HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2507-4954CITY OF PALO ALTO
Policy & Services Committee
Special Meeting
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
6:00 PM
Agenda Item
1.Update, Discussion, and Potential Direction Regarding State and Federal Legislation,
Executive Orders and Other Regulatory and Funding Activity Staff Presentation
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Policy & Services Committee
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: August 12, 2025
Report #:2507-4954
TITLE
Update, Discussion, and Potential Direction Regarding State and Federal Legislation, Executive
Orders and Other Regulatory and Funding Activity
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Policy and Services Committee receive an update on state and federal
legislation and provide feedback on advocacy efforts.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The City Council adopted the 2025 Federal and State Legislative Guidelines1 on January 13, 2025.
The guidelines provide a baseline for the City’s legislative advocates at the state and federal level
to advocate on the City’s behalf in relation to proposed legislation and other federal and state
governmental activity. Where the guidelines provide sufficient direction, the City’s legislative
advocates may discuss Palo Alto's interests with state legislators and their staff and/or prepare a
letter of advocacy in alignment with the guidelines for the Mayor's signature. This is key to
enabling the City to weigh in on fast-moving developments.
The Policy and Services Committee receives regular updates from Townsend Public Affairs (TPA),
the City’s legislative advocates, and recommends legislation for TPA to monitor on behalf of the
City. The most recent update2 to the Committee was on April 8. At that meeting, the Committee
received an update, discussed upcoming advocacy efforts related to state legislation, confirmed
positions, and recommended the following: Refer to the Policy and Services Committee an
update to the City of Palo Alto Advocacy Process Manual to address sponsorship of legislation.
Staff later advanced that recommendation to the City Council on June 16, 20253 and it was
1 City of Palo Alto’s 2025 Federal and State Legislative Guidelines:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/city-manager/legislation/2025-legislative-guidelines.pdf
2 Policy and Services Committee April 8, 2025 Meeting (Item 3):
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=16030
3 June 16, 2025 City Council meeting, Item 4. Link:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=16147
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unanimously approved on Consent by the City Council. Staff will bring the Legislative Manual to
the Policy and Services Committee for review and discussion in Fall 2025.
For the August 12th Committee discussion, TPA prepared Attachment A outlining major
legislative and budgetary updates for the state as well as some federal updates. Attachment B
includes a list of legislation with potential Palo Alto impacts that TPA and staff have been
monitoring or plan to monitor. If desired, Committee members may also raise for discussion
other legislation of Palo Alto interest that is not listed in the memos or may recommend action
on any of the bills listed on the monitoring list. At this time, staff does not have additional bills
recommended for the City to take a position on. A summary of the state legislative positions the
City has taken this session is below with bill status information included as well. Staff and TPA are
available to answer questions about those bills for the Committee.
Bill City Position Bill Status
SB 239 (Arreguin)Support 06/03/2025 - Ordered to inactive file on request
of Senator Arreguín.
AB 259 (Rubio)Support 06/27/2025 - In committee: Hearing postponed
by committee.
AB 306 (Schultz)Oppose unless
amended
06/23/2025 - From committee chair, with
author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to
committee. Read second time, amended, and re-
referred to Com. on HOUSING.
AB 650 (Papan)Support 07/14/2025 - In committee: Referred to APPR.
suspense file.
AB 736 (Wicks) Support if amended 06/04/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com.
on RLS. for assignment
AB 1273
(Patterson)
Support 07/22/2025 – From committee: Amend, and do
pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR.
(Ayes 15. Noes 0)
SB 79 (Weiner)Oppose 07/17/2025 - Assembly Rule 63 suspended. From
committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to
Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (July 16). Read
second time and amended. Re-referred to Com.
on APPR
SB 346 (Durazo)Support 07/17/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third
reading
SB 417 (Cabaldon)Support if amended 02/18/2025 – Read first time. To Com. On RLS for
assignment
SB 456 (Ashby)Support 07/08/2025 - Coauthors revised. From
committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on
APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to
Com. on APPR.
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SB 457 (Becker)Support April 29 set for first hearing. Failed passage in
committee. (Ayes 1. Noes 2.) Reconsideration
granted.
The 2025 State legislative calendar (which includes deadlines and other important dates) can be
found online at: https://www.assembly.ca.gov/schedules-publications/legislative-deadlines and
the state legislative session is concluding soon. This calendar provides helpful context when
reviewing the bills included in the Townsend memo.
Lastly, on March 17, 20254 the City Council adopted a Resolution Reaffirming City Council's
Commitment to Palo Alto Values which links to actions at the Federal government.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. The City Council budgets annually for the
legislative advocacy services and these efforts are led by staff in the City Clerk’s Office in close
collaboration with the City Manager’s Office with stakeholder support across other City
departments on key issues.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff from multiple departments are involved in the legislative process in helping to review the
impacts of bills as well as discussing grant opportunities linked to state and federal programs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City’s legislative advocacy activities are not a project under section 15378(b)(25) of the
California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (administrative activities that will not result in
direct or indirect physical changes in the environment).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Townsend Public Affairs State and Federal Legislative Updates
Attachment B: Priority Bill Matrix
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager
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M E M O R A N D U M
To: City of Palo Alto
Policy and Services Committee From: Townsend Public Affairs Christopher Townsend, President Niccolo De Luca, Vice President Alex Gibbs, Grants Director Carlin Shelby, Senior Associate
Joseph Melo, Senior Federal Associate
Date: July 28, 2025 Subject: State and Federal Legislative Updates
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) has prepared this report for the City of Palo Alto Policy and
Services Committee to provide a summary of State, Federal, and funding efforts and highlight the
current status of the legislative process. STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
July 18 marked the first week of the Legislature’s summer recess, following the July 18 deadline for second house policy committees to advance bills in order for them to remain eligible this session. The Legislature will reconvene on August 18 to begin the final stretch of the 2025
session. When lawmakers return, second house fiscal committees will have until August 29 to consider
and move remaining bills. From September 2 through September 12, both houses will convene for floor sessions only, during which eligible measures must be voted on and sent to the Governor. Governor Newsom will then have until October 12 to sign or veto any legislation passed by that deadline. A comprehensive matrix of priority measures that are still alive and progressing is provided in the Attachment “Palo Alto – Priority Bill Matrix.” State Budget Update On Friday, June 27, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the FY 2025–26 State Budget along
with 17 trailer bills, framing the package as fiscally balanced and people-centered in the face of slowed revenue growth and federal uncertainty. However, the budget architecture was incomplete without the enactment of two pivotal trailer bills—AB 130 and AB 131—which were approved by
both houses of the Legislature today, June 30, and are expected to be signed by the Governor before midnight to meet a built-in deadline embedded in SB 102, the “poison pill” mechanism that would have rendered the budget void without these measures.
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Together, AB 130 and AB 131 represent some of the most sweeping housing, homelessness, and environmental streamlining reforms California has advanced in years. While included in the
budget process, their impacts extend far beyond traditional fiscal implementation—making long-term changes to land use, project delivery, and local control.
AB 130: Reshaping Housing Entitlements and Local Authority AB 130 consolidates provisions from over two dozen housing-related bills, with language previously debated—and in some cases rejected—during the policy session. Most notably, it makes the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (SB 330) permanent, removing its 2034 sunset and ensuring streamlined housing approvals remain law indefinitely. This means local jurisdictions will continue to be restricted from downzoning, imposing growth caps, or limiting housing project applications once preliminary applications are filed. The bill also codifies CEQA streamlining measures from AB 609, exempting qualifying infill housing projects from full environmental review—provided they meet criteria around transit proximity, existing zoning, and environmental baselines. In addition, AB 130 imposes a six-year moratorium on cities and counties adopting new or amended residential building standards, effectively freezing local oversight over construction-related regulations unless tied to immediate
public health or safety concerns. Notably, these provisions were incorporated from the policy vehicle AB 306, which the City of Palo Alto took an Oppose Unless Amended position to allow for the adoption of the 2025 building standards code and provide the continued authority for local
governments to adopt and enforce reach codes. Summary of AB 306-Derived Provisions in AB 130 (Effective October 1, 2025 – June 1, 2031)
Local governments are prohibited from adopting or amending building standards affecting residential units—including energy standards and green building codes—unless one or more of the following conditions apply: 1. Substantial Equivalence The proposed standard is substantially equivalent to one previously filed and in effect as of September 30, 2025.
