The Legislature returned from its summer recess on August 18, with important deadlines quickly approaching. The last day for fiscal committees to hear and report legislation to the Senate and Assembly floors is August 29. After that, the deadline for each house to pass bills is September 12, before the Legislature goes on recess until January 2026. While we’ve made significant progress on several of our priority bills, some major challenges remain.
Here’s an update on where things currently stand:
SB 770 (Allen), would eliminate the requirement for HOA members installing EV chargers in common areas to name the association as an additional insured. Despite providing evidence to the author that major insurance carriers do issue the required certificate, no compromise has been reached despite our continued efforts. The bill passed both the Assembly Judiciary and Insurance Committees. During the Insurance Committee hearing members engaged in a healthy discussion about the fairness of the bill and while it passed some members stated they reserved the right to change their vote if CAI-CLAC’s concerns were not addressed. The bill is scheduled to be heard on the Assembly Floor. We’ve initiated a call to action in the hopes that enough pressure will prompt the author to accept our amendments, or that the potential costs to homeowners will deter other legislators from supporting the bill.
SB 625 (Wahab), this bill proposes a streamlined architectural review process for rebuilding after natural disasters. After productive discussions, we were able to reach an agreement that limits the scope of the bill to actual disaster-related events. As a result, CAI-CLAC has moved to a neutral position on the bill. It has passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and scheduled for a vote on the Assembly floor.
SB 547 (Perez), this bill adds commercial property with policy limits of $10,000,000 or more to the cancellation moratorium list. The bill passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is scheduled for a vote on the Assembly floor. CAI-CLAC has taken a support position.
SB 410 (Grayson), would require inspectors to include specific information on the cover page of balcony inspection reports. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee and has been added to the consent calendar, meaning it’s set to be heard on the Assembly Floor without further debate.
SB 282 (Wiener), would void any CC&R that prohibits the installation of an electric heat pump. This bill was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee and will not move this session.
AB 942 (Calderon), would have reduced the contract for Net Energy Metering rates for those associations that installed solar from 20 years to 10 years. This section of the bill was deleted, and CAI-CLAC will not take an active position on the bill at this time. The bill passed the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.
SB 681 (Wahab) / AB 130 (Committee on Budget), which proposed a $100 cap on HOA fines, with an exception for violations that pose a health or safety risk. The bill was signed into law on June 30 and took effect immediately, which requires HOAs to revise their fine and enforcement policies.
CAI-CLAC is developing a strategy to address and correct this issue in the next legislative session. Member engagement will be critical moving forward.
“Affordability” is a top priority for the Legislature. However, every bill on our 2025 “Hot Bills” list would increase costs for associations and their members. It’s crucial we continue to remind lawmakers that HOAs provide affordable, community-oriented housing to millions of Californians. Associations are not the cause of the housing crisis – and we must ensure that we aren’t scapegoated in the process. If you haven’t already done so, you are encouraged to follow CAI-CLAC on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube for ongoing news, resources, events and legislative action.
Our CAI-CLAC Advocate, Louie Brown, explains more. Click below to watch.
