Priority Legislation Update

All bills for the 2019-2020 legislative session have been introduced. To date, there are many new housing initiatives and disaster proposals that have been put forth. We are actively reviewing legislation for amendments that would affect the AIA CA Board of Director’s adopted positions on the following legislation.

The AIA CA will update this page as bills continue to move through the legislative process.

 Bill Positions 2019 As of 6.21.19

     
  AB 5 (Gonzalez D)   Worker status: employees and independent contractors.
Status: 6/12/2019-Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
Location: 6/12/2019-S. L., P.E. & R.
Summary: Would state the intent of the Legislature to codify the decision in the Dynamex case and clarify its application. The bill would provide that the factors of the “ABC” test be applied in order to determine the status of a worker as an employee or independent contractor for all provisions of the Labor Code and the Unemployment Insurance Code, unless another definition or specification of “employee” is provided. The bill would exempt specified professions from these provisions and instead provide that the employment relationship test for those professions shall be governed by the test adopted in S. G. Borello & Sons, Inc. v. Department of Industrial Relations (1989) 48 Cal.3d 341 if certain requirements are met.
Position
Support
  AB 10 (Chiu D)   Income taxes: credits low-income housing: farmworker housing.
Status: 5/29/2019-Referred to Coms. on HOUSING and GOV. & F.
Location: 5/29/2019-S. HOUSING
Summary: Would, under the law governing the taxation of insurers, the Personal Income Tax Law, and the Corporation Tax Law, for the 2020 to 2024 calendar years, inclusive, would increase the aggregate housing credit dollar amount that may be allocated among low-income housing projects by an additional $500,000,000, as specified, and would allocate to farmworker housing projects $25,000,000 per year of that amount. The bill, under those laws, would modify the definition of applicable percentage relating to qualified low-income buildings to depend on whether the building is a new or existing building and federally subsidized, or a building that is, among other things, at least 15 years old, serving households of very low income or extremely low income, and will complete substantial rehabilitation, as specified.
Position
Support
  AB 11 (Chiu D)   Community Redevelopment Law of 2019.
Status: 5/17/2019-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. on 4/25/2019)(May be acted upon Jan 2020)
Location: 5/17/2019-A. 2 YEAR
Summary: Current law dissolved redevelopment agencies as of February 1, 2012, and designates successor agencies to act as successor entities to the dissolved redevelopment agencies. This bill, the Community Redevelopment Law of 2019, would authorize a city or county, or two or more cities acting jointly, to propose the formation of an affordable housing and infrastructure agency by adoption of a resolution of intention that meets specified requirements, including that the resolution of intention include a passthrough provision and an override passthrough provision, as defined.
Position
Support
  AB 48 (O’Donnell D)   Education finance: school facilities: Kindergarten-Community Colleges Public Education Facilities Bond Acts of 2020 and 2022.
Status: 6/19/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on GOV. & F. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 19). Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.
Location: 6/19/2019-S. GOV. & F.
Summary: The Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 provides for the adoption of rules, regulations, and procedures, under the administration of the Director of General Services, for the allocation of state funds by the State Allocation Board for the construction and modernization of public school facilities. This bill would add provisions to the act to require the Department of General Services to process, and present to the State Allocation Board, all applications received under the act on and after July 1, 2020, within 120 days of receipt of the application. The bill would require applicants for bond funding to supply designated information to the State Department of Education.
Position
Support
  AB 168 (Aguiar-Curry D)   Housing: streamlined approvals.
Status: 6/18/2019-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Location: 5/22/2019-S. HOUSING
Summary: Current law, until January 1, 2026, 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. Under current law the objective planning standards include, among others, a requirement that the development not be located on specified sites. This bill would require the objective planning standards include a requirement that the development not be located on a site that is a tribal cultural resource.
Position
Support
  AB 234 (Nazarian D)   Income taxes: credit: seismic retrofits.
Status: 5/16/2019-In committee: Held under submission.
Location: 4/24/2019-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Summary: The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and before January 1, 2025, would allow a tax credit under both laws in an amount equal to 30% of the qualified costs paid or incurred by a qualified taxpayer for any seismic retrofit construction on a qualified building, as provided.
Position
Support
  AB 266 (Choi R)   Income taxes: credits: attic vent closures.
Status: 5/16/2019-Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. In committee: Held under submission.
Location: 5/15/2019-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Summary: The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. Current law requires any bill authorizing a new tax credit to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax credit will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would allow a credit against those taxes for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and before January 1, 2025, to a qualified taxpayer that installs an attic vent closure in a residential property, as defined, in an amount equal to 40% of the qualified costs paid or incurred by the qualified taxpayer for that installation.
