Senate committee advances pro‑housing score bill with appeals process and $200,000 study request

Senate Bill 2422 seeks to establish a statewide “pro housing score” program that would evaluate county performance in expanding housing opportunities, publish county scores and related data on a public dashboard, and create remedies for builders in certain transit‑oriented development (TOD) areas.

During testimony HHFDC and other agencies submitted comments; the deputy attorney general recommended incorporating flexibility for counties facing extraordinary circumstances and adding an appeals process in administrative rules. The committees’ draft amendments would clarify methodology for calculating percentages, define treatment of partial years, and include an appeals process for counties deemed noncompliant.

The committees also noted a requested appropriation of $200,000 for studies to implement the program and said they would include language to permit administrative-rule flexibility for counties affected by disasters or other circumstances beyond their control. Senator Elefante registered reservations that parts of pages 14–16 may be too stringent on counties and that counties need flexibility when deciding approvals.

The committee adopted the chairs’ recommendation to pass SB 2422 with amendments and to include the appropriation request for studies in the committee report. The bill will move forward with the specified technical and procedural changes.