FLOOR SESSION AGENDA - Regular Session: 10:00 a.m.

SB 92, as it passed the Senate, specified that a city, county, or city and county is authorized, but not required, to provide, pursuant to certain provisions of the Density Bonus Law, concessions or incentives or waivers or reductions of development standards allowing for an increase in floor area to apply to the nonresidential portion, or specified parking, of a housing development.

The Assembly amendments instead specify that a concession and incentive shall not result in a proposed project, as prescribed, with a specified commercial floor area ratio. The Assembly amendments add a coauthor and make nonsubstantive changes.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 499, as it passed the Senate, revised a provision of the Mitigation Fee Act that allows a local agency to require the payment of fees or charges on designated residential developments before the first certificate of occupancy is issued if the fees or charges are for the construction of public improvements or facilities related to providing fire, public safety, and emergency services. Specifically, SB 499, as it passed the Senate, specified that those public improvements or facilities include parkland and recreational facilities identified in the local agency’s safety element for an emergency purpose, as specified. SB 499, as it passed the Senate, authorized a local agency to use a local hazard mitigation plan in lieu of a safety element for this purpose until January 1, 2031.

The Assembly amendments remove the January 1, 2031, expiration on the authority to use a local hazard mitigation plan for that purpose. The Assembly amendments also require the fees or charges on designated residential developments, as specified, to be consistent with an existing provision of law prohibiting a local agency from imposing fees or charges for water or sewer connections that exceed the estimated reasonable cost for providing the service for which the fee or charge is imposed, except as specified. The Assembly amendments additionally authorize a local agency to collect utility service charges related to connections at the time an application for service is received, as specified.

The Assembly amendments also update Section 66007 of the Government Code to include the latest amended form of that section as a result of the enactment of AB 121, which took effect immediately.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 250, as it passed the Senate, required the State Department of Health Care Services to include skilled nursing facilities as one of the available searchable provider types through the Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Care Options internet website and any other applicable mechanisms, as part of the health care options information posted by the department.

The Assembly amendments additionally require the department to annually update the above-described provider directory to ensure that information is accurate and readily accessible to the public.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 576, as it passed the Senate, prohibited a video streaming service that serves consumers in the state from transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany.

The Assembly amendments delay the operation of that prohibition until July 1, 2026, and state that the bill does not create a private right of action.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 3, as it passed the Senate, among other things, required the Secretary of State to publish on their internet website a standard form for a signature verification statement or unsigned identification envelope statement, and required an elections official to only accept the standard form or a form developed by an elections official meeting the same requirements. SB 3, as it passed the Senate, required an elections official to post the regulations or procedures used on their internet website if the regulations or procedures differed from those promulgated by the Secretary of State.

The Assembly amendments instead require the Secretary of State to publish on their internet website a single, combined vote by mail ballot signature verification statement and unsigned ballot identification envelope statement and require an elections official to accept a form for a signature verification statement or unsigned ballot identification envelope statement if the form was developed by the Secretary of State or an elections official. The Assembly amendments prohibit an elections official from accepting a form developed by any other individual, organization, or entity. The Assembly amendments delete the requirement for an elections official to post regulations or procedures that differ from those promulgated by the Secretary of State on their internet website. The Assembly amendments make nonsubstantive changes to address chaptering conflicts with AB 827 and AB 16.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 39, as it passed the Senate, exempted vaginal or vulvar products, if specified conditions are met, from the prohibitions beginning on January 1, 2027, on the manufacture, sale, delivery, holding, or offering for sale in commerce of cosmetic products that contain intentionally added boric acid. SB 39, as it passed the Senate, declared that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

The Assembly amendments instead delay the commencement of the prohibitions described above for vaginal suppository products until January 1, 2035. The Assembly amendments require, beginning on January 1, 2027, any vaginal suppository product containing boric acid to include a specified product label. The Assembly amendments also exempt a vaginal suppository product from the prohibition and labeling requirement described above if the product becomes regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Vote: 27. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 78, as it passed the Senate, required the Department of Transportation to prepare a report to identify the types of safety enhancements that could be implemented on the state highway system, the common factors, if any, contributing to the delay in delivering those safety enhancements, and strategies to expedite safety enhancements.

