CA lawmakers advance housing bills on suspense file day
Welcome to the AM Alert, and on this Memorial Day we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
MARKING MAY SUSPENSE FILE DAY
Friday was one of two days where appropriations committees in both chambers of the Legislature consider bills that could cost the state $50,000 or more, known as suspense file day. The other is in August.
Before then, lawmakers can decide to move bills to the “suspense file,” where they make decisions behind closed doors about the fate of such bills, free from the public eye.
Per an analysis from lobbyist Chris Micheli, the Assembly considered 666 measures, about 65% (435) of which were approved for passage to the Senate floor. The other 35%, or 231, were held, which Micheli said was “basically the same” as last spring.
The Senate considered 432 measures, 71% of which were approved for passage as-is or amended. Some 125 were held up, slightly up from last year’s rate of 25.5%, Micheli said.
WIENER CHEERS HOUSING BILLS’ PROGRESS
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, claimed a major victory Friday after two centerpiece bills, SB 79 and SB 607, cleared that chamber’s budget committee, (which he chairs). They now head to the Senate floor, where they must be passed by June 6 before reaching the governor’s desk.
SB 79 would establish new zoning standards around transit hubs and allow for multi-family homes up to seven stories to be built there. It would also allow transit agencies to build more dense housing on land that they own.
Wiener, a proponent of the “Yes in my Backyard” pro-development movement, said it was a “bold step forward” for tackling the housing crisis, which has become a flash point in the state’s larger affordability crisis.
“By focusing on building near major transit stops, we can tackle our housing shortage and lower costs for California families while supporting our public transportation systems with an infusion of new riders,” he said.
Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-North Coast, joined Wiener in applauding the passage of SB 607. The bill exempts some urban building on vacant land from review under the California Environmental Quality Act, which housing advocates often blaming for stymieing development. Senate Housing Chair Aisha Wahab, D-Fremont, had some objections, namely that the bill didn’t guarantee developments would abide by union labor standards or guarantee units for low-income residents.
Labor and environmental groups like the California Environmental Justice Alliance and the State Building and Construction Trades Council said they supported it after Wiener agreed to unspecified changes that would subject some projects to environmental review.
“Thank you to Pro Tem McGuire and Chair Caballero for recognizing that the language of SB 607 would have created significant unintended consequences on communities and new legal uncertainties,” said CEJA representative Raquel Mason.
McGuire and Wiener said in a statement that they would hash out final language in the coming weeks.
“California’s housing shortage and cost of living crisis have driven too many out of the communities they love, into long commutes, or out of California entirely,” they said. “Permitting challenges have also made it more and more challenging to build critical public infrastructure, to expand the production of clean energy, and to advance our state’s economic development goals so we remain a global economic powerhouse.”
CALIFORNIA JOINS ‘CLEAN CAR’ COALITION
California is joining the 11-state Affordable Clean Cars Coalition to continue advocating for electric vehicles and work directly with manufacturers, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday. The coalition is a project of the U.S. Climate Alliance, of which Newsom is co-chair.
Newsom’s announcement came a day after he railed against the Senate for voting to revoke a rule under the Clean Air Act of 1970 that lets the Golden State set its own air emission goals that are more stringent than federal standards. The 10 other states in the nascent coalition adhere to California’s standards. Those states include Maryland, Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they will fight the “illegal” vote in court, which is part of the Trump administration’s larger battle targeting California’s climate goals. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a longtime Newsom nemesis, took a victory lap Thursday after the Senate vote.
On Friday, Newsom and the other governors said they’d continue leveraging their authority under the Clean Air Act and use state programs to keep advocating for consumers to turn to electric vehicles.
“The federal government and Congress are putting polluters over people and creating needless chaos for consumers and the market, but our commitment to safeguarding Americans’ fundamental right to clean air is resolute,” they said in a statement. “As we consider next steps for our clean vehicle programs, our states will engage stakeholders and industry to provide the regulatory certainty needed while redoubling our efforts to build a cleaner and healthier future.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all.”
—Kim Kardashian after a Paris court convicted eight people on Friday for kidnapping and robbing her at gunpoint in October 2016.
Best of The Bee:
- How California’s wealthiest people benefit most from the Republicans’ tax cut, via David Lightman
Congress blocks California’s EV mandate. What does that mean for climate goals? via Nicole Nixon
How reports of Sacramento High coach partying with kids led to teacher’s firing, via Jennah Pendleton
This story was originally published May 26, 2025 at 4:55 AM.