Position
Support
  AB 349 (Choi R)   Building standards: garages.
Status: 6/19/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 6/18/2019-S. APPR.
Summary: Would require the Department of Housing and Community Development, with the assistance of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, to investigate possible changes to the building standards that would require provision of a 2nd method of egress from a newly constructed residential garage or a newly constructed detached garage located adjacent to a single-family dwelling. The bill would authorize the department to submit proposed building standards to the commission for approval and adoption if, after its investigation, the department determines that changes that mandate provision of a 2nd method of egress from a newly constructed residential garage or a newly constructed detached garage located adjacent to a single-family dwelling can be incorporated into the code without significantly increasing construction costs.
Position
Oppose
  AB 393 (Nazarian D)   Building codes: earthquake safety: functional recovery standard.
Status: 6/19/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 6/18/2019-S. APPR.
Summary: Would require the California Building Standards Commission, by June 30, 2020, to assemble a functional recovery working group comprised of certain state entities and members of the construction and insurance industries, as specified. The bill would require the working group, by June 30, 2021, to consider whether a “functional recovery” standard is warranted for all or some building occupancy classifications, using specified criteria, and to investigate the practical means of implementing that standard, as specified. The bill would require the working group to advise the appropriate state agencies to propose the building standards, as specified.
Position
Support
  AB 613 (Low D)   Professions and vocations: regulatory fees.
Status: 6/6/2019-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
Location: 5/8/2019-S. B., P. & E.D.
Summary: Would authorize each board within the Department of Consumer Affairs to increase every 4 years any fee authorized to be imposed by that board by an amount not to exceed the increase in the California Consumer Price Index for the preceding 4 years, subject to specified conditions. The bill would require the Director of Consumer Affairs to approve any fee increase proposed by a board except under specified circumstances. By authorizing an increase in the amount of fees deposited into a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation.
Position
Support
  AB 694 (Irwin D)   Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act of 2019.
Status: 6/19/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on V.A. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on V.A.
Location: 6/19/2019-S. V. A.
Summary: Would enact the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act of 2019 to authorize the issuance of bonds in an amount not to exceed $600,000,000 to provide additional funding for the VHHPA. The bill would provide for the handling and disposition of the funds in the same manner as the 2014 bond act.
Position
Support
  AB 695 (Medina D)   Community college facilities: design-build contracts.
Status: 6/5/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 5). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 6/5/2019-S. APPR.
Summary: Would prohibit a design-build entity, on or after July 1, 2020, from being prequalified or shortlisted for a design-build contract by a community college district unless the entity provides to the community college district a similar enforceable commitment with respect to the use of a skilled and trained workforce. The bill would extend the authorization for community college districts to enter into design-build contracts to January 1, 2030. The bill would also make conforming changes.
Position
Support
  AB 832 (Gipson D)   Income taxes: credits: qualified developer: affordable housing.
Status: 5/16/2019-In committee: Held under submission.
Location: 5/8/2019-A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
Summary: The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. Current law requires any bill authorizing a new tax credit to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax credit will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would allow a credit against those taxes for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and before January 1, 2025, to a taxpayer in an amount equal to 50% of the amount contributed by the taxpayer to a qualified developer for the development of a qualified project, as defined, but that does not exceed a specified amount per taxpayer per qualified project.
Position
Support
  AB 839 (Mullin D)   Climate adaptation strategy: strategic resiliency framework: Adaptation through Resiliency, Economic Vitality, and Equity Account.
Status: 6/18/2019-From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
Location: 6/6/2019-S. N.R. & W.
Summary: Current law requires the Natural Resources Agency to update every 3 years the state’s climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, to identify vulnerabilities to climate change by sectors and priority actions needed to reduce the risks in those sectors. This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, on or before July 1, 2021, to review the plan and develop a strategic resiliency framework, as specified. The bill would require updates to the plan to include a review of the progress made implementing past plans and an evaluation of each lead agency’s lead adaptation efforts, as well as a detailed description of the framework developed by the secretary.
Position
Support
  AB 877 (Gabriel D)   Energy: solar energy and energy storage systems.
Status: 4/26/2019-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was NAT. RES. on 3/25/2019)(May be acted upon Jan 2020)
Location: 4/26/2019-A. 2 YEAR
Summary: Would authorize the Energy Commission, in consultation with specified entities, to establish minimum requirements and develop rating standards for the performance and safety of a solar energy system that is not receiving ratepayer funded incentives and that is interconnected to the electrical distribution system.
Position
Support
  AB 881 (Bloom D)   Accessory dwelling units.
