CaliforniaDepartment must accept verified electronic signatures for housing lien releases
Starting January 1, 2028, legal owners can use verified electronic signatures to release or satisfy security interests in covered manufactured housing.
What it does
Starting January 1, 2028, the department must accept a verified electronic signature to release or satisfy a legal owner’s security interest in covered housing. It cannot require an original wet signature.
Argument forLegal owners could submit verified signatures electronically, which may spare them from sending an original paper signature to release or satisfy a security interest.
Argument againstLegal owners may need to meet digital signature requirements, which could make electronic filing harder for people without access to the needed technology.
More detail
The Department of Housing and Community Development must accept a verified electronic signature on a document to release or satisfy a legal owner’s security interest. This applies to documents submitted under the Manufactured Housing Act to release or satisfy a legal owner’s security interest in a manufactured home, mobilehome, commercial coach, truck camper, or floating home. The electronic signature must meet the stated legal requirements for a digital signature to have the same force as a handwritten signature. The department may not require an original wet signature for these documents. The department’s duty begins January 1, 2028.
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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 20Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 386, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 20Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 3Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.Minor
- Aug 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2174 Johnson By Valladares. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded [08-13-2026] set for [First] hearing: Reconsideration of favorable vote granted. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 13In committee: Reconsideration of a favorable vote granted.
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jun 24
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Referred to Coms. on HOUSING and JUD.Minor
- May 14In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2174 Johnson Consent Calendar Second Day. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5054.)Passed Assembly
- May 7Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- May 6From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 28Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 27Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 22).Major
- Apr 22
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 16Referred to Com. on H. & C.D.Minor
- Feb 20From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
- Feb 19Read first time. To print.Introduced
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