1 City of Foster City: Priority Legislation as of March 25, 2024 Economic Development
AB 2922 (Garcia) Economic development: capital investment incentive programs. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
Prior law, until January 1, 2024, authorized a county, city and county, or city to establish a capital investment incentive program, pursuant to which the county, city and county, or city was authorized to pay, upon request, a capital investment incentive amount that does not exceed the amount of property tax derived from that portion of the assessed value of a qualified manufacturing facility, as defined, that exceeds $150,000,000 to a proponent of a qualified manufacturing facility for up to 15 years. This bill would reestablish the authorization for capital investment incentive programs until January 1, 2035. The bill would make conforming changes. (Based on 02/15/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair Energy and Utilities
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B 1999 (Irwin) Electricity: fixed charges. (Introduced 01/30/2024) Link Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to adopt new, or expand existing, fixed charges, as defined, for the purpose of collecting a reasonable portion of the fixed costs of providing electrical service to residential customers. Under existing law, the commission may authorize fixed charges for any rate schedule applicable to a residential customer account. Existing law requires the commission, no later than July 1, 2024, to authorize a fixed charge for default residential rates. Existing law requires these fixed charges to be established on an income-graduated basis, with no fewer than 3 income thresholds, so that low-income ratepayers in each baseline territory would realize a lower
2 average monthly bill without making any changes in usage. This bill would repeal the provisions described in the preceding paragraph. The bill would instead permit the commission to authorize fixed charges that, as of January 1, 2015, do not exceed $5 per residential customer account per month for low-income customers enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program and that do not exceed $10 per residential customer account per month for customers not enrolled in the CARE program. The bill would authorize these maximum allowable fixed charges to be adjusted by no more than the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the prior calendar year, beginning January 1, 2016. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/30/2024 text)
Status: 02/12/2024 - Referred to Com. on U. & E.
AB 2462 (Calderon) Public Utilities Commission: written reports: energy. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law requires the commission to annually prepare a written report on the costs of programs and activities conducted by certain electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law requires the commission to annually prepare and submit to the Governor and Legislature a separate written report that contains the commission’s recommendations for actions that can be undertaken during the succeeding 12 months to limit utility cost and rate increases consistent with the state’s energy and environmental goals, including goals for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, and requires the commission, in preparing the separate report, to require certain electrical corporations and gas corporations to study and report on measures they recommend be undertaken to limit costs and rate increases. This bill would require the written report on the costs of programs and activities to also identify how the current rate trends affect households across their full portfolio of all energy uses, as provided, and how the adoption of electricity across more end-uses may reduce the total cost of energy for households over time. The bill would require the separate report to contain recommendations that may take longer than 12 months to implement, but could lead to substantial reductions in monthly electric bills, and would expand the above-described goals to additionally include goals for encouraging beneficial electrification. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text) Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on U. & E.
Calendar: 04/03/24 A-UTILITIES AND ENERGY 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 PETRIE-NORRIS, COTTIE, Chair
AB 3011 (Bains) Electricity: rates: unreasonable hardship. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. This bill would require the commission to ensure that each electrical rate schedule does not cause an unreasonable hardship on senior citizens, renters, families with minor children, medically vulnerable customers, or economically vulnerable residential customers in hot climate zones, as specified. The bill would provide that any electrical rate schedule that imposes rates on those identified customers above baseline rates
3 during any hour where the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the duration of the hour is considered an unreasonable hardship. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Com. on U. & E.
SB 1374 (Becker) Net energy metering. (Amended 03/18/2024) Link Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the commission to develop a standard contract or tariff, which may include net energy metering, for eligible customer-generators, as defined, with a renewable electrical generation facility, as defined, that is a customer of a large electrical corporation. Existing law requires, in developing the standard contract or tariff for large electrical corporations, the commission to take specified actions. This bill would require, no later than July 1, 2025, the commission to ensure that any contract or tariff established by the commission pursuant to the above described provisions for renewable electrical generation facilities configured to serve either multiple customers with meters on a single property, or multiple meters of a single customer on a property or a set of contiguous properties owned, leased, or rented by the customer, meets certain requirements, including that eligible customer- generators are authorized to elect to aggregate the electrical load, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/18/2024 text) Status: 03/19/2024 - Set for hearing April 2.
Calendar: 04/02/24 S-ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 BRADFORD, STEVEN, Chair
Environment and Climate
AB 1567 (Garcia) Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024. (Amended 05/26/2023) Link
The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, approved by the voters as Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,100,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all program. Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 2/3 vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters. This bill would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,995,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, clean energy, and workforce development programs. This bill contains other related provisions. (Based on 05/26/2023 text)
4 Status: 06/14/2023 - Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and GOV. & F.
AB 2346 (Lee) Organic waste reduction regulations: procurement of recovered organic waste products. (Introduced 02/12/2024) Link
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to complete, approve, and implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants in the state to reduce the statewide methane emissions by 40% below 2013 levels by 2030. Existing law requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in consultation with the state board, to adopt regulations that achieve specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills, as provided. The department’s organic waste regulations require local jurisdictions to annually procure a quantity of recovered organic waste products and to comply with their procurement targets by directly procuring recovered organic waste products for use or giveaway or by requiring, through a written agreement, that a direct service provider to the jurisdiction procure recovered organic waste products, or both. Those regulations specify the types of recovered organic waste products that a jurisdiction may procure, including compost that is produced at a compostable material handling operation or facility, or a specified digestion facility that composts onsite. Other regulations of the department require all compostable materials handling activities to obtain a facility permit from the department prior to commencing operations and meet other specified requirements, but exclude from those requirements certain activities that the regulations state do not constitute a compostable material handling operation or facility, including the composting of green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material, and the handling of compostable materials under certain conditions, as provided. This bill would authorize local jurisdictions to be credited for the procurement of recovered organic waste products through an agreement with a direct service provider, as defined, and would allow the direct service provider agreement to include the procurement of recovered organic waste products on a prospective or retrospective basis as long as the purchase of those products occurs during the year for which the local jurisdiction seeks credit. The bill would also authorize local jurisdictions to count towards their procurement targets, compost produced and procured from specified compost operations, as defined, and, until 2030, investments made for the expansion of the capacity of compostable materials handling operations or community composting operations, as provided. (Based on 02/12/2024 text) Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
Calendar: 04/08/24 A-NATURAL RESOURCES 2:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 BRYAN, ISAAC, Chair AB 2626 (Dixon) Advanced Clean Fleets regulations: local governments. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt and implement motor vehicle emission standards, in-use performance standards, and motor vehicle fuel specifications for the control of air contaminants and sources of air pollution that the state board has found necessary, cost effective, and technologically feasible. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the state 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
5 from its requirements under certain circumstances. This bill would extend the compliance dates for local government set forth in the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation by 10 years. The bill would prohibit the state board from taking enforcement action against a local government for violating the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation if the alleged violation occurs before January 1, 2025. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and NAT. RES.
AB 2658 (Bains) Short-lived climate pollutants: organic waste: reduction regulations: exemption. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to implement a comprehensive short-lived climate pollutant strategy to achieve a reduction in statewide emissions of methane by 40% by 2030. Existing law requires the methane emissions reduction goals to include a 75% reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2025. Existing law requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in consultation with the state board, to adopt regulations to achieve these organic waste reduction goals that include, among other things, requirements intended to meet the goal that not less than 20% of edible food that is currently disposed of be recovered for human consumption by 2025 and that may include penalties to be imposed by the department for noncompliance, as provided. This bill would exempt from the above-referenced organic waste reduction goal requirements and regulations, food processing establishments, as defined, that do not divert organic waste to landfills. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
SB 867 (Allen) Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access, and Clean Energy Bond Act of 2024. (Amended 06/22/2023) Link The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, approved by the voters as Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,100,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all program. Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 2/3 vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters. This bill would enact the Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access, and Clean Energy Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,500,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate smart agriculture, park creation and outdoor access, and clean energy programs. This bill contains other related provisions. (Based on 06/22/2023 text) Status: 07/06/2023 - July 10 hearing postponed by committee.
6 SB 1175 (Ochoa Bogh) Organic waste: reduction goals: local jurisdictions: waivers. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to approve and begin implementing a comprehensive short-lived climate pollutant strategy to achieve a certain reduction in statewide emissions of methane, including a goal of a 75% reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2025.This bill would require the department to consider alternatives to census tracts, as provided, when deciding the boundaries of a low-population or elevation waiver and would require low-population waivers to be valid for a period of 10 years. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text) Status: 03/08/2024 - Set for hearing April 3.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 ALLEN, BENJAMIN, Chair
SB 1361 (Blakespear) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: local agencies: contract for providing services for people experiencing homelessness. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also 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 for its requirements, among other things, actions taken by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the California Housing Finance Agency, or a local agency not acting as the lead agency to provide financial assistance or insurance for the development and construction of residential housing for persons and families of low or moderate income, as provided. This bill would additionally exempt from CEQA’s requirements actions taken by a local agency to approve a contract for providing services for people experiencing homelessness. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 03/08/2024 - Set for hearing April 3.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 ALLEN, BENJAMIN, Chair
Governmental Operations
AB 1725 (McCarty) Law enforcement settlements and judgments: reporting. (Amended 01/03/2024) Link
Existing law requires each law enforcement agency to monthly furnish specified information to the Department of Justice regarding the use of force by a peace officer. This bill would require municipalities, as defined, to annually post on their internet websites specified information relating to
7 settlements and judgments of $50,000 or more resulting from allegations of improper police conduct, including, among other information, amounts paid, broken down by individual settlement and judgment, information on bonds used to finance use of force settlement and judgment payments, and premiums paid for insurance against settlements or judgments resulting from allegations of improper police conduct. The bill would also require municipalities to annually post additional information pertaining to settlements and judgments, as specified, irrespective of the amount paid. By increasing requirements for local governments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make legislative findings and declarations. (Based on 01/03/2024 text) Status: 01/25/2024 - Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 2089 (Holden) Local government: collection of demographic data. (Introduced 02/05/2024) Link
Existing law requires the State Controller’s Office, to the extent the office has completed the functionality necessary, and the Department of Human Resources, when collecting demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians hired into state employment, to use additional collection categories and tabulations for specified Black or African American groups. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, require a city, county, or city and county, when collecting demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of persons, to include the additional collection categories and tabulations for specified Black or African American groups, as described above. The bill would make related findings and declarations. By imposing new duties on cities, counties, or a city and county, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/05/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on JUD.
AB 2153 (Lowenthal) California Public Records Act: public agency employees: notice requirements:
personnel and medical information. (Introduced 02/06/2024) Link Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires public records to be open to inspection at all times during the office hours of the state or local agency that retains those records, and provides that every person has a right to inspect any public record, except as provided. Existing law requires each agency, upon a request for records, to determine within 10 days whether that request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records in the agency’s possession and to promptly notify the person making the request of its determination and reasons for that determination. Under existing law, the act generally does not require disclosure of personnel, medical, or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Existing law requires an agency, if it determines a request seeks disclosable public records, to state the estimated date and time when the records will be made available. Existing law permits the prescribed time limits of the act to be extended in unusual circumstances. In this connection, “unusual circumstances” include, among other reasons, the need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments separate from the office processing the request. This bill would require each agency, upon receipt of a request for a copy of, or the inspection of, any personnel, medical, or similar records of a public agency employee or any record that would disclose a public agency employee’s personal identity in connection with the performance of that employee’s work duties, to promptly and prior to the release of the records, provide written notice of the request to that public agency employee. By placing new
8 requirements on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/06/2024 text) Status: 03/13/2024 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
AB 2257 (Wilson) Local government: property-related water and sewer fees and assessments:
remedies. (Amended 03/20/2024) Link
The California Constitution specifies various requirements with respect to the levying of assessments and property-related fees and charges by a local agency, including notice, hearing, and protest procedures, depending on the character of the assessment, fee, or charge. Existing law, known as the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act, prescribes specific procedures and parameters for local jurisdictions to comply with these requirements. This bill would prohibit, if a local agency complies with specified procedures, a person or entity from bringing a judicial action or proceeding alleging noncompliance with the constitutional provisions for any new, increased, or extended fee or assessment, as defined, unless that person or entity has timely submitted to the local agency a written objection to that fee or assessment that specifies the grounds for alleging noncompliance, as specified.