Status: 6/19/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on GOV. & F. (Ayes 9. Noes 1.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.
Location: 6/18/2019-S. GOV. & F.
Summary: The Planning and Zoning Law provides for the creation of accessory dwelling units by local ordinance, or, if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, by ministerial approval, in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Curent law requires the ordinance to designate areas where accessory dwelling units may be permitted and authorizes the designated areas to be based on criteria that includes, but is not limited to, the adequacy of water and sewer services and the impact of accessory dwelling units on traffic flow and public safety. This bill would instead require a local agency to designate these areas based on the adequacy of water and sewer services and the impact of accessory dwelling units on traffic flow and public safety.
Position
Support
  AB 885 (Irwin D)   Property taxation: new construction: definition.
Status: 6/12/2019-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Location: 6/12/2019-S. APPR.
Summary: 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. Current law defines “newly constructed” and “new construction” to mean any addition to real property since the last lien date and any alteration of land or of any improvement since the last lien date that constitutes a major rehabilitation thereof or that converts the property to a different use. Current law, where real property has been damaged or destroyed by misfortune or calamity, excludes from the definition of “newly constructed” and “new construction” any timely reconstruction of the real property, or portion thereof, where the property after reconstruction is substantially equivalent to the property prior to damage or destruction. This bill would define the term “substantially equivalent” for purposes of the provisions described above to mean the size of the improvement after reconstruction does not exceed 120% of the size of the improvement prior to damage or destruction or the full cash value of the improvement after reconstruction does not exceed 120% of the full cash value of the improvement prior to damage or destruction.
Position
Support
  AB 1244 (Fong R)   Environmental quality: judicial review: housing projects.
Status: 5/3/2019-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(3). (Last location was NAT. RES. on 3/11/2019)(May be acted upon Jan 2020)
Location: 5/3/2019-A. 2 YEAR
Summary: Would, in an action or proceeding seeking judicial review under the California Environmental Quality Act, prohibit a court from staying or enjoining a housing project for which an environmental impact report has been certified, unless the court makes specified findings.
Position
Support
  AB 1339 (Gabriel D)   Mechanics liens: attachment date.
Status: 5/3/2019-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(3). (Last location was JUD. on 3/11/2019)(May be acted upon Jan 2020)
Location: 5/3/2019-A. 2 YEAR
Summary: Current law provides that an associated lien has priority over a lien, mortgage, deed of trust, or other encumbrance on the work of improvement or the real property on which the work of improvement is situated that attaches after commencement of the work of improvement on the property or was unrecorded at the commencement of work and which the claimant had no notice of. This bill would instead provide that an associated lien has priority over a lien, mortgage, deed of trust, or other encumbrance on the work of improvement or the real property on which the work of improvement is situated, that attaches after the date of commencement of the work of improvement.
Position
Support
  AB 1347 (Boerner Horvath D)   Electricity: renewable energy and zero-carbon resources: state and local government buildings.
Status: 4/26/2019-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was U. & E. on 3/11/2019)(May be acted upon Jan 2020)
Location: 4/26/2019-A. 2 YEAR
Summary: Current law establishes the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045.This bill would establish the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of all retail sales of electricity to state and local government buildings by December 31, 2030, and to all California end-use customers by December 31, 2045.
Position
Support
  ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry D)   Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval.
Status: 5/20/2019-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Location: 5/20/2019-A. THIRD READING
Summary: The California Constitution prohibits the ad valorem tax rate on real property from exceeding 1% of the full cash value of the property, subject to certain exceptions. This measure would create an additional exception to the 1% limit that would authorize a city, county, city and county, or special district 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, or the acquisition or lease of real property for those purposes, if the proposition proposing that tax is approved by 55% of the voters of the city, county, or city and county, as applicable, and the proposition includes specified accountability requirements.
Position
Oppose
  SB 5 (Beall D)   Affordable Housing and Community Development Investment Program.
Status: 6/17/2019-From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
Location: 6/10/2019-A. H. & C.D.
Summary: Would establish in state government the Affordable Housing and Community Development Investment Program, which would be administered by the Affordable Housing and Community Development Investment Committee. The bill would authorize a city, county, city and county, joint powers agency, enhanced infrastructure financing district, affordable housing authority, community revitalization and investment authority, transit village development district, or a combination of those entities, to apply to the Affordable Housing and Community Development Investment Committee to participate in the program and would authorize the committee to approve or deny plans for projects meeting specific criteria.
Position
Oppose
  SB 13 (Wieckowski D)   Accessory dwelling units.
Status: 6/20/2019-From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 19).
Location: 6/19/2019-A. L. GOV.