2. Emergency Determination by CBSC: The California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) determines the modification is
necessary for immediate health and safety. 3. Home Hardening:
The change relates to wildfire risk mitigation and structural fire resilience. 4. Fire Protection District Standards:
The standard is adopted by a fire protection district pursuant to existing statutory authority. 5. Consistency with General Plan and Mixed-Fuel Construction: The modification is necessary to implement a general plan adopted by June 10, 2025, and supports mixed-fuel construction while encouraging all-electric development under a local GHG reduction strategy.
6. Administrative Practices:
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The change pertains to ministerial procedures that do not materially alter building performance.
Under AB 130, CBSC is required to reject any filing from a city or county that does not meet these exceptions.
AB 131: Homelessness Funding and Expanding CEQA Exemptions AB 131 carries forward the state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Program into Round 7, appropriating $500 million for FY 2026–27. This essentially means that despite eight years of precedent wherein the state has dedicated $1 billion to the program, this fiscal year the Legislature has appropriated $0, with delayed access to Round 7 funds until FY 26-27. However, round 6 of the program, comprised of the previous $1 billion allocation, has yet to be released, meaning there should not be a delay until 2026 for access to new funds. To access HHAP funds via Round 7, jurisdictions must meet a slate of eligibility criteria—compliant housing elements, alignment with state encampment policies and the adoption of the Governor’s model ordinance, progress on housing metrics, and sufficient obligation of prior HHAP funds—before funds will be disbursed. This shift marks a more prescriptive, performance-based approach to homelessness spending, emphasizing accountability and local alignment with state priorities.
In tandem, AB 131 introduces one of the most significant expansions of CEQA exemptions in recent memory. The bill exempts an array of public interest projects from environmental review,
including wildfire risk reduction activities (like prescribed burns, fuel breaks, and defensible space efforts), and park and trail development projects funded by Proposition 4 (2024). The wildfire exemption is particularly notable, as it applies to projects up to 50 acres in scope and within wildland-urban interface areas. Beyond wildfire and parks, AB 131 also streamlines CEQA for specific infill housing projects, federally qualified health centers, food banks, daycare centers, advanced manufacturing facilities, broadband infrastructure in public rights-of-way, and climate adaptation planning. The bill introduces a new “near-miss” CEQA review pathway for projects that nearly qualify for full exemption but fall short on a single criterion—requiring environmental analysis only for the disqualifying factor and eliminating the need for cumulative impact or project alternative evaluations. Beyond the signing of the initial budget act and corresponding trailer bills, the State’s budget
situation will continue to evolve through the end of the legislative session to account for new shortfalls that have been contributed from the passage of the federal government’s reconciliation package.
July 2025 Finance Bulletin: Year-End Revenue Update On July 24, the California Department of Finance released its July 2025 Finance Bulletin, reporting that the state ended the 2024–25 fiscal year with General Fund revenues approximately $2.7 billion above estimates included in the Governor’s May Revision. While this result exceeds expectations, a closer breakdown shows that nearly half of the total stems from one-time federal reimbursements for prior-year expenses.
These temporary payments, while beneficial in easing short-term fiscal pressure, do not reflect ongoing growth in California’s primary revenue sources, such as personal income taxes, sales
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taxes, or corporate taxes. As a result, the revenue overage does not indicate a sustained upward trend in the state’s economic performance or tax base.
The State Controller’s Office reported, as of June 30, the General Fund held a cash balance of $34 billion, enough to meet current obligations. In addition, the State Treasurer's most recent
evaluation of the Pooled Money Investment Account, which includes funds from state and local governments, placed its market value at $178 billion at the end of the fiscal year. While the year-end figures offer some positive indicators, the reliance on nonrecurring funds underscores the importance of cautious budgeting and long-term planning. The coming fiscal cycles will likely require continued attention to both revenue trends and expenditure pressures. Legislative Spotlight: SB 63 (Wiener) Bay Area Transportation Revenue Measure As part of a coordinated legislative and regional effort, SB 63 (Wiener) advances a framework for a district-wide transactions and use tax dedicated to funding public transportation throughout the Bay Area. Developed in conjunction with negotiated agreements between major Bay Area transit operators and regional agencies, the legislation enables the creation of a Transportation Revenue Measure District (TRMD) encompassing five counties—Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and
Santa Clara, along with the City and County of San Francisco. Under the proposal, a uniform sales tax would be levied across the region, with a rate of 0.5
percent in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties, and a higher rate of 1.0 percent in San Francisco. The tax would be authorized for a duration of 14 years. Revenue generated under the measure would be allocated according to a detailed expenditure plan
informed by technical modeling and negotiated interagency input, ensuring each recipient jurisdiction receives a proportional share of funding tied to agreed-upon service, ridership, and operational metrics. A nominal share of the total revenue—0.22 percent—is set aside for the TRMD itself, to cover both ongoing administrative operations and a limited suite of one-time expenditures, including the costs of a financial efficiency audit and expenses related to ballot placement and voter education. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), acting as the coordinating entity for regional integration, will receive 4.4 percent of total revenues to implement priority rider-focused improvements consistent with the 2021 Transit Transformation Action Plan (T-TAP). These improvements are expected to include expanded regional fare coordination through programs
such as Clipper START and free or reduced-cost intersystem transfers, as well as enhancements to accessibility, transit signal prioritization, and standardized passenger information systems such as signage and wayfinding.
MTC will also be tasked with the regional allocation of operational support funding to the Bay Area’s largest transit providers. These include BART, AC Transit, Muni, the SF Bay Ferry system,
and Golden Gate Transit, with Caltrain also expected to participate pending formal confirmation by its member agencies. In addition, smaller bus operators serving subregional markets in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties will receive funding through allocations determined by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), respectively. These operations-based distributions reflect a coordinated effort to stabilize and improve core transit service levels across a fragmented regional landscape.
Ongoing discussions among agency partners have focused on ensuring transparency and fiscal accountability, with particular attention given to the structure and independence of the proposed
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financial efficiency review. Stakeholders in San Mateo County have emphasized the importance of robust oversight, with negotiations continuing to refine the measure’s governance and reporting
architecture. Following these regional and MTC-directed allocations, the remaining revenues will be distributed
directly to each participating county’s designated transportation agency for local use. These agencies include ACTC in Alameda County, CCTA in Contra Costa County, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), the San Mateo County Transit District (SMCTD), and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). Importantly, each agency will receive its share of funds independently and without administrative interference from either the TRMD or MTC, allowing for the implementation of county-level transit investments aligned with local priorities and adopted expenditure plans. The measure is pending action in the second house fiscal committee before moving to the floor for final consideration. FEDERAL UPDATES Congressionally Directed Spending Submittal
As part of the Fiscal Year 2026 federal appropriations process, the City of Palo Alto, in coordination with Townsend Public Affairs, prepared and submitted a Congressionally Directed
Spending (CDS) request to secure funding for the completion of the Fire Station No. 4 Replacement Project. The project, which had previously garnered support from former Representative Anna Eshoo, was determined to meet key eligibility criteria for federal community
project funding, including its shovel-ready status, advanced stage of implementation, and strong record of local and state support. Representative Liccardo selected the Fire Station No. 4 project for submission and formally advanced a $3,000,000 funding request on the City’s behalf. Following his selection and associated advocacy efforts with appropriations committee staff, the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee included the project in its FY 2026 draft spending bill with a proposed funding level of $850,000. This amount reflects ongoing bipartisan negotiations, national funding constraints, and the need to balance project requests across all fifty states.
The current funding recommendation is expected to remain intact as the appropriations process continues through the House and Senate. TPA will maintain active engagement with key federal stakeholders throughout the remainder of the cycle to support retention of the funding in final
legislative packages and to position the City for future federal funding opportunities aligned with its capital priorities. Federal Reconciliation Package and Impacts to California On July 4, President Donald Trump signed HR 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The bill was modified by the Senate after passing the House on May 22, and constitutes the largest tax/spending bill ever passed at an estimated $3.4 trillion. The budget reconciliation package aimed to deliver the majority of the President’s legislative agenda, from extending the 2017 Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act, providing supplements to tax credits, enacting no tax on tips and overtime, and enacting defense and border/immigration spending.
