Sen. Catherine Blakespear

(1) The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development that includes, among other things, a housing element. Existing law requires 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 annual report is required to include, among other things, the city's or county's progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs, as specified. This bill would require a city or county to include in the report on the progress in meeting the city's or county's share of regional housing need the progress in meeting the need for the 6th and previous revisions of the housing element. (2) Existing law defines various terms for purposes of requirements applicable to the housing element. Under existing law, a housing element is required to include specified information, including an analysis of special housing needs, such as those of the elderly, and quantification of the locality's existing and projected housing needs for all income levels, including extremely low income households, calculated as provided. This bill would define all income levels or all household income levels, acutely low, extremely low, very low, lower, low, moderate, and above moderate income for purposes of requirements applicable to the housing element, and would make related changes. The bill would modify the specified information required to be included in the housing element, including by removing the calculation method for extremely low income households and by specifying acutely and extremely low income households as a special housing need for the 7th and subsequent revisions of the housing element. This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to publish, by December 31, 2026, advisory guidance, including, but not limited to, sample analyses and programs, pertaining to special housing needs for acutely low and extremely low income households and programs to assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of acutely low income households, as specified. The bill would additionally require the Department of Housing and Community Development to publish advisory guidance to be used by each council of governments or delegate subregion, as applicable, to develop a proposed methodology for allocating the regional housing need for acutely low and extremely low income households. (3) Existing law requires the housing element to include an analysis of potential and actual governmental constraints upon the maintenance, improvement, or development of housing for all income levels, including certain policies and procedures that directly impact the cost and supply of residential development. This bill would require the housing element to include an analysis of historical preservation practices and policies and an assessment of how existing and proposed historic designations affect the locality's ability to meet its share of the housing need, as specified. (4) Existing law requires the housing element to include an inventory of land suitable and available for residential development, as specified. Existing law also requires the element to include a program that sets forth a schedule of actions during the planning period that the local government is undertaking or intends to undertake to implement the policies and achieve the goals and objectives of the housing element, as described, and requires the program to identify actions that will be taken to make sites available during the planning period to accommodate the city's or county's share of the regional housing need for each income level that could not be accommodated on sites on the inventory, as described. Existing law requires the program to assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of extremely low, very low, low-, and moderate-income households. This bill would also require, for the 7th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, the program to assist in the development of adequate housing to meet the needs of acutely low income households. Existing law requires sites to be rezoned, among other things, if the inventory of sites does not identify adequate sites to accommodate the need for groups of all household income levels, as specified, in a manner that accommodates 100% of the need for housing for very low and low-income households, as described. This bill would instead require the inventory accommodate 100% of the need for lower income households. Existing law requires the housing element to identify adequate sites for housing, including rental housing, factory-built housing, mobilehomes, and emergency shelters, among other things. Existing law requires the housing element to contain an assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to the meeting of these needs. This bill would, for a jurisdiction within the coastal zone that has not identified adequate sites to accommodate the locality's housing need for a designated income level, require completion of any necessary local coastal program amendments related to land use designations, changes in intensity of land use, zoning ordinances, or zoning district maps, as specified. (5) Existing law requires, for the 4th and subsequent revision of the housing element, the Department of Housing and Community Development to determine the existing and projected need for housing for each region in a specified manner. Existing law provides that household income levels are to be determined by the department pursuant to specified law relating to very low, low-, moderate-, and above moderate-income households. This bill would, for purposes of the above-described determination with respect to the 7th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, include acutely low and extremely low incomes, and direct the determination to be made in accordance with the definitions for those income levels as set forth in the bill. Existing law also requires, for the 4th and subsequent revision of the housing element, the department to meet and consult with the council of governments regarding the assumptions and methodologies to be used by the department in determining the region's housing needs and requires the council of governments to provide data assumptions from the council's projections, including, if available, specified data for the region. This bill would require the council to provide data regarding the housing needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, as specified. (6) Existing law requires, at least 2 years before a scheduled revision, each council of governments, or delegate subregion as applicable, to develop a proposed methodology for distributing the existing and projected regional housing need to cities, counties, and cities and counties within the region or subregion, as specified. Existing law requires the final allocation plan to further specified objectives, including increasing the housing supply and the mix of housing types, tenure, and affordability in all cities and counties within the region in an equitable manner, which results in each jurisdiction receiving an allocation of units for low- and very low income households. Existing law requires the final allocation plan to ensure that the total regional housing need is maintained and that each jurisdiction in the region receives an allocation of units for low- and very low income households, consistent with the development pattern included in the sustainable communities strategy. This bill would require the final regional plan, as an objective, allocate units for extremely low- and acutely low income households in a manner that is roughly proportional to the regional housing need for very low income households, as specified. The bill would require, for the 7th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, the allocation to each region to also include an allocation of units for acutely low and extremely low income households, consistent with the development pattern included in the sustainable communities strategy. (7) Existing law, during a specified timeline, requires the entity that assigned the county's share of regional housing needs to reduce the share of the regional housing needs of a county if certain conditions are met. Existing law, however, reduces the county's share of low-income and very low income housing only in proportion to the amount by which the county's share of moderate- and above moderate-income housing is