The Assembly amendments delete this requirement and instead require the Department of Transportation to prepare a report evaluating current efforts and potential opportunities to streamline the processes and procedures for the delivery of safety enhancement projects on the state highway system, as specified.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 233, as it passed the Senate, required the Department of Housing and Community Development to meet and consult with the council of governments regarding the assumptions and methodology to be used by the department to determine the region’s housing needs pursuant to prescribed deadlines. SB 233, as it passed the Senate, required, for the 7th revision of the housing element, the department to meet with the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, among others, at least 26 months prior to the revision, and with other council of governments at least 38 months prior to the revision.

The Assembly amendments additionally require the department to meet with the County of Nevada at least 26 months prior to the revision and instead require the department to meet with the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments at least 34 months prior to the revision. The Assembly amendments also incorporate additional changes to Section 65584.01 of the Government Code proposed by SB 486, to be operative only if SB 233 and SB 486 are enacted and SB 233 is enacted last.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 236, as it passed the Senate, prohibited, commencing January 1, 2030, a person from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or offering for sale in the state any hair relaxer product that contains specified ingredients and required a manufacturer of hair relaxer products to register with the Department of Toxic Substances Control, on or before July 1, 2030, and to provide to the department specified information and a registration fee.

The Assembly amendments remove the delayed operation of the prohibitions described above and remove the requirement for a manufacturer of hair relaxer products to register with the department or pay a registration fee.

SB 236, as it passed the Senate, required the department to, on or before January 1, 2028, publish on its internet website a list of accepted testing methods for the testing of the ingredients described above.

The Assembly amendments instead authorize the department to publish on its internet website a list of accepted testing methods for the testing of hair relaxer products for the presence of the ingredients described above.

SB 236, as it passed the Senate, created the C.U.R.L. Act Fund, required all moneys collected from penalties to be deposited in the fund, and authorized the department to create the C.U.R.L. Act Registration Fee Account within the fund.

The Assembly amendments remove the authorization to create the registration fee account.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 241, as it passed the Senate, explicitly required specified community college staff to be persons who meet the minimum qualifications to serve in those positions or the alternative qualifications to serve in those positions.

The Assembly amendments provide that the above-described qualifications requirement does not prohibit community college staff from using artificial intelligence tools to assist in the operations of a community college or in providing services to community college students.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 253, as it passed the Senate, required the board of trustees of the State Bar of California to fix the annual license fee for 2026 at an unspecified amount.

The Assembly amendments, for 2026, instead authorize an annual license fee of $400 for active licensees and an annual license fee of $100 for inactive licensees. The Assembly amendments add a provision specifying that the Committee of Bar Examiners shall not be considered an advisory board for purposes of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. The Assembly amendments prohibit the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California from making certain changes to the bar examination without specified notice. The Assembly amendments require the California Lawyers Association to submit an annual report to the Legislature detailing their use of funds and a statement of compliance with provisions prohibiting creating, operating, or soliciting members for affinity or royalty programs involving similar products and services, as specified. The Assembly amendments revise certain criteria used in certifying alternative dispute resolution firms, providers, or practitioners. The Assembly amendments make various other technical and nonsubstantive changes to the State Bar Act.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 312, as it passed the Senate, required a person selling, transporting, or importing a dog into the state for the purpose of resale or change of ownership to obtain and submit, to the Department of Food and Agriculture and the buyer, a health certificate for the dog, as specified. SB 312, as it passed the Senate, required the department to develop, maintain, and make available to the public an internet website that contains the information it receives on every submitted health certificate.

The Assembly amendments require the department to retain these health certificates for 5 years. The Assembly amendments also eliminate the requirement that the department develop, maintain, and make available to the public the internet website.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 317, as it passed the Senate, required the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with participating wastewater treatment facilities, local health departments, and other subject matter experts, to maintain the California Surveillance of Wastewaters (Cal-SuWers) network of monitoring programs to test for pathogens, toxins, and other public health indicators in wastewater.