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In order to offset the costs of these policies, the OBBBA makes cuts to social spending programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, alongside other
programs in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act energy tax credits, and funding for financial watchdogs. It also makes modifications to student loans, student loan repayment, oil and gas drilling, immigration fees, and environmental review
rules. Importantly, many of the immediate benefits in the OBBBA, including the increase in the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT Cap) from $10k to $40k, no tax on tips, overtime, and car loan interest, and a $1k deposit for a newborn child into a “Trump” (investment) account all expire or phase out at the end of the President’s term in 2028. At the same time, the cuts to social spending programs and clean energy tax credits will ramp up through 2035. A Congressional Budget Office estimate projects the bill will lead to a $3.4 trillion dollar loss in revenue for the federal government over the 10-year budget window, with $1.2 trillion in spending cuts, nearly a trillion of those cuts being to Medicaid. Importantly, the spending reductions did not generally come from cuts to services themselves, but instead via cost-shifting the administration and benefits of the programs onto the states and introducing new work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks. How the state of California will respond to these changes, estimated
between a $20- and $40 billion loss in revenue over the 10-year budget window, was not addressed in the recent state budget negotiations for this year.
Counties are likely to face a significant portion of the additional administrative burdens imposed by the more frequent eligibility verifications and enhanced work requirements. They will have to negotiate with the state on how to address the costs.
California Specific Impacts of the Legislation OBBBA proposes sweeping changes to federal tax policy, healthcare funding, and regulatory authority, with potentially significant consequences for California. As one of the largest and most populous states, California could be disproportionately impacted by reductions in federal support for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and other safety net programs, along with new limitations on the state’s ability to regulate environmental and technological standards. Outlined below are the potential impacts of the OBBBA on California’s CalFresh and Medi-Cal programs.
SNAP/CalFresh
OBBBA increases state financial responsibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/CalFresh) while imposing new restrictions on program flexibility and eligibility.
Cost Share Specifically, beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2028, states will be required to cover a portion of the cost of SNAP (benefits if their payment error rate exceeds 6%. The cost-sharing requirements are as follows:
• States with an error rate below 6%: no cost share (0%)
• States with an error rate between 6% and 8%: 5% cost share
• States with an error rate between 8% and 10%: 10% cost share
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• States with an error rate 10% or higher: 15% cost share For FY 2028 only, states may choose to use either their FY 2025 or FY 2026 error rate to determine their share. Starting in FY 2029 and beyond, the applicable rate will be based on the
state's error rate from three years prior. Additionally, if a state's SNAP payment error rate reaches 13.35% or higher, the state may postpone its required cost-sharing contribution until fiscal year 2030. This delay provides temporary relief for states with exceptionally high error rates, allowing
additional time to improve program accuracy before being subject to the financial penalty. In addition, beginning in FY 2027, the federal share of SNAP administrative costs will be reduced
from 50% to 25%, increasing the financial responsibility of states for program administration, placing pressures at the local level. With the state’s payment error rate at nearly 11% in FY24, California would be required to contribute the maximum 15% share of SNAP benefit costs under the proposal. This would cost California approximately $1.8 billion a year unless it significantly reduced its payment error rate to below 6%.
Eligibility OBBBA also restricts SNAP eligibility to individuals residing in the U.S. who are:
• US citizens or nationals;
• Lawful permanent residents (with certain exceptions);
• Cuban or Haitian entrants; or
• Lawfully residing individuals covered under the Compacts of Free Association
(Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau). Restricting SNAP eligibility to certain categories of noncitizens could have a significant impact on
California, which is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the nation. This change may increase food insecurity among vulnerable communities and place additional strain on state-funded nutrition and social services programs that serve individuals excluded under the new federal rules. Medicaid/Medi-Cal OBBBA poses significant risks to California’s healthcare system. The legislation threatens to eliminate Medi-Cal coverage for up to 3.4 million Californians and could result in the loss of more than $30 billion in federal funding. These cuts would jeopardize the financial stability of hospitals, community clinics, and critical public health programs across the state. OBBBA imposes sweeping changes to the structure of Medicaid, particularly in states like California that have expanded coverage and relied on program flexibility. The bill includes federal
caps on core Medicaid funding, estimated to reduce California’s share by at least $28.4 billion. By 2034, an estimated 17 million individuals in the nation are projected to become uninsured as a result of significant cuts to Medicaid and the elimination of enhanced premium subsidies. These
changes would reduce access to affordable health coverage for millions of low-income and working families, reversing gains made in recent years under federal health programs.
It also restricts the state’s ability to draw down federal matching funds through mechanisms like the provider tax, an essential financing tool for the Medi-Cal program. Severely limiting new
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provider taxes will severely constrain the state’s capacity to fund Medi-Cal and maintain current service levels.
The legislation also introduces mandatory work requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries, a policy that could lead to widespread disenrollment, especially among low-income individuals
facing employment barriers. Furthermore, the OBBBA requires eligibility reverification every six months. As currently interpreted, the statute requires an almost entirely new Medicaid application be resubmitted and processed each time, inclusive of immigration status checks with the federal government. It also caps supplemental federal payments to hospitals, threatening major reductions in revenue for both public and private hospitals, and compromising their ability to sustain services, staffing, and access to care. The bill includes a provision that blocks Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, a change that could disrupt health care access for approximately 1.1 million patients and potentially lead to the closure of nearly 200 health centers, in 24 states across the nation. OBBBA introduces new cost-sharing requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries with incomes 100-138% federal poverty level. Beginning in 2028, these enrollees may be required to pay up to $35 for each healthcare service, with total charges capped at 5% of their household income. While
certain services, such as those provided by federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, and behavioral health providers, are exempt from this requirement, the policy represents a significant departure from California’s current approach. Medi-Cal does not currently impose co-
payments for most services, meaning this shift could create new financial barriers for low-income individuals accessing care.
In total, the bill’s provisions disrupt Medicaid financing, increase administrative costs, reduce access to services, and place added financial pressure on both beneficiaries and healthcare providers. The impacts would fall most heavily on vulnerable Californians, including low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities who depend on Medi-Cal for consistent, affordable healthcare.
M E M O R A N D U M
To: City of Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee From: Townsend Public Affairs Date: July 28, 2025 Subject: Palo Alto Priority Bill Matrix
Community Services
AB 421 (Solache, D) Immigration enforcement: prohibitions on access, sharing information, and law enforcement collaboration.
Status: 04/08/2025 - In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Summary: The California Values Act generally prohibits California law enforcement agencies from investigating, interrogating, detaining, detecting, or arresting persons for immigration enforcement purposes. Current law provides certain limited exceptions to this prohibition. This bill would prohibit California law enforcement agencies from collaborating with, or providing any information in writing, verbally, on in any other manner to, immigration authorities regarding proposed or currently underway immigration enforcement actions when the actions could be or are taking place within a radius of one mile of any childcare or daycare facility, religious institution, place of worship, hospital, or medical office. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on local law enforcement agencies or officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 02/05/2025
text)
Position: Watch
SB 456 (Ashby, D) Contractors: exemptions: muralists.
Status: 07/08/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Contractors State License Law establishes the Contractors State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of contractors. Current law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to engage in the business, or act in the capacity, of a contractor without a license, unless exempted. Current law exempts from the Contractors State License Law a nonprofit corporation providing assistance to an owner, as specified. This bill would exempt from that law an artist who draws, paints, applies, executes, restores, or conserves a mural, as defined, pursuant to an agreement with a person who could legally authorize the work. (Based on 04/02/2025 text)
Position: Support
SB 627 (Wiener, D) Law enforcement: masks.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law makes it a misdemeanor to wear a mask, false whiskers, or any personal disguise, as specified, with the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification while committing a public offense, or for concealment, flight, evasion, or escape from arrest or conviction for any public offense. This bill would make it a crime for a law enforcement officer to wear a facial covering in the performance of their duties, except as specified. The bill
would define law enforcement officer as anyone designated by California law as a peace officer and any officer or agent of a federal law enforcement agency, or any person acting on behalf of a federal law enforcement agency. The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable as an infraction or a misdemeanor, as specified. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 805 (Pérez, D) Crimes.
Status: 07/18/2025 - Coauthors revised.
Summary: Current law prohibits credibly impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, or employee of a public utility, state or local government agency, or search and rescue team, as specified. Current law also prohibits willfully and credibly impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, or employee of a public utility, state or local government agency, or search and rescue team through or on an internet website, or by other electronic means, for the purposes of defrauding another. A violation of these prohibitions is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would clarify that a peace officer, for these purposes, includes a federal law enforcement officer. The bill would extend these offenses to include willfully and credibly impersonating any of those entities through any means for the purpose of defrauding another. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Energy, Utilities, and Communications
AB 306 (Schultz, D) Building regulations: state building standards.