This bill would provide that local agency responses to the timely submitted written objections shall go to the weight of the evidence supporting the agency’s compliance with the substantive limitations on fees and assessments imposed by the constitutional provisions. The bill would also prohibit an independent cause of action as to the adequacy of the local agency’s responses. This bill would, if the local agency complies with the specified procedures, provide that in any judicial action or proceeding to review, invalidate, challenge, set aside, rescind, void, or annul the fee or assessment for failure to comply with the procedural and substantive requirements of specified constitutional provisions, provisions in the fee or assessment setting process, the court’s review is limited to a record of proceedings containing specified documents, except as otherwise provided. The bill would provide that this limitation does not preclude any civil action related to a local agency’s failure to implement a fee or assessment in compliance with the manner adopted by the local agency. The bill would make related findings and declarations. (Based on 03/20/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
AB 2283 (Pacheco) Public Records: employee personnel records: notice. (Introduced 02/08/2024) Link
Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires a state or local agency to make its public records available for public inspection and to make copies available upon request and payment of a fee, unless the public records are exempt from disclosure. The act requires a state or local agency to comply with specified procedural requirements when responding to a request for a copy of records. This bill would require a public agency that receives a request for the personnel records of one of the public agency’s employees to provide written notice, as prescribed, to the employee within 48 hours of receipt of the request if specified conditions are met. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/08/2024 text)
Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on JUD.
AB 2421 (Low) Employer-employee relations: confidential communications. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
9 Existing law that governs the labor relations of public employees and employers, including the Meyers- Milias-Brown Act, the Ralph C. Dills Act, provisions relating to public schools, provisions relating to higher education, and provisions relating to the the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, prohibits employers from taking certain actions relating to employee organization, including imposing or threatening to impose reprisals on employees, discriminating or threatening to discriminate against employees, or otherwise interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees because of their exercise of their guaranteed rights. Those provisions of existing law further prohibit denying to employee organizations the rights guaranteed to them by existing law. This bill would also prohibit a local public agency employer, a state employer, a public school employer, a higher education employer, or the district from questioning any employee or employee representative regarding communications made in confidence between an employee and an employee representative in connection with representation relating to any matter within the scope of the recognized employee organization’s representation. (Based on 02/13/2024 text)
Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on P.E. & R.
Calendar: 04/03/24 A-PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND RETIREMENT 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 444 MCKINNOR, TINA, Chair
AB 2439 (Quirk-Silva) Public records: owners and developers. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies, as defined, to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies. Existing law declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. Existing law requires specified state and local bodies to establish written guidelines for accessibility of records. Existing law requires the state and local bodies to post a copy of these guidelines in a conspicuous public place at the offices of these bodies, and to make available a copy of the guidelines upon request, free of charge, to any person requesting that body’s records. This bill would additionally require an owner, developer, or their agents who receives public funds or the equivalent of public funds from a public agency to perform a public works project, as defined, to be subject to the act in connection with records that it prepares, owns, uses, or retains relating to that public works project. The bill would require the owner, developer, or their agents to establish written guidelines for accessibility of records. The bill would also require the owner, developer, or their agents to post a copy of these guidelines in a conspicuous public place at the offices of these owners and developers, and to make available a copy of the guidelines upon request, free of charge, to any person requesting that owner’s or developer’s records. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text)
Status: 03/13/2024 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Calendar: 04/02/24 A-JUDICIARY 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 KALRA, ASH, Chair AB 2561 (McKinnor) Local public employees: vacant positions. (Amended 03/11/2024) Link
Existing law, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (act), authorizes local public employees, as defined, to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on matters of labor relations. The act prohibits a public agency from, among other things, imposing or threatening to impose reprisals on employees, discriminating or threatening to
10 discriminate against employees, or otherwise interfering with specified employee rights guaranteed by the act. This bill would require each public agency with bargaining unit vacancy rates exceeding 10% for more than 90 days within the past 180 days to meet and confer with a representative of the recognized employee organization to produce, publish, and implement a plan consisting of specified components to fill all vacant positions within the subsequent 180 days. The bill would require the public agency to present this plan during a public hearing to the governing legislative body and to publish the plan on its internet website for public review for at least one year. By imposing new duties on local public agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern. (Based on 03/11/2024 text) Status: 03/19/2024 - In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
SB 1090 (Durazo) Unemployment insurance: disability and paid family leave: claim administration. (Introduced 02/12/2024) Link
Existing unemployment compensation disability law requires workers to pay contribution rates based on, among other things, wages received in employment and benefit disbursement, for payment into the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund, for purposes of compensating in part for the wage loss sustained by any individual who is unable to work due to the employee’s own sickness or injury, among other reasons. Existing law sets forth standards for eligibility to receive unemployment compensation disability benefits.This bill would instead require, for purposes of unemployment compensation disability benefits, the issuance of the initial payment for those benefits within 14 days of receipt of the claimant’s properly completed first disability claim or as soon as eligibility begins, whichever is later. The bill would apply the same initial payment issuance schedule applicable to unemployment compensation disability benefits to the paid family leave program and repeal the requirement that eligible workers receive benefits generally in accordance with unemployment and disability compensation law. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/12/2024 text) Status: 02/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
SB 1116 (Portantino) Unemployment insurance: trade disputes: eligibility for benefits. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law provides for the payment of unemployment compensation benefits and extended benefits to eligible individuals who meet specified requirements. Under existing law, unemployment benefits are paid from the Unemployment Fund, which is continuously appropriated for these purposes. Existing law makes an employee ineligible for benefits if the employee left work because of a trade dispute and specifies that the employee remains ineligible for the duration of the trade dispute. Existing case law holds that employees who left work due to a lockout by the employer, even if it was in anticipation of a trade dispute, are eligible for benefits. This bill would restore eligibility after the first 2 weeks for an employee who left work because of a trade dispute. The bill would codify specified case law that holds that employees who left work due to a lockout by the employer, even if it was in anticipation of a trade dispute, are eligible for benefits. The bill would specify that the bill’s provisions do not diminish eligibility for benefits of individuals deprived of work due to an employer lockout or similar action, as specified.
This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text) Status: 02/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
11 SB 1441 (Allen) Examination of petitions: time limitations and reimbursement of costs. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, except as provided. Existing law generally includes in the meaning of “public records” any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. Under existing law, certain election petitions are not public records and are not open to inspection except by certain persons. Specifically, existing law authorizes, among other persons, the proponents of a petition found to be insufficient or their designated representative to examine the petition no later than 21 days after certification of the insufficiency. This bill would require the examination to conclude no later than 60 days after it commenced. The bill would also require the proponent to reimburse all costs incurred by the county elections official due to the examination within 30 days after the examination concludes. The bill would, before an examination is conducted and at the beginning of each day following, require the proponent of a petition who requests to examine a petition and a memorandum to deposit with the elections official a sum required by the elections official to cover the cost of the examination for that day. The bill would authorize the return of any money deposited in excess of the cost of the examination and provide that money not required to be refunded be deposited in the appropriate public treasury. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text)
Status: 03/20/2024 - Set for hearing April 2.
Calendar: 04/02/24 S-JUDICIARY 1:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2100 UMBERG, THOMAS, Chair
Housing and Land Use
AB 990 (Grayson) Water quality: waste discharge requirements: infill housing projects. (Amended 01/25/2024) Link
The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (act) designates the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards as the principal state agencies with authority over matters relating to water quality. The act requires the state board and the regional boards to, among other things, coordinate their respective activities to achieve a unified and effective water quality control program in the state. Under existing law, the state 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 act. This bill would require the regional water board, defined to mean the regional water board with geographic boundaries for the San Francisco Bay region, to, by July 1, 2025, initiate modifications to its waste discharge requirements, as specified. The bill would require these modifications to be completed within 6 months of initiation. Before finalizing the modifications, the bill would require the regional water board to make specified findings, including, among other things, that concerns regarding the potential impacts of the draft NPDES permit requirements on the development of housing on infill sites have been adequately addressed. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2028, and would repeal them on January 1, 2029.
This bill contains other related provisions. (Based on 01/25/2024 text)
12 Status: 01/29/2024 - Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 1657 (Wicks) The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2024. (Amended 03/04/2024) Link Under existing law, there are programs providing assistance for, among other things, emergency housing, multifamily housing, farmworker housing, home ownership for very low and low-income households, and downpayment assistance for first-time home buyers. Existing 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 Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2024, 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 homeownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program.