The Assembly amendments require testing to be conducted by the department or other monitoring programs in the Cal-SuWers network. The Assembly amendments distinguish the term “Cal-SuWers network” from “Cal-SuWers program” by defining “Cal-SuWers program” to mean the wastewater surveillance program administered by the department, in coordination with local health departments and wastewater utilities, with laboratory analysis performed at the department or through contracts with qualified laboratories, and revising “Cal-SuWers network” to mean the statewide wastewater surveillance program administered by the department that includes both data from the Cal-SuWers program and data generated by and received from participating wastewater programs not administered by the department.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 359, as it passed the Senate, expanded existing exemptions from the Use Fuel Tax and the Diesel Fuel Tax for any transit district, transit authority, or city owning and operating a local transit system, to also include any county owning and operating a local transit system.

The Assembly amendments make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions to refer to the proper administering agency.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: no.

SB 369, as it passed the Senate, required specified state agencies undertaking a Salton Sea restoration project that will exceed in cost, including labor and materials, a total of $50,000 to obtain an enforceable commitment that every bidder, contractor, subcontractor, or other entity, as provided, shall use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work that falls within an apprenticeship occupation, as provided.

The Assembly amendments require the above requirements to instead apply to Salton Sea restoration projects in excess of $1,000,000.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 373, as it passed the Senate, among other things, required the Superintendent of Public Instruction, before certifying a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency for purposes of providing special education and related services, to take specified actions, including, among other things, to review policies on restraint and isolation to evaluate consistency with California laws.

The Assembly amendments revise the above-described requirements, apply those requirements commencing with the 2026–27 school year, and apply them only to the certification of a nonpublic, nonsectarian school that is located outside of California.

SB 373, as it passed the Senate, among other things, required the annual, onsite monitoring visit to a nonpublic, nonsectarian school conducted by a local educational agency that maintains a master contract with the school and has a pupil attending the school to include an in-person, private meeting with the pupil to evaluate their health and safety.

The Assembly amendments instead require the monitoring visit to include, for a pupil placed in a nonpublic, nonsectarian school located outside of California, an in-person interview with the pupil, in a manner consistent with their individualized education program (IEP), to evaluate their health and safety.

The Assembly amendments impose additional requirements on the Superintendent related to nonpublic, nonsectarian schools located outside of California, including, among others, requirements to interview, during an onsite review, all pupils with IEPs to discuss progress and address any concerns respecting any limitations due to the pupils’ disabilities, to develop a tool for purposes of the interviews by July 1, 2026, and to make available, commencing with the 2026–27 school year, upon request from a local educational agency or special education local plan area, specified information and documentation relating to certification. The Assembly amendments also require a local educational agency to disclose the information received, if available, to the parent or guardian at the time the IEP team considers placement of the pupil in a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency, as specified.

The Assembly amendments, for purposes of the prohibition under existing law on a person employed by or engaged in a public school from inflicting, or causing to be inflicted, corporal punishment upon a pupil, define “public school” to include, among other things, a school operated by a nonpublic, nonsectarian school.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 398, as it passed the Senate, made it a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 3 years, or both, for a person to knowingly or willfully pay or offer to pay money or other valuable consideration to another person with the intent to induce the person to vote or to register to vote, or where the payment is contingent upon whether the person voted or the person’s voter registration status.

The Assembly amendments clarify that the crime would not include transportation to or from a voting location, compensation provided by a governmental entity, or granting time off to an employee to vote.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 516, as it passed the Senate, established the California Capital City Downtown Revitalization Act, and authorized the City or County of Sacramento to create an enhanced infrastructure financing district within the downtown Sacramento geographic area. SB 516, as it passed the Senate, authorized an affected taxing entity located entirely, or in part, in the County of Sacramento to opt in to the district.

The Assembly amendments additionally specify that a district is not prohibited from utilizing state funds to support its activities if the district obtains voter approval, as applicable, and the infrastructure financing plan is approved. The Assembly amendments also specify that the California Capital City Downtown Revitalization District may accept state funds, as provided. The Assembly amendments also incorporate additional changes to Section 53398.75 of the Government Code proposed by SB 5 to be operative only if SB 516 and SB 5 are enacted and SB 516 is enacted last.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 517, as it passed the Senate, specified that, for purposes of administrative discipline under the Contractors State License Law, the prime or direct contractor is responsible for completion of a home improvement project in accordance with the home improvement contract, plans, and specifications. SB 517, as it passed the Senate, provided that this prime or direct contractor responsibility does not preclude administrative discipline against a subcontractor or home improvement salesperson on a home improvement contract for a violation of that law, and also required a home improvement contract to contain a disclosure regarding whether or not a subcontractor will be used on the project.