Status: 06/23/2025 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
Summary: Current law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. The California Building Standards Law establishes the California Building Standards Commission (commission) within the Department of General Services. Current law requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code (code). The State Housing Law establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Current law requires, among other things, the building standards adopted and submitted by the department for approval by the commission, as specified, to be adopted by reference, with certain exceptions. Current law authorizes any city or county to make
changes in those building standards that are published in the code, including to green building standards. Current law requires the governing body of a city or county, before making modifications or changes to those green building standards, to make an express finding that those modifications or changes are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. This bill would, from October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, inclusive, prohibit a city or county from making changes that are applicable to residential units to the above-described building standards unless a certain condition is met, including that the commission deems those changes or modifications necessary as emergency standards to protect health and safety. (Based on 06/23/2025 text)
Position: Oppose Unless Amended
AB 737 (Quirk-Silva, D) Energy: building decarbonization: notice and recordation of a decarbonization charge.
Status: 07/08/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law requires the Public Utilities Commission, or the governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility or electrical cooperative, to require an energy supplier, defined as an electrical corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, electric service provider, community choice aggregator, or electrical cooperative, administering a decarbonization upgrade program or initiative, to record, no later than 30 days after funding a decarbonization upgrade, a notice of decarbonization
charge, as defined, with the county recorder of the county where the property subject to the decarbonization charge is located, as specified. Current law requires an energy supplier, within 30 days of full cost recovery of the outstanding charges related to the recorded notice of decarbonization charge, to record a notice of the full cost recovery and removal of the decarbonization charge with the county recorder of the county where the property subject to the decarbonization charge is located. This bill would add gas corporations to the definition of “energy supplier” for purposes of the above-described provisions and make conforming changes. (Based on 07/08/2025 text)
AB 1020 (Schiavo, D) Public utilities: energy: taxpayer funding: reporting.
Status: 07/16/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 3.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Current law requires electrical corporations and gas corporations to submit various information to the commission, and requires the commission to annually report to the Legislature on, among other things, all sources and amounts of funding and actual and proposed expenditures, including any costs to ratepayers, related to entities or programs established by the commission, as specified. This bill would require each utility, defined as an investor-owned electrical corporation or gas corporation, to report certain information for any taxpayer funding, as defined, greater than or equal to $1,000,000 that the utility has applied for or
received. The bill would require the commission, for each application in which a utility is seeking ratepayer funding, to require the utility to report all relevant taxpayer funding greater than or equal to $1,000,000 that the utility is pursuing or has secured, and, if the commission determines that a utility is not in compliance with that requirement, the bill would authorize the commission to impose a penalty against the utility, as specified. The bill would require the commission to require each utility to promptly deliver to ratepayers the financial benefits of taxpayer funding received, as provided. (Based on 06/24/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 1273 (Patterson, R) Public utilities: ratesetting proceedings: local publicly owned electric utilities: California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program.
Status: 07/22/2025 - From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 15). Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law requires all charges demanded or received by a public utility for a product or commodity furnished or to be furnished or a service rendered or to be rendered to be just and reasonable. Current law, except as provided, prohibits a public utility from changing a rate unless there is a showing before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and a finding by the PUC that the new rate is justified. Current law requires the PUC to publish and maintain on its internet website particular documents regarding the PUC’s agendas, actions, decisions, resolutions, rules, and other information. This bill would prohibit the PUC from placing the consideration of an electrical corporation ratesetting proceeding on its consent calendar. The bill would, except as provided, require the PUC to provide, at a meeting to vote on a ratesetting proceeding, before its vote on the ratesetting proceeding, a public comment period of at least 30 minutes on the ratesetting proceeding. (Based on 07/22/2025 text)
Position: Support
SB 593 (Hurtado, D) Voltage changes: consumer protection: study and report.
Status: 06/30/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law requires the Public Utilities Commission to annually publish a report that includes all investigations into gas or electric service safety incidents reported, pursuant to commission requirements, by any gas corporation or electrical corporation, as provided. This bill would require that annual report to also include the number of significant voltage-related service incidents that damaged customer equipment and appliances, the number of claims submitted, and the number and total dollar amount of the resolved claims. (Based on 06/30/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Environmental Quality
AB 961 (Ávila Farías, D) Hazardous materials: California Land Reuse and Revitalization Act of 2004.
Status: 07/09/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The California Land Reuse and Revitalization Act of 2004 provides, among other things, that an innocent landowner, bona fide purchaser, or contiguous property owner, as defined, qualifies for immunity from liability from certain state statutory and common laws for pollution conditions caused by a release or threatened release of a hazardous material if specified conditions are met, including entering into an agreement for a specified site assessment and response plan. The act prohibits the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the State Water Resources Control Board, and a California regional water quality control board from requiring one of those persons to take a response action under certain state laws, except as specified. Existing law repeals the act on
January 1, 2027. Current law provides that a person who qualifies for immunity under the act before January 1, 2027, shall continue to have that immunity on and after January 1, 2027. This bill would extend the repeal date of the act to January 1, 2037, and would provide that a person who qualifies for immunity under the act before January 1, 2037, shall continue to have that immunity on and after January 1, 2037, if the person continues to be in compliance with the requirements of the former act. (Based on 02/20/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 682 (Allen, D) Environmental health: product safety: perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: (1)Existing law requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control, on or before January 1, 2029, to adopt regulations to enforce specified covered perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) restrictions, which include prohibitions on the distribution, sale, or offering for sale of certain products that contain specified levels of PFAS. Existing law requires the department, on and after July 1, 2030, to enforce and ensure compliance with those provisions and regulations, as provided. Existing law requires manufacturers of these products, on or before July 1, 2029, to register with the department, to pay a registration fee to the department, and to provide a statement of compliance certifying compliance with the applicable prohibitions on the use of PFAS to the department, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to test products and to rely on third-party testing to determine compliance with prohibitions on the use of PFAS, as specified. Existing law requires the department to issue a notice of violation for a product in violation of the prohibitions on the use of PFAS, as provided. Existing law authorizes the department to assess an administrative penalty for a violation of these prohibitions and authorizes the department to seek an injunction to restrain a person or entity from violating these prohibitions, as specified. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2028, prohibit a person from distributing, selling, or offering for sale a cleaning product, dental floss, juvenile product, food packaging, or ski wax, as provided, that contains intentionally added PFAS, as defined, except for previously used products and as otherwise preempted by federal law. The bill would, on and after January 1, 2030, prohibit a person from distributing, selling, or offering for sale cookware that contains intentionally added PFAS, except for previously used products and as otherwise preempted by federal law. The bill would authorize the department, on or before January 1, 2029, to adopt regulations to carry out these provisions. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Governance and Transparency
SB 707 (Durazo, D) Open meetings: meeting and teleconference requirements.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Assembly Rule 63 suspended. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (July 16). Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: (1)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. This bill would, until January 1, 2030, require an eligible legislative body, as defined, to comply with additional meeting requirements, including that, except as specified, all open and public meetings include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a 2-way telephonic service or a 2-way audiovisual platform, as defined, and that the eligible
legislative body take specified actions to encourage residents to participate in public meetings, as specified. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Homelessness
SB 16 (Blakespear, D) Ending Street Homelessness Act.
Status: 07/10/2025 - July 16 hearing postponed by committee.
Summary: Current law requires each city, county, and city and county to revise its housing element according to a specified schedule, as provided. Current law, for the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to determine the existing and projected need for housing for each region, and requires the appropriate 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, as provided. At least 2 years before a scheduled revision of the housing element, as specified, existing law requires each council of governments, or delegate subregion as applicable, to develop, in consultation with the department, a proposed methodology for distributing the existing and projected regional housing need to jurisdictions, as specified. Current law requires that the final allocation plan ensure that the total regional housing need, by income category, determined as specified, is maintained, and that each jurisdiction in the region receive an allocation of units for low- and very low income households. For the 7th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, current law also requires that the allocation to each region include an allocation of units for acutely low and extremely low income households. This bill, until January 1, 2032, would require the council of governments, or delegate subregion, as applicable, in developing the proposed allocation methodology that allocates each jurisdiction’s share of the regional housing
need for acutely low income housing, to count any newly constructed interim housing, as specified, as meeting the needs of acutely low income households. By imposing additional duties on local governments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 06/23/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 692 (Arreguín, D) Vehicles: homelessness.