This bill would provide for submission of the bond act to the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide general election in accordance with specified law. This bill contains other related provisions. (Based on 03/04/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Position: Support
Notes: 6/21/23: EN received letter of support, tagged as support, submitted to Sen GF and Sen Housing, emailed delegation and governor's office. 7/12/23: AS me too'd in Senate Governance and Finance. 8/14/23: SG me too'd in Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1789 (Quirk-Silva) Department of Housing and Community Development. (Introduced 01/04/2024) Link
Existing law authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development, upon appropriation, to make loans or grants, or both loans and grants, to rehabilitate, capitalize operating subsidy reserves for, and extend the long-term affordability of department-funded housing projects that have an affordability restriction that has expired, that have an affordability restriction with a remaining term of less than 10 years, or are otherwise at risk of conversion to market-rate housing. This bill would also authorize the department to make those loans and grants to rehabilitate, capitalize operating subsidy reserves for, and extend the long-term affordability of housing projects that qualify as a challenged development. The bill would define “challenged development” for these purposes to mean a development that meets a specified criteria including that the development is at least 15 years old, serves households of very low income or extremely low income, and has insufficient access to private or other public resources to complete substantial rehabilitation, as determined by the department. This bill would require the department to grant priority for these loans and grants to housing projects that are department funded and have an affordability restriction that has expired or have a remaining term of less than 10 years, or are otherwise at risk for conversion. (Based on 01/04/2024 text) Status: 01/16/2024 - Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
13 Calendar: 04/10/24 A-HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 WARD, CHRISTOPHER, Chair
AB 1813 (Alanis) Senior Tenant Shallow Rental Subsidy Program of 2024: housing grants. (Introduced 01/10/2024) Link
Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to administer various housing programs, including the Multifamily Housing Program and the CalHome Program. This bill would establish the Senior Tenant Shallow Rental Subsidy Program of 2024. The bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the legislature, to establish and administer a grant program for cities and counties to provide subsidies for senior citizens at risk of homelessness. The bill would require that, of the grants awarded pursuant to the program, 50% of the funds be awarded to localities with at least 250,000 residents, and 50% be awarded to localities with less than 250,000 residents. The bill would require funds awarded through the program be obligated by no later than July 31, 2025. The bill would authorize the department to reallocate any part of an award that is not so obligated to other grantees participating in the program that meet specified requirements. The bill would require a grantee to award rental subsidies to individuals, not to exceed $500 per month for up to 18 months, based on specified requirements. The bill would establish the Senior Tenant Shallow Rental Subsidy Program of 2024 Fund in the State Treasury, and would provide moneys in the fund be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the department for use in accordance with the program. (Based on 01/10/2024 text)
Status: 01/29/2024 - Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
AB 1820 (Schiavo) Housing development projects: applications: fees and exactions. (Amended 02/20/2024) Link
Existing law requires a city or county to deem an applicant for a housing development project to have submitted a preliminary application upon providing specified information about the proposed project to the city or county from which approval for the project is being sought. Existing law requires a housing development project be subject only to the ordinances, policies, and standards adopted and in effect when the preliminary application was submitted. This bill would authorize a development proponent that submits a preliminary application for a housing development project to request a preliminary fee and exaction estimate, as defined, and would require the local agency to provide the estimate within 10 business days of the submission of the preliminary application. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/20/2024 text)
Status: 02/21/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 WARD, CHRISTOPHER, Chair
AB 1886 (Alvarez) Housing Element Law: substantial compliance: Housing Accountability Act. (Introduced 01/22/2024) Link
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. Existing law, commonly referred to as the Housing Element Law, prescribes requirements for a city’s or county’s preparation of,
14 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. If the department finds that a draft housing element or amendment does not substantially comply with the Housing Element Law, existing law requires the legislative body of the city or county to either (A) change the draft element or amendment to substantially comply with the Housing Element Law or (B) adopt the draft housing element or amendment without changes and make specified findings as to why the draft element or amendment substantially complies with the Housing Element Law despite the findings of the department. Existing law requires a planning agency to promptly submit an adopted housing element or amendment to the department and requires the department to review the adopted housing element or amendment and report its findings to the planning agency within 60 days. This bill would require a planning agency that makes the above- described findings as to why a draft housing element or amendment substantially complies with the Housing Element Law despite the findings of the department to submit those findings to the department. The bill would require the department to review those finding in its review of an adopted housing element or amendment. The bill would create a rebuttable presumption of validity for the department’s findings as to whether the adopted element or amendment substantially complies with the Housing Element Law. Because the bill would require planning agencies to submit specified findings to the department with an adopted housing element or amendment, the bill would impose a state- mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/22/2024 text)
Status: 02/05/2024 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 WARD, CHRISTOPHER, Chair
AB 1889 (Friedman) General plan: wildlife connectivity element. (Introduced 01/22/2024) Link
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires the legislative body of a city or county to adopt a comprehensive general plan that includes various elements, including land use and housing elements, as specified. This bill would require a general plan to include a wildlife connectivity element, or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, that considers the effect of development within the jurisdiction on fish, wildlife, and habitat connectivity, as specified. The bill would require the wildlife connectivity element to, among other things, identify and analyze connectivity areas, permeability, and natural landscape areas within the jurisdiction, incorporate and analyze specified guidelines and standards, incorporate and analyze relevant information from specified sources, and incorporate and analyze relevant best available science. The bill would require a city or county subject to these provisions to adopt or review the wildlife connectivity element, or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, upon the adoption or next revision of one or more elements on or after January 1, 2025. The bill would include related legislative findings and declarations. By adding to the duties of county and city officials in the administrating of their land use planning duties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/22/2024 text)
Status: 02/05/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and W., P., & W.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair
15 AB 1893 (Wicks) Housing Accountability Act: housing disapprovals: required local findings. (Introduced 01/23/2024) Link
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. Existing 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. Existing 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 unless the local agency makes written findings as to one of certain sets of conditions, as specified. One set of conditions is that (A) the jurisdiction has adopted a housing element that is in substantial compliance with the Housing Element Law, and (B) the housing development project is inconsistent with both the jurisdiction’s zoning ordinance and general plan land use designation as specified in any element of the general plan as it existed on the date the application was deemed complete. This bill would authorize a local agency to disapprove or conditionally approve a housing development project for very low, low-, or moderate-income households if it makes a finding that (A) the local agency has failed to adopt a revised housing element that is in substantial compliance with the Housing Element Law, (B) the housing development project is proposed for a site zoned for residential use or residential mixed-use development, and (C) the housing development project exceeds specified density requirements, has a density that is less than the minimum allowed by state or local law, or does not meet objective standards quantifiable, written development standards, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/23/2024 text) Status: 02/05/2024 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
AB 1932 (Ward) California Statewide Housing Plan. (Introduced 01/25/2024) Link
Existing law establishes the California Statewide Housing Plan, developed in cooperation with the private housing industry, regional and local housing and planning agencies, and other agencies of the state, to serve as a state housing plan. Existing law requires the plan to incorporate specified segments, including a review of housing assistance policies, goals, and objectives affecting the homeless. This bill would recast that provision to require the plan to incorporate, in consultation with the Interagency Council on Homelessness and utilizing data from the Homeless Data Integration system, a review of housing assistance, policies, goals, and objectives affecting people experiencing homelessness. (Based on 01/25/2024 text)
Status: 02/05/2024 - Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
AB 2023 (Quirk-Silva) Housing element: inventory of land: rebuttable presumptions. (Amended 03/21/2024) Link
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. Existing 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
16 Housing Element Law, as specified. Existing law requires the housing element to include an inventory of land suitable and available for residential development. If that inventory of sites does not identify adequate sites to accommodate the need for groups of all household income levels, as provided, existing law requires that the local government rezone sites within 3 years after the date the housing element is adopted or within one year if the local government fails to adopt a housing element that the department finds to be in substantial compliance with the Housing Element Law within 120 days of the statutory deadline to adopt the housing element. This bill, for the 7th and each subsequent revision of the housing element, would require a local government to complete the rezoning of sites within one year of the statutory deadline for the adoption of the housing element or the earlier of 3 years after the date the housing element is adopted or 90 days after receipt of comments from the department, as specified, if the local government satisfies certain requirements, including submitting a draft element or draft amendment to the department for review within specified timeframes and adopting a draft element or draft amendment that the department finds to be insubstantial compliance with the Housing Element Law, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/21/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. Read second time and amended.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 WARD, CHRISTOPHER, Chair
AB 2085 (Bauer-Kahan) Planning and zoning: ministerial approval: community clinic. (Introduced 02/05/2024) Link
The Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a housing 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. This bill would authorize a development proponent to submit to a local agency an application for a licensed community clinic that is located in a zone where office, retail, health care, or parking are a principally permitted use. The bill would make the development subject to a streamlined, ministerial approval process where the development is not subject to a conditional use permit or any other nonlegislative discretionary approval, as described. The bill would provide that a development eligible for approval pursuant to this process is not a “project” for purposes of CEQA, thereby expanding the exemption for ministerial approval of projects under CEQA. By establishing the streamlined, ministerial approval process for these developments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/05/2024 text) Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and NAT. RES.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2114 (Irwin) Building standards: exterior elevated elements: inspection. (Introduced 02/05/2024) Link
Existing law, the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, governs the management and operation of common interest developments. Existing law requires the board of an association of a condominium project to cause a visual inspection to be conducted, at least every 9 years, of the exterior
17 elevated elements for which the association has maintenance or repair responsibility. Existing law requires the inspection to be conducted by a licensed structural engineer or architect. This bill would additionally authorize a licensed civil engineer to conduct the inspection. This bill contains other related provisions. (Based on 02/05/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
AB 2430 (Alvarez) Planning and zoning: density bonuses: monitoring fees. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law, commonly referred to as the Density Bonus Law, requires a city, county, or city and county to provide a developer that proposes a housing development within the city or county with a density bonus, waivers or reductions of development standards, parking ratios, and other incentives or concessions, as specified, if the developer agrees to construct certain types of housing, including a housing development in which 100% of the units are for lower income households, except that up to 20% of the units in the development may be for moderate-income households, as specified. This bill would prohibit a city, county, or city and county from charging a monitoring fee, as defined, on those types of housing developments if certain conditions are met. The bill would provide that, beginning on January 1, 2025, any housing development that is currently placed in service, is subject to monitoring fees, and meets those conditions shall no longer be subject to those fees. By imposing new duties on local governments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text) Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 9 a.m. - State Capitol, Room 437 WARD, CHRISTOPHER, Chair
AB 2433 (Quirk-Silva) California Private Permitting Review and Inspection Act: fees: building permits. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law, the State Housing Law, establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Existing law authorizes the governing body of a county or city to prescribe fees for permits, certificates, or other forms or documents required or authorized under the State Housing Law, and fees to defray the cost of enforcement required by the law to be carried out by local enforcement agencies. This bill, the California Private Permitting Review and Inspection Act, would require a building department of the county or city to prepare a schedule of the above-described fees and post the schedule on the county or city’s internet website if the city or county prescribes the fees.
This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text) Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and H. & C.D.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2553 (Friedman) Housing development: major transit stops: vehicular traffic impact fees. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
18 Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also 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 residential projects on infill sites and transit priority projects that meet certain requirements, including a requirement that the projects are located within 1/2 mile of a major transit stop. CEQA defines “major transit stop” to include, among other locations, the intersection of 2 or more major bus routes with a frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods. This bill would revise the definition of “major transit stop” to increase the frequency of service interval to 20 minutes. The bill would additionally define “major transit stop” to include a site in an urbanized area that is being served by an on-demand transit service at least 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Because the bill would require a lead agency to make an additional determination as to whether a location is a major transit stop for purposes of determining whether residential or mixed-use residential projects are exempt from CEQA, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and H. & C.D.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2583 (Berman) School zones and walk zones. (Amended 03/12/2024) Link
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires the legislative body of a city or county to adopt a comprehensive general plan that includes various elements, including a circulation element to plan for transportation routes. This bill would require, upon any substantive revision of the circulation element on or after January 1, 2025, the legislative body of a city or county, to identify and establish school walk zones for all schools located within the scope of the general plan. The bill would define a “school walk zone” to mean all roadways and sidewalks within1/2 mile in all directions of the boundary line of a school grounds. By placing new duties on county and city officials with respect to their land use planning, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/12/2024 text) Status: 03/13/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
Calendar: 04/15/24 A-TRANSPORTATION 2:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WILSON, LORI, Chair AB 2632 (Wilson) Planning and zoning: thrift retail stores. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, requires the legislative body of 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 relates to its planning. Existing law authorizes the legislative body, if it deems it to be in the public interest, to amend all or part of an adopted general plan, as provided. Existing law also authorizes the legislative body of any county or city, pursuant to specified procedures, to adopt ordinances that, among other things, regulate the use of buildings,
19 structures, and land as between industry, business, residences, open space, and other purposes. This bill would prohibit a city, including a charter city, a county, or a city and county, from treating a thrift retail store, as defined, differently from a nonthrift retail store for purposes of zoning, development standards, or permitting. The bill would allow a city, county, or city and county to require that thrift retail stores meet certain aesthetic or design standards, as prescribed. The bill would prohibit a city, including a charter city, a county, or a city and county, from prohibiting a thrift retail store from receiving used and donated items for sale in the store or other thrift retail stores, or reuse or recycling, or both reuse and recycling, through other means. By imposing additional duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
AB 2712 (Friedman) Preferential parking privileges: transit-oriented development. (Amended 03/21/2024) Link
Existing law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to prohibit or restrict the stopping, parking, or standing of vehicles on certain streets or highways during all or certain hours of the day.