reduced. This bill would also include, for the 7th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, extremely low and acutely low income housing in this proportional reduction. (8) 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. (9) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65400 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2580 and AB 2667 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65583 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2023 and AB 2667 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65583.2 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2023 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2023 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65584.01 of the Government Code proposed by SB 7 to be operative only if this bill and SB 7 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65584.04 of the Government Code proposed by SB 7 to be operative only if this bill and SB 7 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (10) By imposing additional requirements on local governments with regard to their housing element, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, which includes, among other mandatory elements, a housing element. That law requires, for the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) to determine the existing and projected need for housing for each region, as specified. That law requires the department, in consultation with the council of governments, to determine the existing and projected need of housing for each region in a specified manner. That law requires the department's determination to be based upon population projections produced by the Department of Finance, as specified. That law also requires the department to meet and consult with the council of governments regarding the assumptions and methodologies to be used to determine each region's housing need and requires the council of governments to provide data assumptions from the council of governments' projections, as specified. That law authorizes the department to accept or reject the information provided by the council of governments and, after consultation with each council of governments, requires the department to make determinations on the council of governments' data assumptions and the methodology the department will use to determine each region's housing need. That law requires the department to provide its determinations to each council of governments, as specified. That law, upon making that determination, authorizes the council of governments to object to the determination. This bill, for regions in which the department is required to distribute the regional housing need, would prohibit a city or county from filing an objection to the regional housing need determination. The bill would also make conforming changes. The Planning and Zoning Law, for the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, provides an alternative process for determining the existing and projected need for housing for each region, as specified. This bill would repeal the alternative process described above. The Planning and Zoning Law requires public participation and access in the development of the methodology and in the process of drafting and adoption of the allocation of the regional housing needs. That law requires participation by organizations other than local jurisdictions and councils of governments to be solicited, as provided, including soliciting specified members of protected classes. That law also authorizes the department to review the adopted allocation methodology and report its findings to the council of governments or delegate subregion within 90 days of receiving notice. This bill would expand the solicitation requirement to include specified households with special housing needs. The bill would also reduce the time allotted for the department to report its findings regarding the adopted allocation methodology to 45 days. By requiring councils of governments or delegate subregions, as applicable, to solicit participation from additional sources, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The Planning and Zoning Law requires each council of governments and delegate subregion, as applicable, at least one and one-half years before their scheduled housing element revision, to distribute a draft allocation of regional housing needs to each local government in the region or subregion, where applicable, and to the department, based on the methodology adopted, and requires each of those entities, as applicable to publish the draft allocation on its internet website. This bill would additionally authorize a council of government to distribute the draft allocation plan upon adoption of the final methodology reviewed and accepted by the department under certain circumstances. The Planning and Zoning Law authorizes, within 45 days following receipt of the draft allocation, a local government within the region or the delegate subregion, as applicable, or the department to appeal to the council of governments or the delegate subregion for a revision of the share of the regional housing need proposed to be allocated to one or more local governments. If no appeals are filed, that law requires the draft allocation to be issued as the proposed final allocation plan. This bill would, if no appeals are filed, instead authorize the draft allocation to be adopted pursuant to a specified procedure that includes, among other things, a public hearing. 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 would incorporate additional changes to Sections 65584.01 and 65584.04 of the Government Code proposed by AB 3093 to be operative only if this bill and AB 3093 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 65584.05 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2597 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2597 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The California Constitution provides that voters may recall a state officer by majority vote and, in the same election, elect a successor with a plurality of the vote. The Constitution prohibits an officer who is the subject of a recall election from being a candidate for successor. The Constitution provides that the Lieutenant Governor becomes Governor when a vacancy occurs in the office of Governor, and requires the Lieutenant Governor to act as Governor during the impeachment, absence from the state, or other temporary disability of the Governor or of a Governor-elect who fails to take office. When a recall of the Governor is initiated, the Constitution requires the Lieutenant Governor to perform the recall duties of the Governor. The Constitution requires the Governor to fill vacancies in certain judicial and executive offices by appointment, as specified. This measure would eliminate the successor election for a recalled state officer and instead provide, in the event an officer is removed in a recall election, that the office will remain vacant until it is filled in accordance with the Constitution and statute. The measure would repeal the prohibition against the officer subject to the recall being a candidate to fill the office in a special election, but would prohibit the appointment of the officer subject to the recall election to fill the vacancy. If the Governor is removed from office in a recall election, this measure would provide that the Lieutenant Governor will become Governor for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the Governor is removed from office by recall before the close of the nomination period for the next statewide election during the first two years of the Governor's term, the measure would provide for a special election to be held to replace the Governor for the remainder of the unexpired term, to be consolidated with the next statewide primary election and, if necessary, the subsequent statewide general election. The measure would require the Secretary of State to perform the recall duties of the Governor when a recall of the Governor is initiated. The measure would require the Controller to perform the recall duties of the Governor and Secretary of State if recalls of those two officers are initiated at the same time. If adopted by the Legislature, the measure would appear on the ballot at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election.

