California Assembly advances broad package of bills on housing, energy, education and public safety

The California State Assembly passed a broad package of bills Tuesday that included measures on tenant safety accommodations for survivors of violence, streamlining post-entitlement permit approvals for housing, options to seal certain juvenile and young adult convictions, and state-level steps on energy and broadband access.

Assemblymember Kalra, presenting AB 878, said the bill “will allow survivors of violence and abuse to ask for reasonable safety accommodations from their landlords,” describing measures such as unit transfers, parking changes, extra time to move or pay rent, and permission to install doorbell cameras at tenants’ expense. The Assembly approved AB 878 by a recorded vote of Ayes 44, Noes 3.

The floor also cleared AB 660, a housing “post-entitlement” streamlining bill that sets deadlines and limits repeated plan resubmissions by local agencies; Assemblymember Wilson said it creates a path for applicants to seek a writ of mandate if complete applications are not processed in time. The measure passed 57-0.

On criminal records, Assemblymember Lowenthal’s AB 704 passed after debate. The bill creates a process allowing people convicted of low-level offenses before age 26 to petition courts to seal and destroy records; proponents framed it as a way to prevent long-term barriers to housing and employment. That measure passed 41-14.

Other notable approvals included AB 353, the “Affordable Home Internet Act” (Berner), aimed at ensuring discounted, basic home internet options for low-income households; the Assembly passed it 52-17. Lawmakers also approved AB 30 (Alvarez) to authorize E15 gasoline use in California and attached an urgency clause; by the tally on the floor the bill passed 65-0 on both the urgency and final measures. AB 48 (Alvarez), a proposed higher-education facilities bond measure intended to fund modernization and safety upgrades at public colleges and universities, passed 54-10.

Labor and labor-rights measures drew floor time as well: AB 13 40 (Wicks) would give rideshare drivers the option to organize and collectively bargain; backers described it as extending a choice to a workforce that currently lacks standard collective-bargaining access. The Assembly approved the bill on a 44-14 vote.

Emergency management and public-safety bills that passed included multiple measures on lithium-ion battery fire response and advisory groups (Ransom), and a bill directing the State Fire Marshal to develop prevention and recovery guidance for large battery storage facilities; those measures passed with strong bipartisan backing.

Some bills generated longer debate. Opponents of AB 12 49, which would require non-Voter’s Choice Act counties to offer at least one early voting location on the Saturday before statewide elections, raised concerns about staffing in small counties and signature-verification differences; proponents said the measure simply extends an existing option used in many counties. The Assembly passed AB 12 49 52-16.

The Assembly convened, dispensed with routine business, and returned multiple items to file as part of this concentrated floor session. Many bills passed unanimously or with wide bipartisan margins; several others drew contested floor debate before passage. The chamber recessed for a one-hour lunch break during the lengthy session and announced it will reconvene Thursday, June 5 at 2 p.m.

Votes at a glance (selected bills taken on the floor): AB 878 (Kalra) — reasonable safety accommodations for survivors of violence — Passed, Ayes 44, Noes 3; AB 660 (Wilson) — post-entitlement permitting timelines — Passed, Ayes 57, Noes 0; AB 704 (Lowenthal) — sealing/destroying certain juvenile/young adult convictions — Passed, Ayes 41, Noes 14; AB 353 (Berner) — Affordable Home Internet Act — Passed, Ayes 52, Noes 17; AB 30 (Alvarez) — authorize E15 gas; urgency — Passed, Ayes 65, Noes 0; AB 48 (Alvarez) — higher education facilities bond — Passed, Ayes 54, Noes 10; AB 13 40 (Wicks) — rideshare drivers collective action option — Passed, Ayes 44, Noes 14.

Assembly members said many of the bills will be refined further in the Senate or in follow-up rulemaking, and sponsors committed to continued stakeholder engagement when amendments were raised. The measures that passed will proceed to the governor or the next steps specified by statute or legislative process.