Existing law authorizes the ordinance or resolution to include a designation of certain streets upon which preferential parking privileges are given to residents and merchants adjacent to the streets for their use and the use of their guests, under which the residents and merchants may be issued permits that exempt them from the prohibition or restriction of the ordinance or resolution.Existing law prohibits a public agency from imposing any minimum automobile parking requirement on any residential, commercial, or other development project that is located within 1/2 mile of public transit, as defined, unless the public agency makes written findings that not imposing or enforcing minimum automobile parking requirements on the development would have a substantially negative impact on, among other things, the city’s, county’s, or city and county’s ability to meet its share of the regional housing need for low- and very low income households.This bill, for a residential, commercial, or other development project that is exempt from minimum automobile parking requirements and located within a preferential parking area, would require the development project to be excluded from the boundaries of the preferential parking area and would prohibit the local authority, as defined, from issuing any permit to the residents, vendors, or visitors of the development project that grants preferential parking privileges. The bill would also authorize a local authority to issue permits to residents, vendors, and visitors of the development project that is within the boundaries of a preferential parking area if the local authority makes written findings that including the development project would not have a substantially negative impact on the preferential parking area, as specified.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 03/21/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2729 (Patterson, Joe) Residential fees and charges. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
20 Existing law prohibits a local agency that imposes fees or charges on a residential development for the construction of public improvements or facilities from requiring the payment of those fees or charges until the date of the final inspection or the date the certificate of occupancy is issued, whichever occurs first, except that the payment may be required sooner if the local agency determines that the fees or charges will be collected for public improvements or facilities for which an account has been established and funds appropriated and for which the local agency has adopted a proposed construction schedule or plan prior to final inspection or issuance of the certificate of occupancy, or if the fees or charges are to reimburse the local agency for expenditures previously made. This bill would delete the above-described authorization for a local agency to require payment of fees or charges prior to the date of final inspection or issuance of the certificate of occupancy, whichever occurs first. (Based on 02/15/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and H. & C.D.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2881 (Lee) The Social Housing Act. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development and sets forth its powers and duties. Existing law creates a housing authority in each county or city, which functions upon the adoption of a specified resolution by the relevant governing body. Existing law authorizes these housing authorities, within their jurisdictions, to construct, reconstruct, improve, alter, or repair all or part of any housing project. Existing law establishes various programs that provide housing assistance.
This bill would enact the Social Housing Act and would create the California Housing Authority as an independent state body, the mission of which would be to ensure that social housing developments that are produced and acquired align with the goals of eliminating the gap between housing production and regional housing needs assessment targets and preserving affordable housing. The bill would prescribe a definition of social housing that would describe, in addition to housing owned by the authority, housing owned by other entities, as specified, provided that all social housing developed or authorized by the authority would be owned by the authority. This bill would prescribe the composition of the California Housing Authority Board, which would govern the authority, and which would be composed of appointed members and members who would be elected by residents of social housing developments, as specified. The bill would set forth the powers and duties of the authority and the board. The bill would require the authority to seek to achieve revenue neutrality, as defined, and would require the authority to seek to recuperate the cost of development and operations over the life of its properties through mechanisms that maximize the number of Californians who can be housed without experiencing rent burden. This bill contains other related provisions. (Based on 02/15/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
AB 2904 (Quirk-Silva) Zoning ordinances: notice. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
Existing law requires the planning commission to hold a public hearing on any zoning ordinance or an amendment to a zoning ordinance that changes any property from one zone to another. Existing law, if the proposed ordinance or amendment to a zoning ordinance affects the permitted uses of real property, requires notice of the hearing to be, among other things, mailed or delivered at least 10 days prior to the hearing to the owner of the subject real property, as specified. This bill would instead require notice of the planning commission’s hearing on a proposed zoning ordinance or amendment to a
21 zoning ordinance, if the proposed ordinance or amendment to a zoning ordinance affects the permitted uses of real property, to be mailed or delivered at least 60 days before the hearing to the owner of each property subject to the proposed zoning ordinance or amendment to a zoning ordinance, as specified.
The bill would require the notice to include details describing the zoning ordinance or the changes made by the amendment to the zoning ordinance, the reasons for adopting the zoning ordinance or amendment to a zoning ordinance, and information describing how property owners can participate in public hearings. The bill would require this notice to also be posted on the local government’s internet website. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/15/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
AB 2909 (Santiago) Historical property contracts: qualified historical property: adaptive reuse. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
Existing law authorizes an owner of any qualified historical property to contract with the legislative body of a city, county, or city and county to restrict the use of the property, as specified, in exchange for lowered assessment values. Existing law defines “qualified historical property” as privately owned property that is not exempt from property taxation and is either listed in the National Register of Historic Places or located in a registered historic district, as defined, or listed in any state, city, county, or city and county official register of historical or architecturally significant sites, places, or landmarks. This bill, starting January 1, 2026, and until January 1, 2036, would additionally define as “qualified historical property” a privately owned property that is not exempt from property taxation that was constructed at least 30 years prior to the year a legislative body and property owner enter into a contract to restrict the use of the property, as specified, and that is located on a site that satisfies certain criteria, including, among others, being in a zone where office, retail, or parking are a principally permitted use. The bill would require a contract entered into to restrict the use of that qualified historical property to require adaptive reuse of the qualified historical property. The bill would also update an obsolete cross- reference. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/15/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and H. & C.D.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 3057 (Wilson) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: junior accessory dwelling units ordinances. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also 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 the adoption of an ordinance by a city or county to issue a zoning variance, special use permit, or conditional use permit for a dwelling unit to be constructed, or which is attached to or detached from, a primary residence on a parcel zoned for a single-family residence, as provided, or to provide for the creation of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned to allow single-family or multifamily dwelling residential use. This bill would expand the above CEQA exemption to include the adoption of an
22 ordinance by a city or county to provide for the creation of junior accessory dwelling units in single- family residential zones. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and H. & C.D.
Calendar: 04/08/24 A-NATURAL RESOURCES 2:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 BRYAN, ISAAC, Chair AB 3086 (Santiago) General plan: annual report: housing units. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development of the city or county that includes, among other elements, a housing element. That law requires the housing element to include, among other things, an identification and analysis of existing and projected housing needs. That law requires the city or county to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to, among other entities, the Department of Housing and Community Development that includes, among other specified information, the number of units of housing demolished and new units of housing that have been issued a completed entitlement, a building permit, or a certificate of occupancy.
This bill would additionally require the city or county to include in the annual report the number of units in the city or county with long-term affordable covenants or restrictions that expired in the prior year and the number of units in the city or county subject to a local rent control or any form of rent or price control that were withdrawn from rent or lease. By requiring a city or county to include additional information in the annual report, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
AB 3122 (Kalra) Streamlined housing approvals: objective planning standards. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a multifamily housing development that is subject to a streamlined, ministerial approval process, as provided, and not subject to a conditional use permit, if the development satisfies specified objective planning standards, including, among others, that the development proponent has committed to record, prior to the issuance of the first building permit, a land use restriction or covenant providing that any lower or moderate-income housing units required remain available at affordable housing costs or rent to persons and families of lower or moderate income, as specified. Existing law authorizes a development proponent to request a modification to a development that has been approved under the streamlined, ministerial approval process if that request is submitted to the local government before the issuance of the final building permit. Existing law authorizes a local government to apply objective planning standards adopted after the development application was first submitted to the requested modification if the development is revised such that (1) the total number of residential units or total square footage of construction changes by 15% or more or (2) the development is revised such that the total number of residential units or total square footage of construction changes by 5% or more and it is necessary to impose an objective standard beyond those in effect when the development application was submitted in order to mitigate or avoid a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety.
This bill would instead authorize a local government to apply objective planning standards adopted after the development application was first submitted to the requested modification if the development is revised such that (1) the total square footage of construction increases by 15% or more or the total number of residential units decreases by 15% or more or (2) the total square footage of construction
23 increases by 5% or more or the total number of residential units decreases by 5% or more and it is necessary to impose an objective standard beyond those in effect when the development application was submitted in order to mitigate or avoid a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety.
By reducing the ability of a local government to impose objective planning standards adopted after the development application was first submitted when reviewing a requested modification, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
AB 3177 (Carrillo, Wendy) Mitigation Fee Act: land dedications: mitigating vehicular traffic impacts. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law, the Mitigation Fee Act, imposes various requirements with respect to the establishment, increase, or imposition of a fee by a local agency as a condition of approval of a development project.
Existing 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 the fee to reflect a lower rate of automobile trip generation if the housing development satisfies specified characteristics, including that the housing development is located within a 1/2 mile of a transit station. Existing law defines transit station for these purposes to mean a rail or light-rail station, ferry terminal, bus hub, or bus transfer station. This bill would instead require the housing development to be located within a 1/2 mile of a transit priority area for purposes of a local agency setting the rate for a mitigating vehicular traffic impacts fee to reflect a lower rate of automobile trip generation. The bill would define “transit priority area” as an area within 1/2 mile of a major transit stop that is existing or planned, if the planned stop is scheduled to be completed within the planning horizon included in a Transportation Improvement Program or applicable regional transportation plan. The bill would also prohibit local agency from imposing a land dedication requirement, as defined, on a housing development for the purpose of mitigating vehicular traffic impacts or achieving an adopted level of service related to vehicular traffic. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
SB 7 (Blakespear) Planning and zoning: annual report: housing for extremely low income households. (Amended 01/22/2024) Link
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. That law requires the planning agency of a city or county to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to, among other entities, the Department of Housing and Community Development. The law requires that the annual report include, among other specified information, the number of net new units of housing, including both rental housing and for-sale housing, that have been issued a completed entitlement, building permit, or certificate of occupancy, and the income category, by area median income, that each unit of housing satisfies, as specified. This bill would revise and recast these provisions to specify that the income category includes extremely low income households, as defined. By requiring cities and counties to include additional information in their annual reports, the bill would impose a state- mandated local program. (Based on 01/22/2024 text)
24 Status: 01/29/2024 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 32. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly.
Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 834 (Portantino) Vehicles: preferential parking: residential, commercial, or other development project. (Amended 02/22/2024) Link
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 land use element, and a conservation element.
Existing law also authorizes the legislative body of a city or a county to adopt ordinances establishing requirements for parking, and permits variances to be granted from the parking requirements of a zoning ordinance for nonresidential development if the variance will be an incentive to the development and the variance will facilitate access to the development by patrons of public transit facilities. Existing law prohibits a public agency from imposing any minimum automobile parking requirement on any residential, commercial, or other development project, as defined, that is located within 1/2 mile of public transit, as defined. Existing law, notwithstanding the above-described prohibition, authorizes a city, county, or city and county to impose or enforce minimum automobile parking requirements on a housing development project if specified conditions are met. Existing law authorizes a local authority to authorize preferential parking for designated groups to park on specified streets if the local authority determines that use of the permits will not adversely affect parking conditions for residents and merchants in the area. This bill would prohibit a local authority from issuing any permit conferring preferential parking privileges to any residents or vendors of any developments within 1/2 mile of public transit and exempt from parking minimums. The bill would require the local authority to revise the boundaries of any such preferential parking district to exclude those developments from its boundaries.