The Assembly amendments make nonsubstantive changes to address a chaptering conflict with AB 1327.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: no.

SB 524, as it passed the Senate, required each law enforcement agency to maintain a policy requiring an official report prepared by a law enforcement officer or any member of a law enforcement agency that is generated using artificial intelligence to identify every specific artificial intelligence program used on each page of the report. SB 524, as it passed the Senate, required any program used to generate a draft, interim, or final report to maintain an audit trail that identifies, among other things, the person who made any changes to a report.

The Assembly amendments require the above-described identification to be made in a manner that makes the identification readily apparent to the reader. The Assembly amendments prohibit a draft of any report created with the use of artificial intelligence from constituting an officer’s statement, except for the official report. The Assembly amendments instead require the agency utilizing artificial intelligence to generate a first draft or official report to maintain an audit trail for as long as the official report is retained. The Assembly amendments delete the requirement that the audit trail identifies the person who made any changes to a report. The Assembly amendments prohibit a contracted vendor from sharing, selling, or otherwise using information provided by a law enforcement agency to be processed by artificial intelligence, except as provided. The Assembly amendments authorize a contracted vendor to access data processed by artificial intelligence for specified purposes.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 568, as it passed the Senate, revised and recasted provisions relating to requiring school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to provide emergency epinephrine auto-injectors to school nurses or trained personnel who have volunteered to provide emergency medical aid to persons suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering, from an anaphylactic reaction by, among other things, requiring those entities to provide emergency epinephrine delivery systems, instead of auto-injectors, as provided, to be stored at each public school, as defined, to include any program operated by or under contract with a school district, county office of education, or charter school. SB 568, as it passed the Senate, also made conforming changes, including, among other changes, authorizing a pharmacy to furnish epinephrine delivery systems, instead of auto-injectors, to those entities, as provided.

The Assembly amendments (1) change the references to those entities to instead reference local educational agencies, defined to mean a school operated by a school district, county office of education, or charter school, (2) require the emergency epinephrine delivery systems to instead be stored at each schoolsite, including at any state or federally subsidized childcare program, as defined, operated by or under contract with the local educational agency, and (3) expand the definitions of volunteer and trained personnel to include certain employees of a childcare program operated by or under contract with a local educational agency. The Assembly amendments also make conforming changes to account for the definitional changes and the applicability of these provisions to those childcare program settings.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 593, as it passed the Senate, among other things, required the Public Utilities Commission to require electrical corporations to adjust their consumer protections to better protect customers from significant voltage changes that can result in damage to customers’ equipment and appliances if the commission determines adjustments to consumer protection are necessary. SB 593, as it passed the Senate, required the governing boards of local publicly owned utilities, on or before January 1, 2027, to adopt policies to protect customers from voltage changes that result in damage to customers’ equipment and appliances.

The Assembly amendments delete the contents of SB 593 and instead require the commission, on or before January 1, 2027, to require each large electrical corporation, as defined, to commence a study to evaluate significant voltage-related incidents, as defined, across its residential, commercial, and industrial customers that resulted in damage to customer-owned equipment, appliances, or property totaling $5,000 or more, as provided. The Assembly amendments require the commission, on or before July 1, 2027, to publish hyperlinks on its internet website to the studies, and to report on the studies to the Legislature.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 595, as it passed the Senate, until January 1, 2031, authorized local agencies, as specified, that have less than $100,000,000 of investment assets under management to invest no more than 25%, and those local agencies that have $100,000,000 or more of investment assets under management, to invest no more than 40%, of their moneys in eligible commercial paper, as specified. SB 595, as it passed the Senate, beginning January 1, 2031, authorized those local agencies to invest no more than 25% of their moneys in eligible commercial paper, as specified, regardless of the amount of investment assets they have under management.

The Assembly amendments require the eligible commercial paper described above to have a maximum maturity of 397 days or less.

SB 595, as it passed the Senate, required an officer of a local agency who fails or refuses to make and file certain financial reports within 10 months after the end of the local agency’s fiscal year to forfeit to the state a specified amount depending on the amount of total revenue of that local agency.

