified. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/29/2025 - APPR.
SB 555 (Caballero) Workers’ compensation: average annual earnings. (Amended 04/01/2025)
Current law establishes a workers’ compensation system to compensate an employee for injuries
sustained in the course of employment. Current law provides for temporary disability, permanent
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total disability, or permanent partial disability benefits, among other benefits, for an injured
employee and requires the computation of an injured employee’s average annual earnings and
average weekly earnings for purposes of determining those disability benefits. Current law
requires, for computing average annual earnings for purposes of permanent partial disability
indemnity, that average weekly earnings be taken at various amounts, including between $240 and
$435 for injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2014, except as specified. This bill would
additionally require that the above-described limits be adjusted by the amount equal to the cost of
living adjustment for federal social security benefits for that year, as specified. (Based
on 04/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Location: 05/05/2025 - APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Water and Wastewater
AB 514 (Petrie-Norris) Water: emergency water supplies. (Amended 05/01/2025)
Would declare that it is the established policy of the state to encourage, but not mandate, the
development of emergency water supplies by both local and regional water suppliers, as defined,
and to support their use during times of drought or unplanned service or supply disruption, as
provided. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Status: 05/05/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/30/2025 - APPR.
AB 532 (Ransom) Water rate assistance program. (Amended 05/05/2025)
Current federal law, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, among other things, requires the
federal Department of Health and Human Services to carry out a Low-Income Household Drinking
Water and Wastewater Emergency Assistance Program, which is also known as the Low Income
Household Water Assistance Program, for making grants to states and Indian tribes to assist low-
income households that pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and
wastewater services, as provided. Current law requires the Department of Community Services
and Development to administer the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program in this
state, and to receive and expend moneys appropriated and allocated to the state for purposes of
that program, pursuant to the above-described federal law. The Low Income Household Water
Assistance Program was only operative until March 31, 2024. This bill would repeal the above-
described requirements related to the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program. The bill
would instead require, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Community
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Services and Development to establish and administer the California Low Income Household
Water Assistance Program. (Based on 05/05/2025 text)
Status: 05/06/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 05/01/2025 - APPR.
Position: Watch
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as watch.
AB 1313 (Papan) Water quality: permits. (Amended 03/24/2025)
Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water
quality control boards regulate water quality and prescribe waste discharge requirements in
accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit
program established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control
Act. Existing law requires each regional board to formulate and adopt water quality control plans
for all areas within the region, as provided. The bill would require the state board, after making the
necessary findings, to establish a statewide commercial, industrial, and institutional NPDES order,
for properties of 5 acres or more, regulating stormwater and authorized nonstormwater discharges
from facilities with impervious surfaces that are significant contributors of pollutants to federally
protected surface waters, as determined by the state board. The bill would require the state board
to publish a draft order of the statewide order for public comment on or before December 31, 2028,
or 18 months after the reissuance of a specified statewide permit, as specified. The bill would
require the state board to contemporaneously develop a model memorandum of understanding to
issue with the publication of the draft statewide order for public comment that details the
necessary components of an agreement between commercial, industrial, and institutional
permittees and local municipalities for achieving offsite stormwater capture and use within the
adopted final statewide commercial, industrial, and institutional NPDES order. The bill would
require the NPDES order to include multiple options to achieve compliance with water quality
standards, including, but not limited to, compliance options incentivizing onsite or offsite
stormwater capture and use. (Based on 03/24/2025 text)
Status: 04/30/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.)
(April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Calendar: 05/14/25 A-APPROPRIATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WICKS, BUFFY,
Chair
Location: 04/29/2025 - APPR.
SB 350 (Durazo) Water Rate Assistance Program. (Amended 04/24/2025)
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Would establish the Water Rate Assistance Program. As part of the program, the bill would
establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury, available upon appropriation by
the Legislature, to provide water affordability assistance, for both residential water and wastewater
services, to low-income residential ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require the State Water
Resources Control Board to take various actions in administering the fund, including, among other
things, tracking and managing revenue in the fund separately from all other revenue. The bill would
require the state board, in consultation with relevant agencies and after a public hearing, to adopt
guidelines for implementation of the program and to adopt an annual report to be posted on the
state board’s internet website identifying how the fund has performed, as specified. The bill would
require the guidelines to include minimum requirements for eligible systems, including the ability
to confirm eligibility for enrollment through a request for self-certification of eligibility under
penalty of perjury. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local
program. The bill would require the state board to take various actions in administering the
program, including, but not limited to, providing guidance, oversight, and funding for low-income
rate assistance for residential ratepayers of eligible systems. The bill would authorize the Attorney
General, at the request of the state board, to bring an action in state court to restrain the use of any
method, act, or practice in violation of these provisions, except as provided. The bill would make
the implementation of all of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the
Legislature. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Status: 05/02/2025 - Set for hearing May 12.
Calendar: 05/12/25 S-APPROPRIATIONS 10 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 CABALLERO, ANNA,
Chair
Location: 04/21/2025 - APPR.
Position: Watch
Notes 1:
3/18/25: DC tagged as watch.
May 13, 2025 Item #4 Page 71 of 71