This measure would, among other things, urge the United States Congress and President Joseph R. Biden to fully fund the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Comprehensive Infrastructure Solution for the Tijuana River due to the ongoing impacts to public health, the environment, and the local economy caused by cross-border pollution and would urge President Joseph R. Biden to declare a national emergency due to those ongoing impacts.

Existing law prohibits a store, as defined, from providing a single-use carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale, with specified exceptions, including an exemption for bags used to contain unwrapped food. Existing law defines a "single-use carryout bag" as a bag made of plastic, paper, or other material that is provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale and that is not a recycled paper bag or a reusable grocery bag that meets specified requirements, including that the bag be made by a certified reusable grocery bag producer and meets specified requirements with regard to the bag's durability, material, labeling, heavy metal content, and, with regard to reusable grocery bags made from plastic film, recycled material content. Existing law prohibits a producer of reusable grocery bags made from plastic film from selling or distributing those bags unless the producer is certified by a third-party certification entity, and provides proof of that certification and a certification fee to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, as specified. Existing law also prohibits a store from selling or distributing a recycled paper bag at the point of sale unless the store makes that bag available for purchase for not less than $0.10. Existing law defines "recycled paper bag," in part, as a paper carryout bag that contains a minimum of 40% postconsumer recycled materials, except as provided, and meets other requirements. Existing law allows a retail establishment to voluntarily comply with these requirements, if the retail establishment provides the department with irrevocable notice. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, revise and recast those provisions to, among other things, recast the definition of a "single-use carryout bag" to a "carryout bag," and would revise the definition to mean a bag made of plastic, paper, or other material that is provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale for the purpose of carrying purchased goods and that is not a recycled paper bag. The bill would create a carryout bag exception to include a bag provided to a customer before the customer reaches the point of sale, that is designed to protect a purchased item from damaging or contaminating other purchased items in a checkout bag, or to contain an unwrapped food item, as specified. The bill would revise the definition of "recycled paper bag" to require it be made from a minimum of 50% postconsumer recycled materials on and after January 1, 2028, without exception. The bill would also prohibit a store from providing, distributing, or selling a carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale, except as provided. The bill would also repeal the provisions relating to standards for and the certification of reusable grocery bags, and would repeal a provision relating to certain obsolete at-store recycling program requirements. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations and would make related conforming changes.

This measure would recognize August 8, 2024, as California Community Cats Day and would urge all Californians to observe and promote this day with appropriate activities and programs.

This measure would recognize August 26, 2024, as Women's Equality Day and its historic importance to women's rights, including the battle to attain those rights in the past, present, and future.

Maddy summaryThis bill proclaims September 2024 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in California to raise public visibility about mental health resources and suicide prevention services. The measure encourages residents to recognize warning signs, discuss mental health openly, and direct those in crisis to support systems like the 988 lifeline. While it does not create new laws or funding, it serves as an official state declaration to promote education and community engagement during the designated month.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to prioritize fulfilling the federal government's legal and contractual obligation to provide a home for spent nuclear fuel within California and 33 other states across the nation, and would urge Congress and the United States Department of Energy to take action to permit the relocation of the spent nuclear fuel in California and elsewhere to consolidated interim storage and ultimately a permanent repository.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 120 formally recognizes October 2024 and every subsequent October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in California. This legislative measure does not create new laws or funding but serves to highlight the severity of domestic violence and the importance of support services for survivors across the state. The resolution underscores the need for community education and culturally responsive programs to address the high rates of intimate partner violence affecting diverse populations in California. By adopting this resolution, the Senate aims to encourage ongoing awareness and action to prevent domestic violence and assist those affected by it.