The Assembly amendments instead require that forfeiture if the officer fails or refuses to make and file their financial report within 10 months after the end of the local agency’s fiscal year, or within the time prescribed by the Controller, whichever is later.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 748, as it passed the Senate, additionally included as a purpose of the Encampment Resolution Funding program assisting local jurisdictions that are urban communities within a county with operating safe parking sites while locating interim or permanent housing.

The Assembly amendments instead, for additional rounds moneys, defined as moneys appropriated for the program in or after the 2021–22 fiscal year, require that an applicant include in an application for a program grant specified information about safe parking sites, when specified, in addition to the description of how the applicant intends to use the funds to connect all individuals living in encampments to services and housing.

SB 748, as it passed the Senate, required the Department of Housing and Community Development to report to the chairs of certain Senate and Assembly committees on the funding distributed for each of the program’s purposes, as specified.

The Assembly amendments remove this requirement and additionally repeal the requirement that the department report to the chairs of the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on the outcomes, learnings, and best practices models identified through the program, as specified. The Assembly amendments require the department to report, in the annual report to the Governor and both houses of the Legislature on the operations and accomplishments during the previous fiscal year of the housing programs administered by the department, a summary of the data elements, as described. The Assembly amendments require the department to evaluate the data and outcomes reported by the department in the annual report, instead of reported by recipients, to assess the efficacy of programs and identify scalable best practices for encampment resolution that can be replicated across the state.

SB 748, as it passed the Senate, made related findings and declarations.

The Assembly amendments make various changes to these findings and declarations.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

Senate Bill 791, as it passed the Senate, authorized a motor vehicle dealer to charge a document processing charge in excess of the amounts authorized under existing law, if the charge does not exceed $1 of the total price of the vehicle, up to $500, except as specified.

The Assembly amendments instead prohibit the document processing charge from exceeding $260. The Assembly amendments require a dealer that charges the increased document processing charge to display a specified notice and provide the customer with a disclosure that includes the specific amount of the document processing charge. The Assembly amendments repeal the provisions of the bill on January 1, 2031.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 800, as it passed the Senate, required the Department of Transportation to establish and administer a pilot program to install suicide deterrents on 5 freeway overpasses in the County of San Bernardino, as specified.

The Assembly amendments delete the contents of the bill and instead require, beginning on or before July 1, 2028, the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health and in collaboration with impacted local governments, to incorporate suicide deterrent considerations in the updates of applicable guidance documents, as provided.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 512, as it passed the Senate, increased the number of days of advanced notice the Office of Emergency Services must provide to local agencies before selling firefighting equipment to public agencies outside of California, the federal government, or Indian tribes from 90 days to 100 days.

The Assembly amendments delete those provisions and instead authorize the voters of any special district that has authorization to impose a transactions and use tax for transportation purposes to impose the tax by an initiative measure.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 371, as it passed the Senate, transferred the responsibility to maintain uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage applicable to a ride provided by a participating driver and accepted on a transportation network company’s online-enabled application or platform from either the participating driver or the transportation network company, or both, to the transportation network company unless the participating driver voluntarily chooses otherwise.

The Assembly amendments make the requirement to maintain this coverage solely the obligation of the transportation network company. The Assembly amendments also reduce the amount of this coverage required for those circumstances from $1,000,000 to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident.

SB 371, as it passed the Senate, required the Public Utilities Commission’s annual report to the Legislature that is due on or before February 1, 2026, to contain certain additional information with regard to automobile accidents reported to the commission by transportation network companies.

The Assembly amendments revise that additional information required to be contained in that report and require the commission’s annual report to the Legislature that is due on or before February 1, 2027, to specify the average transportation network company rider fare paid during certain time periods, as provided. The Assembly amendments also require the commission and the Department of Insurance to collaborate on a study of the impacts of the requirements established for uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage for transportation network company rides and to report the findings of that study to certain committees of the Legislature on or before December 31, 2030, as specified.

The Assembly amendments make the operation of SB 371 contingent upon the enactment of AB 1340 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 30, as it passed the Senate, prohibited a public entity that owns diesel-powered on-track equipment from selling, donating, or otherwise transferring that equipment for continued use after the public entity decommissions the equipment and exempted from that prohibition the sale, donation, or transfer of that equipment if certain criteria were satisfied.

