Senate committee advances bill to enforce permitting timelines across state agencies

Assemblymember Shivo presented AB 301 to the Senate Housing Committee, saying the bill would “accelerat[e] the permitting process” to help communities rebuild after wildfires and to provide parity in permitting timelines across state agencies and local jurisdictions.

The bill would require state departments involved in governmental reviews or approvals associated with housing development projects to adhere to uniform response deadlines (30 or 60 days depending on project size, as described in the bill text) and publish protocols to make review timelines and concerns visible to applicants. The author accepted “clarification amendments as suggested in the analysis” to ensure relevant departments are included.

The measure’s supporters described AB 301 as an effort to reduce delays from agencies such as Caltrans and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). "By accelerating the permitting process, we can help the hardest hit communities recover faster, rebuild homes, and stimulate local economies," Assemblymember Shivo said. Corey Smith, executive director of the Housing Action Coalition, told the committee the bill “is really about parity and consistency.”

Committee members pressed the author on scope and definitions. Senator Cabaldon asked which state agencies the bill would cover beyond Caltrans and DTSC and raised the Tax Credit Allocation Committee as an example of an entity that reviews housing projects but does not issue post‑entitlement permits. Shivo and supporters said the intention is to focus on agencies involved in post‑entitlement reviews, and that the committee amendments expanded the definition to include entities such as the Water Board. Senator Sciarra and others urged refining the definition to avoid agencies opting out and to ensure the provision reaches the agencies that commonly hold projects up in the post‑entitlement phase.

The committee did not adopt additional amendments from the dais; staff said further amendments remained under consideration as the bill moves forward. After deliberation, the committee voted to pass AB 301 as amended to the Appropriations Committee. The roll call and subsequent statements indicate the measure passed with an 8–0 tally.

The author and supporters said they will continue to confer with staff and stakeholders to refine language and ensure the bill targets post‑entitlement permitting processes without unintentionally sweeping in agencies whose functions are unrelated to building permits. The committee referred the bill to Appropriations for further review.