State Bills in Brief: July 12-14
A weekly primer on the bills and committee hearings that have a direct impact on cities
Friday is the last day for lawmakers to get their bills through policy committees. Those that don't will have to try again next year. Although most measures made it through with little fanfare, there were a few, potentially blistering moments.
For a few hours, it seemed like SB 423 (Wiener) would die in the Assembly Natural Resources committee. The Cal Cities-opposed bill would expand SB 35 (Wiener, 2017) to all cities. The law forces certain cities to approve certain multifamily housing projects. Environmental groups, the California Coastal Commission, and Assembly Natural Resources Committee Chairperson Luz Rivas worried that the bill did not do enough to protect coastal developments from floods and fires.
Sen. Wiener agreed to revise the bill’s language and the measure passed over the chair’s objections — a rarity in California politics. The changes did not address Cal Cities’ concerns.
SB 43 (Eggman), a measure that would update the definition of “gravely disabled” and make it easier to provide behavioral health care, passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee — arguably the bill’s biggest hurdle so far. Cal Cities supports the bill. Sen. Eggman introduced a similar measure last year, which ultimately died in the same committee.
Another Cal Cities-supported measure by Sen. Eggman, SB 363, moved to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill would create a real-time dashboard of available beds in psychiatric and substance abuse facilities respectively. SB 363 still faces an uphill battle; a similar measure died in Assembly Appropriations last year.
Both bills are also supported by a range of organizations, including the Big Cities Mayors coalition and mental health care advocates.
Barring a second suspense file in September, this is the last State Bills in Brief for 2023. To stay updated on floor votes and any bills that make it to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, subscribe to Cal Cities Advocate. Cal Cities will also hold a July 19 briefing on the remaining priority bills and how city officials can ensure cities are heard loud and clear in the last four weeks of the legislative session.
To learn more about bills scheduled for committee hearings through July 14, keep reading. To learn what each section means — or to access a previous State Bills in Brief — visit the archive page.
Bills to act on
With the state budget officially signed, Cal Cities has turned its attention to other possible funding sources for affordable housing.
Cal Cities rallies behind a $10 billion affordable housing bond
- A critical moment. AB 1657 (Wicks) would provide much-needed funding for affordable housing. The state’s flagship Multifamily Housing Program was oversubscribed ten to one during the last round of funding. Cal Cities supports the measure.
- Now is the time to invest. With the slowing economy, stubbornly high inflation, and the heightened threat of an economic recession, Californians are at more risk than ever of losing their home.
- When is the hearing? The Senate Governance and Finance Committee will hear the bill on July 12.
AB 1484 would create a myriad of unintended and unpredictable consequences for temporary and regular employees
- What does the bill do? AB 1484 (Zbur) would create an overly broad definition of “temporary employee,” introduce inconsistencies in the union bargaining process, and conflict with existing law for permanent employees. Cal Cities opposes the measure.
- Why do agencies need temporary employees? Temporary employees are just that: temporary! Cities frequently rely on nurses, election workers, lifeguards, and mosquito control technicians to meet seasonal or surge needs.
- When is the hearing? Lawmakers will hear AB 1484 on July 12 in the Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement Committee.
Other bills with major impacts
With just three days to spare, legislators heard measures related to affordable housing, public safety, and recycling on Wednesday.
More money for homelessness and affordable housing?
- Where is this money coming from? AB 531 (Irwin) is one of three bills that would collectively provide over $25 billion in bonds for affordable housing and supportive services. Cal Cities supports the measure in concept.
- Why it matters. Long-term problems require long-term solutions. If voters approved all three bonds, the measures would provide twice the funding included in the 2022 State Budget for similar programs.
- When is the hearing? Legislators will debate the bill on July 12 in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.
Proposed state housing construction agency could bypass state housing laws and local standards
- What is the bill number? AB 309 (Lee) would create a state agency that could construct and lease affordable housing. Although the intent is laudable, Cal Cities opposes the measure unless it is amended.
- What changes is Cal Cities seeking? Like many recent housing laws, the bill disregards the state’s own mandated housing planning process and laws. Cal Cities is seeking amendments that would require the agency to follow all local zoning and objective development standards.
- When is the hearing? Lawmakers will hear the bill on July 12 in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.
Cal Cities-sponsored measure would enshrine cities’ right to deliver emergency medical services
- How is this even an issue? AB 1168 (Bennett) would reconcile City of Oxnard v. County of Ventura, which ruled that Oxnard lost its authority to provide prehospital EMS after signing a joint powers authority agreement (JPA) with the county.
- Why is local control important here? Signatories to JPA agreements should not lose their rights because they cooperated with other public agencies to provide better service to residents.
- When is the hearing? The Senate Governance Committee will hear the measure on July 12.
Bill seeks to reduce drug-related recidivism
- A voluntary program. AB 1360 (McCarty) would create a pilot program that would help people suffering from substance use disorders from cycling in and out of the criminal justice system with no clear path to treatment. Cal Cities supports AB 1360.
- Why it matters. According to the National Institute of Health and the National Institute for Drug Abuse, an estimated 65% of people in U.S. prisons and jails have an active substance use disorder (SUD). Another 20% did not meet the official criteria for a SUD but were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crime.
- When is the hearing? Legislators will debate AB 1360 on July 12 in the Senate Health Committee.
AB 573 would increase flexibility for organic waste procurement
- What sort of flexibility is being proposed? It’s narrow but important. AB 573 (Garcia) would allow some cities to send organic waste to out-of-state compost facilities to meet their SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) procurement requirements. Cal Cities supports the measure.
- Why do cities need this? Some cities, especially rural and border cities, must purchase and deliver compost hundreds of miles to comply with the law. This drives up both greenhouse gas emissions and ratepayer costs. The state needs 50-100 new facilities for SB 1383 to be successful, which are several years away from becoming a reality.
- When is the hearing? Lawmakers will hear AB 573 in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee on July 12.
AB 1526 clarifies how cities would be reimbursed under last year's single-use plastics law
- What does the law do? SB 54 (Allen, 2022) established a program for collecting, managing, and recycling single-use packaging and single-use plastic food service ware.
- Why do we need a second bill? Timing and scheduling constraints prevented agreed-upon language from making it into the final bill. AB 1526 (Committee on Natural Resources) clarifies the funding process and provides some flexibility around curbside collection. Cal Cities supports AB 1526.
- When is the hearing? The Senate Environmental Quality Committee will discuss the bill on July 12.