The bill would make related findings and declarations, and state that it is the intent of the Legislature to discourage car use by incentivizing development near public transit. The bill finds that reducing greenhouse gases and dependence on car use is a matter of statewide concern and not a municipal affair, and this bill applies to all cities, including charter cities. By changing the duties of local planning officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 02/22/2024 text) Status: 02/29/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
SB 937 (Wiener) Development projects: permits and other entitlements: fees and charges. (Introduced 01/17/2024) Link
The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for its physical development, and the development of specified land outside its boundaries, that includes, among other mandatory elements, a housing element. Existing law, the Permit Streamlining Act, among other things, requires a public agency that is the lead agency for a development project to approve or disapprove that project within specified time periods. Existing law extended by 18 months the period for the expiration, effectuation, or utilization of a housing entitlement, as defined, that was issued before, and was in effect on, March 4, 2020, and that would expire before December 31, 2021, except as specified. Existing law provides that if the state or a local agency extended the otherwise applicable time for the expiration, effectuation, or utilization of a housing entitlement for not less than 18 months, as specified, that housing entitlement would not be extended an additional 18 months pursuant to these provisions. This bill would extend by 18 months the period for the expiration, effectuation, or utilization of a housing entitlement, as defined, that was issued before January 1, 2024, and that will expire before December 31, 2025, except as specified. The
25 bill would toll this 18-month extension during any time that the housing entitlement is the subject of a legal challenge. By adding to the duties of local officials with respect to housing entitlements, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/17/2024 text)
Status: 03/15/2024 - Set for hearing April 3.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO, MARIA ELENA, Chair
SB 1055 (Min) Accessory dwelling units: regional housing need. (Introduced 02/08/2024) Link
Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with each council of governments, to determine each region’s existing and projected housing need, as provided. Existing law requires each council of governments, or the department for cities and counties without a council of governments, to adopt a final regional housing need plan that allocates a share of the regional housing need to each city, county, or city and county and that furthers specified objectives.
Existing law requires the planning agency of a city or county to provide an annual report to its legislative body, the Office of Planning and Research, and the Department of Housing and Community Development by April 1 of each year that includes, among other information, the city’s or county’s progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs, as described. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, authorizes a local agency, by ordinance or ministerial approval, to provide for the creation of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned for residential use, as specified. Existing law authorizes a local agency to impose standards on accessory dwelling units that include, but are not limited to, parking, height, setback, landscape, architectural review, and maximum size of a unit. Existing law prohibits a local agency from establishing height limitations for accessory dwelling units, including height limitations that would prohibit attached accessory dwelling units from attaining a height of 25 feet, as specified.
This bill would prohibit a qualifying local agency from imposing height limitations that would prohibit an attached accessory dwelling unit from attaining a height of 16 feet, as specified. The bill would define “qualifying local agency” as a local agency that the Department of Housing and Community Development has determined that the number of housing units that have been entitled by the local agency, as shown on its most recent annual progress report, is greater than the local agency’s share of the regional housing need, for the low- and very low income categories, prorated for that annual reporting period. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/08/2024 text) Status: 03/13/2024 - March 19 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
SB 1134 (Caballero) Surplus land. (Amended 03/18/2024) Link
Existing law provides for the disposal of land owned by a local agency that is surplus and is not necessary for the agency’s use. The local agency is required to declare the land either “surplus land” or “exempt surplus land,” as prescribed. Existing law sets forth procedures for the disposal of surplus land and provides that these procedures do not apply to exempt surplus land. Existing law, for prescribed surplus land parcels developed with residential units, requires minimum percentages of residential units developed on the parcel to be sold or rented at affordable housing cost or affordable rent.This bill, with regard to surplus land, would require each parcel of land to be considered a distinct unit of surplus land,
26 with the exception of contiguous parcels that are disposed of simultaneously to the same receiving entity or any entity working in concert with another receiving entity, which parcels the bill would require to be treated as a single unit of land. (Based on 03/18/2024 text) Status: 03/18/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on RLS.
SB 1212 (Skinner) Investment entities: purchasing and acquisition interests in housing. (Amended 03/19/2024) Link
Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state and the property is public, or the owner is an individual and the property is private. This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, would prohibit an investment entity, as defined, from purchasing or acquiring an interest, as defined, in a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or 2 residential units within this state. The bill would provide that a purchase or acquisition of an interest in housing in violation of this prohibition is void. The bill would define “investment entity” as a real estate investment trust or an entity that manages funds pooled from investors and owes a fiduciary duty to those investors. The bill would exempt nonprofit organizations, entities primarily engaged in the construction of housing, and governmental entities from the definition of “investment entity.” The bill would absolve a seller of housing from liability under these provisions if the seller obtains a written release signed by the buyer stating that the buyer is not an investment entity. (Based on 03/19/2024 text) Status: 03/19/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on JUD.
SB 1438 (Niello) Housing First: sober housing. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness to oversee the implementation of Housing First guidelines and regulations, and, among other things, identify resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. Existing law requires a state agency or department that funds, implements, or administers a state program that provides housing or housing-related services to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness to revise or adopt guidelines and regulations to include enumerated Housing First policies. Existing law specifies the core components of Housing First, including prohibiting the use of alcohol or drugs, in and of itself, without other lease violations, from constituting a reason for eviction.
This bill would provide an exception to that prohibition, authorizing a tenant’s eviction based upon the use of drugs or alcohol, without other lease violations, when children are housed in the same location. (Based on 02/16/2024 text)
Status: 02/29/2024 - Referred to Coms. on HOUSING and JUD.
Calendar: 04/02/24 S-HOUSING 1:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 SKINNER, NANCY, Chair SB 1439 (Ashby) Surplus Land Act: exempt surplus land: health facilities. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law prescribes requirements for the disposal of surplus land by a local agency. Existing law defines “surplus land” for these purposes to mean land owned in fee simple by any local agency for
27 which the local agency’s governing body takes formal action in a regular public meeting declaring that the land is surplus and is not necessary for the agency’s use. Existing law provides that an agency is not required to follow the requirements for the disposal of surplus land for “exempt surplus land,” except as provided. Existing law defines “exempt surplus land” to include certain types of land, including surplus land that the local agency is exchanging for another property necessary for the agency’s use. This bill would define “exempt surplus land” to include land that is being or will be developed for a health facility, as defined and specified. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 02/29/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Open Meetings and Transparency
AB 817 (Pacheco) Open meetings: teleconferencing: subsidiary body. (Amended 01/17/2024) Link Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires, with specified exceptions, each legislative body of a local agency to provide notice of the time and place for its regular meetings and an agenda containing a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted. The act also requires that all meetings of a legislative body be open and public, and that all persons be permitted to attend unless a closed session is authorized. 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. Existing 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. Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a local agency to use alternate teleconferencing provisions during a proclaimed state of emergency (emergency provisions) and, until January 1, 2026, in certain circumstances related to the particular member if at least a quorum of its members participate from a singular physical location that is open to the public and situated within the agency’s jurisdiction and other requirements are met (nonemergency provisions). Existing law imposes different requirements for notice, agenda, and public participation, as prescribed, when a legislative body is using alternate teleconferencing provisions. The nonemergency provisions impose restrictions on remote participation by a member of the legislative body and require the legislative body to specific means by which the public may remotely hear and visually observe the meeting. This bill, until January 1, 2026, would authorize a subsidiary body, as defined, to use similar alternative teleconferencing provisions and would impose requirements for notice, agenda, and public participation, as prescribed. In order to use teleconferencing pursuant to this act, the bill would require the legislative body that established the subsidiary body by charter, ordinance, resolution, or other formal action to make specified findings by majority vote, before the subsidiary body uses teleconferencing for the first time and every 12 months thereafter. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/17/2024 text)
Status: 01/25/2024 - Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 54. Noes 8.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 2095 (Maienschein) Publication: newspapers of general circulation. (Amended 03/13/2024) Link
28 Existing law requires various types of notices to be provided in a “newspaper of general circulation,” as that term is defined, in accordance with certain prescribed publication periods and legal requirements.
Existing law requires a newspaper of general circulation to meet certain criteria, including publication, a bonafide subscription list of paying subscribers, and printing and publishing at regular intervals in the state, county, or city where publication is to be given. This bill would require any public notice that is legally required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be published in the newspaper’s print publication, on the newspaper’s internet website or electronic newspaper available on the internet, and on a statewide internet website maintained as a repository for notices by a majority of California newspapers of general circulation, as specified. The bill would permit a newspaper that does not maintain its own internet website to satisfy these notice requirements by publishing the notice on a statewide internet website and referencing the statewide internet website in its print publication notice. The bill would provide that certain internet website operator errors or temporary outages or service interruptions resulting in an error in the legal notice published do not constitute a defect in publication, if the legal notice appears correctly in the newspaper’s print publication and satisfies all other legal notice requirements. The bill would prohibit a newspaper from charging any fee or surcharge specifically to access public notices on their internet website, except as specified. The bill would also require a state or local agency that maintains an internet website and publishes a public notice to include a reasonably accessible link on its internet website to the statewide internet website, currently capublicnotice.com, where the public notice will appear. By imposing new duties on local government agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/13/2024 text) Status: 03/19/2024 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (March 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 2302 (Addis) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. (Introduced 02/12/2024) Link
Existing law, 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. Existing 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. The act provides an exemption to the jurisdictional requirement for health authorities, as defined. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, authorizes the legislative body of a local agency to use alternative teleconferencing in specified circumstances if, during the teleconference meeting, at least a quorum of the 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. Existing law imposes prescribed restrictions on remote participation by a member under these alternative teleconferencing provisions, including establishing limits on the number of meetings a member may participate in solely by teleconference from a remote location, prohibiting such participation for a period of more than 3 consecutive months or 20% of the regular meetings for the local agency within a calendar year, or more than 2 meetings if the legislative body regularly meets fewer than 10 times per calendar year. This bill would revise those limits, instead prohibiting such participation for more than a specified number of meetings per year, based on how frequently the legislative body regularly meets. The bill, for the purpose of counting meetings attended by
29 teleconference, would define a “meeting” as any number of meetings of the legislative body of a local agency that begin on the same calendar day. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/12/2024 text)
Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2715 (Boerner) Ralph M. Brown Act: closed sessions. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, generally requires that all meetings of a legislative body of a local agency be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and participate. Existing law authorizes a legislative body to hold a closed session on, among other things, matters posing a threat to the security of essential public services, as specified. This bill would additionally authorize a closed session to consider or evaluate matters related to cybersecurity, as specified, provided that any action taken on those matters is done in open session. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Public Safety and EMS
AB 1772 (Ramos) Theft. (Amended 02/01/2024) Link
Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, defines and prohibits an act of shoplifting and prohibits prosecution for an act of shoplifting under any other law. Existing law defines shoplifting as entering a commercial establishment with intent to commit larceny while the establishment is open during regular business hours. This bill would revise the definition of shoplifting to require an intent to steal retail property or merchandise. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/01/2024 text)
Status: 02/05/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
AB 1779 (Irwin) Theft: jurisdiction. (Amended 03/11/2024) Link
Existing law defines types of theft, including petty theft, grand theft, and shoplifting. Existing law also defines the crimes of robbery and burglary. Existing law sets forth specific rules relating to the jurisdiction for the prosecution of theft by fraud, organized retail theft, and receiving stolen property, including that the jurisdiction for prosecution includes the county where an offense involving the theft or receipt of the stolen merchandise occurred, the county in which the merchandise was recovered, or the county where any act was done by the defendant in instigating, procuring, promoting, or aiding or abetting in the commission of a theft offense or other qualifying offense. Existing law jurisdictionally limits prosecution of each of the above to criminal actions brought by the Attorney General. This bill would no longer limit the jurisdictional rules for the above crimes to criminal actions brought by the Attorney General. If a case is brought by someone other than the Attorney General, the bill would
30 require the prosecution to present written evidence in the jurisdiction of the proposed trial that all district attorneys in counties with jurisdiction over the offenses agree to the venue. The bill would require charged offenses from jurisdictions where there is not a written agreement from the district attorney to be returned to that jurisdiction. (Based on 03/11/2024 text) Status: 03/12/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
AB 1794 (McCarty) Crimes. (Introduced 01/04/2024) Link
Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted as an initiative statute by Proposition 47, as approved by the electors at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, makes the theft of money, labor, or property petty theft punishable as a misdemeanor, whenever the value of the property taken does not exceed $950. Under existing law, if the value of the property taken exceeds $950, the theft is grand theft, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. Proposition 47 requires shoplifting, defined as entering a commercial establishment with the intent to commit larceny if the value of the property taken does not exceed $950, to be punished as a misdemeanor. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to theft. (Based on 01/04/2024 text) Status: 01/05/2024 - From printer. May be heard in committee February 4.