Status: 07/16/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law makes it unlawful for a peace officer or an unauthorized person to remove an unattended vehicle from a highway, except as provided. Current law authorizes a city, county, or city and county to adopt an ordinance establishing procedures for the abatement and removal, as public nuisances, of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts of vehicles from private or public property. Current law requires that any ordinance for the removal of abandoned vehicles contain certain provisions, including a provision exempting vehicles under certain circumstances, and a provision providing no less than a 10-day notice of intention to abate and remove the vehicle or part thereof as a public nuisance, unless the property owner and the owner of the vehicle sign releases. Current law also exempts from the 10-day notice prior to removal provision, a vehicle meeting specified requirements, including being valued at less than $200 and being determined to be a public nuisance, if the property owner has signed a release. This bill would specifically authorize a local government to perform emergency summary abatement of vehicles creating imminent health and safety hazards. The bill would modify the exemption from prior 10-day notice of intention to abate and remove a vehicle to no longer require that both the
vehicle be determined to be a public nuisance and that the property owner sign a release. (Based on 07/16/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Housing and Land Use
AB 253 (Ward, D) California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building permits.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The State Housing Law establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Current law authorizes a county’s or city’s governing body to prescribe fees for permits, certificates, or other forms or documents required or authorized under the State Housing Law. This bill, the California Residential Private Permitting Review Act, would require a county or city to prepare a residential building permit fee schedule and post the schedule on the county’s or city’s internet website, if the county or city prescribes residential building permit fees. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 592 (Gabriel, D) Business: retail food.
Status: 07/21/2025 - From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 16). Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act requires the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to make and prescribe rules to carry out the purposes and intent of existing state constitutional provisions on the regulation of alcoholic beverages, and to enable the department to exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred upon it by the state constitution and the act, not inconsistent with any statute of this state. The act makes it unlawful for any person other than a licensee of the department to sell, manufacture, or import alcoholic beverages in this state, with exceptions. The department, pursuant to its powers and in furtherance of emergency declarations and orders of the Governor under the California Emergency Services Act regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus, established prescribed temporary relief measures to suspend certain legal restrictions relating to, among other things, the expansion of a licensed footprint, sales of alcoholic beverages to-go, and delivery privileges. Current law authorizes the department, for a period of 365
days following the end of the state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor on March 4, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to permit licensees to exercise license privileges in an expanded license area authorized pursuant to a COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorization approved in accordance with the Fourth Notice of Regulatory Relief issued by the department, as specified. Existing law makes these provisions effective only until July 1, 2026, and repeals them as of that date. This bill, instead, would make those provisions operative until January 1, 2029, repeal those provisions on that date, and make conforming changes. The bill would also prohibit the department from issuing any new COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorizations on or after January 1, 2027. (Based on 07/21/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 609 (Wicks, D) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: housing development projects.
Status: 05/20/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Summary: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA exempts from its requirements various projects, including, but not limited to, housing projects that meet certain requirements. This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a housing development project, as defined, that meets certain conditions relating to, for example, size, density, and location,
including specific requirements for any housing on the project site located within 500 feet of a freeway. The bill would require a local government, as a condition of approval for the development, to require the development proponent to complete a specified environmental assessment regarding hazardous substance releases. If a recognized environmental condition is found, the bill would require the development proponent to complete a preliminary endangerment assessment and specified mitigation based on that assessment. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a housing development project qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 05/05/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 610 (Alvarez, D) Housing element: governmental constraints: disclosure statement.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development that includes, among other things, a housing element. Current law, commonly referred to as the Housing Element Law, prescribes requirements for a city’s or county’s preparation of, and compliance with, its housing element, and requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to review and determine whether the housing element substantially complies with the Housing Element Law, as specified. Current law requires the housing element to include an analysis of potential and actual governmental constraints upon the maintenance,
improvement, or development of housing for all income levels, including, among others, locally adopted ordinances that directly impact the cost and supply of residential development. Current law also requires the analysis to demonstrate local efforts to remove governmental constraints that hinder the locality from meeting its share of the regional housing need. This bill would require the housing element to include, in addition to the above-described analysis, a potential and actual governmental constraints disclosure statement that contains, among other things, an identification of each new or amended potential or actual governmental constraint, or revision increasing the stringency of a governmental constraint, that was adopted after the due date of the previous housing element and before submittal of the current draft housing element to the department. By imposing new requirements upon local governments submitting a housing element, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 628 (McKinnor, D) Hiring of real property: dwellings: untenantability.
Status: 06/26/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Summary: Current law requires that any building with a dwelling unit maintain certain characteristics in order to be tenantable, including the maintenance of adequate heating and hot water systems that conform to the standard of quality set by applicable law. This bill would add a
stove and refrigerator that are maintained in good working order and are capable of safely generating heat for cooking purposes and capable of safely storing food, respectively, to the list of characteristics required for the dwelling unit to be tenantable for leases entered into, amended, or extended on or after January 1, 2026. The bill would require a landlord to repair or replace a stove or refrigerator that is subject to recall by the manufacturer or a public entity within 30 days of receiving notice that the stove or refrigerator is subject to recall. (Based on 06/12/2025 text)
AB 650 (Papan, D) Planning and zoning: housing element: regional housing needs allocation.
Status: 07/14/2025 - In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: Current law requires a public agency to administer its programs and activities relating to housing and community development in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing, and take no action that is materially inconsistent with its obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. Current law defines “affirmatively furthering fair housing,” as provided. The Planning and Zoning Law requires that a housing element include, among other things, a program that sets forth a schedule of actions during the planning period. Current law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a standardized reporting format for programs and actions taken pursuant to the requirement to affirmatively further fair housing. This bill would require the department to develop the above-described standardized reporting format on or before December 31, 2026. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Position: Support
AB 660 (Wilson, D) Planning and Zoning Law: postentitlement phase permits: Housing Accountability Act.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Planning and Zoning Law requires a local agency, as defined, to compile one or more lists that specify in detail the information required from any applicant for a postentitlement
phase permit, as defined. Current law also establishes time limits for completing reviews regarding whether an application for a postentitlement phase permit is complete and compliant, and whether to approve or deny an application. If a local agency finds that a complete application is noncompliant, existing law requires the local agency to provide the applicant with a list of items that are noncompliant and a description of how the application can be remedied by the applicant within specified time limits. Current law requires the time limits to be tolled, if the local agency requires review of the application by an outside entity, until the outside entity completes the review and returns the application to the local agency, as specified. This bill would prohibit the local agency from requiring or requesting more than 2 plan check and specification reviews in connection with an application for a building permit, as part of its review, except as specified. The bill would authorize a local agency to deny an application that is not compliant with the permit standards following 2 plan check and specification reviews. The bill would also authorize an applicant to request additional submittals of applications that are not compliant with the permit standards. The bill, if a local agency
finds that a complete application is noncompliant, would prohibit a local agency from requesting or requiring any action or inaction as a result of a building inspection undertaken to assess compliance with the applicable building permit standards that would represent a deviation from a previously approved building plan or similar approval for the building permit, except as specified. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 712 (Wicks, D) Housing reform laws: enforcement actions: fines and penalties.
Status: 07/16/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law within the Planning and Zoning Law describes various reforms and incentives enacted by the Legislature to facilitate and expedite the construction of affordable housing. Current law within the Planning and Zoning Law, in certain civil actions or proceedings against a public entity that has issued specified approvals for a housing development, authorizes a
court to award all reasonably incurred costs of suit to a prevailing public entity or nonprofit housing corporation that is a real party in interest and the permit applicant of the low- or moderate-income housing if the court makes specified findings. This bill, where the applicant for a housing development is a prevailing party in an action brought by the applicant to enforce the public agency’s compliance with a housing reform law as applied to the applicant’s housing development project, would entitle an applicant for a housing development project to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs and would require a court to impose fines on a local agency, as specified. The bill would extend any period of limitation for actions under any state law for a period of 60 days beginning on the date the applicant provides written notice to the local agency indicating its intent to commence an action. The bill would prohibit a public agency from requiring the applicant to indemnify, defend, or hold harmless the public agency in any action alleging the public agency violated the applicant’s rights or deprived the applicant of the benefits or protection provide by a housing reform law. (Based on 07/03/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 736 (Wicks, D) The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026.
Status: 06/04/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Summary: Would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General
Obligation Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Position: Support if Amended
AB 782 (Quirk-Silva, D) Subdivisions: security.
