CaliforniaState Housing Law: remote inspections.
What it does
Existing law, the State Housing Law, establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Existing law requires the building department of every city or county to enforce the provisions of the State Housing Law, the State Building Standards Code, and other specified rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the State Housing Law pertaining to standards for buildings used for human habitation. Existing law authorizes an officer, employee, or agent of an enforcement agency to enter and inspect any building or premises whenever necessary to secure compliance with, or prevent a violation of, any provision of the State Housing Law, the building standards published in the State Building Standards Code, and other rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of the State Housing Law.
More detail
Existing law provides certain immunities to a public entity or employee immunity relative to an inspection or license, as provided.
This bill would require a city, including a charter city, county, or city and county, except as specified, to offer a homeowner or contractor, as described, the option of requesting remote inspections for all or a subset of an inspection required by a building permit for specified works in one- or 2-family dwelling units, by either January 1, 2028, or July 1, 2028, as provided. The bill would authorize these local agencies to adopt reasonable protocols governing the technical conduct of a remote inspection, as specified. The bill would apply the above-described immunities to remote inspections. The bill would authorize these local agencies to temporarily ban the homeowner or contractor from using the remote inspection if a homeowner is found to have willfully misrepresented the work, as provided. By imposing new duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 18Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 271, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 18Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 28Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 24Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 6402.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1738 Carrillo Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 20In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1738 Carrillo et al. By Wiener. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 20Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 6. Page 5580.).Passed Senate
- Aug 4Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 3From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.Minor
- Jul 2Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 1From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (June 30).Major
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 22Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.Major
- Jun 18From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on HOUSING. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 17).Major
- Jun 17
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Housing]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and HOUSING.Minor
- May 22In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1738 Carrillo Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 22Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 62. Noes 0. Page 5256.)Passed Assembly
- May 18Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 5141.)Major
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 16From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 15
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 6Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Minor
- Mar 26Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 25From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (March 25).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 17Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.Minor
- Mar 16From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. Read second time and amended.Major
- Feb 23Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.Minor
- Feb 6From printer. May be heard in committee March 8.
- Feb 5Read first time. To print.Introduced