Pet Bill Passes Assembly and Moves onto Senate with Major Overhaul

Pet Bill Passes Assembly and Moves onto Senate with Major Overhaul

AAGLA and its affiliates obtain “key” last minutes amendments making A.B. 2216 more palatable. Several other bills pass house of origin and move to next legislative body for floor votes.

Assembly Bill 2216, known as the “Pet Bill,” was passed by the 80-member California Assembly on Thursday, May 23^rd by a vote of 43-to-8. As originally drafted, this bill would have imposed a requirement on rental housing providers to accept “common household pets,” and initially prohibited charging additional pet fees or pet deposits. Originally, Assembly Bill 2216 was aimed at eliminating no-pet policies in rental housing, period. The bill was strongly supported by animal rights groups.

AAGLA Advocates for Important Amendments

However, due to the strong advocacy efforts of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles and its affiliates throughout the state, several important amendments were negotiated with the bill’s author, Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), including exemptions for smaller properties, and the ability to charge pet deposits and pet fees. The negotiated amendments are to include the following:

• Exemption for buildings with 15 or fewer units to protect owners of smaller buildings. However, owners of larger buildings would be required to allow tenants to keep at least one common household pet.
• Property owners may charge a monthly pet rent in the amount of $50 for each pet in addition to the first pet, and also may collect a pet security deposit equal to no more than the lesser of (i) up to 50% of one month’s rent, or (ii) $1,000.
• Property owners may require pet owners to carry liability insurance and ensure that tenant pets are licensed and vaccinated. Property owners can require proof of liability insurance before the pet or pets are moved into a rental unit and can require to be added as an additional insured on the policy.
• Property owners can place limits on the number of pets allowed at just one pet at 16 or more-unit properties (and can restrict pets completely at properties that have 15 or fewer units).
• The effective date of the bill has been delayed until April 1, 2025, and the bill’s language has been clarified such that the bill is not applicable for existing lease agreements or renewals of existing lease agreements (unless both parties agree).

Definition of "Common Household Pets" and Additional Rules

Assembly Bill 2216 uses the terminology “common household pets,” meaning that unusual or exotic animals are excluded and not covered by the bill. Finally, property owners can establish building rules concerning the keeping of pets at the property, including leash rules, noise / barking, pet clean-up, designated common areas for pets, required licensing, updated vaccinations, spay and neuter requirements for cats, and dog bites.

Other Bills Moving Forward

Other bills that passed their house of origin during the week of May 20, 2024, included:

• Assembly Bill 2493 (Pellerin) – Opposed by AAGLA, this bill would allow a landlord to charge an application screening fee only if the landlord offers the ability for an applicant to apply using a reusable screening platform. This bill would also require a landlord to provide a copy of a credit report within 7 days of receiving the report.
• Assembly Bill 2498 (Zbur) – A bill supported by AAGLA that would establish the California Housing Security Program to provide a housing subsidy to eligible persons to reduce housing insecurity. To create the program, the bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish a 2-year pilot program in up to 4 counties.
• Assembly 2584 (Lee) – Opposed by AAGLA, this bill would prohibit a business entity that has an interest in more than 1,000 single-family residential properties from purchasing, acquiring, or otherwise obtaining an interest in another single-family residential property and subsequently leasing the property. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to bring a civil action for a violation of these provisions. AAGLA opposes this bill.
• Assembly Bill 2747 (Haney) – This bill would, on or after January 1, 2025, require landlords to offer tenants the option of having their positive rental payment information reported to at least one nationwide consumer reporting agency.
• Senate Bill 1201 (Durazo) – AAGLA has opposed this bill that would additionally require corporations to file an annual state that includes the names and complete business or residence addresses of any more than 10% beneficial owner.

Bills Held from Moving Forward

Finally, the following proposed bills of interest to rental housing providers are being held from moving forward, and may or may not again be undertaken in the next legislative session beginning later this year:

• Assembly Bill 1813 (Alanis) - Senior Tenant Shallow Rental Subsidy Program of 2024 allowing $500 per month for up to 18-months to qualified applicants.
• Assembly Bill 2059 (Flora) – Would have prohibited a landlord from being liable for dilapidations rendering the premises untenantable, unless the landlord receives written or oral notice of the dilapidations.
• Assembly Bill 2230 (Bennett) - Would have expanded the definition of “trust” under the Cartwright Act (anti-trust) to include unfair residential housing practices.
• Assembly Bill 2384 (Wilson) – Would have required that public swimming pools have an operational phone on or near the pool deck for emergency use at all times.
• Assembly Bill 2772 (Quirk-Silva) - Would have established the California Rent Relief Program to provide rent subsidies.
• Assembly Bill 2785 (Wilson) - Would have required a landlord to accept a reusable tenant screening report if an applicant has and elects to provide a reusable tenant screening report.
• Assembly Bill 2881 (Lee) – Would have enacted the Social Housing Act and would create the California Housing Authority as an independent state body
• Senate Bill 1055 (Min) – Would have prohibited a local agency from imposing height limitations that would prohibit an attached accessory dwelling unit from attaining a height of 16 feet, among other things.

Stay Informed

As of the date of this writing, many other proposed bills were pending. As always, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles will keep members apprised of the status of all legislation that impacts members and housing providers.