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Assembly approves AB 628 to require working stove and refrigerator in new residential leases
Summary
AB 628 passed the Assembly on March 6, 2025, requiring that new residential leases include a working refrigerator and stove; sponsor and backers argued appliances are basic necessities for tenants.
The California State Assembly voted on March 6, 2025, to pass AB 628, a bill that would require new residential leases to include a working refrigerator and stove. Supporters framed the requirement as a basic habitability standard for rental housing.
Assemblymember McKinner, the bill’s sponsor, told the chamber that “a working stove and a working refrigerator are not luxuries. They are a necessary part of modern life.” McKinner described the measure as addressing situations where tenants move into units lacking appliances and then face additional costs or delays to secure basic household items.
McKinner said the bill had bipartisan committee support after stakeholder conversations and that opposition had been removed. The sponsor cited anecdotal examples from young constituents who moved into apartments without a stove and had to arrange temporary solutions.
The roll call recorded 49 ayes and 8 noes; the clerk announced the measure passed. The Assembly did not detail implementation guidance on appliance standards (for example, whether a landlord must provide new appliances or ensure existing ones meet a safety code), and the floor debate focused on the policy rationale rather than technical specifications.
Votes at the roll call: Ayes 49, Noes 8. The measure passed.