Notes: Note: This bill is part of the Assembly’s Public Safety Retail Theft Package and an intent bill.
AB 1802 (Jones-Sawyer) Crimes: organized theft. (Introduced 01/08/2024) Link
Existing law, until January 1, 2026, makes a person guilty of organized retail theft, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony, as specified, if the person acts in concert with one or more persons to steal merchandise from one or more merchant’s premises or online marketplaces with the intent to sell or return the merchandise for value, acts in concert with 2 or more persons to receive, purchase, or possess merchandise knowing or believing it to have been stolen, acts as an agent of another to steal merchandise from one or more merchant’s premises or online marketplaces as part of an organized plan to commit theft, or recruits, coordinates, organizes, supervises, directs, manages, or finances another to undertake acts of theft. This bill would extend the operation of the crime of organized retail theft until January 1, 2031. By extending the operation of an existing crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/08/2024 text)
Status: 01/22/2024 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
AB 1990 (Carrillo, Wendy) Criminal procedure: arrests: shoplifting. (Amended 03/18/2024) Link
Existing law prohibits shoplifting, defined as entering a commercial establishment with intent to commit theft while that establishment is open during regular business hours, where the value of the property that is taken or intended to be taken does not exceed $950. Existing law requires an act that falls within this definition to be charged as shoplifting and not as burglary or theft. Under existing law, shoplifting is punishable as a misdemeanor, except when the defendant has prior convictions, as specified. Existing law authorizes a peace officer to make a warrantless arrest for a misdemeanor when the officer has probable cause to believe the person to be arrested has committed the misdemeanor in the officer’s presence. Existing law also authorizes a private person to make an arrest for a misdemeanor committed
31 in their presence, and requires the person to deliver the arrested person to a peace officer or magistrate. Existing law additionally authorizes a merchant to detain a person for a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner to determine if a person has unlawfully taken merchandise. Existing law authorizes a peace officer to make a warrantless arrest for specified misdemeanors relating to domestic violence, violation of a restraining order, and carrying a concealed firearm at an airport that did not occur in the officer’s presence. This bill would authorize a peace officer to make a warrantless arrest for a misdemeanor shoplifting offense not committed in the officer’s presence if the officer has probable cause to believe that person has committed shoplifting. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/18/2024 text)
Status: 03/19/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
AB 2042 (Jackson) Police canines: standards and training. (Amended 03/21/2024) Link
Existing law requires all law enforcement agencies to maintain a use of force policy, as specified, and requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to implement courses of instruction for the training of law enforcement officers in the use of force. This bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2026, to develop standards and training guidelines, as specified, for the use of canines by law enforcement. The bill would require each law enforcement agency in California, on or before January 1, 2027, to adopt a policy for the use of canines that, at a minimum, complies with the standards developed by the commission, and to require regular and periodic training for all canines and canine handlers that covers, at a minimum, the training guidelines developed by the commission.
Because the bill would impose additional requirements on local law enforcement agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/21/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S. From committee chair, with author's amendments:
Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.
AB 2438 (Petrie-Norris) Property crimes: enhancements. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law makes a person guilty of organized retail theft if, among other things, the person acts in concert with one or more persons to steal merchandise from one or more merchant’s premises or online marketplace with the intent to sell, exchange, or return the merchandise for value. Under existing law, these crimes are punishable as either misdemeanors or felonies, as specified. Existing law requires that a court dismiss an enhancement if it is in the furtherance of justice to do so, as specified. This bill would, notwithstanding the limitations on imposing an enhancement, make any person who acts in concert with 2 or more persons to take, attempt to take, damage, or destroy any property in the commission or attempted commission of a felony punishable by an additional and consecutive term of imprisonment of one, 2, or 3 years. By creating a new enhancement, this bill would impose a state- mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text)
Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
AB 2943 (Zbur) Crimes: shoplifting. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
32 Existing law divides theft into grand theft and petty theft. Existing law punishes petty theft as a misdemeanor while grand theft is punished as either a misdemeanor or a felony. Existing law lists specific types of theft which are grand theft and all other cases of theft as petty theft. Existing law authorizes a person to be charged with grand theft if the property taken exceeds $950 over the course of distinct but related acts. This bill would clarify that those related acts include acts committed against multiple victims or in counties other than the county of the current offense. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/15/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
AB 3241 (Pacheco) Law enforcement: police canines. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law requires all law enforcement agencies to maintain a use of force policy, as specified, and requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to implement courses of instruction for the training of law enforcement officers in the use of force. This bill would require the commission to adopt uniform, minimum guidelines regarding the use of canines by law enforcement, including legal standards established by the bill, and to certify courses of training for all law enforcement canine handlers and those law enforcement supervisors directly overseeing canine programs, as specified. The bill would require, on or before July 1, 2025, each law enforcement agency to maintain a policy for the use of canines by the agency that, at a minimum, complies with the guidelines adopted by POST, and would require law enforcement agencies to establish a training regimen that includes a course certified by the commission. Because the bill would impose additional duties on local law enforcement agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text) Status: 03/11/2024 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
SB 21 (Umberg) Controlled substances. (Amended 01/17/2024) Link
Existing law makes it a crime to possess for sale or purchase for purpose of sale, transport, or sell, various controlled substances, including, among others, fentanyl. This bill would require a person who is convicted of, or who pleads guilty or no contest to, the above-described crimes as they relate to fentanyl to receive a written advisory of the danger of distribution of controlled substances and that, if a person dies as a result of that action, the distributor can be charged with homicide or murder. The bill would require that the fact the advisory was given be on the record and recorded on the abstract of the conviction. This bill would authorize a defendant who is charged with the above-described crimes to undergo a treatment program in lieu of a grant of probation or a jail or prison sentence if certain conditions are met. The bill would require the treatment program to be developed by a drug addiction expert and would authorize a defendant to participate in a substance abuse and mental health evaluation. The bill would make any statement or information from the evaluation inadmissible in any action or proceeding. The bill would require the drug treatment program to be approved by the court and could include mental health treatment and job training. The bill would require the court to dismiss the charges upon successful completion of the treatment program. (Based on 01/17/2024 text) Status: 01/17/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on APPR.
SB 905 (Wiener) Crimes: theft from a vehicle. (Amended 03/18/2024) Link
33 Existing law defines the crime of burglary to include entering a vehicle when the doors are locked with the intent to commit grand or petit larceny or a felony. Existing law makes the burglary of a vehicle punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony.This bill would make forcibly entering a vehicle, as defined, with the intent to commit a theft therein a crime punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed one year or imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/18/2024 text) Status: 03/18/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on PUB S.
Calendar: 04/02/24 S-PUBLIC SAFETY 8:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 WAHAB, AISHA, Chair SB 923 (Archuleta) Theft. (Amended 03/18/2024) Link
Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, defines and prohibits an act of shoplifting and prohibits prosecution for an act of shoplifting under any other law. Existing law defines shoplifting as entering a commercial establishment with intent to commit larceny while the establishment is open during regular business hours.This bill would revise the definition of shoplifting to require an intent to steal retail property or merchandise. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/18/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - April 2 hearing postponed by committee.
Calendar: 04/16/24 S-PUBLIC SAFETY 8:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 WAHAB, AISHA, Chair SB 926 (Wahab) Crimes: distribution of intimate images. (Amended 03/20/2024) Link
Existing law defines certain acts as disorderly conduct, punishable as a misdemeanor. Under existing law, it is disorderly conduct to intentionally distribute or cause to be distributed the image of the intimate body part or parts of another identifiable person, or an image of the person depicted engaged in an act of sexual intercourse, sodomy, oral copulation, sexual penetration, or an image of masturbation by the person depicted or in which the person depicted participates, under circumstances in which the persons agree or understand that the image shall remain private, the person distributing the image knows or should know that distribution of the image will cause serious emotional distress, and the person depicted suffers that distress. This bill would additionally make it a misdemeanor to intentionally distribute or cause to be distributed an image created or altered through digitization depicting the intimate body part or parts of another identifiable person, or depicting the person depicted engaged in an act of sexual intercourse, sodomy, oral copulation, sexual penetration, or depicting masturbation by the person depicted or in which the person depicted participates, that the person distributing the image knows or should know that the person depicted did not consent to the distribution and that the distribution of the image will cause serious emotional distress, and the person depicted suffers that distress. (Based on 03/20/2024 text) Status: 03/21/2024 - Withdrawn from committee. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
SB 982 (Wahab) Crimes: organized theft. (Amended 03/05/2024) Link
34 Existing law, until January 1, 2026, makes a person guilty of organized retail theft, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony, as specified, if the person acts in concert with one or more persons to steal merchandise from one or more merchant’s premises or online marketplaces with the intent to sell or return the merchandise for value, acts in concert with 2 or more persons to receive, purchase, or possess merchandise knowing or believing it to have been stolen, acts as an agent of another to steal merchandise from one or more merchant’s premises or online marketplaces as part of an organized plan to commit theft, or recruits, coordinates, organizes, supervises, directs, manages, or finances another to undertake acts of theft. This bill would extend the operation of the crime of organized retail theft indefinitely. By extending the operation of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/05/2024 text)
Status: 03/12/2024 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (March 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
SB 1381 (McGuire) Property crimes: regional property crimes task force. (Amended 03/20/2024) Link
Existing law, until January 1, 2026, requires the Department of the California Highway Patrol to coordinate with the Department of Justice to convene a regional property crimes task force to identify geographic areas experiencing increased levels of property crimes, including, among other property crimes, organized retail theft and vehicle burglary, and assist local law enforcement with resources, such as personnel and equipment. This bill would include the sale of stolen goods as a property crime to be considered in the identification of geographic areas experiencing increased levels of property crimes. (Based on 03/20/2024 text)
Status: 03/20/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on PUB S.
Revenue and Taxation
AB 2061 (Wilson) Sales and Use Tax: exemptions: zero-emission public transportation ferries. (Introduced 02/01/2024) Link
Existing sales and use tax laws impose a tax on retailers measured by the gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state, or on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state. Those laws provide various exemptions from those taxes. This bill, beginning January 1, 2025, and until January 1, 2030, would exempt from those taxes the gross receipts from the sale in this state of, and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, zero-emission public transportation ferries, as defined, sold to a public agency, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/01/2024 text)
Status: 03/11/2024 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to REV. & TAX. suspense file.
AB 2274 (Dixon) Taxation: sales and use taxes: exemption: school supplies tax holiday. (Amended 03/21/2024) Link
35 Existing sales and use tax laws impose taxes on retailers measured by the gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state, or on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state, and provides various exemptions from the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, would exempt from those taxes the gross receipts from the sale of, and the storage, use, or other consumption of, qualified school supplies, as defined, purchased during the first weekend in August, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/21/2024 text) Status: 03/21/2024 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. Read second time and amended.