Status: 07/16/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Subdivision Map Act requires prescribed security from a developer if the act or a local ordinance authorizes or requires the furnishing of security in connection with the performance of any act or agreement. Current law requires the Real Estate Commissioner to make an examination of any subdivision, and to, unless there are grounds for denial, issue to the subdivider a public report authorizing the sale or lease of the lots or parcels within the subdivision. Current law specifies the grounds for denial, including, among other things, the inability to demonstrate that adequate financial arrangements have been made for all offsite improvements included in the offering or the inability to demonstrate that adequate financial arrangements have been made for any community, recreational, or other facilities included in the offering. This bill would prohibit the
Real Estate Commissioner, in issuing a public report for a residential development or project, from requiring the furnishing of a security in connection with the performance of any act or agreement related to an improvement if the Real Estate Commissioner determines that security sufficient to protect the interests of purchasers, owners, and lessees, as necessary, has been furnished to a local agency for the same improvement pursuant to the provisions above requiring security under the Subdivision Map Act. (Based on 07/16/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 818 (Ávila Farías, D) Permit Streamlining Act: local emergencies.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Permit Streamlining Act requires a public agency to determine whether an application for a development project is complete within specified time periods, as specified. The act requires a public agency that is the lead agency for a development project to approve or disapprove that project within specified time periods. The California Emergency Services Act, among other things, authorizes the governing body of a city, county, or city and county to proclaim a local emergency under certain circumstances, as specified, and grants political subdivisions various powers and authorities in periods of local emergency. This bill would exempt projects related to the rebuilding or repair of an affected property, as defined, from specified requirements for solar panel installations, as provided. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county to approve an or deny a complete application, within 10 business days of receipt of the application, for a building permit or an equivalent permit for any of the specified structures intended to be used by a person until the rebuilding or repair of an affected property is complete. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 893 (Fong, D) Housing development projects: objective standards: campus development zone.
Status: 07/16/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022 (act), until January 1, 2033, authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for an affordable housing development or a mixed-income housing development that meets specified objective standards and affordability and site criteria, including being located within a zone where office, retail, or parking are a principally permitted use. The act makes a development that meets those objective standards and affordability and site criteria a use by right and subject to one of 2 streamlined, ministerial review processes depending on, among other things, the affordability requirements applicable to the project. The act requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to undertake at least 2 studies, one completed on or before January 1, 2027, and one completed on or before January 1, 2031, on the outcomes of the act. This bill would provide that, for purposes of determining whether a property or site satisfies the criteria, objective development standards, or
other requirements for receiving streamlined, ministerial review under the act, a local government’s review of the property or site is limited to the area described in the application for streamlined, ministerial review and does not include, unless expressly stated otherwise, other contiguous or noncontiguous areas even if under the ownership or control of the project proponent. The bill would provide that easements for public right-of-way, public or private utilities, or other public improvements in, under, or over the property shall not make the property ineligible to receive streamlined, ministerial review for either affordable or mixed-income housing developments. (Based on 07/03/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 1007 (Rubio, Blanca, D) Land use: development project review.
Status: 07/14/2025 - In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Summary: The Permit Streamlining Act requires a public agency that is the lead agency for a development project to approve or disapprove a development project within specified time periods. The act requires a public agency, other than the California Coastal Commission, that is a
responsible agency for specified development projects to approve or disapprove the project within 90 days of the date on which the lead agency has approved the project or within 90 days of the date on which the completed application has been received and accepted as complete by the lead agency, whichever is longer. This bill would reduce the time period that a responsible agency is required to approve or disapprove a project, as described above, from 90 days to 45 days. By increasing the duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 03/24/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 1050 (Schultz, D) Unlawfully restrictive covenants: housing developments: reciprocal easement agreements.
Status: 07/16/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law provides that specified recorded covenants, conditions, restrictions, or private limits on the use of land contained in specified instruments affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in real property are not enforceable against the owner of an affordable housing development, as defined, if an approved restrictive covenant affordable housing modification document has been recorded in the public record, as provided. As part of this process, current law requires the owner to submit to the county recorder a copy of the original restrictive covenant and
any documents the owner believes necessary to establish that the property qualifies as an affordable housing development and requires the county counsel to determine, among other things, if the property qualifies as an affordable housing development and if a modification document may be recorded. Current law provides that these provisions do not authorize any development that is not otherwise consistent with local general plans, zoning ordinances, and any applicable specific plan. This bill would extend those provisions to any housing development that is owned or controlled by an entity or individual that has submitted a development project application to redevelop an existing commercial property, and the development project includes residential uses permitted by state housing laws or local land use and zoning regulations and would make various conforming changes. The bill would additionally make these provisions applicable to covenants, conditions, restrictions, or private limits contained in a reciprocal easement agreement, as provided. (Based on 07/07/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 1206 (Harabedian, D) Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Planning and Zoning Law provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, current law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans. This bill would require each local agency, as defined, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would require a large jurisdiction, as defined, to develop this program by July 1, 2026, and a small jurisdiction, as defined, to develop a program by January 1, 2028. The bill would authorize a local agency to charge a fee to an applicant for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agency’s internet website. The bill would require an application for preapproval to include a statement by the applicant that the applicant has sufficient authority, license, or ownership interest in the plan to submit the plan for preapproval and, if approved, posted as described above. This bill would prohibit the preapproval program from applying to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in certain communities and developments, as specified. The bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit, both as defined, within 30 days if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes either a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit plan preapproved within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle or a plan that is identical to a plan used in an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit approved by the local agency within the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 1276 (Carrillo, D) Housing developments: ordinances, policies, and standards.
Status: 07/14/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Housing Accountability Act prohibits a local agency from disapproving, or conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing development project, as defined for purposes of the act, for very low, low-, or moderate-income households or an emergency shelter unless the local agency makes specified written findings based on a preponderance of the evidence in the record. The act provides that for its purposes, a housing development project or emergency shelter shall be deemed consistent, compliant, and in conformity with an applicable plan, program, policy, ordinance, standard, requirement, or other similar provision if there is substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the housing development project or emergency shelter is consistent, compliant, or in conformity. The act requires a housing development project to be subject only to the ordinances, policies, and standards adopted and in effect when a preliminary application, as specified, was submitted, except as otherwise provided. The act defines “ordinances, policies, and standards” to include general plan, community plan, specific plan, zoning, design review standards and criteria, subdivision standards and criteria, and any other rules, regulations, requirements, and policies of a local agency, as defined, including those relating to development impact fees, capacity or connection fees or charges, permit or processing fees, and other exactions. This bill would include in the definition of “ordinances, policies, and standards” materials requirements, postentitlement permit standards, and any rules, regulations, determinations, and other requirements adopted or implemented by other public
agencies, as defined (Based on 07/14/2025 text)
Position: Watch
AB 1308 (Hoover, R) Residential building permits: inspections: Housing Accountability Act.
Status: 07/16/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The State Housing Law establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Current law requires a county’s or city’s building department to enforce the State Housing Law and the California Building Standards Code, and other rules and
regulations promulgated pursuant to the State Housing Law pertaining to standards for buildings used for human habitation. Current law requires a county or city, upon the applicant’s request, to contract with or employ temporarily a private entity or person to check the plans and specifications submitted with an application for a residential building permit to comply with the State Housing Law or local ordinances adopted pursuant to the State Housing Law, when the building department takes more than 30 days, as specified, to complete the plan check. Current law authorizes an enforcement agency to inspect any building to secure compliance with the State Housing Law and the California Building Standards Code, and other rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the State Housing Law. This bill would require the building department to conduct an inspection of the permitted work for specified new residential constructions of a building and residential additions to an existing building within 10 business days of receiving a notice of the completion of the permitted work authorized by a building permit issued for those projects. (Based on 07/10/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 79 (Wiener, D) Housing development: transit-oriented development.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Assembly Rule 63 suspended. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (July 16). Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive,
long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its boundaries, that contains certain mandatory elements, including a housing element. Current law requires that the housing element consist of an identification and analysis of existing and projected housing needs and a statement of goals, policies, quantified objectives, financial resources, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing, as specified. Current law requires that the housing element include, among other things, an assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints that are relevant to the meeting of these needs, including an inventory of land suitable for residential development, as provided. Current law, for the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to determine the existing and projected need for housing for each region, as specified, and requires the appropriate council of local 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 locality in the region.