The Assembly amendments limit that prohibition to the sale, donation, or transfer of ownership of diesel-powered on-track equipment by a public entity for continued use after the public entity decommissions the equipment and revise the criteria that must be satisfied to be exempt from that prohibition.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 88, as it passed the Senate, among other things, required the State Air Resources Board, on or before January 1, 2027, to finalize a standardized system for quantifying direct carbon emissions and decay from fuel reduction activities, as specified. SB 88, as it passed the Senate, required, on or before January 1, 2028, the state board to adopt a method of quantification of the life-cycle emissions from alternative uses of forest and agricultural biomass residues. SB 88, as it passed the Senate, required, on or before January 1, 2028, the state board to include a comprehensive strategy to support beneficial carbon removal products in the next scoping plan update.

The Assembly amendments, among other things, delete the above-described requirements. The Assembly amendments instead require, on or before January 1, 2028, the state board to publish on its internet website an assessment of life-cycle emissions from alternative uses of forest and agricultural biomass residues, as specified, and require the state board, on or before January 1, 2029, to publish a comprehensive strategy to support beneficial carbon removal products on its internet website.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 224, as it passed the Senate, required the Department of Water Resources, commencing in 2027 and annually thereafter, at at least 2 open and public meetings in specified locations, to present information on its operational decisions and its rationale for the state’s water supply during the previous water year and the degree to which it succeeded in implementing the water supply forecasting model and procedures. SB 224, as it passed the Senate, also required the department to include the information presented at the meetings in its annual report, post the report on its internet website, and submit the report to the Legislature.

The Assembly amendments eliminate the above-described meeting and reporting requirements.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 283, as it passed the Senate, required the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the State Fire Marshal to review and consider the most recently published edition of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems, for incorporation into the next update of the California Building Standards Code. SB 283, as it passed the Senate, prohibited the commission or a local jurisdiction from certifying certain energy storage systems unless certain requirements are satisfied, including that the energy storage system be inspected by the local fire department or a representative or designee of the State Fire Marshal, as specified. SB 283, as it passed the Senate, authorized the state or a local jurisdiction to only approve the construction of an energy storage management system with over 600 kilowatthours of storage capacity if it is located in a noncombustible, dedicated-use building or is a remote outdoor installation.

The Assembly amendments, among other changes, define additional terms for purposes of the bill and make the provisions of the bill applicable to energy storage systems, rather than energy storage management systems. The Assembly amendments require the commission and the State Fire Marshal to instead adopt provisions that are at least as protective as, rather than review and consider, the standard in the next update of the California Building Standards Code. The Assembly amendments additionally require that the inspector be provided with a copy of the documentation of the initial fire official consultation submitted with the application. The Assembly amendments limit the certification requirements for an application submitted to the commission or a local jurisdiction applicable to applications submitted after January 1, 2026, and instead authorize the state or a local jurisdiction to only approve the construction of an energy storage system if it is located in a dedicated-use, noncombustible building or is an outdoor installation. The Assembly amendments provide that these provisions do not prevent a local jurisdiction from adopting and enforcing laws consistent with, or more protective than, the provisions of the bill.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 298, as it passed the Senate, required the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop a plan, on or before December 31, 2030, for the alternative fuel needs of oceangoing vessels at California’s public seaports, as specified, and to convene a working group, to include representatives of specified entities and government agencies, on the development of the information required for that plan.

The Assembly amendments add to the entities required to be represented on the working group, as specified. The Assembly amendments require the plan to be limited to alternative fuels for oceangoing vessels and prohibit the plan from considering, evaluating, planning, opining on, addressing, or otherwise referencing cargo handling or the usage of cargo handling equipment at any port.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 304, as it passed the Senate, required the State Lands Commission and the Port of Oakland, regarding some or all the Port of Oakland’s granted and public trust lands, to begin implementing mutually agreed upon solutions seeking to address use of these lands, including, among other things, providing flexibility in allowable commercial, cultural, and recreational uses, and expedited approval of mixed uses of port property.