Calendar: 04/01/24 A-REVENUE AND TAXATION 2:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 126 IRWIN, JACQUI, Chair
AB 2482 (Papan) County treasurer: settlement of accounts. (Amended 03/21/2024) Link
Existing law requires a county treasurer to receive and keep safely all moneys belonging to the county and all other moneys directed by law to be paid to the county treasurer, and to apply and pay those moneys out, rendering the account as required by law. Existing law requires the county treasurer to settle the county treasurer’s accounts relating to the collection, care, and disbursement of public revenue with the auditor no less frequently than monthly. Existing law additionally requires the county treasurer, upon the request of the auditor, to provide a settlement of cash receipts and disbursements of the prior calendar month to the auditor on or before 10 business days after the treasurer receives the auditor’s request. This bill would instead require the treasurer, upon the request of the auditor, to provide a settlement of cash receipts and disbursements of the prior calendar month to the auditor on or before 12 business days after the treasurer receives the auditor’s request. (Based on 03/21/2024 text)
Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV. From committee chair, with author's amendments:
Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.
AB 2616 (Lee) Personal income tax: mortgage interest deduction. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
The Personal Income Tax Law allows various deductions in computing the income that is subject to the taxes imposed by that law, including, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, a deduction for a limited amount of interest paid on acquisition indebtedness, as defined, with respect to a qualified residence of the taxpayer. Existing law limits the aggregate amount treated as acquisition indebtedness for these purposes to $1,000,000, or $500,000 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return. Existing law specifies for these purposes that a qualified residence includes the taxpayer’s principal residence and one other residence selected by the taxpayer, as provided. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, would disallow the deduction of acquisition indebtedness with respect to a qualified residence of a taxpayer other than the principal residence. This bill would require the Franchise Tax Board, in consultation with the Department of Finance, to estimate the amount of additional revenue resulting from the above-described modifications made with respect to the calculation of taxable income under the Personal Income Tax Law by this bill and to notify the Controller of that amount, as provided. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
36 Status: 02/15/2024 - From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
SB 1072 (Padilla) Local government: Proposition 218: remedies. (Introduced 02/12/2024) Link The California Constitution sets forth various requirements for the imposition of local taxes. The California Constitution excludes from classification as a tax assessments and property-related fees imposed in accordance with provisions of the California Constitution that establish requirements for those assessments and property-related fees. Under these requirements, an assessment is prohibited from being imposed on any parcel if it exceeds the reasonable cost of the proportional special benefit conferred on that parcel, and a fee or charge imposed on any parcel or person as an incident of property ownership is prohibited from exceeding the proportional cost of the service attributable to the parcel.
Existing law, known as the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act, prescribes specific procedures and parameters for local compliance with the requirements of the California Constitution for assessments and property-related fees. This bill would require, if a property-related fee or charge creates revenues in excess of the local government’s reasonable cost of providing the specific benefit or specific government service, that the excess revenues be used only to reduce the subsequently adopted and following property-related fee or charge. The bill would declare that this provision is declaratory of existing law. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/12/2024 text) Status: 02/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
SB 1164 (Newman) Property taxation: new construction exclusion: accessory dwelling units. (Introduced 02/14/2024) Link
The California Constitution generally limits ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property. For purposes of this limitation, “full cash value” is defined as the assessor’s valuation of real property as shown on the 1975–76 tax bill under “full cash value” or, thereafter, the appraised value of that real property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change in ownership has occurred.This bill would exclude from classification as “newly constructed” and “new construction” the construction of an accessory dwelling unit, as defined, until 15 years have passed since construction on the accessory dwelling unit was completed or there is a subsequent change in ownership of the accessory dwelling unit. The bill would require the property owner to, prior to or within 30 days of completion of the project, notify the assessor that the property owner intends to claim the exclusion for an accessory dwelling unit and submit an affidavit stating that the owner shall make a good faith effort to ensure the unit will be used as residential housing for the duration the owner receives the exclusion.
The bill would require the State Board of Equalization to prescribe the manner and form for claiming the exclusion and would require all additional documents necessary to support the exclusion to be filed by the property owner with the assessor not later than 6 months after the completion of the project.
Because this bill would require an affidavit by a property owner and a higher level of service from county assessors, it would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/14/2024 text)
Status: 03/19/2024 - Set for hearing April 10.
Calendar: 04/10/24 S-REVENUE AND TAXATION 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 GLAZER, STEVE, Chair
SB 1494 (Glazer) Local agencies: Sales and Use Tax: retailers. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
37 The Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law authorizes counties and cities to impose a local sales and use tax in accordance with that law for tangible personal property sold at retail in the city or county, or purchased for storage, use, or other consumption in the city or county. That law requires the city or county to contract with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for the administration of the taxes and requires the department to transmit those taxes to the city or county.
That law provides that for the purpose of a local sales tax adopted pursuant to that law, all retail sales are consummated at the place of business of the retailer unless otherwise specified. Existing law prohibits a local agency, defined to mean all cities and counties, from entering into any form of agreement that would result, directly or indirectly, in the payment, transfer, diversion, or rebate of Bradley-Burns local tax revenues to any person, as defined, for any purpose, if the agreement results in a reduction in the amount of Bradley-Burns local tax revenues that, in the absence of the agreement, would be received by another local agency and the retailer continues to maintain a physical presence within the territorial jurisdiction of that other local agency, with specified exceptions. This bill would additionally prohibit, on or after January 1, 2024, a local agency from entering into, renewing, or extending any form of agreement that would result, directly or indirectly, in the payment, transfer, diversion, or rebate of Bradley-Burns local tax revenues to any retailer, as defined, in exchange for the retailer locating or continuing to maintain a place of business that serves as the place of sale, as defined, within the territorial jurisdiction of the local agency if that place of business would generate revenue, from the sale of tangible property delivered to and received by the purchaser in the territorial jurisdiction of another local agency, for the local agency under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law. The bill would make those forms of agreements existing before January 1, 2024, void and unenforceable on January 1, 2030. The bill would require a local agency to post those forms of agreements existing before January 1, 2024, on the local agency’s internet website until the form of agreement expires or is made void and unenforceable by these provisions. The bill would make related findings and declarations. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text)
Status: 03/15/2024 - Set for hearing April 3.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO, MARIA ELENA, Chair
Transportation and Public Works
AB 1837 (Papan) San Francisco Bay area: public transit: Regional Network Management Council. (Amended 03/21/2024) Link
Existing law creates the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as a local area planning agency for the 9-county San Francisco Bay area with comprehensive regional transportation planning and other related responsibilities. Existing law creates various transit districts located in the San Francisco Bay area, with specified powers and duties relating to providing public transit services. Existing law requires the commission to adopt rules and regulations to promote the coordination of fares and schedules for all public transit systems within its jurisdiction, as specified. This bill would create the Regional Network Management Council as an 11-member council to represent the interests of its stakeholders, to provide leadership and critical input on regional transit policies, and to provide executive guidance on regional transit policies and actionable implementation plans in pursuit of transformative improvements in the
38 customer experience San Francisco Bay area transit. The bill would require the commission to facilitate the creation of the council. By requiring the commission to facilitate the creation of the council, and requiring certain employees of specified local agencies to serve on the council, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 03/21/2024 text) Status: 03/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on TRANS. From committee chair, with author's amendments:
Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.
AB 1890 (Patterson, Joe) Public works: prevailing wage. (Introduced 01/22/2024) Link
Existing law defines the term “public works” for the purposes of requirements regarding the payment of prevailing wages, the regulation of working hours, and the securing of workers’ compensation for public works projects. Existing law requires an entity awarding a public works contract, as specified, to provide notice to the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law requires civil penalties to be imposed on an entity that fails to provide that required notice and authorizes the Labor Commissioner to issue a citation for civil penalties to an entity that fails to provide the required notice. This bill would additionally require the awarding body to provide notice to the department if there is a change in the identity of a contractor or subcontractor performing the project or, within 30 days, if the total amount of the contract change exceeds $10,000. By creating new notification requirements for public agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/22/2024 text)
Status: 03/14/2024 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 2037 (Papan) Weights and measures: electric vehicle chargers. (Amended 03/14/2024) Link
Existing law regulates advertising that indicates the price of motor vehicle fuel, including electricity sold as a motor vehicle fuel. Existing law requires a county sealer to enforce the advertising requirements.
Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a crime. Existing law defines “correct,” for purposes of testing and verifying the accuracy of a weighing or measuring device, as a weight or measure or a weighing, measuring, or counting instrument that meets certain tolerance and specification requirements. This bill would authorize a county sealer to test and verify as correct any electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as defined, that is located in the county in which the sealer has jurisdiction. The bill would require a county sealer to condemn and seize, or cause to be marked with a tag or other device with the words “out of order,” an incorrect, as defined, electronic vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as specified. The bill would authorize a county board of supervisors to charge an annual registration fee for the cost of inspecting and testing an electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as specified. The bill would authorize a county sealer to levy a civil penalty against a public agency, or an employee or agent thereof, that removes or obliterates a tag or device placed on an electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 03/14/2024 text) Status: 03/18/2024 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 2234 (Boerner) Vehicles: electric bicycles. (Introduced 02/08/2024) Link
39 Existing law requires the Department of the California Highway Patrol to develop, on or before September 1, 2023, statewide safety and training programs based on evidence-based practices for users of electric bicycles, as defined, including, but not limited to, general electric bicycle riding safety, emergency maneuver skills, rules of the road, and laws pertaining to electric bicycles. Existing law requires the safety and training programs to be developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and to be posted on the department’s internet website. This bill would require the department, on or before June 30, 2025, to issue a skills waiver containing specific information, in an electronic format, to each person who completes the electric bicycle safety and training programs described above. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to create a diversion program, comprised of traffic safety training and community service, for a person who is cited for a traffic violation while operating an electric bicycle. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/08/2024 text)
Status: 02/26/2024 - Referred to Com. on TRANS.
Calendar: 04/08/24 A-TRANSPORTATION 2:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WILSON, LORI, Chair AB 2427 (McCarty) Electric vehicle charging stations: permitting: curbside charging. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law creates the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, known as “GO-Biz,” and requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth.
Existing law continues into existence the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) division within GO-Biz as the Zero- Emission Vehicle Market Development Office. Existing law references GO-Biz’s Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebook, which recommends best practices for electric vehicle supply equipment permitting. This bill would require the office to develop a model permitting checklist, model zoning ordinances, and best practices for permit costs and permit review timelines to help local governments permit curbside charging stations as part of the office’s development of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebook or any subsequent updates. The bill would also require the office to consult with local governments, electric vehicle service providers, and utilities while developing the above-described materials. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and TRANS.
Calendar: 04/10/24 A-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 447 CARRILLO, JUAN, Chair AB 2744 (McCarty) Vehicles: pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link
Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a city to do any and all things necessary to lay out, acquire, and construct a section or portion of a street or highway within its jurisdiction as a freeway and to make an existing street or highway a freeway. Existing law authorizes a legislative body of a city, whenever this legislative body determines that it is necessary for the more efficient maintenance, construction, or repair of streets and roads within the city, to contract with the board of supervisors of any county for the rental of the county’s equipment, as specified. This bill would, beginning on January 1, 2025, prohibit the addition of a right-turn or travel lane within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk where there is not already a dedicated and marked right-turn or travel lane, and would prohibit vehicles from using
40 this 20-foot area for right turns unless the area is already marked as a dedicated right-turn lane before January 1, 2025. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/15/2024 text)
Status: 03/04/2024 - Referred to Com. on TRANS.