Existing law requires each local government to revise its housing element in accordance with a specified schedule. This bill would require that a housing development project, as defined, within a specified distance of a transit-oriented development (TOD) stop, as defined, be an allowed use as a transit-oriented housing development on any site zoned for residential, mixed, or commercial development, if the development complies with applicable requirements, as specified. Among these requirements, the bill would establish requirements concerning height limits, density, and floor area ratio in accordance with a development’s proximity to specified tiers of TOD stops, as provided. The bill would provide that, for the purposes of the Housing Accountability Act, a proposed development consistent with the applicable standards of these provisions shall be deemed consistent, compliant, and in conformity with prescribed requirements, as specified. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Oppose
SB 328 (Grayson, D) Hazardous waste generation and handling fees: Department of Toxic Substances Control oversight responses: housing development projects.
Status: 07/15/2025 - July 14 set for first hearing. Placed on REV. & TAX. suspense file. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The hazardous waste control laws require the Department of Toxic Substances Control to regulate the handling and management of hazardous waste and hazardous materials. Current law, which is part of the Planning and Zoning Law, establishes time limits for a local agency, as defined, to complete reviews regarding whether to approve or deny an application, as specified, and makes any failure to meet these time limits a disapproval of the housing development project and a violation of specified law. Upon the department receiving a request for a housing development project seeking oversight of investigation, characterization, and remediation activities, this bill would require the department to provide written notice to the requestor within specified timelines regarding subsequent actions in the review process, as specified. The bill would require, for a housing development with 25 units or fewer, the department to provide the written notice within 60 business days of receiving the request. The bill would require, for a housing development with 26 units or more, the department to provide the written notice within 120 business days of receiving the request. The bill would make these provisions operative on July 1, 2028. (Based on 06/25/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 417 (Cabaldon, D) The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026.
Status: 02/19/2025 - From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
Summary: Would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would
authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program. (Based on 02/18/2025 text)
Position: Support if Amended
SB 489 (Arreguín, D) Local agency formation commissions: written policies and procedures: Permit Streamlining Act: housing development projects.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 governs the procedures for the formation and change of organization of cities and special districts and establishes a local agency formation commission in each county consisting of members appointed as provided. The act expresses the intent of the Legislature that each local agency formation commission, by January 1, 2002, establish written policies and procedures and exercise its powers in a way that encourages and provides planned, well-ordered, efficient urban development patterns,
as specified. The act requires these written policies and procedures to include forms to be used for various submittals to the commission, as provided. The act requires each commission to provide access to notices and other information to the public on an internet website, as specified, including notice of all public hearings and commission meetings. This bill would require that each local agency formation commission establish the written policies and procedures described above. The bill would require that the written policies and procedures include any forms necessary for a complete application to the commission concerning a proposed change of organization or reorganization. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 786 (Arreguín, D) Planning and zoning: general plan: judicial challenges.
Status: 07/16/2025 - Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and of certain land outside its boundaries, and requires the general plan to contain specified mandatory elements. Current law specifies that these provisions generally do not apply to a charter city but requires a charter city to adopt a general plan that contains the mandatory elements, among other things. Current law prescribes a process to challenge the validity of a general plan. Current law requires a petitioner to
request a hearing or trial, as specified. Current law requires a court to set a date for the hearing or trial to be heard no later than 120 days after the filing of the request, as specified. Current law authorizes a court to continue for a reasonable time the date of the hearing or trial upon written motion and finding of good cause. Current law requires a court to grant the petitioner temporary relief if the court grants a continuance to a respondent, as specified. This bill would apply to the above-described process to challenge the validity of a general plan to a charter city and state that this is declaratory of current law. The bill would limit the period for which a court may continue a trial or hearing, as described above, to no more than 60 days and would additionally authorize a court to grant a continuance on the court’s own motion. The bill would extend the requirement that a court grant temporary relief, as described above, in any instance in which the court orders a continuance, rather than only if the court grants a continuance to a respondent. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Revenue and Taxation
SB 346 (Durazo, D) Local agencies: transient occupancy taxes: short-term rental facilitator.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Summary: Current law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to regulate the occupancy of a room or rooms, or other living space, in a hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, or other lodging for a period of less than 30 days. This bill would authorize a local agency, defined to mean a city, county, or city and county, to enact an ordinance to require a short-term rental facilitator, as defined, to report, in the form and manner prescribed by the local agency, the physical address, including 9-digit ZIP Code, of each short-term rental, as defined, during the reporting period. The bill would also authorize a local agency to request additional information, as provided, when the physical address is not sufficient for the local agency to identify a specific short-term
rental. The bill would authorize the local agency to impose an administrative fine or penalty for failure to file the report, and would authorize the local agency to initiate an audit of a short-term rental facilitator, as described. The bill would require a short-term rental facilitator, in a jurisdiction
that has adopted an ordinance, to include in the listing of a short-term rental any applicable local license number associated with the short-term rental and any transient occupancy tax certification issued by a local agency. (Based on 07/07/2025 text)
Position: Support
SB 358 (Becker, D) Mitigation Fee Act: mitigating vehicular traffic impacts.
Status: 07/07/2025 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: 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. Current law requires a local agency that imposes a fee on a housing development for the purpose of mitigating vehicular traffic impacts to set the rate for that fee, if the housing development satisfies all of certain prescribed characteristics, to reflect a lower rate of automobile trip generation associated with such housing developments in comparison with housing developments without the prescribed characteristics, unless the local agency adopts findings after a public hearing establishing that the housing development, even with those characteristics, would not generate fewer automobile trips than a housing development without those characteristics. This bill would require those findings to be supported by substantial evidence in the record before or as part of the housing development project approval process. (Based on 07/07/2025 text)
Position: Watch
Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Works
SB 63 (Wiener, D) San Francisco Bay area: local revenue measure: transportation funding.
Status: 07/15/2025 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) (July 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current 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. Current 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 establish the Transportation Revenue Measure District with jurisdiction extending throughout the boundaries of the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa and the City and County of San Francisco and would require the district to be governed by the same
board that governs the commission, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a retail transactions and use tax applicable to the entire district to be imposed by the board of the district or by a qualified voter initiative for a duration of 10 to 15 years, inclusive, and generally in an amount of 0.5%, subject to voter approval at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election. (Based on 07/09/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 71 (Wiener, D) California Environmental Quality Act: exemptions: environmental leadership transit projects.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Assembly Rule 63 suspended. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 14). Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA, until January 1, 2030, exempts from its requirements active transportation plans, pedestrian plans, or bicycle transportation plans for the restriping of streets and highways, bicycle parking and storage, signal timing to improve street and highway intersection operations, and the related signage for bicycles,
pedestrians, and vehicles. This bill would extend the operation of the above-mentioned exemption indefinitely. The bill would also exempt a transit comprehensive operational analysis, as defined, a transit route readjustment, or other transit agency route addition, elimination, or modification, from the requirements of CEQA. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a plan qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
SB 445 (Wiener, D) High-speed rail: third-party agreements, permits, and approvals: regulations.
Status: 07/17/2025 - Assembly Rule 63 suspended. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (July 16). Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Summary: Current law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority Office of the Inspector General (office) and authorizes the High-Speed Rail Authority Inspector General (inspector general) to initiate an audit or review regarding oversight related to delivery of the high-speed rail project undertaken by the authority and the selection and oversight of contractors related to that project. Current law requires the inspector general to submit annual reports to the Legislature and Governor regarding its findings. This bill would require the authority, on or before July 1, 2026, to develop and adopt internal rules, as defined, setting forth standards and timelines for the authority to engage utilities to ensure coordination and cooperation in relocating utility infrastructure or otherwise resolving utility conflicts affecting the delivery of the high-speed rail project. The bill would require the authority to ensure that the internal rules, among other things, identify the circumstances under which the authority would be required seek to enter into a cooperative agreement with a utility that, where relevant, identifies who is responsible for specific utility relocations, as specified. (Based on 07/17/2025 text)
Position: Watch
August 12, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
State and Federal Advocacy Updates
Christine Prior, Deputy City Clerk
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City ManagerCarly Shelby, Senior Associate, Townsend Public Affairs
1
•Receive an update on state and federal advocacy and provide
feedback on advocacy efforts
Recommendation
1
•Framework used by staff and the City's legislative advocates, in
consultation with the Mayor, to respond to legislative issues
•Allow for flexible and quick responses to emerging issues
Legislative Guidelines
4
2025 State Legislative Session Overview
Floor Session – September 2 -12
(Final Day of Session)
Governor’s Signature/Veto Deadline
– October 12
Policy Committee Deadline – July 18
(Start of Summer Recess)
Legislature Reconvenes – August 18
Fiscal Committee Deadline – August
29
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
5
End of Session: Key Items
Budget Clean Up: Impacts of OBBA, Final Trailer Bill Language, Trigger Cuts
Cap and Trade Reauthorization: Potential new structure, expenditure reconfiguration
Congressional Redistricting:
Constitutional Amendment vehicle consideration, special election, new districts
Potential Housing Bond:
Amendments required, action needed before end of session.