The Assembly amendments instead lift use restrictions imposed by the granting statutes and the public trust doctrine and hold a specified stipulated judgment in abeyance with respect to after-acquired lands in Jack London Square, as defined. The Assembly amendments provide that these use restrictions will resume and the stipulated judgment will apply again on February 2, 2066. The Assembly amendments authorize the Port of Oakland, if it finds specified conditions are met, to lease after-acquired lands in Jack London Square for any purpose until February 1, 2066. The Assembly amendments require the Port of Oakland, on or before January 15, 2027, and every year thereafter until February 2, 2066, to provide the State Lands Commission with a narrative statement including specified information. The Assembly amendments also apply specified prevailing wage standards to certain privately funded tenant improvements on after-acquired land leased by the Port of Oakland.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 307, as it passed the Senate, in the event that an undocumented student was subject to a federal immigration order, required the Trustees of the California State University, and requested the Regents of the University of California, to ensure staff at the institution assisted the undocumented student in accessing financial aid and resources, to ensure that the student’s inability to satisfy academic requirements due to the actions of immigration authorities did not affect the student’s qualification for the exemption from paying nonresident tuition, as specified, and to adopt a systemwide policy for addressing course grades, administrative withdrawal, and reenrollment for undocumented students unable to attend courses due to actions of immigration authorities in relation to an immigration order.

The Assembly amendments require the Trustees of the California State University, and request the Regents of the University of California, to ensure staff at the institution assist undocumented students in accessing financial aid and resources without reference to federal immigration orders, and make immigration enforcement activity, rather than an immigration order, the salient condition for purposes of the other requirements of SB 307.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 333, as it passed the Senate, authorized the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, by an ordinance adopted by the council, to levy a tax pursuant to the Transactions and Use Tax Law at a rate not to exceed 1%, for general and special purposes, subject to voter approval on or after January 1, 2026, as specified.

The Assembly amendments make the provision described above subject to voter approval on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2032.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 482, as it passed the Senate, required, no more than 90 days after each general election, the governing body of each city, county, or city and county, or their delegated local entity, to submit to the Secretary of State an updated list of local elected or appointed officials for publication in a roster of state and local public officials of California.

The Assembly amendments, instead, require the above-described list to be submitted no more than 120 days after each general election.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 486, as it passed the Senate, made various changes to land use planning law relating to changing enrollment levels at institutions of higher education. Among other things, SB 486 exempted from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) specified determinations by institutions of higher education relating to the development of a housing element of a general plan. SB 486, as it passed the Senate, also exempted the University of California and the California State University from a requirement to conduct a “no project” alternative analysis in an environmental impact report (EIR), supplemental EIR, addendum, master plan, or long-range development plan if specified conditions are met.

The Assembly amendments delete the housing element CEQA exemption and narrow the “no project” alternative analysis exemption to apply only to an EIR, supplemental EIR, or an addendum for a project, and only if the project is necessary to achieve the campus’s share of enrollment goals, as specified. The Assembly amendments make other changes necessary to reflect recently enacted legislation.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 533, as it passed the Senate, authorized the use of a previously prohibited payment option for electric vehicle charging services by authorizing a charging station to require the use of an internet-based application if the charging station is on the premises of a facility that can only be accessed through the use of that internet-based application.

The Assembly amendments would limit that authorization to a charging station at an arena that has a seating capacity of at least 15,000 seats, rather than on the premises of any facility.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.

SB 634, as it passed the Senate, prohibited a local jurisdiction from adopting a local ordinance, or enforcing an existing ordinance, that prohibits a person or organization from providing support services to a person who is homeless or assisting a person who is homeless with any act related to basic survival. SB 634, as it passed the Senate, defined an “act related to basic survival” to include, but not limit, the provision or possession of life saving or sustaining materials, eating or drinking, possessing and utilizing blankets or pillows, seeking shade, or other activities to protect oneself from the elements.

The Assembly amendments instead define an “act related to basic survival” to include, but not limit, assisting with or providing items to assist with eating and drinking, including provision of food and water, sleeping, including provision of blankets and pillows, protecting oneself from the elements, and other activities and items necessary for immediate personal health and hygiene. The Assembly amendments also define “support services” to include nonhousing services, as described, and add coauthors.

Vote: 21. Substantial substantive change: yes.