Summary: Would authorize the creation of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned to allow single-family or multifamily dwelling use. The bill would also revise the requirements for an accessory dwelling unit by providing that the accessory dwelling unit may be attached to, or located within, an attached garage, storage area, or other structure, and that it does not exceed a specified amount of total floor area.
Position
Support
  SB 190 (Dodd D)   Fire safety: building standards: defensible space program.
Status: 6/17/2019-From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
Location: 6/6/2019-A. G.O.
Summary: Would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop, in consultation with representatives from local, state, and federal fire services, local government, building officials, utility companies, the building industry, insurers and insurance research organizations, and the environmental community, a model defensible space program to be made available for use by a city, county, or city and county in the enforcement of the defensible space provisions. The bill would set forth required components of the program.
Position
Support
  SB 297 (Pan D)   School facilities: approval of plans.
Status: 6/13/2019-Re-referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and ED. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96. June 19 hearing postponed by committee.
Location: 6/13/2019-A. HIGHER ED.
Summary: Current law under the Field Act requires the governing board of each school district, community college district, or other school authority before adopting any plans for a school building to submit the plans to the department for approval. For purposes of those provisions, this bill would require the submission of the plans to the department before the commencement of any construction or alteration of any school building instead of before adopting the plans.
Position
Oppose Unless Amended
  SB 450 (Umberg D)   California Environmental Quality Act exemption: supportive and transitional housing: motel conversion.
Status: 6/10/2019-June 10 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Location: 5/16/2019-A. NAT. RES.
Summary: Would, until January 1, 2025, exempt from CEQA, projects related to the conversion of a structure with a certificate of occupancy as a motel, hotel, apartment hotel, transient occupancy residential structure, or hostel to supportive housing or transitional housing, as defined, that meet certain requirements. Because the lead agency would be required to determine the applicability of this exemption, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Position
Support
  SB 522 (Hertzberg D)   Taxation.
Status: 3/7/2019-Referred to Com. on RLS.
Location: 2/21/2019-S. RLS.
Summary: Current law imposes various taxes, including sales and use taxes and income taxes.This bill would make legislative findings regarding the need for further efforts to modernize and restructure the state’s tax system and would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would accomplish specified purposes, including realigning the state’s outdated tax code with the realities of California’s 21st century economy.
Position
Oppose
  SB 608 (Glazer D)   Architects.
Status: 6/6/2019-Referred to Com. on B. & P.
Location: 6/6/2019-A. B.&P.
Summary: Current law regulating professions and vocations requires certain designated agencies, within the purview of the Department of Consumer Affairs, to require applicants to furnish their fingerprints for purposes of conducting criminal history record checks. This bill would, beginning on January 1, 2021, add the California Architects Board to the listed of designated agencies subject to these provisions..
Position
Support
  SB 621 (Glazer D)   California Environmental Quality Act: expedited judicial review: affordable housing projects: reports.
Status: 6/17/2019-From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
Location: 6/6/2019-A. NAT. RES.
Summary: Would require the Judicial Council, by July 1, 2020, to adopt a rule of court applicable to an action or proceeding brought to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the certification of an environmental impact report for an affordable housing project, as defined, or the granting of an approval of an affordable housing project that requires the action or proceeding, including any potential appeals therefrom, to be resolved, to the extent feasible, within 270 days of the filing of the certified record of proceeding with the court. The bill would provide that these provisions do not apply to an affordable housing project if it is in certain locations.
Position
Support
  SB 744 (Caballero D)   Planning and zoning: California Environmental Quality Act: permanent supportive housing.
Status: 6/13/2019-Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and NAT. RES.
Location: 6/13/2019-A. H. & C.D.
Summary: Would, if a No Place Like Home project, as definined, is not eligible for approval as a use by right, as specified, would authorize the development applicant to request within a specified time period that the lead agency prepare concurrently the record of proceeding for the project with the performance of the environmental review of the program. The Within 2 working days of approval, the bill would require the lead agency, if the project is subject to CEQA, to file and post a notice of determination or, if the project is not subject to CEQA, to file a notice of exemption with the county clerk in each county in which the project is located, in accordance with specified law.
Position
Support if Amended
  SCA 1 (Allen D)   Public housing projects.
Status: 6/19/2019-Set for hearing July 2.
Location: 6/4/2019-S. E. & C.A.
Summary: The California Constitution prohibits the development, construction, or acquisition of a low-rent housing project, as defined, in any manner by any state public body until a majority of the qualified electors of the city, town, or county in which the development, construction, or acquisition of the low-rent housing project is proposed approve the project by voting in favor at an election, as specified. This measure would repeal these provisions.
Position
Support

 

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