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 6
Palo Alto: Areas of Strategic Engagement
Builders Remedy Reform
Local Art Program Protections
Housing Bond – Local Housing Trust Funding
Brown Act Modernization
Local Green Building Standards
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 7
Bills With Positions
Revises Housing Element Law to specify that a local agency’s housing
element is in compliance the date it is adopted if the element is
subsequently certified by HCD or a court of competent jurisdiction, and
changes the vesting period for builder’s remedy projects.
Position: Support
Status: Failed in Policy Committee
SB 457 (Becker) Builders Remedy
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 8
Bills With Positions
Clarifies that muralists are not subject to licensure and allows them the
flexibility to continue sharing their artistic expression throughout local
communities.
Position: Support
Status: Pending consideration in second house fiscal committee.
SB 456 (Ashby) Contractors: exemptions: muralists.
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 9
Bills With Positions
Requires HCD to identify and explain
specific deficiencies in a local
agency’s draft or adopted housing
element that is not substantially
compliant with the law, and to provide
specific analysis and text to a local
agency that would correct any
deficiencies. Also extends the
timelines for determining and
assessing RHND and Hes
Position: Support
Status: Pending consideration in
second house fiscal committee.
AB 650 (Papan) Housing Elements
Makes housing development projects
near existing and proposed TOD
stops an allowable use on sites
zoned for residential, mixed, or
commercial, development. Makes
specific exceptions for local
governments that already have TOD
zoning ordinances in place, allowing
for local government zoning to take
place over bill if specific density/units
are accommodated.
Position: Oppose
Status: Pending consideration in
second house fiscal committee.
SB 79 (Wiener) Housing development:
transit-oriented development
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 10
Bills With Positions
Prohibits a city or county from making changes or modifications to building standards
affecting residential units, including to green building standards, from October 1, 2025
until June 1, 2031, unless:
•They are equivalent to modifications that were in effect as of September 20, 2025;
•They are necessary to protect health and safety or implement home hardening
procedures;
•The amendment aligns with a general plan to implement mixed fuel residential
construction or incentivizes all electric construction (if adopted before June 10,
2025); or
•The changes are related to administrative practices/cost reductions
Position: Oppose Unless Amended
Status: Incorporated into Budget Trailer bill AB 130. Signed into Law.
AB 306 (Rivas, Schultz) Building Standards Moratorium
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 11
Bills With Positions
Authorizes the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026 to place a $10 billion
housing bond on an upcoming ballot to fund the production of affordable
housing and supportive housing. Programs include the Multi-Family
Housing (MHP) program, the Portfolio Reinvestment Program, the
CalHOME Program, and others.
Position: Support if Amended to include Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF)
program dollars
Status: Pending amendments and consideration (not subject to standard
deadlines)
SB 417 (Cabaldon) & AB 736 (Wicks): Housing Bond
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 12
Housing and Land Use Legislation: Permitting and Fee
Reform
Allows homeowners and developers
of residential projects up to ten units
to hire a licensed third-party
professional to review building plans
for compliance with state laws and
local ordinances if the local building
department fails to complete its
review within 30 days.
Status: Pending consideration in
second house fiscal committee.
AB 253 (Ward) California Residential
Private Permitting Review Act
Requires local agencies to reduce
vehicle mitigation fees for housing
developments near transit unless
they make findings supported by
substantial evidence in the record
that projects are not expected to
reduce automobile trips.
Status: Pending consideration in
second house fiscal committee.
SB 358 (Becker) Mitigation Fee Act:
mitigating vehicular traffic impacts.
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 13
Notable Legislation: Housing Trailer Bills
AB 130 (Budget)
•Building standards freeze
•VMT mitigation bank program
•Permit streamlining Act
expansion
•Infill housing CEQA exemption
•REAP extension and flexibility
SB 131 (Budget)
•CEQA “near miss” provision
•CEQA exemptions (farmworker
housing, day cares, clinics,
manufacturing facilities, wildfire
mitigation, Prop 4 uses, HSR,
etc.)
•HHAP Round 7 appropriation
($500 m FY 26-27)
•Urban Infill Mapping
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
AB 130 (Budget)
•Building standards freeze
•VMT mitigation bank program
•Permit streamlining Act
expansion
•Infill housing CEQA exemption
•REAP extension and flexibility
SB 131 (Budget)
•CEQA “near miss” provision
•CEQA exemptions (farmworker
housing, day cares, clinics,
manufacturing facilities, wildfire
mitigation, Prop 4 uses, HSR,
etc.)
•HHAP Round 7 appropriation
($500 m FY 26-27)
•Urban Infill Mapping
Slide 14
Notable Legislation: Brown Act Modernization
SB 707 (Durazo) Brown Act Modernization Act
Makes changes to the Brown Act including new public access and participation
requirements for specified legislative bodies, new translation requirements, new
exemptions from certain teleconferencing requirements for eligible subsidiary
bodies and eligible multijurisdictional bodies, disability exemptions, amd
extensions of law providing exemptions from certain teleconferencing
requirements.
Position: Actively monitoring and engaging with Author’s office on
amendments to lessen implementational burdens
Status: Pending consideration in second house fiscal committee
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 15
Notable Legislation: Bay Area Transportation Funding
SB 63 (Wiener): San Francisco Bay area: local revenue measure:
transportation funding.
Authorizes the adoption of a district-wide transactions and use tax measure to
fund transportation systems in the Bay Area. Mechanizem to be a sales tax
increase implemented across five Bay Area jurisdictions. A half-cent sales tax
would be levied in the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and
Santa Clara, while the City and County of San Francisco would adopt a one-
cent increase. This tax would remain in effect for 14 years.
Position: Actively monitoring and engaging with the Author’s office
Status: Pending consideration in second house fiscal committee
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Slide 16
Federal Updates
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
New DOJ Sanctuary City List – CA Listed as a Whole
2026 Surface Transportation Reauthorization – MPO Empowerment
Federal Grant Program Changes – EPA Cancellation of Solar for All Program
Appropriations Process Moving Forward – Senate Passes 3 of 12 Bills
Slide 17
Federal Updates: Community Project Request Funding
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
Rep. Liccardo Sponsored Fire Station No. 4 Project, totaling $850,000
Successfully included in appropriations package
Slide 18
Federal Updates: Impacts of OBBA
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025
SNAP
•Expands work
requirements to people
55-64, people
experiencing
homelessness, adults
with children 14 and
older, youth aging out
of foster care, veterans
•Eliminates SNAP for
people granted
refugee, asylum status
•Requires states to start
paying portion of
SNAP benefits
Medicaid
•Expands work
requirements to
expansion population
starting in 2027
•Significant cost
shifting to states
•Cuts to premium tax
credits for
marketplace coverage
•Future of CalAIM,
Health Related Social
Needs Program
uncertain
Clean
Energy
•Phases out several
clean energy tax
credits
•Credits for solar and
wind subject to new
construction start and
project placement
Slide 19
California Advocacy | Federal Advocacy | Grant Writing
www.TownsendPA.com | (949) 399-9050
Questions?
California Advocacy,
Featuring:
Niccolo De Luca
Vice President
ndeluca@townsendpa.com
Casey Elliott
Vice President
celliott@townsendpa.com
Carly Shelby
Deputy Director
cshelby@townsendpa.com
Federal Advocacy,
Featuring:
Ben Goldeen
Fed. Advocacy Director
bgoldeen@townsendpa.com
Joseph Melo
Senior Associate
jmelo@townsendpa.com
Sammi Maciel
Fed. Funding Associate
smaciel@townsendpa.com
Grant Writing,
Featuring:
Alex Gibbs
Grants Director
agibbs@townsendpa.com
Anastasia Heaton
Senior Associate
aheaton@townsendpa.com
Barbarah Torres
Senior Associate
btorres@townsendpa.com
Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee | August 12, 2025