Calendar: 04/15/24 A-TRANSPORTATION 2:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100 WILSON, LORI, Chair AB 2813 (Aguiar-Curry) Government Investment Act. (Introduced 02/15/2024) Link Existing law, known as the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act, defines various terms and prescribes procedures and parameters for local jurisdictions to comply with specified provisions of the California Constitution. The Legislature adopted ACA 1 at the 2023–24 Regular Session of the Legislature, which, if approved by the voters, would amend and add provisions of the California Constitution to (1) create an additional exception to the 1% limit on the ad valorem tax rate on real property by authorizing a local jurisdiction to levy an ad valorem tax to service bonded indebtedness incurred to fund the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, or permanent supportive housing, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by 55% of the voters in that local jurisdiction; and (2) authorize a local jurisdiction to impose, extend, or increase a sales and use tax to fund the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure, affordable housing, or permanent supportive housing, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by 55% of the voters in that local jurisdiction. Pursuant to the existing law described above, ACA 1 is scheduled to appear on the ballot at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election.
This bill would authorize a local government that imposes a tax under ACA 1 to commit revenues to affordable housing programs, including downpayment assistance, first-time home buyer programs, and owner-occupied affordable housing rehabilitation programs. The bill would require a local government to ensure that any project that is funded with ACA 1 bonded indebtedness or ACA 1 special taxes to have an estimated useful life of at least 15 years or 5 years if the funds are for specified public safety buildings, facilities, and equipment. The bill would specify that a local government may commit revenues derived from ACA 1 bonded indebtedness or an ACA 1 special tax to projects or programs administered by a nonprofit organization for affordable housing or permanent supportive housing purposes. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/15/2024 text) Status: 02/16/2024 - From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.
SB 768 (Caballero) California Environmental Quality Act: State Air Resources Board: vehicle miles traveled: study. (Amended 01/11/2024) Link
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also 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. Existing law requires the Office of Planning and Research to prepare, develop, and transmit to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency for certification and adoption proposed revisions to guidelines establishing criteria for determining the significance of transportation impacts of projects within transit priority areas
41 to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the development of multimodal transportation networks, and a diversity of land uses. Existing law creates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with coordinating efforts to attain and maintain ambient air quality standards, to conduct research into the causes of and solution to air pollution, and to systematically attack the serious problem caused by motor vehicles, which is the major source of air pollution in many areas of the state.
Existing law authorizes the state board to do those acts as may be necessary for the proper execution of the powers and duties granted to, and imposed upon, the state board. This bill would require the state board, by January 1, 2026, to conduct and submit to the Legislature a study on how vehicle miles traveled is used as a metric for measuring transportation impacts pursuant to CEQA, as specified. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 01/11/2024 text) Status: 01/29/2024 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 34. Noes 4.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly.
Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 915 (Cortese) Local government: autonomous vehicles. (Introduced 01/09/2024) Link
Existing law authorizes an autonomous vehicle, as defined, to be operated on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle being operated if certain requirements are met, including that the vehicle is being operated solely by employees, contractors, or other persons designated by the manufacturer. Existing law prohibits an autonomous vehicle from being operated on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles containing certain certifications regarding safety and other technological requirements and the department approves that application pursuant to adopted regulations. Existing law, commencing January 1, 2030, and to the extent authorized by federal law, prohibits the operation of certain new autonomous vehicles that are not zero-emission vehicles, as defined. This bill would prohibit an autonomous vehicle service, which has received approval to conduct commercial passenger service or engage in commercial activity using driverless vehicles by the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Public Utilities Commission, or another state agency, from commencing operation within a local jurisdiction until authorized by a local ordinance enacted pursuant to the bill’s provisions. The bill would authorize each city, county, or city and county in which an autonomous vehicle has received authorization to operate, to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by adopting an ordinance or resolution in regard to autonomous vehicle services within that jurisdiction. The bill would require each city, county, or city and county that adopts an ordinance or resolution to include certain provisions within that ordinance or resolution. These would include a policy for entry into the business of providing autonomous vehicle services including a permitting program, the establishment of reasonable vehicle caps and hours of service restrictions, and the establishment of an interoperability or override system accessible by first responders in case of an emergency. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 01/09/2024 text)
Status: 03/15/2024 - Set for hearing April 3.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO, MARIA ELENA, Chair
Notes: Cal Cities Sponsored
SB 925 (Wiener) Legislative review of state agency action. (Amended 03/20/2024) Link
42 Existing law requires a state agency, as specified, to notify the Joint Legislative Budget Committee not less than 60 days prior to the effective date on which the state agency will establish or change a federal aid allocation formula to a local agency. If the chairperson of the committee informs committee members of the chairperson’s intention to waive the 60-day notification period, existing law permits the chairperson to grant a waiver of that notification period after receipt of the notification if an objection is not received within 10 days. Existing law requires, upon the request of the chairperson or any member of the committee, the committee to schedule a hearing on the proposed allocation formula to be established or changed. This bill would reduce the objection period before granting a waiver to 9 days. (Based on 03/20/2024 text)
Status: 03/20/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on RLS.
SB 955 (Seyarto) Office of Planning and Research: Infrastructure Gap-Fund Program. (Amended 03/19/2024) Link
Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research 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. Existing law authorizes a local agency to finance infrastructure projects through various means, including by establishing 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 to develop and construct infrastructure projects, as defined.
The bill would authorize the office to provide funding for up to 20% of a project’s total cost, as specified.
The bill would require the office to develop guidelines and criteria to implement the program. The bill would make these provisions operative January 1, 2027. (Based on 03/19/2024 text) Status: 03/19/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on L. GOV.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200 DURAZO, MARIA ELENA, Chair
SB 1031 (Wiener) San Francisco Bay area: local revenue measure: transportation improvements. (Amended 03/18/2024) Link
(1)Existing law creates the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as a local area planning agency for the 9-county San Francisco Bay area with comprehensive regional transportation planning and other related responsibilities. Existing law creates various transit districts located in the San Francisco Bay area, with specified powers and duties relating to providing public transit services. This bill would authorize the commission to raise and allocate new revenue and incur and issue bonds and other indebtedness, as specified. In this regard, the bill would authorize the commission to impose a retail transactions and use tax, a regional payroll tax, a parcel tax, and a regional vehicle registration surcharge in all or a subset of the 9 counties of the San Francisco Bay area, in accordance with applicable constitutional requirements. The bill would require the parcel tax to be collected by counties and the other 3 taxes to be collected by specified state agencies, and would require the net revenues from those taxes to be remitted to the commission, as prescribed. The bill would require the revenue generated
43 pursuant to these provisions to be used for transportation improvements in the San Francisco Bay area, including for various transit purposes, and would require the commission to distribute those revenues in accordance with specified requirements and expressions of legislative intent. By adding to the duties of local officials with respect to elections procedures for revenue measures on behalf of the commission, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2)Existing law establishes the Transportation Agency, consisting of various state agencies under the supervision of an executive officer known as the Secretary of Transportation, who is required to develop and report to the Governor on legislative, budgetary, and administrative programs to accomplish comprehensive, long-range, and coordinated planning and policy formulation in the matters of public interest related to the agency. This bill would require the Transportation Agency to select a transportation institute, as defined, to conduct an assessment of the associated advantages and disadvantages of consolidating all of the transit agencies, as defined, that are located in the 9-county San Francisco Bay area, as specified. The bill would require that assessment to be completed on or before January 1, 2026, and would require, as part of that assessment, the transportation institute to provide recommendations on how to consolidate those transit agencies and to include certain information in the assessment. Based on the findings of the assessment, the bill would require the Transportation Agency, on or before January 1, 2027, to recommend a comprehensive plan to consolidate all of the transit agencies located in the San Francisco Bay area, as provided. The bill would establish the Bay Area Transit Consolidation Technical Assistance Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of moneys that can be used for specified purposes, including paying for the cost of conducting the assessment and preparing the comprehensive plan, as specified.
The bill would require the assessment and the comprehensive plan to be submitted to the Legislature upon completion. (3)Existing law requires the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to adopt rules and regulations to promote the coordination of fares and schedules for all public transit systems within its jurisdiction, as specified.This bill would revise and recast this provision by, among other things, providing that the commission is responsible for implementing a seamless transit rider experience across the San Francisco Bay area and requiring those rules and regulations to also promote the coordination of mapping and wayfinding, real-time transit information, and other customer-facing operating policies, as specified. The bill would also declare that it is intent of the Legislature that the commission implement and sustain specified outcomes in undertaking these responsibilities. The bill would require the commission to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the status of those outcomes and the status of transit ridership in the San Francisco Bay area. By imposing additional duties on the commission, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. (4)Under existing law, a transit operator within the jurisdiction of the commission is not eligible to receive funding allocated by the commission pursuant to the State Transit Assistance Program unless it has complied with the above- described rules and regulations adopted by the commission.This bill would also make a transit operator ineligible to receive an allocation from the commission of the revenues generated by the new taxing authority authorized by the bill or to make a claim pursuant to the Transportation Development Act for an allocation of funds from a local transportation fund if the operator is not in compliance with those rules and regulations. (5)Existing law authorizes the commission and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to jointly adopt a commute benefit ordinance that requires covered employers operating within the common area of the 2 agencies with a specified number of covered employees to offer those employees certain commute benefits, as specified.This bill would also authorize one of those commute benefit options to include an employer-provided regional transit pass.This bill would authorize the commission, as part of a measure to impose a tax described above, to propose a ballot measure that would require a covered employer that is located in proximity to transit to purchase a regional transit pass for each of its employees and to require a covered employer that is not located in proximity to transit to provide a subsidy to each of its employees corresponding in financial value to the regional transit pass, as specified. If the ballot measure is approved by the voters, the bill would require the commission and the district to update the ordinance accordingly. (6)The California Constitution requires
44 the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state.
Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. (Based on 03/18/2024 text)
Status: 03/18/2024 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re- referred to Com. on RLS.
SB 1393 (Niello) Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation Appeals Advisory Committee. (Introduced 02/16/2024) Link
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt and implement motor vehicle emission standards, in-use performance standards, and motor vehicle fuel specifications for the control of air contaminants and sources of air pollution that the state board has found necessary, cost effective, and technologically feasible. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the state 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 state agencies, other state and local government representatives, and representatives of private fleet owners, the electric vehicle manufacturing industry, and electrical corporations, as provided. 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. The bill would require the state board to consider a recommendation of the committee at a public meeting no later than 60 days after the recommendation is made. This bill contains other existing laws. (Based on 02/16/2024 text)
Status: 03/08/2024 - Set for hearing April 3.
Calendar: 04/03/24 S-ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 ALLEN, BENJAMIN, Chair
Water and Wastewater
45 SB 1110 (Ashby) Urban retail water suppliers: informational order: conservation order. (Introduced 02/13/2024) Link
Existing law authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board, on and after January 1, 2024, to issue informational orders pertaining to water production, water use, and water conservation to an urban retail water supplier that does not meet its urban water use objective. Existing law requires the board to consider certain information in determining whether to issue an informational order.This bill would require the board to additionally consider lower cost actions the water supplier has implemented or will implement in order to help the water supplier achieve overall water supply resiliency in determining whether to issue an informational order. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. (Based on 02/13/2024 text)
Status: 02/21/2024 - Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.