Senate committee hears AB 306 to centralize building‑code appeals

Assemblymember Schultz introduced AB 306, a bill that "would require the California Building Standards Commission, to hear and decide appeals regarding a local agency's implementation of the state building code and issue code interpretations." The measure is aimed at giving affected parties a state forum to resolve local code disputes that now vary across roughly 540 jurisdictions.

Supporters said the current patchwork of local interpretations increases cost and delay and blocks housing innovation. Mike Malinowski, a licensed architect representing the American Institute of Architects California, said the same state code "can be interpreted differently across 540 jurisdictions, which leads to negative consequences, particularly impacting housing delivery." Malinowski described examples — differing occupancy classifications and wall detail requirements — that can make a set of plans approved on one block invalid across the street.

Ally Saberman of the Housing Action Coalition urged the committee to accept the bill's transparency and posting requirements so local code interpretations are publicly accessible. No witnesses in opposition appeared at the microphone during that item. Committee members asked a handful of technical questions about the bill’s limits and the committee accepted the amendments noted in the bill analysis before moving the item forward for further consideration.